Member Inducted 2006
Clive Skilton
History
Clive began his drag racing career in 1967, and won the Street
Eliminator class at the Santa Pod Big Go driving an E Type Jag. In
1968 Clive took over the driving of the Famous Allard dragster
setting a new speed record of 163 mph at the Easter meeting.
In 1969 Clive débuted a new look car with a top mounted blower in
Sweden and also became the first European to run a seven second
pass at an NDRC event at Elvington. The Santa Pod Easter meeting in
1971 saw another new car called Second Revolution and
Clive became the first person in the UK to run 200 mph, 1972 was
the year Clive ran the UK's first rear engined Top Fuel car
Revolution 3 and the year also saw the first side by side
race in the UK Clive was running alongside? Who else but his arch
rival Dennis Priddle.
Along with Dennis Priddle, Clive entered the 1973 Winternationals
at Pomona, qualified on the bump spot and returned to the UK with
the ex-Kuhl and Olson Top Fuel car which was unfortunately badly
damaged in a crash at Santa Pod. Like Dennis Priddle, Clive moved
into Funny Cars and in 1975 he ran a Vauxhall-bodied car running
his first Funny Car six later in the year at Snetterton and again,
as in Top Fuel, he had many battles on the track with Dennis
Priddle.
At the Easter meeting at Santa Pod in 1976 Clive was back in a Top
Fuel car and won the event which featured the legendary Don Garlits
amongst its entries.
Clive moved to the USA at the end 1976 season and raced on the US
circuit with some success. He now runs one of the largest Chrysler
dealerships in the US.
Clive was one of the top racers in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s.
He also promoted events and raced in the USA and is one of the
first people mentioned when you talk about drag racing from this
era.