(Phrases by Darr Hawthorne and Chad Reynolds. Photographs by Lou Hart – LionsAutomobilia.org) The phrase Legend is commonly used for these we seemed as much as, however Roland Leong was really a Legend within the purest sense of the phrase.
From his early racing profession at Kahuku Drag Strip, on the Island of Oahu, Leong scorching rodded the household automobile making means for his first blown fuel dragster, a Dragmaster chassied, Corvette-powered winner within the early 1960’s. His dragster, with supercharged Chrysler energy, was one of many strongest working dragsters within the State of Hawaii.
After transferring to the Mainland, Leong continued his profitable with the Prime Gasoline Championship on the ’64 Winternationals with Danny Ongais driving. Later that 12 months he drove his brand-new Kent Fuller chassied, nitro-powered “Hawaiian” crashing it at over 190 MPH on his first licensing cross at Lions Drag Strip. His new automobile was totaled with associates Keith Black and Don Prudhomme wanting on. NHRA then barred Leong from a contest driving license consequently the accident.
In 1965 Don Prudhomme would then drive the newly rebuilt dragster to victories at native tracks like Pomona, Lions, San Fernando, San Gabriel, Phoenix, Detroit, Ohio and others setting observe information and incomes championship trophies throughout the nation. Prudhomme and Leong solidified a lifelong friendship between the 2.
Via a collection of drivers like Mike Snively, Leong turned a tuning wizard with Keith Black powerplants profitable almost 80% of all their races. By 1967, and with Chrysler’s assist, Leong fielded two “Hawaiian” dragsters pushed by Snively and Mike Sorokin within the “Hawaiian II” with 426 Hemi’s.
Leong acquired his Crew Chief of the Yr award from the Automotive Craft All-Star Drag Racing Workforce in ’67 & ’68 together with engine builder Keith Black.
By 1969 Leong, with assist from Chrysler, would debut his lengthy collection of “Hawaiian” humorous automobiles on the Winternationals with Larry Reyes driving the Dodge Charger. The humorous automobile turned airborne at over 180 miles per hour crashing exhausting on the Pomona prime finish. After rebuilding by mid-year, the “Hawaiian” humorous automobiles would dominate the drag strips throughout the nation that 12 months.
Leong’s potential to usher in sponsorships like Dodge and Yamaha, by 1973 would lead him to Revell mannequin package firm together with different racers.
By 1975, with assist from Common Motors, Leong would discipline Chevy Monza and Corvette-bodied humorous automobiles. By the 1980’s, main sponsor King’s Hawaiian Bread
Got here aboard with driver Ron Colson. Then in got here Hawaiian Punch, in all probability Leong’s most seen and profitable sponsor package deal with driver Mike Dunn.
By the 1990’s driver Jim White was profitable Massive Bud Shootouts and setting information for the Hawaiian Punch Dodge, carding the quickest run for a nitro powered car at 288.27 MPH, quicker than any Prime Gasoline Dragster on the time.
Leong would lastly promote his humorous automobile operation after working a Hawaiian Trip Dodge Daytona bodied automobile with driver Gordie Bonnin, till sponsorship funding ran out.
Roland Leong would go on to Crew Chief for proprietor Don Prudhomme and driver Ron Capps. In all he employed twenty-one drivers in his racing profession and, after fifty-five years in drag racing was honored by the Hawaii State Legislature for his accomplishments, a proud honor he shared along with his longtime good friend Prudhomme final 12 months.
Roland’s humorousness and his potential to hearken to what “the motor was telling him” led to his lengthy, profitable profession and his many, many associates alongside the best way. He handed away on the age of 79 on December 29, 2023.
On a private notice: I first noticed Roland in 1965 at Hawaii Raceway Park. We turned associates years later when Roland wanted a trip into Bakersfield from Famoso Dragstrip. He climbed into my truck and after a minute of silence, he stated, “Hey, you ever been to Hawaii?” I stated I’d seen him at HRP within the 1960’s when my dad moved to Oahu for work. A second handed and he smacked me on the arm saying in Hawaiian pidgin English, “Hey, we’re bruddahs!” Roland Leong was a really particular man. Aloha.
Chad’s Notice:
Rising up in a drag racing household, and studying Nationwide Dragster each week, I knew Roland Leong’s title and fame for so long as I can bear in mind. However once we first began streaming Nostalgia Drag Racing occasions at Famoso again within the day I by no means would have anticipated that I’d get to fulfill and hang around with Roland. These days had me hanging out with plenty of huge title racers, however whereas plenty of them are wild and loopy, Roland is nothing like that in any respect. He was probably the most mellow man you could possibly meet, which in hindsight is completely the Hawaiian Island’s spirit so it is sensible.
And whereas I obtained to speak to Roland on a number of events, considered one of my most memorable wasn’t even on the dragstrip. I used to be strolling across the Grand Nationwide Roadster Present in Pomona one 12 months, and the present had simply formally closed for the night time. I used to be in a corridor stuffed with previous drag automobiles, together with one part of lowriders, taking pictures photographs for one more group of galleries on the positioning and was simply speaking to my spouse Daphne who had referred to as to see how lengthy it might be earlier than I used to be dwelling. Whereas speaking to her and taking pictures extra photographs, Roland comes strolling down the aisle towards me. As he walked as much as me, I informed Daphne that he was standing there ready on me, and he or she informed me to “Get off the rattling cellphone! Roland Leong is ready to speak to you!” So I hung up and proceeded to stroll across the present for one more half-hour or so with Roland, taking pictures photographs and speaking concerning the state of drag racing, earlier than they shut out the lights and kicked us out.
It was superior.
We didn’t speak about something “essential”. We didn’t speak about something floor breaking. We talked about nostalgia drag racing, which our bodies I appreciated most, which of them he appreciated most. We talked about conversations we’d had with different racers and crew chiefs about modifications NHRA ought to make to the nostalgia guidelines as a way to make the automobiles extra dependable and fewer susceptible to blowing up within the lights. We talked about how a lot enjoyable racing was. He informed me how a lot he loved being a crew chief with individuals that actually had the eagerness and but knew this was all for enjoyable regardless that profitable was the aim.
He was a standard dude. Fairly truthfully, all the large time racers I like are actual regular dudes and dudettes. It should come as no shock {that a} bunch of them labored collectively over time. I’m speaking Roland, Prudhomme, Capps, and so on. These like minded individuals all appear to finish up collectively. Of us like Densham, Rupert, Littlefield, Pruett, Fry, Cook dinner, and so many extra that may change into associates from these days actually do imply one thing to me.
I haven’t seen Roland in the previous couple of years, however have saved tabs by means of associates like Darr and Donnie Sofa, and admire their information and updates. It’s as a result of Roland mattered a lot to Darr and Donnie, and so a lot of our associates, that this took just a few days to publish since Roland’s passing. We needed to wrap our heads round it, and it makes me unhappy. He impacted all of us for a really very long time and we might speak about him for years.
Relaxation in Peace my good friend, we promise to maintain speaking about you and telling our tales and yours as a result of it can hold you near us for years to come back. Thanks for all of the recollections.
Aloha…
