Normally when I’m asked to write one of these bio pieces on a car and driver I go into some detail about the actual car, the chassis, the body, the engine, who built it and things like that. But this is a story about “Jungle” Jim Liberman and no one really cares about that stuff when it comes to “Jungle.” OK, so maybe some folks do but most people just want to know about the man, and unless you had the opportunity to have met him in person it’s really hard to describe Russell James Liberman, “Jungle” Jim to you. A lot of folks got to know “Jungle” once he began to make a name and a reputation for himself on the match race circuit in the early ‘70’s. He was one of the very few drivers who could pack a race track regardless of whom he was racing. Of course the problem often was that while the fans showed up, occasionally “Jungle” didn’t. He was the epitome of a guy who was burning the candle at both ends. A match race in Connecticut would often be followed by a match race in New Jersey, and while that may not seem like a big deal it really was, especially when the Connecticut race was at 1 P.M. and the New Jersey gig was at 5 P.M. the same day. Amazingly, though, “Jungle” almost always seemed to show up. Almost always. There may be more “urban legend” stories about “Jungle” than about any other racer in drag racing history. Somewhere between the story about the time that he drove his Funny Car from the highway, through the main gate of the track and on to the starting line, and the one about his full quarter mile wheel stand during the final round at the Summernationals in 1974 lies the real truth about this great showman. And while neither of those things actually occurred, at least not as they’re told today, he was a one of a kind performer, a showman and an entertainer the likes of which we haven’t seen since his untimely death in 1977. I can, however, tell you for a fact that he once did a burnout at an IHRA national event in Bristol, Tennessee and actually changed lanes during the burnout with the other driver who just happened to be that quiet, soft-spoken Richard Tharp. I can tell you that because I was announcing the race and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I can also tell you that if you never saw him in person you missed one of the truly great personalities in drag racing history. And, for the purists out there, it’s more than a coincidence that most of “Jungle’s” car were painted by Bob Gerdes, whose shop just happened to be called “Circus.” Figures!!
In stock price £66-99
