Some of the most significant competition cars have been carefully preserved and are on display in the HAJEK MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM OF NASCAR AND DRAG RACING HISTORY in Ames, OK.
When I was writing FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE in 2015 for Motorbooks, I had the pleasure of communicating with consummate carguy, Brent Hajek. There were several drag racing cars, as well as at least one land speed record Bonneville Mustang, that I was featuring, and needed some background and timeline information. These were cars that had ended up in Hajek’s private collection. I hadn’t realized at the time that he owned around 100 competition cars.
According to John Gilbert, who visited the collection and covered it for Hemmings, “The population of Ames, Oklahoma, hovers around two hundred people, so it’s kind of funny when one realizes that there are more racecars in Ames than there are passenger cars.”
The 2020 census recorded just 193 people, which translates into Brent Hajek owning more cars than are registered to Ames’ total population!
The HAJEK MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM OF NASCAR AND DRAG RACING HISTORY occupies an old schoolhouse that had closed years ago. Many of the cars on display were purchased before people started realizing the history, heritage, and value of old racecars that had at one time set records and been showcased in enthusiast magazines. Many had been record holders, driven by high-profile drivers and campaigned with factory support.
“At any given time, the HAJEK MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM OF NASCAR AND DRAG RACING HISTORY has around 80 cars on hand and another 20 cars spread out on loan at locations like the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA, and the NASCAR Hall Of Fame in Charlotte, NC,” reported Gilbert.
Some of the racecars I showcased in FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE and are in Brent Hajek’s collection include Al Joniec’s ‘68 Cobra Jet Mustang, winner of Super/Stock Eliminator at the NHRA Winternationals, Connie Kalitta’s blown Boss 429 Bounty Hunter Mustang Funny Car, and Bob Tasca’s Boss Mustang powered by a 494-inch, Boss 429 motor built to Can-Am racecar specs.
Since I had been with Mickey Thompson and Danny Ongais when they were contesting land speed records at Bonneville with three half-chassis Holman & Moody ’68 Mustangs with 1969 sheet metal and small & big-block engines, the blue big-block Bonneville car, top photo, in Hajek’s collection was of particular interest. During two trips to Bonneville. Thompson & Ongais set 295 land speed records!
Al Joniec puts the hurt on Dave Wren in his Plymouth to win the final round of Super/Stock Eliminations at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals. One of the first 50 Cobra Jets built for drag racing, Joniec ran 120.6 mph in 11.49 seconds and won SS/E and Super/Stock Eliminator gold.
In 2008, Hajek campaigned a modern Mustang Cobra Jet, painted to match Joniec’s original Winternationals-winning ’68 CJ Mustang. Both cars are on display in his museum.
Connie Kalitta was an early adopter of the Boss 429 engine for blown fuel racing. In 1969, he campaigned both his Bounty Hunter fuel dragster and Mustang Funny Car. Brent Hajek owns the Mustang.
Under the hood of legendary Ford dealer Bob Tasca’s one-off Boss Mustang is one of Holman & Moody’s 494-inch, dual-Holley Can-Am Motors. The engine was built using an aluminum block, 4.52-inch pistons, and a 3.85-inch stroke steel crank and lightweight Boss 429 heads. It ran 11.0s at 136 mph on street tires!
Read John Gilbert’s Hajek Museum coverage @ https://www.hemmings.com/stories/nascar-and-drag-racing-history-enshrined-at-the-hajek-motorsports-museum/?uemlid=e323c71347790f699ba35a9dc01d49ac3f938885a7df6321087c8c9b4c0dd333
The HAJEK MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM OF NASCAR AND DRAG RACING HISTORY is open by appointment only, https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3285
