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Rocket Dragsters

Captain Jack McClure

Over the years I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of interesting people, Jack McClure was one of them and he is one of the coolest guys I ever met.

I first met Captain Jack McClure in around 1972 at the Great Lakes Dragways. My old friend Bob Metzler, the track promoter, introduced Captain Jack to me. Captain Jack was one of the good old southern boys that you took a liking to the second you met him. But the big thing that got my attention and the crowds attention was the one and only Captain Jack would jump into a Rocket powered Go Kart and drive it over 200 mph in the quarter mile. Everyone said this guy was either crazy or he had a death wish, Jack was neither of them. Jack was an entertainer, he also had the best half time act in drag racing for a number of years.


Captain Jacks 5 second run

Article 1973
Article from 1973

Captain Jack on his Hydrogen Peroxide Kart
Captain Jack on his Hydrogen Peroxide Kart

Captain Jack McClure
Captain Jack McClure

Captain Jack McClure February 1963 first Rocket Kart powered by a single T-16 Turbonique Motor
Captain Jack McClure February 1963 first Rocket Kart powered by a single T-16 Turbonique Motor

CaCaptain Jack McClure March 1963 Rocket powered Kart powered by twin T-16 Turbonique motors
Captain Jack McClure March 1963  Rocket powered Kart powered by twin T-16 Turbonique motors

Timing clocks on one of Jacks record setting runs
Timing clocks on one of Jacks record setting runs

Jack in his Amalie sponsored Rocket Kart
Jack in his Amalie sponsored Rocket Kart

Captain Jack with the chute out
Captain Jack with the chute out

Captain Jack racing and beating dragster with his Turbonique powered Kart
Captain Jack racing and beating dragster with his Turbonique powered Kart . Note the added Pulse jet on the back of the Kart

Newspaper article
Newspaper article

Captain Jack McClure in the pits at Tampa Dragstrip
Captain Jack McClure in the pits at Tampa Dragstrip
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