Two new European drag racing records will likely be set next month and a San Luis Obispo man has been selected to help set them. Thirty-five year drag racing veteran and automotive repair shop owner Jim Rizzoli will travel to England’s SantaPod Raceway north of London during the first week of September. Chosen as crew chief for a custom-built Top Alcohol Dragster (a National Hot Rod Association classification) recently purchased by Englishman Derek Flynn, Rizzoli will direct the crew and help make the crucial decisions that will guide the car and its new driver to victory.
“When you are dealing with tenths, hundredths, even thousandths of a second,” said Rizzoli, “precision is paramount.”
A San Luis Obispo native, Rizzoli’s love affair with hot rods began in the 1970s with a 1967 Camaro that he raced locally. He’s been racing for some 30 years now and in recent years began consulting. Rizzoli has been working on this particular dragster for many years, so when Derek Flynn purchased it, former owner Larry Miersch strongly suggested Rizzoli as crew chief.
“Jim has helped Larry tune the car for some time now … and apart from being a great guy who obviously loves his racing, Jim has a great track record with regard to tuning and teaching crews what to do,” said Flynn.
The two records at stake in this race are Elapsed Time (the time it takes to go from zero to maximum speed – in this case 264 mph); and of course, Miles Per Hour. While this will be Rizzoli’s first European race, he has crewed and been chief on numerous stateside races, winning several.
“Jim and Larry and I all believe that if track and weather conditions are with us, a new European record may be on the cards,” said Flynn.
