[b-man]

Pat Ganahl, one of the greatest automotive journalists with worldwide influence on our hobby passed away yesterday. It’s unclear if injuries sustained crashing his nostalgia dragster at the end of the drag strip or some kind of medical issue that occurred during the run was the cause. He was 75 years old.

Legend.

Rest In Peace Pat.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...r-i-p.1272122/

[SRR]

R.I.P.

[Stuart]

Oh, man...that's a terrible loss. He was such a great journalist and historian for the hot rod industry. I've been a subscriber to his journal for the last few years, where he would post interesting stories and photos.

[Tom Vaught]

Very Sad, and I assume his death probably could have been avoided if the nostalgia organization would have allowed at least a proper roll bar to be installed in his car.

A very scary ride in that dragster.

RIP with the angels forever Pat.

Tom V.

[sdbob]

RIP. Prayers sent.

[Vid]

Sorry to hear about this. He was a fantastic journalist.

I don’t want to sound like anybody’s mom but that thing does look extremely dangerous. Reminds me of the early Indy cars and we know how deadly those were.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Formulabruce]

Big bummer, wow.. RIP Pat ��

[misterp266]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Very Sad, and I assume his death probably could have been avoided if the nostalgia organization would have allowed at least a proper roll bar to be installed in his car.

A very scary ride in that dragster.

RIP with the angels forever Pat.

Tom V.

Allowed?

He ran the car the way HE wanted to run it. Yes, it was not safe. But that was HIS choice. There are no “nostalgia organizations” as you put it that prevent any updates to safety.
While I don’t know him, he lived and died the way he chose. May he Rest In Peace.

[Tom Vaught]

Not sure if he was married or had any children.

If so he was doing HIS thing as you posted: "He ran the car the way HE wanted to run it."

And obviously he did until it killed him.

Tom V.

[Stuart]

He and his wife have a son Bill, who runs his own high end hot rod and restoration shop: https://www.southcityrodandcustom.com On his main page, click on 'Pat's R&C' at the top to read entries in Pat's blog. They were always interesting and well written, with lots of rare photos.

The car was restored to original so it didn't have modern safety equipment, but my understanding is it was used for exhibition runs only and wasn't actually raced. However, this isn't the time to speculate on what may have gone wrong, the cause of his death hasn't been reported yet.

Edited to add: I've been a long time subscriber to his blog, he just put out a new entry a week or so ago. You can read his blog at https://patganahl.com If you have any interest in the history of hot rods and customs it's a must read.

[Jack Gifford]

Another hotrodding icon gone. Apparently died in his lovingly restored fifties dragster.

[ponchonlefty]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Another hotrodding icon gone. Apparently died in his lovingly restored fifties dragster.

i hope that's the way he wanted to go. though its always a sad day. sorry for the families loss.

[ramairthreegto]

Doing what he loved until the moment of his death.
Sad he passed, but that is a win.

Seeing some go after years, maybe even over a decade, of a shot mind or a shot body, let alone both -
Is soul crushing.

[Stuart]

His son Bill released a statement over on the HAMB board, thanking everyone for their thoughts and condolences. He included a few touching photos of Pat and his family. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...amily.1272391/

I don't know where to start. And I don't know if I'm really ready to write this at all. But I feel compelled to say a few things in response to the overwhelming respect and adoration my dad, Pat, has received on the HAMB and elsewhere, from so many people that he has touched, from so many places and walks of life. We are obviously shocked and crushed to lose my dad so suddenly. I've never experienced this kind of loss, and I'm absolutely devastated for my mom, who was about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her marriage to Pat. But seeing and reading all of these amazing comments and stories about his influence and meaning in the lives of so many people helps to take some of the sting out of the immediate aftermath of such a horrible tragedy. My mom and I have read and continue to read all of the comments and anecdotes, and we would both like to thank you all very much for all of the positivity and great memories of a man we love(d) so much. It means the world to us, and especially at this moment. Thank you.

I would also like to quickly address the circumstances of the accident in order to nip any rumors or speculation in the bud. We don't know exactly what happened, but Pat never let up and ran the Ike Iacono dragster off the end of the track. Whether he suffered some medical issue during his pass, or whether there was a mechanical malfunction with the car, we do not know. And we do not need to know. My dad wanted nothing more than to make a timed pass in the Iacono dragster. Riverdale Raceway happens to be the place that this accident occurred, but it could have happened anywhere. He made passes in the street in Burbank to tune the car, and he chirped the tires up his own driveway in Glendale. This could have happened anywhere, anytime. The car was as well-built and sound as any dragster built to 1960's specs could be, and he kept it that way on purpose. That was the point. He knew it wasn't as safe as a modern spec'd car, and he knew he barely fit in it. Nothing me, my mom, or anyone else could say to him would have persuaded him not to make a pass wherever he could. He was a hot rodder and a racer, and he wanted to use the car for the purpose it was originally built. End of story. The crew at the track, the medics, chaplain, and everyone involved at the time of the crash were spectacular in handling every aspect of the accident. Me and my mom would like to leave it at that and respect my dad's memory by letting him rest in peace after finally getting the best pass he's ever made in the car he restored and loved.

I would like to end with a word of thanks from my mom:

Thank you for the many comments and anecdotes that so accurately and poignantly convey the character, commitment, and personal enthusiasm that Pat brought to his calling as a writer, photographer, and historian. Your words would make Pat happy.

Thank you all from the Ganahl family, and thank you on behalf of Pat. All he ever wanted to do was connect with people through the common love of hot rods and custom cars, and your comments and stories prove that he succeeded.

Bill, Anna and Sabina