Otto Ryssman, Bonneville legend and drag racing hero. Photo from www.ahrf.com.

Sadly we learned through the American Hot Rod Foundation that Otto Ryssman, an early speed expert, hero, and legend, had passed away last week. Ryssman is well known for being one of five charter members of the Bonneville 200 mph club, joining Willie Young, George Hill, Art Chrisman and Johnny Rogers

Despite his early success in speed records, Ryssman actually had a very short Hot Rod career that was filled with enough speed feats to achieve legendary status. Ryssman piloted a 1934 Ford Coupe to a very respectable 112-mph at Rosemond in 1947. Following that up a year later with a Flathead Mercury-powered 1929 roadster as his career and timing tags grew larger. 

A member of the Gasketeers car club in Long Beach, Ryssman formed an alliance with cam grinder Chuck Potvin in which Ryssman’s Hot Rods were the test vehicles for Potvin’s many fuel and cam experiments. Potvin and Ryssman would take nitroglycerine out of dynamite and combine it with alcohol to create their own fuel. About this time, Potvin convinced Ryssman to join the legendary Lancers car club where many of the land speed racers were members.

In addition to Potvin, Ryssman also friended Vic Edelbrock Sr. and a fresh new speed merchant, Chet Herbert. Surrounding himself with some of the brightest minds of the time, Ryssman was destined for greatness.

Otto Ryssman behind the wheel of the Post Special Streamliner. Photo from www.kustomrama.com.

Ryssman lept into drag racing when the Santa Ana drags opened in 1950. Along with partner Tiny Conkle, they built what many people credit as the first slingshot dragster by installing the engine toward the rear with a one-foot driveshaft for more rear wheel stability. The dragster won enough races that the design was copied by everyone at the track.

By 1952, Ryssman was piloting a class B Streamliner at El Mirage, setting a new class record of 162.16 mph. The team followed that up by taking the car to Bonneville where Rhssman qualified the car first as a Class C Streamliner at 217.65 mph. The next run set a new Bonneville 200 mph club record of 222.65 mph. 

After another record-setting speed week at Bonneville in 1953, the crew headed back the following year with higher expectations. Instead of breaking more speed records, Ryssman suffered through a horrible accident when his Streamliner crashed, putting him in the hospital for a week.

Another catastrophe in 1955 when a clutch and pressure plate exploded in his car when Ryssman was making a run at Santa Ana dragstrip ended his racing career. A fragment of the exploded pressure place hit the asphalt, ricocheting into the stands, striking a fan that was attending his first drag race event.

The man died and his family sued the track and Ryssman’s team for $150,000. The suit dragged on causing a great demand on Ryssman in emotional and financial terms. Eventually the suit died in the courts after a lengthy process, leaving Ryssman drained from the experience. Choosing to focus on raising his family, Ryssman’s racing career was over.

The five charter members of Bonneville’s 200 mph club. Photo from {http://www.ahrf.com/legends/otto-ryssman/}www.ahrf.com.{/link}

The American Hot Rod Foundation has an amazing biography and announcement of Ryssman’s passing. His bio can be found here: Otto Ryssman Bio. The announcement of his passing can be found here:  A Hero Is Gone And We Are Confused.