January 6, 2022 • 45 mins
This week Ken spends time with Drag Boat great "Fast" Eddie Knox. For years, Eddie Knox was one of the top drag boat racers behind the wheel of his 10,000 horsepower Problem Child. These days Eddie takes things a bit slower. The guys talk boats, cars and of all things golf.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Skinny with Riego and Kenna is a production of
I Heart Radio. Hi. I'm Eddie Knocks and this is
the skinny from the Fatheads I Wear Studios in Speedway, Indiana.
This is the skinny brought to you by Toyota, Rhino Classified,
General Tire and Dream Giveaway. This segment of the Skinny
(00:23):
is brought to you by Toyota. Once again, we'd like
to welcome you back to the Skinny. It is a
nasty day outside here in Speedway, Indiana, just about ten
minutes or so from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And we're
bringing on a guest that is in beautiful southern sunny California.
I believe and uh. He's a longtime friend. Excels in
(00:46):
motor sports for sure. No matter what it is that
he has been part of, he has one, he has
set records. He's been involved as a driver, as a
team owner, as a as a lead mechanic, a little
bit of everything all along the way. But the one
thing that has been consistent is his success inside of
this motorsports industry. His name is Eddie Knocks Fast Eddie Knox.
(01:08):
He works at the fun Factory. I mean, can you
can you imagine having a better place to go to
work at than the fun Factory. We're gonna focus on
the racing stuff here in a minute, my friend. But
we got to get things off in the right direction
here because the talk about what's really serious. How did
you shoot this morning on the golf course? Well, unfortunately,
(01:29):
sunny southern California is a little chilly and about thirty
five winds, so I skipped it. Uh, he just didn't
go at all. I know you guys are fair weather
golfers out there in southern California. Well, play down the
forty three degrees, but when the wind comes out, that's
a little printle. Yeah, the wind is brutal, for sure.
(01:51):
We have a nasty day here. I mean we've had
actually a really good winter, uh in terms of temperature,
but yeah, we've got our fair share of heavy rain
wind today. It's in the lower forties. Just one of
those miserable dark winter days that time of year here
in Indianapolis. Yeah, you guys can keep that stuff way
back there. Hey man, thanks for finding the time and
(02:14):
jumping on here. We've had a pretty diverse group of
players on this show, the best of the absolute best,
all along the way, and you certainly fall inside of
that category. UM. I was going back through some of
the stuff that you know that that I managed to
keep all along the way, and of course your championships.
(02:34):
I don't remember exactly what it is off the top
of my head, I want to say four Top Fuel
Hydro championships. But as I started looking at some of
the performances, I had to go back much farther than
I thought. I had to go back to UM the
end of two thousand nine. I think two thousand ten
is when we went to a thousand foot with a
drag boat series. But going back to the end of
(02:56):
two thousand nine one was all said and done. It
was some guy by the name of Darryl Erlick who
had the quickest quarter mile pass of of all time
UM at a four fifty two four inside of some
boat called the Problem Child. So unless they plan on
bringing the quarter mile back for top Fuel Hydro, I
(03:17):
say that one stands an empamy. Yeah, that's pretty cool.
We retired those records, and I can't remember if we
had a mile an hour as well, but we were
just really hitting our stride when we teamed up with
Darrell that year and obviously went on to do pretty
good together. Uh, I don't remember what happened. I think
(03:38):
they got rid of the thousand foot as well, so
I'm not sure where they're that now. Yeah, I agree,
I think they went to if I'm not mistaken, But yeah,
I do have you guys actually, to be honest with you,
in terms of the record, I had Ron McClellan holding
the record at two that was still had to back
it up. But you guys had the quickest and fastest
(03:58):
past four four two hundred sixty point nine eight both
set at the World Finals and oh nine one and
round two one around three so uh and fastest. I
still have you guys at to sixty five point five too,
So um, pretty pretty amazing. I mean that was quarter
mile days. It was. That was nuts. Yeah, I think
(04:20):
half the problem was trying to stop them. You know,
we had three big parachutet's back there and sometimes it's
still just got you right to the edge. And they
they decided to shorten of course. Uh, mainly they thought
it would save money, which was kind of pretty funny.
It just shortened the fuses all it did. Yeah, I've
(04:40):
offten we've had this discussion with our with our team
owner in UTVs who actually is super switched on guy.
Anytime they make a rule change and they say it's
going to save people money, it that that never quite
works out. Yeah, sure it doesn't. You know, it actually
made it more dangerous if you asked me, because we
had to have lot more energy in them in the
(05:01):
first part of the track, and that's where you know,
you're at peak velocity. So when things go wrong, it
goes wrong. Yeah, you know you say that. And as
we went forward and got into the thousand foot stuff,
I'm looking at the end of two thousand sixteen, actually
have you guys holding six out of the top ten
(05:24):
quickest passes in the thousand footmark, including the quickest at
a three thirty six UM that was at the end
of two thousand sixteen, And then you also had eighth mile.
You guys had quickst eighth mile Dwayne Patton. Of course
that number has always been there. We've had that discussion before,
but at a two forty four and and we thought
(05:44):
there was some stuff there that that maybe was a
misque but you guys right behind him at two forty six.
I mean, after everything was said and done, so you
speak of that energy, that early on energy, and that
is something that you for sure focused on. Yeah. We uh,
you know, we changed up the gears a little bit
and a little different sized propellers and such. But you
(06:06):
just had to have the perfect set of what we
call magic slippers on it to get it moving before
she actually got hooked up started throwing the boat around.
When we landed it, it was a thing of beauty.
And when we didn't, you know, it was pretty ugly.
So so help the fans out there, as I'm sure
they will start googling some top fuel hydro passes and
(06:28):
they should google the problem child, because it was nothing
short of spectacular to watch that boat go. When you
guys were on your game there, Uh those few years
you just kind of had it sorted out. You had
it in its happy place. Uh, it would do which
the guys here are already making fun of me whenever
I we would call them wheel stands, and they're like,
is it a wheel stand or a prop stand? I said, Well,
(06:50):
we always called it a wheel stand, I said, but
technically I guess it is a prop stand. But uh,
you guys got that thing sorted out. Man. It would
just yanked that boat up out of the water, and
it really would do a violent wheel stand to get going. Yeah.
We uh, we actually called the wheelies too. You know,
I didn't think much about it because we actually built
wheely bars for it, so I guess that goes hand
(07:13):
in hand. But yeah, to try to get the proper balance.
You know, you're lifting a thirty pound boat that's stuck
to the water, so you have to lift it up,
throw it out there, and then it splashes back down
and locks the motor up. Well, that's quite a process
when you don't have a you know, clutch management system
and such, and it really pulls balls out of the motor.
(07:35):
So what we tried to do is keep the wheels
in the air as long as possible and try to
get to set down more like a feather and not
scrub off any of that early speed. It's it was amazing.
It was an amazing time for me to be a
part of the drag boat racing organization because I was
(07:56):
able to watch the dual prop the dual prop success happened.
You know, I came in early enough where it was
still a struggle and then uh and then Dwayne and
those guys did a marvelous job of of really starting
to connect the dots and then you guys all sort
of jumping on board and that entire class changed and
(08:19):
and man, it was just I mean, I remember Shannon
Stewart going, you know, four nineties six, and everybody was like,
oh my god. And by the time you guys got
done with it, you're shattering stuff. Yeah, the dual props
really it helped mainly in the engine department, the engine tuning,
so we could burn a lot more fuel, a lot
more lower boost with two propellers hooking up. And to
(08:44):
be honest with you, most people don't quite get it.
You know, we had to throttle the motor doos about seven,
but when it lands, it pulls it down to five
grand um sometimes lower, and those props hook up solid,
like having six good years or is on there, and
they don't let loose after that. So we have a
very minimal time where they actually cavitt the boy. Once
(09:07):
they bite, I mean, they're gone. And when you look
at it as opposed to the cars, you know, they
got to burn up a bunch of energy through the
clutch before they can go one to one. Well, we're
one to one just past the starting line, and I
think that's why they were so quick. Yeah, it was amazing.
So you effectively added twice the grip. I mean what
you guys, and I should I should make a point
(09:29):
shaneon Stewart going at four nineties six was with a
single single prop effort and then of course the dual
props came in and you guys started figuring all that out.
It changed the attitude of the boat, It changed how
it launched. I mean it changed everything that you guys did.
Everything had to be thought thought through again to work
the process out. Yeah, it was like starting all over again. Um.
(09:54):
I didn't have a lot of experience with a single
prople top fuel boat. I believe we were running the
top alcohol back end. But once we got into the
duels and to look at one of the the propellers or
maybe an inch and a quarter in diameter inch and
a half if you're lucky, and only half of that
years in the water, so you can imagine the bite.
(10:15):
You wouldn't you wouldn't think it's there, but boy, it
moves some water and that's why you see the crazy
booster tails. It's funny you say that to this day.
I have a picture in my in my office of
dale Is tomorrow on what I would call a perfect
attitude pass. The boat had already left, It had taken
a set single prop, but it is just literally riding
(10:38):
on the tail end of the two sponsors. The whole
back of the boat is up in the air and you,
I don't know, I'm not gonna tell you. I can
see one ear of the prop, but it is exactly
as you said, a two year prop one is in
the water. Once out of the water, and I remember
you guys explaining that to me, and I was like,
you have got to be kidding me. That's that's impossible.
(10:58):
How is it that a boat can go that fast
with one ear of the prop in the water. Pretty
crazy when you think about it. And once the boat
is up on plane, obviously the ideas drags as little
water as possible. Then she gets up on her high
heels or tippy toes like we used to say, and
it just starts churning. Those propellers are moving at about
(11:20):
twenty three thousand RPMs and the actual prop tip speed
is somewhere, I don't know, near mock two or so.
So when they're done and run. Those things have been
heat treated, boiling water and glowing red like you wouldn't believe. Yeah,
and I remember you guys, A big part of the
maintenance for those boats is checking all the underwater um
(11:43):
parts and pieces on those boats. And they would bend
the ears religiously. They would crack stuff and break stuff.
And I remember the single prop guys. They are single
prop days. They would get one magical run out of it,
the prop would be junk and they'd have to start
all over again. And those were hand rafted props, so
there were no to the same. Yeah, that's a true story.
(12:05):
Even with the advent of the CNC propellers, ultimately they
have to have a little hand finishing. And when you
running two of them, you really need a match set because, uh,
like we said, the twin screw made a lot more
power and was safer in many ways, but if you
had one propeller out of balance or broke on propeller
(12:25):
in a run, well then the thing would just corkscrew.
And uh we had that happened a couple of times. Unfortunately,
he's one of the baddest men inside of the pits,
certainly knows how to set one up. We're gonna take
a break here. In just a moment, we'll be back
on the other side of more from fast heading of
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(13:12):
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you at Rhino dot Com welcome back to the Skinny.
Today we have Eddie Knox on the show with us,
certainly known for his his success and the drag boat
(13:53):
racing industry was in it for many many years. Also
a lot of success as well inside of sand Ractors
and now currently in nostalgia funny car running the Problem
Child Funny Car as well. Thanks for joining us once again, Eddie.
Hey man, Let's go back and and tell me how
this all began. When did uh? When did the fascination
for speed and cars? When did it begin? How young
(14:16):
were you were? Your was your father instrumental or your
parents instrumental and and getting you involved? Well, oddly enough,
my father wasn't really in a hot rod kind of guy.
I mean, he did have pretty cool sixty three Malibu
back in the day. But we came from the East coast, Baltimore,
(14:37):
New Jersey area, and when we moved to southern California
in the early seventies, it was like a different planet.
You know, every it's sunny year round, there's dirt bikes,
and every uh driveway there's a flat bottom, maybe a
race car. There was so much going on in Southern
California area back then. I mean fifteen minutes, and every
(15:00):
direction was a race track and people raced boats, you know,
Marine Stadium, Pomona, all the different drag strips, off road courses.
There really was just racing going on or outdoor activity
all the time. And so through friends, you know, my
dad didn't have a boat or anything particular like that.
(15:21):
We didn't quite have dirt by yet, but uh, it
seemed that a good portion of my friends did. And
so when you're a kid, you go over their house
and they got old old Sanger sitting in the driveway
with a three ninety two heavy in it and colorful
paint jobs. It was just you know, you kind of
got hooked immediately, and especially I was so new to it,
(15:43):
you know, didn't really kind of have the lakes and
rivers and such back there for this type of activity.
And it didn't take long before I rode in one,
and a little while later I drove one and me
and that was about, Yeah, you go to a boat
race in the eighties or the seventies and like literally
it's just museum pieces. They are shiny and the most
(16:04):
wild paint jobs, and it was easy to get hooked,
no doubt in my mind. Uh, nice Uh, nice piece
of information. I had no clue you originated in the
East Coast and living up there for a number of
years with my wife. Yeah, there's no real drag boat
racing that's going on over there in that part of
the world. So to go out there in southern California
where it's just seems to be everywhere. If you guys
(16:26):
are going to the river just having a good time,
somebody's got a fast boat out there that those guys
are are racing. Um. And not to mention the crowds,
like you say, back in the day, and I only
know from pictures, but uh, you had to watch the crowds,
the girls that were out there you as a as
a young man, I'm sure the ladies being everywhere, and
and the shiny equipment and the boats. I mean it
(16:47):
had to be a circus atmosphere of fun. Yeah, it
really was a good time. I was married through most
of my drag racing, especially in the early early years.
A matter of fact, my son was conceived at the
drive o Racist so we are blood runs deep there. Uh.
(17:12):
But it was great. I mean literally, you couldn't if
you live in the southern California area, and I have
a couple of friends that do this. You can get
up in the morning, go surfing, head up to Big Bear,
get a half day ski ticket. On your way to
the river, stop by running your dirt bikes for a
little bit, and then make it to Parker in time
for the evening. You know, glass Ski. Everything around us
(17:35):
is an hour and a half away, so it's it's
other than you know, being California. It's pretty great place
to live. That I mean that all sounds great in
theory if you don't live out there, but we all
know the only way you're getting anywhere out there in
an hour and a half is if you leave before
in the morning. Yeah. Well, I I'm smart geographically. I
(17:56):
moved right in the center of all the activities. I'm
already in the desert, so it's an hour and a
half of the beach, the mountains, or the river, so
I'm in a pretty good spot. Yeah. That's great, man,
that is great. So you got the bug and and uh,
I didn't know you until after you really were a
co owner and really tuner um on the boat. But
(18:19):
there was a time when you were you put the
helmet on and you were behind the wheel. Yeah. My fascination.
As I explained earlier, as a kid, you know it,
eventually you work your way to get in one, you know.
So when I was I don't know, probably uh one.
I moved down here to the Palm Springs area, started
(18:39):
working at hadn't bought a boat yet. I got my
first house and was smart enough for dumb enough to
refinance it in the year and by aluminium Chevrolet from
Kirk Putin's who is now a pro mod guy, and
uh got me a little flat bottom and took off
(19:00):
to the river, you know, goofed off a little bit.
After we got it up over a hundred hundred twenty
miles an hour, it was time to go to a
racetrack and organized event with you know, actual safety gear
on helicopter sitting there if they needs you. You know
we were, and it still goes on it forever. You know.
You you neighbor kicked your ass one day and next
(19:21):
week you come out with a bigger blower and take
them down. Just kind of kind of went from there.
I drove at flat bottoms and then uh into blown
gas hydro. Had a pretty good run there, moved up
to alcohol hydro for a few years and then eventually,
uh after I don't know, four or five years off
and just tune in and building engines. We built the
(19:43):
first top fuel boat Larry Bless and I, yeah, I scratched.
I see the videos all the time, the guys out
there in the river with a flat blown flat bottom
and I mean stand on the throttle and a passenger alongside,
And I guess I'm just getting a little old. Did
I look at that? And I scringed. I've seen a
lot of things go really wrong, really quickly, and those
boats are pretty finicky. Man, it doesn't take much, so
(20:06):
God bless those guys. But I think I'll just stand
on the shore and watch. Yeah, I'm with you now.
I cut all my daredevil activities back wrong time ago, um,
even the off road and toys, the hot boats at
the river. All they want to drive now is a
golf ball. And I'm pretty credit at that. So it's
gonna take a little to the work. There's nothing wrong
(20:29):
with a with a pontoon boat here and there, party, party, party, barge.
So so let me ask, let me ask you when
did when did it make sense to you that, hey man,
I'm pretty good at this engine building thing. I'm pretty
good at this engineering thing to get a boat stable
enough to run. You know, the power that you guys
(20:51):
produced you clearly, it just makes sense to you when
I see people like you that you know, that are
so successful, you connect, all of you think ahead, you
think outside of the box. It just makes sense. But
when did that start to click for you? I mean,
clearly your father didn't get you into it, but you
had to be around a circle of very talented people
to become the engine builder and and really car builder
(21:14):
boat builder that you've turned into today. Well, I'll tell you.
I didn't have an automobile until I was probably a senior,
and it was a piece of junk grange Volkswagen. But
my friends all had hot rods, and so I started
kind of doing the tinkering on those. I was subscribed
to every magazine hot rod, you know, all that read
(21:36):
all the articles, believe it or not. And as I
grew into it and a couple of friends started running
a bracket class with the boats. Um, I was fortunate
enough to be around some pretty smart people when I
my first kind of job in boat racing was on
a top field of hydro and I changed the oil
(21:59):
you know that sort of saying nothing special, but I
listened and paid attention, and literally the owner of the boat,
his name was Ken schmud Luck would be standing there
talking to Keith Black, Joe Paison, oh, Geene Mooney Ham.
I mean, all of these people came out to the
races in southern California, and I just was like a
fly on the wall, you know, and sort of paid attention.
(22:22):
But I never grew up in a speed shop atmosphere,
never in a paying engine builder job anything like that.
It's always a mechanic and always pretty low budget deal.
So we just couldn't go by the shiniest new objects
every time they came out. And it teaches you to
take what you have and work with it and work
(22:42):
with it misogyn and tweak it. And I think I've
told you before, like squeezing the blood out of the rock.
And so I tried a lot of things that were
kind of just not standard, you know, and got a
lot of funny looks. But after a while I started
making them work. And you know, my mom always told me,
you know, you keep throwing noodles against the wall, but
(23:03):
one sticks the Pasta's done, right. So we just kind
of did everything a little unordinary, and uh, same thing
with the car. I'm just kind of taking my own
approach with what I own and what I know, and
slowly it's coming around. So are you a fan of
of where it's come to today? A lot of computer involvement,
(23:25):
all the sensors, you're able to really document fuel and
now obviously with the car or I guess even with
the boat, what the clutch is doing and all those
segments versus old school when you guys didn't have near
the control. Yeah, I'm still an old school guy, and
I think that's why this nostalgia heritage type car racing
(23:45):
works for me. I know it's still barely not a
turn on a damn race pack, but with the boats
we were the same way. I'm not against you know,
every progress and everything that goes on. I think it's
a little fun. Are looking at parts, spark pugs and
tuning then you know, plugging in a little box and
giving a tune up to your car. But it is
(24:09):
the way it is. You still have to be talented
and smart. But I'm for old school. Pull it apart,
take a look at it, make some adjustments going on
it again, walk around, let your hands get get warm
off the top of the pipe to see the cylinder's firing.
That's right, maybe you gotta touch them. I burned a
lot of hair off my hands doing that. I've never
(24:31):
let it show. That was always the coolest part. You
watch guys like you walk around and uh uh you know,
no mask on, just hands over the top of the pipes, looking, listening,
taking it all in. And of course I was just
like every every other kid in the candy store, just
(24:52):
and awe of watching you guys do what you do. Yeah,
I'm more of a sound and smell and feel a guy.
Uh yeah. For many years didn't wear a mask like
a sorry um, but even Saturday. He taught me something
later in life. He also talked me in to run
in top fuel. It's his fault. But I asked him, well,
(25:16):
why do you wear the ear muffs? And he had
certain ones that he liked and he wore them all
the time. He does, trust me, son, when you put
these on, it will take out a lot of the
noises that aren't necessary, but it'll let you hear what
is and size went wow, okay. Took me a few
tries with the ear phones and the mask and what
(25:37):
I'll be damned, he's right, you know, it takes the
sharp tones out and let's concentrate on the more or
less the innards of the engine. Yeah, I would liken
that too, and an audio a compressor. You know, we
use compressors here and it'll take out the highs and
the lows, but you can focus really on what you're
trying to hear. So it makes perfect sense to me.
(25:59):
But you would think of that. You wouldn't think of
it unless somebody told you. Yeah, amos. Uh. He was
a good old birden, probably one of the greatest natural
tuners that will ever have seen in our lifetime, and
strictly just from s Field smell sound. He was awesome.
And even he when we started talking about computers and
(26:21):
we had on one on the boat for a while there,
or dad acquisition basically what you call it, and uh,
I'd ask him, you know, what does this thing do?
And what does that do? And he's like, I don't know,
Son's just too much information. Unplugged that damn thing and
you'll be fine. And Shere's hell he was right again,
famous anamous saturally boy. What a what an honor was
(26:44):
to to meet and hang and and watch that guy
do what he did of course with speed Sports Special
and uh, Lou and the gang over there, so talented
as well, but famous. Famous. Amos was a guy to
be around. Man. He was a cool dude. He was quiet.
You watch him go to work and usually come Sunday evening. Man,
it wouldn't be uh, wouldn't be a shocker to see
(27:05):
him getting the saucer just a little bit and uh
and enjoy his hard work. Yeah. Yeah, you liked him
a little whiskey, you know at the end of the day.
But one of the biggest feathers if if you can
call it that in my cap one year at the
Wards banquet, you were probably MC in it. Uh. There
(27:25):
was a lifetime Achievement award for Amos Saturday, and I
don't know, he may have had twenty five to thirty
championship jackets and boats alone. And then his history with
the cars. And when he got off the stage, I
went over and hugged him and and shook his hand.
I said, well, do you have any regrets? Pops? We
always called him Pops. He said, yeah, talking to you
(27:46):
and to run in top fuel and that was the
greatest compliment I've ever had in my life. That was
great stuff. Man, That's that's an awesome story. Yeah, you
were kicking some mass, there's no doubt about it. And
his ass was one of them. You were beating up
on there just a little bit, so I'm sure he
enjoyed the rivalry. Hey, stay with us, man, we'll close
things out here. In the next segment, we'll be right
(28:07):
back and more from the past, Eddy Knocks. This segment
of the Skinny's brought to you by Dream Giveaway. Dream
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it out at dream giveaway dot com. Let's getting welcome
back to the Skinny. We have Edny Knox with us.
He's joined us from beautiful Southern California. Freezy day out there,
but still very nice to be out there and doing
what he does. Has currently made the shift from drag
(28:54):
boat racing over to nostalgia funny car racing again. The
car called problem child, but Camara's phenomenal. You guys got
started in that, I believe a couple of years ago now,
maybe two thousand nineteen or so, and have already enjoyed
some success. I know you set a record with it
there early on. Uh, tell me about about the car
in the future. Well, the car is a blast. I
(29:17):
gotta tell you. I've never once raised an automobile in
my lifetime, never once driven up to it treat, not
even my passenger car. So we simply know nothing about cars.
So every day is a new experience. It's refreshing my brain,
so to speak. I got my gears turning again. It's exciting.
(29:41):
It's like the boat race, and it's a lot of
good people, really heavy competition in this heritage nitrocars um.
They've all been doing it their whole life. You know,
they're pretty good at it by now. So well, once
in a while we give them a little chink here
in there, and uh, I'm learning in every weekend. To
(30:02):
give you an idea, the boat had a hundred and
ten gallon fuel pump on it. The car has twenty
one gallants, so it's it's not much to run on,
but it makes you work really hard. It makes you
think really hard how to get the most efficiency out
of one of these things. And it's kind of cool.
(30:22):
You know, you're on the starting line firing their cars up.
You look across the other crew chiefs. It might be
rollingly on, it might be some other you know, famous guy,
and that part it's pretty fun. A lot of people
ask me, you know the difference. Uh. One of them
is with the boat, you know, you back them down
(30:42):
to the water and you push them off and you
give him a thumbs up and wish him good luck,
you know, hope it starts, hope you make it. And
then with the car, you know, you're standing right there
in front of God and everybody. If it doesn't start,
they know why. And so you're a lot more involved.
I mean literally touching the car up until last seconds
(31:03):
before it leaves. Yeah. I never thought of it that way.
I mean, I guess you can easily just blame it
on the driver. If the boat doesn't start every time,
that's great stuff. Everything. If the trailer got a flat tire,
it was the driver's fault. I'm sure that still applies
(31:25):
every every opportunity you can squeeze it in. But that's yeah,
that's super cool. And and I do realize that those
huge names, legendary names are out there that you're competing against.
That has to be very exciting. And like you say,
you get a chink here, you get a chink there.
It's kind of like your golf game, right every now
and again, you you hit one, you're like, oh man,
(31:46):
I can do this. So and you get one of
those good runs and you come back and say, we
gotta handle on this thing. Yeah, I just figured out
half of my golf swings. Like the car shaking the tires,
it doesn't go very far and it hurts you always
acquitted back to the race car, right. Yeah, it's really
(32:07):
a great time. You know. Again, growing up in southern California,
I went to a lot of races and when you
show up and of course, you know, you see the
the snake and the mongoose, and all the cars had
names on, you know, and and a theme, and it
was pretty neat. And so this type of series we're in,
it's pretty much the same way. Of course, you got
(32:29):
problem child, you got a bunch of different ones and
there's some really cool names out there and the backup
girls dressed accordingly to theme of car, and uh, it's
a lot of fun and there's a lot of huge
interest in it. The crowds we get at the Famosa
Races or maybe up in a boisy the other Firebird
(32:52):
Raceway Radial Firebird Raceway are incredible. You know a lot
of people still love this stuff they remembered as a
child and they're all in walkers and King's and such.
But you know they're still getting out there and see
it well and and kudos to you guys were giving
them something that would motivate them to come out to
(33:14):
something like that. I mean, clearly, as you talk about
the older crowd there, it's it's so easy to say,
you know what, we've been there, we've done that. I
have no interest in and getting outside and doing something,
but something like that is so emotional to them. It's
such a tie in with their life that they want
to come back out and watch you guys do what
you do and you're better for it. I mean, the
(33:36):
cars are better than they've ever been, certainly better than
they were back then, you know originally, but to come
out and watch them. I'm sure the show is much
better as well, because you guys have so much more
figured out. So I think it's a win win all
the way around. Yeah, and I'm real proud of what
a great job Billy has been doing driving the car.
(33:56):
You know, he wasn't an asphalt guy either, and he's
tremendous with the fans, with the sponsors, we have a
great team. I couldn't be more proud of them. And
it's that standpoint is pretty laid back in the pits,
you know, I deal with the tension of the tuning,
but other than that, the guy's prep a good car.
(34:18):
Billy is awesome with signing autographs and he'll talk to
anybody that you know, has questions, and yeah, we're enjoying it.
It feels a lot like the boat races in that
aspect um. But you know, I mean, boat racing is
pretty doing cool. You got a lot more bikini's there,
and you've got a star thing. So I'm trying. I
(34:39):
gotta school of these guys how to run the pits
a little better. But we're getting there. You know, the
boat races, I said this for years. A lot of
my career was in short course off road and it
is certainly a large passion of mind. But the but
the drag boat racing was always special and you just
touched on it for a moment and not to go
back down that, but I just want to let the
(35:01):
fans know. And I've always related it to a level
of danger. I think because the level of danger was higher,
I always felt like the camaraderie itself was also higher.
Everybody wanted to race and race each other hard. But
in the drag boat world, and I'm sure it's the
same in your world as well, but everybody would come
(35:23):
to help everybody, and it just it. There was just
more of a of a camaraderie I felt like in
the drag boat pitch than anywhere else I think I've
ever been. You know, you do have a point and
we felt the same way, especially when you started getting
racing in the South and back East. Hospitality is immense.
(35:44):
There's nothing they won't do for you, and I found
that with boat racers. We had an open door policy
on our trailer. Parall was a racer or needed something
and we had it, We're damn while going to loan
it to him. If not help and put it on.
You know, the danger of sport brings people really close together.
And of course you know we've had our sure problems. Um,
(36:07):
but it's always that way. Man is gonna race whatever
is built. One wheel, two wheels, four wheels, six, you know,
it doesn't matter propellers, It's just gonna be that way.
So being a competitive person, uh, you know, you just
kind of you seem to mesh with other competitive people
and the bond grows, calmaraderie grows. It's been a great
(36:28):
lifetime in racing, I will say that. So I remember
towards the don't maybe it wasn't even towards the end
of your of your drag boat racing career, and a
few years before the end of it, you and I
had had a conversation and you were dead and nuts
serious about putting the helmet back on and climbing back
inside of the capsule and and taking that thing for
(36:49):
a spin. And I often thought to myself, here's a
guy that drove at one point, and now he's he's
producing literally the world's quickest and fastest boat at the time.
And uh, and I'm sure at some level you thought, man,
I just want to I want to know what this
thing feels like for once in my life. I always
thought it was the craziest damn thought you ever had
(37:10):
in your in your head. But I can't help but
wonder if you have that same feeling towards the Funny Card.
Have you? Have you thought about getting inside of that
thing and given it a world? Well, yeah, you know,
just from a curiosity standpoint, you know. With the boat,
I had built that second boat, and when I turned fifty,
I decided it was time to get back into shape
(37:31):
and fight and Wight and I thought, you know what,
what what I felt made me understand tuning and boats
was that I actually drove him. So I understood what
the drivers were going through at a certain point and
could communicate very well with them. So I decided that
what the hell. I went down and got fitted, and
I thought I would at least take a span get
(37:53):
my license in a fuel boat, because I mean, it's
got to be an incredible ride. I don't care how
you slice it. Zero to three, me three six seconds
and a thousand feet that's insane, you know. And then
so we had the two boats, and then Daryl crashed
the brand new one. So after that I decided it
was a bad idea and we were down to one
(38:13):
boat at that point. So on the racing the car,
it's Billy's job, built for Billy. I would love to
try it someday. Just I would just do the burnout
all the way to the finish line and drive it
back to the pits. I don't care about launch. I
would think the launch would be I get the burnout
part of it, don't get me wrong, But I would
think the engineer part of you would want to launch
(38:36):
that thing. And that's really why I asked you the question,
to be quite honest with you, was I would think
that you would love to connect the dots with that
information that comes back from Billy to tell you, you know,
it launched okay, then it started to rattle the tires,
and then it you know, we were able to drive
through it, or whatever the case may be. I would
think that you're the engineering side of your brain would
(38:56):
just love to be able to connect those dots. Yeah,
and I and I think it would make me a
better tuner and a better crew chief knowing what it
feels like in the car, although when it shakes the
tires and not his teeth loose. I'm not in any
hurried to try that. Yeah. The best description I ever
I ever heard of tire shake was somebody It might
(39:19):
have been John Forrest who told me just just picture
putting your head in a a paint shaker, and I
mean it literally? Is that violent? You know? Oh? There's
times he gets out and he goes, can we please
not do that again? And I'm saying, hey, sorry, what
not purpose? You know? But do you want to be fast?
Don't here? So talk to me about what's the future
(39:41):
hold for? For Addie Knox more the same what do
you see yourself doing? And the next year? What do
you see yourself doing in the next five Well, as
with all of our racing over the years, I've always
called it kind of the village effect. We had a
bunch of friends that sort of just pitching on this.
I'm a um, I don't have any money. And over
(40:04):
the years, it'll be my thirty first year with Red
Line Oil, imagine that, and twenty nine years with the
Blower Shop and with J and E and m g
P and some of these companies coming on board to
help out with parts and pieces. A lot of friends,
a lot of river friends, little games, boys racing, they
pitch in a bunch and dirty deeds. It's kind of
(40:25):
a lot of the boat folks went over with us,
and uh, I hope that we get to continue. Our
first few years, we've just been gathering parts. We owned
nothing car wise, so once we when we're getting closer
on that, and then it's just a matter of going
racing it. You know, you don't want to drive anywhere,
let alone let's say Seattle or or Tulsa, and not
(40:47):
have enough parts to put up a good fight. And
so we're to fight. You know, the only I'll never
know what these guys now, I won't live long enough.
I'll never be able to spend the money to have
the experience. So we're full steam ahead. You know, we're
doing the Reader's Digest version. Yeah, great, great stuff. Man,
(41:08):
it's been a pleasure to watch you do what you do.
You're clearly switched on. It clearly makes sense to you.
You're clearly a threat anytime you guys show up. And
I know for the other extremely talented and legendary tuners,
they respect you immensely and they love the fact that
you bring that game. Yeah. I made a lot of
(41:28):
good friends out there with most of the tutors as well,
and um and they're pretty helpful. If I could say
to any racer, if you want to get somewhere, check
your ego at the door. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
My ego does not get in the way of asking
for help, and I've gotten a lot of help from
a lot of good, smart people. Well, I've threatened to
(41:50):
do this, I think over the course of the last
eighteen years or so. I'm not sure how long we've
known each other, but started doing dragboats around two thousand
two or so. Uh so, well around the off it
at eighteen years or so. But I've been threatening to
go to that damn river and I've yet to make
it there once in my life. I think I drove
beside it one time. But I want to get to
that river. And I want to go to that bar
(42:12):
you go to that has all the money, that money
or bras hanging down from it. Maybe both. I don't
think you could have one without the other. Well, you
have to make a river trip because you'll know half
the people there. You know Tony and all the boat racers.
There are a lot of car racers there as well,
and you gotta come out and go to Sundance, go
to Foxes with us and be my guest. I'll put
(42:35):
you up a palmtoon boat with just cruise baby. Yeah, Foxes,
that's the one. That's the one where I always see
you there. And by the way, your relationship with your
daughter is very special. I see that all the time.
I see how how proud papa is of his of
his baby girl. And she looks like she's doing phenomenal
as well. Great stuff, man, congrats on that. Yeah. I
(42:58):
am so blessed at the kids department, fortunate to have
a wonderful relationship with both my kids. Uh Ed works
on the funny car with me, and you know, he
did a lot of service in the Navy and now
he's a policeman, so that scares the hell out of me.
Amanda has always been there too with the boat racing
(43:19):
and supporting her dad. And she'll get in there and
build some cylinder heads get dirty. My son can build
an entire funny car, you know. So I am so blessed.
And I have other friends to get the opportunity to
race with their family. It's amazing. Thanks a lot for
your time, man. I always enjoy talking to you. I
always learned something whatever I'm around you. And uh, it's
(43:40):
been a it's been an incredible run to watch you
do what you do. Thanks for the memories, Thanks for
all of the those golden passes inside of that boat.
Oh my goodness, man, just absolutely impossible to explain to
people what that monster was capable of doing. You have
to watch it, and to watch it in person, to
listen to that thing saying, watching it drop literally a
(44:03):
quarter mile of rooster tail as the water fell, fell
back down. I mean, it's just, oh my goodness, just
absolutely astounding. Well, thank you. It's been a great time
being your friend, working with you in the racing industry.
And hey, let's get some TV on these funny cars
and we'll talk some more. Yeah, you know what, Uh,
(44:24):
there's a phone call coming to you here. Just as
soon as we hang up. We should talk about that
for sure. Man, Best of luck in. I hope you
have a great season. All right. Thanks man here, same
to you. Thanks for being with us here on the Skinny.
This episode has been brought to you by Toyota. Rhino
(44:45):
classifies Dream Giveaway and General tire for the latest and
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out bad heads dot com. That's bad Heads with a Z.
Production facilities provided by Fatheads I Wear Studios. All rights reserved.
(45:06):
The Skinny with Rico and Kenna is a production of
I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio,
visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
The Skinny with Riego and Kenna is a production of
I Heart Radio. Hi. I'm Eddie Knocks and this is
the skinny from the Fatheads I Wear Studios in Speedway, Indiana.
This is the skinny brought to you by Toyota, Rhino Classified,
General Tire and Dream Giveaway. This segment of the Skinny
(00:23):
is brought to you by Toyota. Once again, we'd like
to welcome you back to the Skinny. It is a
nasty day outside here in Speedway, Indiana, just about ten
minutes or so from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And we're
bringing on a guest that is in beautiful southern sunny California.
I believe and uh. He's a longtime friend. Excels in
(00:46):
motor sports for sure. No matter what it is that
he has been part of, he has one, he has
set records. He's been involved as a driver, as a
team owner, as a as a lead mechanic, a little
bit of everything all along the way. But the one
thing that has been consistent is his success inside of
this motorsports industry. His name is Eddie Knocks Fast Eddie Knox.
(01:08):
He works at the fun Factory. I mean, can you
can you imagine having a better place to go to
work at than the fun Factory. We're gonna focus on
the racing stuff here in a minute, my friend. But
we got to get things off in the right direction
here because the talk about what's really serious. How did
you shoot this morning on the golf course? Well, unfortunately,
(01:29):
sunny southern California is a little chilly and about thirty
five winds, so I skipped it. Uh, he just didn't
go at all. I know you guys are fair weather
golfers out there in southern California. Well, play down the
forty three degrees, but when the wind comes out, that's
a little printle. Yeah, the wind is brutal, for sure.
(01:51):
We have a nasty day here. I mean we've had
actually a really good winter, uh in terms of temperature,
but yeah, we've got our fair share of heavy rain
wind today. It's in the lower forties. Just one of
those miserable dark winter days that time of year here
in Indianapolis. Yeah, you guys can keep that stuff way
back there. Hey man, thanks for finding the time and
(02:14):
jumping on here. We've had a pretty diverse group of
players on this show, the best of the absolute best,
all along the way, and you certainly fall inside of
that category. UM. I was going back through some of
the stuff that you know that that I managed to
keep all along the way, and of course your championships.
(02:34):
I don't remember exactly what it is off the top
of my head, I want to say four Top Fuel
Hydro championships. But as I started looking at some of
the performances, I had to go back much farther than
I thought. I had to go back to UM the
end of two thousand nine. I think two thousand ten
is when we went to a thousand foot with a
drag boat series. But going back to the end of
(02:56):
two thousand nine one was all said and done. It
was some guy by the name of Darryl Erlick who
had the quickest quarter mile pass of of all time
UM at a four fifty two four inside of some
boat called the Problem Child. So unless they plan on
bringing the quarter mile back for top Fuel Hydro, I
(03:17):
say that one stands an empamy. Yeah, that's pretty cool.
We retired those records, and I can't remember if we
had a mile an hour as well, but we were
just really hitting our stride when we teamed up with
Darrell that year and obviously went on to do pretty
good together. Uh, I don't remember what happened. I think
(03:38):
they got rid of the thousand foot as well, so
I'm not sure where they're that now. Yeah, I agree,
I think they went to if I'm not mistaken, But yeah,
I do have you guys actually, to be honest with you,
in terms of the record, I had Ron McClellan holding
the record at two that was still had to back
it up. But you guys had the quickest and fastest
(03:58):
past four four two hundred sixty point nine eight both
set at the World Finals and oh nine one and
round two one around three so uh and fastest. I
still have you guys at to sixty five point five too,
So um, pretty pretty amazing. I mean that was quarter
mile days. It was. That was nuts. Yeah, I think
(04:20):
half the problem was trying to stop them. You know,
we had three big parachutet's back there and sometimes it's
still just got you right to the edge. And they
they decided to shorten of course. Uh, mainly they thought
it would save money, which was kind of pretty funny.
It just shortened the fuses all it did. Yeah, I've
(04:40):
offten we've had this discussion with our with our team
owner in UTVs who actually is super switched on guy.
Anytime they make a rule change and they say it's
going to save people money, it that that never quite
works out. Yeah, sure it doesn't. You know, it actually
made it more dangerous if you asked me, because we
had to have lot more energy in them in the
(05:01):
first part of the track, and that's where you know,
you're at peak velocity. So when things go wrong, it
goes wrong. Yeah, you know you say that. And as
we went forward and got into the thousand foot stuff,
I'm looking at the end of two thousand sixteen, actually
have you guys holding six out of the top ten
(05:24):
quickest passes in the thousand footmark, including the quickest at
a three thirty six UM that was at the end
of two thousand sixteen, And then you also had eighth mile.
You guys had quickst eighth mile Dwayne Patton. Of course
that number has always been there. We've had that discussion before,
but at a two forty four and and we thought
(05:44):
there was some stuff there that that maybe was a
misque but you guys right behind him at two forty six.
I mean, after everything was said and done, so you
speak of that energy, that early on energy, and that
is something that you for sure focused on. Yeah. We uh,
you know, we changed up the gears a little bit
and a little different sized propellers and such. But you
(06:06):
just had to have the perfect set of what we
call magic slippers on it to get it moving before
she actually got hooked up started throwing the boat around.
When we landed it, it was a thing of beauty.
And when we didn't, you know, it was pretty ugly.
So so help the fans out there, as I'm sure
they will start googling some top fuel hydro passes and
(06:28):
they should google the problem child, because it was nothing
short of spectacular to watch that boat go. When you
guys were on your game there, Uh those few years
you just kind of had it sorted out. You had
it in its happy place. Uh, it would do which
the guys here are already making fun of me whenever
I we would call them wheel stands, and they're like,
is it a wheel stand or a prop stand? I said, Well,
(06:50):
we always called it a wheel stand, I said, but
technically I guess it is a prop stand. But uh,
you guys got that thing sorted out. Man. It would
just yanked that boat up out of the water, and
it really would do a violent wheel stand to get going. Yeah.
We uh, we actually called the wheelies too. You know,
I didn't think much about it because we actually built
wheely bars for it, so I guess that goes hand
(07:13):
in hand. But yeah, to try to get the proper balance.
You know, you're lifting a thirty pound boat that's stuck
to the water, so you have to lift it up,
throw it out there, and then it splashes back down
and locks the motor up. Well, that's quite a process
when you don't have a you know, clutch management system
and such, and it really pulls balls out of the motor.
(07:35):
So what we tried to do is keep the wheels
in the air as long as possible and try to
get to set down more like a feather and not
scrub off any of that early speed. It's it was amazing.
It was an amazing time for me to be a
part of the drag boat racing organization because I was
(07:56):
able to watch the dual prop the dual prop success happened.
You know, I came in early enough where it was
still a struggle and then uh and then Dwayne and
those guys did a marvelous job of of really starting
to connect the dots and then you guys all sort
of jumping on board and that entire class changed and
(08:19):
and man, it was just I mean, I remember Shannon
Stewart going, you know, four nineties six, and everybody was like,
oh my god. And by the time you guys got
done with it, you're shattering stuff. Yeah, the dual props
really it helped mainly in the engine department, the engine tuning,
so we could burn a lot more fuel, a lot
more lower boost with two propellers hooking up. And to
(08:44):
be honest with you, most people don't quite get it.
You know, we had to throttle the motor doos about seven,
but when it lands, it pulls it down to five
grand um sometimes lower, and those props hook up solid,
like having six good years or is on there, and
they don't let loose after that. So we have a
very minimal time where they actually cavitt the boy. Once
(09:07):
they bite, I mean, they're gone. And when you look
at it as opposed to the cars, you know, they
got to burn up a bunch of energy through the
clutch before they can go one to one. Well, we're
one to one just past the starting line, and I
think that's why they were so quick. Yeah, it was amazing.
So you effectively added twice the grip. I mean what
you guys, and I should I should make a point
(09:29):
shaneon Stewart going at four nineties six was with a
single single prop effort and then of course the dual
props came in and you guys started figuring all that out.
It changed the attitude of the boat, It changed how
it launched. I mean it changed everything that you guys did.
Everything had to be thought thought through again to work
the process out. Yeah, it was like starting all over again. Um.
(09:54):
I didn't have a lot of experience with a single
prople top fuel boat. I believe we were running the
top alcohol back end. But once we got into the
duels and to look at one of the the propellers or
maybe an inch and a quarter in diameter inch and
a half if you're lucky, and only half of that
years in the water, so you can imagine the bite.
(10:15):
You wouldn't you wouldn't think it's there, but boy, it
moves some water and that's why you see the crazy
booster tails. It's funny you say that to this day.
I have a picture in my in my office of
dale Is tomorrow on what I would call a perfect
attitude pass. The boat had already left, It had taken
a set single prop, but it is just literally riding
(10:38):
on the tail end of the two sponsors. The whole
back of the boat is up in the air and you,
I don't know, I'm not gonna tell you. I can
see one ear of the prop, but it is exactly
as you said, a two year prop one is in
the water. Once out of the water, and I remember
you guys explaining that to me, and I was like,
you have got to be kidding me. That's that's impossible.
(10:58):
How is it that a boat can go that fast
with one ear of the prop in the water. Pretty
crazy when you think about it. And once the boat
is up on plane, obviously the ideas drags as little
water as possible. Then she gets up on her high
heels or tippy toes like we used to say, and
it just starts churning. Those propellers are moving at about
(11:20):
twenty three thousand RPMs and the actual prop tip speed
is somewhere, I don't know, near mock two or so.
So when they're done and run. Those things have been
heat treated, boiling water and glowing red like you wouldn't believe. Yeah,
and I remember you guys, A big part of the
maintenance for those boats is checking all the underwater um
(11:43):
parts and pieces on those boats. And they would bend
the ears religiously. They would crack stuff and break stuff.
And I remember the single prop guys. They are single
prop days. They would get one magical run out of it,
the prop would be junk and they'd have to start
all over again. And those were hand rafted props, so
there were no to the same. Yeah, that's a true story.
(12:05):
Even with the advent of the CNC propellers, ultimately they
have to have a little hand finishing. And when you
running two of them, you really need a match set because, uh,
like we said, the twin screw made a lot more
power and was safer in many ways, but if you
had one propeller out of balance or broke on propeller
(12:25):
in a run, well then the thing would just corkscrew.
And uh we had that happened a couple of times. Unfortunately,
he's one of the baddest men inside of the pits,
certainly knows how to set one up. We're gonna take
a break here. In just a moment, we'll be back
on the other side of more from fast heading of
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you at Rhino dot Com welcome back to the Skinny.
Today we have Eddie Knox on the show with us,
certainly known for his his success and the drag boat
(13:53):
racing industry was in it for many many years. Also
a lot of success as well inside of sand Ractors
and now currently in nostalgia funny car running the Problem
Child Funny Car as well. Thanks for joining us once again, Eddie.
Hey man, Let's go back and and tell me how
this all began. When did uh? When did the fascination
for speed and cars? When did it begin? How young
(14:16):
were you were? Your was your father instrumental or your
parents instrumental and and getting you involved? Well, oddly enough,
my father wasn't really in a hot rod kind of guy.
I mean, he did have pretty cool sixty three Malibu
back in the day. But we came from the East coast, Baltimore,
(14:37):
New Jersey area, and when we moved to southern California
in the early seventies, it was like a different planet.
You know, every it's sunny year round, there's dirt bikes,
and every uh driveway there's a flat bottom, maybe a
race car. There was so much going on in Southern
California area back then. I mean fifteen minutes, and every
(15:00):
direction was a race track and people raced boats, you know,
Marine Stadium, Pomona, all the different drag strips, off road courses.
There really was just racing going on or outdoor activity
all the time. And so through friends, you know, my
dad didn't have a boat or anything particular like that.
(15:21):
We didn't quite have dirt by yet, but uh, it
seemed that a good portion of my friends did. And
so when you're a kid, you go over their house
and they got old old Sanger sitting in the driveway
with a three ninety two heavy in it and colorful
paint jobs. It was just you know, you kind of
got hooked immediately, and especially I was so new to it,
(15:43):
you know, didn't really kind of have the lakes and
rivers and such back there for this type of activity.
And it didn't take long before I rode in one,
and a little while later I drove one and me
and that was about, Yeah, you go to a boat
race in the eighties or the seventies and like literally
it's just museum pieces. They are shiny and the most
(16:04):
wild paint jobs, and it was easy to get hooked,
no doubt in my mind. Uh, nice Uh, nice piece
of information. I had no clue you originated in the
East Coast and living up there for a number of
years with my wife. Yeah, there's no real drag boat
racing that's going on over there in that part of
the world. So to go out there in southern California
where it's just seems to be everywhere. If you guys
(16:26):
are going to the river just having a good time,
somebody's got a fast boat out there that those guys
are are racing. Um. And not to mention the crowds,
like you say, back in the day, and I only
know from pictures, but uh, you had to watch the crowds,
the girls that were out there you as a as
a young man, I'm sure the ladies being everywhere, and
and the shiny equipment and the boats. I mean it
(16:47):
had to be a circus atmosphere of fun. Yeah, it
really was a good time. I was married through most
of my drag racing, especially in the early early years.
A matter of fact, my son was conceived at the
drive o Racist so we are blood runs deep there. Uh.
(17:12):
But it was great. I mean literally, you couldn't if
you live in the southern California area, and I have
a couple of friends that do this. You can get
up in the morning, go surfing, head up to Big Bear,
get a half day ski ticket. On your way to
the river, stop by running your dirt bikes for a
little bit, and then make it to Parker in time
for the evening. You know, glass Ski. Everything around us
(17:35):
is an hour and a half away, so it's it's
other than you know, being California. It's pretty great place
to live. That I mean that all sounds great in
theory if you don't live out there, but we all
know the only way you're getting anywhere out there in
an hour and a half is if you leave before
in the morning. Yeah. Well, I I'm smart geographically. I
(17:56):
moved right in the center of all the activities. I'm
already in the desert, so it's an hour and a
half of the beach, the mountains, or the river, so
I'm in a pretty good spot. Yeah. That's great, man,
that is great. So you got the bug and and uh,
I didn't know you until after you really were a
co owner and really tuner um on the boat. But
(18:19):
there was a time when you were you put the
helmet on and you were behind the wheel. Yeah. My fascination.
As I explained earlier, as a kid, you know it,
eventually you work your way to get in one, you know.
So when I was I don't know, probably uh one.
I moved down here to the Palm Springs area, started
(18:39):
working at hadn't bought a boat yet. I got my
first house and was smart enough for dumb enough to
refinance it in the year and by aluminium Chevrolet from
Kirk Putin's who is now a pro mod guy, and
uh got me a little flat bottom and took off
(19:00):
to the river, you know, goofed off a little bit.
After we got it up over a hundred hundred twenty
miles an hour, it was time to go to a
racetrack and organized event with you know, actual safety gear
on helicopter sitting there if they needs you. You know
we were, and it still goes on it forever. You know.
You you neighbor kicked your ass one day and next
(19:21):
week you come out with a bigger blower and take
them down. Just kind of kind of went from there.
I drove at flat bottoms and then uh into blown
gas hydro. Had a pretty good run there, moved up
to alcohol hydro for a few years and then eventually,
uh after I don't know, four or five years off
and just tune in and building engines. We built the
(19:43):
first top fuel boat Larry Bless and I, yeah, I scratched.
I see the videos all the time, the guys out
there in the river with a flat blown flat bottom
and I mean stand on the throttle and a passenger alongside,
And I guess I'm just getting a little old. Did
I look at that? And I scringed. I've seen a
lot of things go really wrong, really quickly, and those
boats are pretty finicky. Man, it doesn't take much, so
(20:06):
God bless those guys. But I think I'll just stand
on the shore and watch. Yeah, I'm with you now.
I cut all my daredevil activities back wrong time ago, um,
even the off road and toys, the hot boats at
the river. All they want to drive now is a
golf ball. And I'm pretty credit at that. So it's
gonna take a little to the work. There's nothing wrong
(20:29):
with a with a pontoon boat here and there, party, party, party, barge.
So so let me ask, let me ask you when
did when did it make sense to you that, hey man,
I'm pretty good at this engine building thing. I'm pretty
good at this engineering thing to get a boat stable
enough to run. You know, the power that you guys
(20:51):
produced you clearly, it just makes sense to you when
I see people like you that you know, that are
so successful, you connect, all of you think ahead, you
think outside of the box. It just makes sense. But
when did that start to click for you? I mean,
clearly your father didn't get you into it, but you
had to be around a circle of very talented people
to become the engine builder and and really car builder
(21:14):
boat builder that you've turned into today. Well, I'll tell you.
I didn't have an automobile until I was probably a senior,
and it was a piece of junk grange Volkswagen. But
my friends all had hot rods, and so I started
kind of doing the tinkering on those. I was subscribed
to every magazine hot rod, you know, all that read
(21:36):
all the articles, believe it or not. And as I
grew into it and a couple of friends started running
a bracket class with the boats. Um, I was fortunate
enough to be around some pretty smart people when I
my first kind of job in boat racing was on
a top field of hydro and I changed the oil
(21:59):
you know that sort of saying nothing special, but I
listened and paid attention, and literally the owner of the boat,
his name was Ken schmud Luck would be standing there
talking to Keith Black, Joe Paison, oh, Geene Mooney Ham.
I mean, all of these people came out to the
races in southern California, and I just was like a
fly on the wall, you know, and sort of paid attention.
(22:22):
But I never grew up in a speed shop atmosphere,
never in a paying engine builder job anything like that.
It's always a mechanic and always pretty low budget deal.
So we just couldn't go by the shiniest new objects
every time they came out. And it teaches you to
take what you have and work with it and work
(22:42):
with it misogyn and tweak it. And I think I've
told you before, like squeezing the blood out of the rock.
And so I tried a lot of things that were
kind of just not standard, you know, and got a
lot of funny looks. But after a while I started
making them work. And you know, my mom always told me,
you know, you keep throwing noodles against the wall, but
(23:03):
one sticks the Pasta's done, right. So we just kind
of did everything a little unordinary, and uh, same thing
with the car. I'm just kind of taking my own
approach with what I own and what I know, and
slowly it's coming around. So are you a fan of
of where it's come to today? A lot of computer involvement,
(23:25):
all the sensors, you're able to really document fuel and
now obviously with the car or I guess even with
the boat, what the clutch is doing and all those
segments versus old school when you guys didn't have near
the control. Yeah, I'm still an old school guy, and
I think that's why this nostalgia heritage type car racing
(23:45):
works for me. I know it's still barely not a
turn on a damn race pack, but with the boats
we were the same way. I'm not against you know,
every progress and everything that goes on. I think it's
a little fun. Are looking at parts, spark pugs and
tuning then you know, plugging in a little box and
giving a tune up to your car. But it is
(24:09):
the way it is. You still have to be talented
and smart. But I'm for old school. Pull it apart,
take a look at it, make some adjustments going on
it again, walk around, let your hands get get warm
off the top of the pipe to see the cylinder's firing.
That's right, maybe you gotta touch them. I burned a
lot of hair off my hands doing that. I've never
(24:31):
let it show. That was always the coolest part. You
watch guys like you walk around and uh uh you know,
no mask on, just hands over the top of the pipes, looking, listening,
taking it all in. And of course I was just
like every every other kid in the candy store, just
(24:52):
and awe of watching you guys do what you do. Yeah,
I'm more of a sound and smell and feel a guy.
Uh yeah. For many years didn't wear a mask like
a sorry um, but even Saturday. He taught me something
later in life. He also talked me in to run
in top fuel. It's his fault. But I asked him, well,
(25:16):
why do you wear the ear muffs? And he had
certain ones that he liked and he wore them all
the time. He does, trust me, son, when you put
these on, it will take out a lot of the
noises that aren't necessary, but it'll let you hear what
is and size went wow, okay. Took me a few
tries with the ear phones and the mask and what
(25:37):
I'll be damned, he's right, you know, it takes the
sharp tones out and let's concentrate on the more or
less the innards of the engine. Yeah, I would liken
that too, and an audio a compressor. You know, we
use compressors here and it'll take out the highs and
the lows, but you can focus really on what you're
trying to hear. So it makes perfect sense to me.
(25:59):
But you would think of that. You wouldn't think of
it unless somebody told you. Yeah, amos. Uh. He was
a good old birden, probably one of the greatest natural
tuners that will ever have seen in our lifetime, and
strictly just from s Field smell sound. He was awesome.
And even he when we started talking about computers and
(26:21):
we had on one on the boat for a while there,
or dad acquisition basically what you call it, and uh,
I'd ask him, you know, what does this thing do?
And what does that do? And he's like, I don't know,
Son's just too much information. Unplugged that damn thing and
you'll be fine. And Shere's hell he was right again,
famous anamous saturally boy. What a what an honor was
(26:44):
to to meet and hang and and watch that guy
do what he did of course with speed Sports Special
and uh, Lou and the gang over there, so talented
as well, but famous. Famous. Amos was a guy to
be around. Man. He was a cool dude. He was quiet.
You watch him go to work and usually come Sunday evening. Man,
it wouldn't be uh, wouldn't be a shocker to see
(27:05):
him getting the saucer just a little bit and uh
and enjoy his hard work. Yeah. Yeah, you liked him
a little whiskey, you know at the end of the day.
But one of the biggest feathers if if you can
call it that in my cap one year at the
Wards banquet, you were probably MC in it. Uh. There
(27:25):
was a lifetime Achievement award for Amos Saturday, and I
don't know, he may have had twenty five to thirty
championship jackets and boats alone. And then his history with
the cars. And when he got off the stage, I
went over and hugged him and and shook his hand.
I said, well, do you have any regrets? Pops? We
always called him Pops. He said, yeah, talking to you
(27:46):
and to run in top fuel and that was the
greatest compliment I've ever had in my life. That was
great stuff. Man, That's that's an awesome story. Yeah, you
were kicking some mass, there's no doubt about it. And
his ass was one of them. You were beating up
on there just a little bit, so I'm sure he
enjoyed the rivalry. Hey, stay with us, man, we'll close
things out here. In the next segment, we'll be right
(28:07):
back and more from the past, Eddy Knocks. This segment
of the Skinny's brought to you by Dream Giveaway. Dream
Giveaway has been giving away high end American muscle cars
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(28:31):
of that goes to charity. You'll have a chance at
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it out at dream giveaway dot com. Let's getting welcome
back to the Skinny. We have Edny Knox with us.
He's joined us from beautiful Southern California. Freezy day out there,
but still very nice to be out there and doing
what he does. Has currently made the shift from drag
(28:54):
boat racing over to nostalgia funny car racing again. The
car called problem child, but Camara's phenomenal. You guys got
started in that, I believe a couple of years ago now,
maybe two thousand nineteen or so, and have already enjoyed
some success. I know you set a record with it
there early on. Uh, tell me about about the car
in the future. Well, the car is a blast. I
(29:17):
gotta tell you. I've never once raised an automobile in
my lifetime, never once driven up to it treat, not
even my passenger car. So we simply know nothing about cars.
So every day is a new experience. It's refreshing my brain,
so to speak. I got my gears turning again. It's exciting.
(29:41):
It's like the boat race, and it's a lot of
good people, really heavy competition in this heritage nitrocars um.
They've all been doing it their whole life. You know,
they're pretty good at it by now. So well, once
in a while we give them a little chink here
in there, and uh, I'm learning in every weekend. To
(30:02):
give you an idea, the boat had a hundred and
ten gallon fuel pump on it. The car has twenty
one gallants, so it's it's not much to run on,
but it makes you work really hard. It makes you
think really hard how to get the most efficiency out
of one of these things. And it's kind of cool.
(30:22):
You know, you're on the starting line firing their cars up.
You look across the other crew chiefs. It might be
rollingly on, it might be some other you know, famous guy,
and that part it's pretty fun. A lot of people
ask me, you know the difference. Uh. One of them
is with the boat, you know, you back them down
(30:42):
to the water and you push them off and you
give him a thumbs up and wish him good luck,
you know, hope it starts, hope you make it. And
then with the car, you know, you're standing right there
in front of God and everybody. If it doesn't start,
they know why. And so you're a lot more involved.
I mean literally touching the car up until last seconds
(31:03):
before it leaves. Yeah. I never thought of it that way.
I mean, I guess you can easily just blame it
on the driver. If the boat doesn't start every time,
that's great stuff. Everything. If the trailer got a flat tire,
it was the driver's fault. I'm sure that still applies
(31:25):
every every opportunity you can squeeze it in. But that's yeah,
that's super cool. And and I do realize that those
huge names, legendary names are out there that you're competing against.
That has to be very exciting. And like you say,
you get a chink here, you get a chink there.
It's kind of like your golf game, right every now
and again, you you hit one, you're like, oh man,
(31:46):
I can do this. So and you get one of
those good runs and you come back and say, we
gotta handle on this thing. Yeah, I just figured out
half of my golf swings. Like the car shaking the tires,
it doesn't go very far and it hurts you always
acquitted back to the race car, right. Yeah, it's really
(32:07):
a great time. You know. Again, growing up in southern California,
I went to a lot of races and when you
show up and of course, you know, you see the
the snake and the mongoose, and all the cars had
names on, you know, and and a theme, and it
was pretty neat. And so this type of series we're in,
it's pretty much the same way. Of course, you got
(32:29):
problem child, you got a bunch of different ones and
there's some really cool names out there and the backup
girls dressed accordingly to theme of car, and uh, it's
a lot of fun and there's a lot of huge
interest in it. The crowds we get at the Famosa
Races or maybe up in a boisy the other Firebird
(32:52):
Raceway Radial Firebird Raceway are incredible. You know a lot
of people still love this stuff they remembered as a
child and they're all in walkers and King's and such.
But you know they're still getting out there and see
it well and and kudos to you guys were giving
them something that would motivate them to come out to
(33:14):
something like that. I mean, clearly, as you talk about
the older crowd there, it's it's so easy to say,
you know what, we've been there, we've done that. I
have no interest in and getting outside and doing something,
but something like that is so emotional to them. It's
such a tie in with their life that they want
to come back out and watch you guys do what
you do and you're better for it. I mean, the
(33:36):
cars are better than they've ever been, certainly better than
they were back then, you know originally, but to come
out and watch them. I'm sure the show is much
better as well, because you guys have so much more
figured out. So I think it's a win win all
the way around. Yeah, and I'm real proud of what
a great job Billy has been doing driving the car.
(33:56):
You know, he wasn't an asphalt guy either, and he's
tremendous with the fans, with the sponsors, we have a
great team. I couldn't be more proud of them. And
it's that standpoint is pretty laid back in the pits,
you know, I deal with the tension of the tuning,
but other than that, the guy's prep a good car.
(34:18):
Billy is awesome with signing autographs and he'll talk to
anybody that you know, has questions, and yeah, we're enjoying it.
It feels a lot like the boat races in that
aspect um. But you know, I mean, boat racing is
pretty doing cool. You got a lot more bikini's there,
and you've got a star thing. So I'm trying. I
(34:39):
gotta school of these guys how to run the pits
a little better. But we're getting there. You know, the
boat races, I said this for years. A lot of
my career was in short course off road and it
is certainly a large passion of mind. But the but
the drag boat racing was always special and you just
touched on it for a moment and not to go
back down that, but I just want to let the
(35:01):
fans know. And I've always related it to a level
of danger. I think because the level of danger was higher,
I always felt like the camaraderie itself was also higher.
Everybody wanted to race and race each other hard. But
in the drag boat world, and I'm sure it's the
same in your world as well, but everybody would come
(35:23):
to help everybody, and it just it. There was just
more of a of a camaraderie I felt like in
the drag boat pitch than anywhere else I think I've
ever been. You know, you do have a point and
we felt the same way, especially when you started getting
racing in the South and back East. Hospitality is immense.
(35:44):
There's nothing they won't do for you, and I found
that with boat racers. We had an open door policy
on our trailer. Parall was a racer or needed something
and we had it, We're damn while going to loan
it to him. If not help and put it on.
You know, the danger of sport brings people really close together.
And of course you know we've had our sure problems. Um,
(36:07):
but it's always that way. Man is gonna race whatever
is built. One wheel, two wheels, four wheels, six, you know,
it doesn't matter propellers, It's just gonna be that way.
So being a competitive person, uh, you know, you just
kind of you seem to mesh with other competitive people
and the bond grows, calmaraderie grows. It's been a great
(36:28):
lifetime in racing, I will say that. So I remember
towards the don't maybe it wasn't even towards the end
of your of your drag boat racing career, and a
few years before the end of it, you and I
had had a conversation and you were dead and nuts
serious about putting the helmet back on and climbing back
inside of the capsule and and taking that thing for
(36:49):
a spin. And I often thought to myself, here's a
guy that drove at one point, and now he's he's
producing literally the world's quickest and fastest boat at the time.
And uh, and I'm sure at some level you thought, man,
I just want to I want to know what this
thing feels like for once in my life. I always
thought it was the craziest damn thought you ever had
(37:10):
in your in your head. But I can't help but
wonder if you have that same feeling towards the Funny Card.
Have you? Have you thought about getting inside of that
thing and given it a world? Well, yeah, you know,
just from a curiosity standpoint, you know. With the boat,
I had built that second boat, and when I turned fifty,
I decided it was time to get back into shape
(37:31):
and fight and Wight and I thought, you know what,
what what I felt made me understand tuning and boats
was that I actually drove him. So I understood what
the drivers were going through at a certain point and
could communicate very well with them. So I decided that
what the hell. I went down and got fitted, and
I thought I would at least take a span get
(37:53):
my license in a fuel boat, because I mean, it's
got to be an incredible ride. I don't care how
you slice it. Zero to three, me three six seconds
and a thousand feet that's insane, you know. And then
so we had the two boats, and then Daryl crashed
the brand new one. So after that I decided it
was a bad idea and we were down to one
(38:13):
boat at that point. So on the racing the car,
it's Billy's job, built for Billy. I would love to
try it someday. Just I would just do the burnout
all the way to the finish line and drive it
back to the pits. I don't care about launch. I
would think the launch would be I get the burnout
part of it, don't get me wrong, But I would
think the engineer part of you would want to launch
(38:36):
that thing. And that's really why I asked you the question,
to be quite honest with you, was I would think
that you would love to connect the dots with that
information that comes back from Billy to tell you, you know,
it launched okay, then it started to rattle the tires,
and then it you know, we were able to drive
through it, or whatever the case may be. I would
think that you're the engineering side of your brain would
(38:56):
just love to be able to connect those dots. Yeah,
and I and I think it would make me a
better tuner and a better crew chief knowing what it
feels like in the car, although when it shakes the
tires and not his teeth loose. I'm not in any
hurried to try that. Yeah. The best description I ever
I ever heard of tire shake was somebody It might
(39:19):
have been John Forrest who told me just just picture
putting your head in a a paint shaker, and I
mean it literally? Is that violent? You know? Oh? There's
times he gets out and he goes, can we please
not do that again? And I'm saying, hey, sorry, what
not purpose? You know? But do you want to be fast?
Don't here? So talk to me about what's the future
(39:41):
hold for? For Addie Knox more the same what do
you see yourself doing? And the next year? What do
you see yourself doing in the next five Well, as
with all of our racing over the years, I've always
called it kind of the village effect. We had a
bunch of friends that sort of just pitching on this.
I'm a um, I don't have any money. And over
(40:04):
the years, it'll be my thirty first year with Red
Line Oil, imagine that, and twenty nine years with the
Blower Shop and with J and E and m g
P and some of these companies coming on board to
help out with parts and pieces. A lot of friends,
a lot of river friends, little games, boys racing, they
pitch in a bunch and dirty deeds. It's kind of
(40:25):
a lot of the boat folks went over with us,
and uh, I hope that we get to continue. Our
first few years, we've just been gathering parts. We owned
nothing car wise, so once we when we're getting closer
on that, and then it's just a matter of going
racing it. You know, you don't want to drive anywhere,
let alone let's say Seattle or or Tulsa, and not
(40:47):
have enough parts to put up a good fight. And
so we're to fight. You know, the only I'll never
know what these guys now, I won't live long enough.
I'll never be able to spend the money to have
the experience. So we're full steam ahead. You know, we're
doing the Reader's Digest version. Yeah, great, great stuff. Man,
(41:08):
it's been a pleasure to watch you do what you do.
You're clearly switched on. It clearly makes sense to you.
You're clearly a threat anytime you guys show up. And
I know for the other extremely talented and legendary tuners,
they respect you immensely and they love the fact that
you bring that game. Yeah. I made a lot of
(41:28):
good friends out there with most of the tutors as well,
and um and they're pretty helpful. If I could say
to any racer, if you want to get somewhere, check
your ego at the door. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
My ego does not get in the way of asking
for help, and I've gotten a lot of help from
a lot of good, smart people. Well, I've threatened to
(41:50):
do this, I think over the course of the last
eighteen years or so. I'm not sure how long we've
known each other, but started doing dragboats around two thousand
two or so. Uh so, well around the off it
at eighteen years or so. But I've been threatening to
go to that damn river and I've yet to make
it there once in my life. I think I drove
beside it one time. But I want to get to
that river. And I want to go to that bar
(42:12):
you go to that has all the money, that money
or bras hanging down from it. Maybe both. I don't
think you could have one without the other. Well, you
have to make a river trip because you'll know half
the people there. You know Tony and all the boat racers.
There are a lot of car racers there as well,
and you gotta come out and go to Sundance, go
to Foxes with us and be my guest. I'll put
(42:35):
you up a palmtoon boat with just cruise baby. Yeah, Foxes,
that's the one. That's the one where I always see
you there. And by the way, your relationship with your
daughter is very special. I see that all the time.
I see how how proud papa is of his of
his baby girl. And she looks like she's doing phenomenal
as well. Great stuff, man, congrats on that. Yeah. I
(42:58):
am so blessed at the kids department, fortunate to have
a wonderful relationship with both my kids. Uh Ed works
on the funny car with me, and you know, he
did a lot of service in the Navy and now
he's a policeman, so that scares the hell out of me.
Amanda has always been there too with the boat racing
(43:19):
and supporting her dad. And she'll get in there and
build some cylinder heads get dirty. My son can build
an entire funny car, you know. So I am so blessed.
And I have other friends to get the opportunity to
race with their family. It's amazing. Thanks a lot for
your time, man. I always enjoy talking to you. I
always learned something whatever I'm around you. And uh, it's
(43:40):
been a it's been an incredible run to watch you
do what you do. Thanks for the memories, Thanks for
all of the those golden passes inside of that boat.
Oh my goodness, man, just absolutely impossible to explain to
people what that monster was capable of doing. You have
to watch it, and to watch it in person, to
listen to that thing saying, watching it drop literally a
(44:03):
quarter mile of rooster tail as the water fell, fell
back down. I mean, it's just, oh my goodness, just
absolutely astounding. Well, thank you. It's been a great time
being your friend, working with you in the racing industry.
And hey, let's get some TV on these funny cars
and we'll talk some more. Yeah, you know what, Uh,
(44:24):
there's a phone call coming to you here. Just as
soon as we hang up. We should talk about that
for sure. Man, Best of luck in. I hope you
have a great season. All right. Thanks man here, same
to you. Thanks for being with us here on the Skinny.
This episode has been brought to you by Toyota. Rhino
(44:45):
classifies Dream Giveaway and General tire for the latest and
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(45:06):
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