King Kong Racing - About Me

A Little History

I started working on cars at an early age. As most young men did at that time I wanted to go faster with anything on 4 wheels. I’ve owned many a 57 Chevy, as well as 64’s and other year models. Always a Chevy hound. I got involved in street rods while in high school. Won a 1^st place trophy in the Daryl Starbird Rod and Custom Car Show with a 23 T-bucket roadster that I drove while still attending high school. I did the car show stuff for years, and then graduated to race cars.

The 70’s:

I had a few fast street cars. A 57 Chevy with an 8-71 blower sitting atop an Olds motor, with a 4 speed automatic. This car was street driven, pretty wild for that period of time.

I decided to start helping a close friend with his street car. After many years of doing all we could in the street car scene he decided to try the rear engine dragster on carb’s. From there he went to blown alcohol. I stayed with him as a crew member.

The 80’s:

In the middle 80’s I decided I wanted to start driving. I had driven a couple of different dragsters belonging to friends, and had decided that was not the way I wanted to go. I started asking around about driving jobs. I heard that Johnny Todd, who had been in racing since the 60’s and was well known for his 68 King Kong camaro, was interested in having someone drive his car. We met and discussed all the things that were involved. I went to work on the car, and then it was time for a test run. On that first pass I ran ½ a mph faster than the car had ever gone before. At that time it was 8.45 @ 163 mph. After some more adjustments we got it down to 8.31 @ 163. We then decided to start using NOS and ran 8.12 @ 164. These were not record runs but for the middle 80’s, with a 540 inch motor we were pleased. From there we started running bigger motors. We had a few bad blow ups and near misses with track walls. Then in the late 80’s a friend asked me to drive at a race in Ardmore, Oklahoma. His driver was unavailable for that race. As luck would have it all did not go well and I hit the wall hard. After a short stay in the hospital I was transported back to Oklahoma City, where I live, to go through physical therapy and rehab. This was a rough time, and when I did get back to the track my first pass was at the same track, in the same lane as where I had wrecked. But once I got past the point where the wreck occurred, I was fine. Also in the late 80’s I was hired by a tech college to maintain their 3 race cars. It helped to further my knowledge of motors and chassis. I also earned a certificate as an automotive instructor.

The 90’s:

All through the 90’s we continued updating the King Kong Camaro. Mike Duffy Race Cars in Moore Oklahoma did a rear back half. Installed sheet metal rear end housing, electric shocks, longer wheelie bars, new tubs and interior sheet metal, and with larger motors and more nos we were able to run much better numbers. We did a lot of traveling during the 90’s, going to tracks in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas. I became a member of the Texas Outlaw Pro Stock Association. After becoming a member of that organization I was invited to a North vs. South Shootout in Springfield, MO. An 8 car race featuring 4 cars from the northern region and 4 cars from the southern region. This time the South won. We qualified at every Outlaw race we attended. Then in the late 90’s we again had the King Kong camaro updated at Jerry Bickles Race Cars. This included a new front half, spindle mount wheels, duel chutes, and front motor plate. As the 90’s came to an end we had ran through out the Midwest and had been well received at the tracks we had visited. The crowd especially loved the long, smoky burnouts. We had also been featured in several popular magazines including Super Stock, National Dragster, Drag Review as well as several others.

2000 and Beyond:

As the new century rolled in changes were once again on the horizon for the King Kong Camaro. I joined the Pro Street Racing Association in 2000. We decided it was time to take some weight off the car, so we got a new carbon fiber body. Wanting a new chassis, we found the current King Kong camaro. It is a Rick Jones 69 Camaro, and is a legal pro mod car. After numerous motor problems, we finally got a handle on things. Our best run to date is a 6.78 @ 210.67 mph. In 2003 I became a member of the Texas Outlaw Pro Mod Association.

2004 Update:

Although I didn't have the year I would have liked to have had this year I still accomplised a couple of things. I ran my career best et of 6.62 at the Division 4 race this September. At this same event I also ran my best speed of 218.44 mph. Next year should be exciting as the car owner has decided to bring out a second car.

A few of my accomplishments have included track record holder at Ardmore Race Track in a door car. Points champion for the years 2000, 2001, and co-champion for 2003 in the PSRA organization. First door car to go over 200 mph and in the 6 second range with a Louis Boyd Racing Motor.

The King Kong Camaro is a crowd pleaser wherever we go. If you see us at the track be sure and stop by and say hello. I have small stick-on pictures to give to the young children. I am always glad to answer any questions you may have. Our plans for the future are to keep fans entertained and to put on the best show we know how. Check out our site and leave us a message in the forum or visit our chat room. Hope to see you at the races.

Rick Senft

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