Route 66 Motorsports

Kirk Pridgen

Kirk Pridgen

Our featured racer is Kirk Pridgen who is originally from Ogden Utah . Ogden is 45 miles south of Salt Lake City . His mother and dad worked for Hill Air Force base in Ogden . The Pridgen kids, that’s Kirk, his brother and two sisters went to school and grew up in Ogden .

Some of the mandatory family activities were hunting and fishing in the surrounding area. Several black bears were taken over the years by Kirks dad. The family routinely took 3 deer and three elk per year over one ten-year period. They went trout fishing in lakes and streams in the Ogden area. His favorite lake is Bear Lake located 30 miles from home.

Although his dad was not a drag racer or loyal fan of drag racing he took the family to Bonneville Drag Strip when Kirk was sixteen years old. Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney were racing that day. Pretty good first experience at a drag strip! His dad was now in the car business, which afforded Kirk the opportunity to drive a 1967 Camaro powered by a 396 and a 4 speed Muncie . As you have probably already guessed Kirk went back to the Bonneville Drag Strip three weeks later with the Camaro. The car ran 14’s and was a good reliable street/drag car all season long.

1968 was both a year for celebration and enormous contribution. The United States was engaged in major combat in Viet Nam.With a draft number of 89, Kirk received a draft notice while still in high school and was in boot camp in Camp Pendleton California one day after graduation. He became a Gunners Mate on a riverboat in Viet Nam . During his first tour he was wounded in the eighth month and sent to Australia for three months to recover from the injuries. After the recovery he returned to Saigon and Danang areas where he served 10 additional months and then was stationed in Barbers Point Hawaii.

Kirk has competed in four different drag cars. The 67 big block Camaro, then a big block 396 c.i. 66 Chevelle.He raced the Chevelle 2 seasons in Salt Lake City . He acquired a 1968 Camaro in Albuquerque . The 68 Camaro was raced for several seasons in Albuquerque His current drag car is a 1979 Camaro. Originally the car had a 305 c.i small block. It served as a transportation car all through high school for Kirks two sons. The first pass with a 305 was 21 seconds. The car has gradually been upgraded into a stout and attractive dedicated drag car. Although containing original glass and a full interior the car has steadily improved over the years. Adding a 355 c.i. drag motor produced 13:65’s. The 355 was replaced with a 468c.i drag motor and the turbo 350 was replaced with a TCI turbo 400 which has a brake and high stall converter. The best run to date is 11:75 at Southwest International Raceway in Tucson.S.I.R is Kirks favorite track although he enjoys racing in Roswell because the track manager is so personable.

Well what about the worst day at the track? Yeah just like everyone else he’s had a few less than great moments. The day he launched hard in the left hand lane of Albuquerque National Dragway and then drifted into no mans land between the lanes is his worst memory. The surface was glassy and caused loss of control. There were two options! Option one was to continue towards the right lane and run into good friend Darryl Bonnvilles 56 Bel Air. Hey let’s repair and paint two racecars! Option two is get back in his own lane, which is what he attempted to do. The only problem is the car shot across the lane and slab sided the wall. It looked like a 68 Camaro on the right side and a 64 Lincoln on the left side. This experience (along with a week long headache) convinced Kirk to always wear a helmet when racing.

Being a drag racer and also a fan of professional drag racing, Kirk has a favorite professional drag racer. John Force! Has Whit Bazemore ever sold a tee shirt? If he could race professionally it would be in Pro Stock. His favorite Pro Stock driver is Jeg Coughlin.

Asked if he will ever get another drag car he says”no the 79 Camaro is the last one” In fact his son Kelly will inherit the car when Kirk is done racing it. Kelly is a pretty good drag racer as well. The Pridgen name will likely be part of drag racing in Albuquerque for decades to come and drag racing appears to have a future in Albuquerque . Kirk wishes to say thank you to Daryl Bonnville, Bob Sanders & Glen Simpkins for all their help on the car.