Today's Featured Biography

 
James Feurer

Six time national Drag Race Champion known as "Animal Jim" raced 40 years.
See: www.animaljimracing.com

Some of you may wonder how a clean cut nice person like me got the nickname "Animal Jim".
My first serious drag car was a huge 57 violent leaving, wheel standing Mercury named "The Big Animal"

In 1975 when I got to the national Pro Stock professional ranks that car was a Pinto. Calling a Pinto The Big Animal did not fit and Little Animal sounded demeaning.
Back then many popular drag racers had nick names like Don the Snake, Grumpy Jenkins, Dyno Don-so I promoted myself as-"Animal Jim".
All this info is on www.animaljimracing.com.

I now build race and hi-performance engines at my shop in Lacon, IL. Animal Jim Racing. I also work as tech official and consultant at Rt. 66 Dragway in Joliet, IL. I still do some select exhibition feature match races.

Wife Linda of 44 years is retired Home Ec. Teacher. Linda still subs as much as posssible and works at the Lacon Library. My daughter Jackie is a 6th. grade teacher with master's degree from Bradley.

Have 2 grandchildren. James Colin Fennell 19 and Madeline Claire Fennell 13. My Son in Law, Doug Fennell works for Triple A Ins.

My Grandson James Colin Fennell is a running back for St. Ambrose College Fighting Bees. Needless to say we are all proud of him.

For hobbies, I fish, watch movies, raise veggies and winetaster. (LOT OF WINE TASTING!) LOL! May start a winery. Cedar Hill Wines.


Sat. night June 27th. I will be featured in a match race with Arnie Beswick at the Nostalgia Fest event at Cordova, IL.

Sat. night August 29th. I will once again be featured at Cordova Dragway VS Arnie The Farmer Beswick. This event is the 56th. year of the World Series of Drag Racing. It is the oldest drag racing event in history.

On display will be my original drag car from 40 years ago-"The Big Animal" It is a hugger orange 57 Mercury sedan.

The World Series of Drag Racing is a huge show. Featuring match races with nitro Funny Cars of Tony and Cruz Pendregon, Tim Wilkerson and Doc Wyatt. Top Fuel match with Tony Zizzo and Bruce Litton. Also 6 Jet Cars, Nostalgia Fuel Altereds and Funny Cars, Wheel Standers, Outlaw Super Stocks, Pro Mods, Fireworks and much more. The Grand Marshall is "Big Daddy"
himself-Don Garlits.

And of course included is the Nostalgia Door Slammer Match Race featuring Arnie the Farmer Beswick driving his 62 Replica Pontiac Tempest "The Tameless Tiger" VS Me-Animal Jim and my 30 year old Mammoth Motored, 1500 hp. 78 Mercury Zephyr I campaigned in the 80s.

The Big Show starts at 7 PM.

There will also be 3 days of regular competition racing. Fri-Sat and Sun.

The World Series is a "Happening"!
Fans and racers come from coast to coast and even foriegn countries for this one.




Sunday: Sept. 13th.

I deem our 50th. class reunion a huge success. Most fun I had in years. I will never forget it. And I made it through without passing out or getting a DUI! LOL!

I thank all of you who made this 50th. reunion possible. You all know who you are--and so do we all.

I wish it was possible to do this every year. Best to my class mates and special visitors and hope to see you all again.

Please stay in touch-www.animaljimracing.com
e-mail [email protected]
phone at Animal Jim Racing
309-246-8556
Cell Phone 309-238-8556

XXX Jim Feurer-alias Sam alias Animal Jim


Update:3-24-14
I just received a card in the mail with urgent message and 800 number to call about my bio for the 55th. reunion. I realized it was a sale pitch when the agent did not know Evelyn Dart. He wanted to sell me a book for $80.

Since our 50th class reunion, My life has changed a bit. I am getting older and fatter.
I am now part owner of a Motor Sport enterprise call the Marshall County Sand Trap. www.mcsandtrap.com It is east end of Lacon, IL. I still run my shop Animal Jim Racing www.animaljimracing.com and I jump in a race car once in a while. I am resurrecting my original drag car The Big Animal 57 Merc.

I still am a tech official at RT 66 Drag Way in Joliet.

I take classes with OLLI at Bradley U , and I write stories for 2 magazines, www.enginebuilder.com and www.nostalgiadragworld.com and blog for a website. www.speedville.com They even pay me.

I have a Animal's Story's gallery on my website. All types of short stories. All true as best I can recall.

I am writing a novel based on life in LP during the early 60s.(some is fiction)

After the novel is done, I will do a true bio consisting of short stories of my life and racing and how I beat the "reaper".

My wife Linda and I will be married 49 years June 5th. Linda is retired from teaching 12 years now, but subs the max every year.

My grandson Colin is 23 and Going to Bradley. I think he will be a lawyer or politician or both.

Granddaughter Madeline is 17 and graduates HS in May. She wants to be a make up artist for movies. She does that job for the school plays. Her HS just did Leader of the Pack. It was great. Madeline is quite an artist.

A year ago we, as a family, bought a cabin near Flambeau, Wis. right on Crawling Stone 7 Lake chain and Ojibwa Reservation and Forrest. We have a nice 2 boat dock, for my kid's Pontoon boat and my bass boat. a garage and an island full of eagles to go with it. Nice getaway. The cabin is used a lot--all year long. I have bonded with a couple loons. I guess that figures. LOL! They follow me all over the lake. That place is closest I will probably ever get to heaven. I told Linda, when the time comes, and I finally lose to the "reaper" to burry me in my racing fire proof suit. I may need it. LOL!

PS I am on face book as AnimalJim Feurer
The Animal and Jim have no space. Why?--who knows?




Looking forward to 55th.

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