Chris Blows set
up this website in April 2001 to provide some history of the Houndog Drag Racing Team, one of the
most popular and successful UK Drag Racing teams from the 1960's, 1970's and
1980's.
Nobby Hills, founder and owner of the Houndog team, had his own website
detailing the history of the team a few years ago, but unfortunately it disappeared into
cyberspace after a short while. As Chris's interest in computers and
the internet developed, he thought he had some memorabilia that may be of
interest to people, so he established this website.
The full history of the team, from the Jag engined cars of the 60's through to the nitro burning, state-of the art show winning, funny cars of the 1980's can be found in the history section; suffice to say that the Houndog team was one of the most recognisable and popular teams of its time, a popularity that has continued through to today.
Chris was fortunate
enough to get to know the team in the mid 1970's when he joined the
Houndog Supporters Club, a club set up and run by a guy called John Lees. He got
more involved in the club, starting to write newsletters and race reports and
then, a few years later, he was offered the job as a mechanic on the car. His total
inexperience as a mechanic was not seen to be a problem by the team; enthusiasm and
willingness to work hard were of more importance, training was always available.
The support from his wife didn't go amiss either!
After spending a few weekends in the workshop during the Autumn of 1982, a damp
and cold November saw him attend my first meeting as a fully fledged team member.
he recall's getting covered in oil from head to foot as my primary job was
"The Diver"…getting under the car to drain the oil and drop the sump
pan after each run. The teamdid something rather terminal to the engine on the
Saturday night, so that was us done for the year. (I am sure it wasn't his
fault!)
1983 saw the Challenger being campaigned for its 3rd year. 1983 also saw it burn to the ground in Sweden. The team then built the Corvette funny car (and debuted it at the Fireworks meeting) and raced the Fuel Altered for a meeting or two. Quiet a year, and I don’t think the team had many weekends that year that didn't involve Chris working on the car.
Work commitments, (work that paid the mortgage....) meant that he had to leave the team after the November meeting in 1984. It was the end of a very enjoyable time for Chris, one that he look's back on with many fond memories.
They had some bad
times; the fire in Sweden, the much loved car "Stardust" burning to
the ground in a race against them, the death of Alan Herridge in a jet car crash
at the meeting they debuted the Corvette and Alan Reitmasters crash that took his
life while racing against them at the Easter meeting in 1984.
Overall however,
there were many more good times, with great people and loads of laughs.
The team continued for a few more years, finally disbanding at the end of the 1980's…however the team are reforming and a new car has been built! Click on this link to get the latest news.
Through this site, contact has been made with many old friends and acquaintances from that by-gone era, together with new friends from more recent times. Many people are showing a great deal of interest in the new car, some of whom are too young to have seen the Houndog cars of the past!
In 2013 Chris decided he didn't want to run this website and offered ownership to myself (Jon Spoard). I was more than happy to keep this website running and hopefully add to the fantastic work Chris has done already.
Thanks
Jon
Oct 2013
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Chris, while working on the team in the early to mid 1980's
| In
Memory
In memory of Chris's dear wife Chris. They initially met through ther mutual love of drag racing.
Later
she encouraged him and stood by me when he left her alone for long periods
of time and worked on the funny car at weekends and in the evenings. |
 27/7/57 - 15/8/02 |
