Once we moved west from the Sacramento Valley area in California, we met more hot rodders over the years. They often brought photos and stories from the heydays of Flathead Ford racing and tuning.
Some time in the late 20th century we received a handwritten letter onSonoma Racing Team letterhead from a Glen Ellen, CA native, GusCafasso.
The dragster that Gus gave us some history on is the beauty in the photo, with John "The Sonoma Flash" Barro behind the wheel. The photo of John and crew was taken at Half Moon Bay, CA at the drags October 27,1958.
Powered by the Flathead, it went 124 mph in the quarter mile and was Top Eliminator twice between 1955 and 1962. The car was built by Doug Brown in Sebastopol. Gus Cafasso reassembled it for the 40th annual barbecue of the Sonoma Racing Team, with thanks for the help to Flathead Jack Schaefer, Doug King, John Barro, Butch Brushera amd Gene Hausen.