Following design cues made famous by such early cars as Junior Brogdon’s “Phony Pony” Mustang, Al Vanderwoude’s topless “Flying Dutchman” ’66 Dart, and Don Garlits’ “Dart 2” ’66 Dart, Randy Winkle’s 1966 Chevrolet Corvette puts the “funny” in Funny Car. As he says, “these are the forgotten art of funny cars…the most beautiful funny cars ever built,” Winkle proclaims.

Winkle’s Corvette features a factory-appearing second-gen body draped over a front engine dragster chassis, replicating the formative years of Funny Car racing, before the high-tech machines we know today we were even a thought. The car, it turns out, is also a vessel for an all-new nostalgia drag racing venture that’s actively taking shape.

Randy’s journey into drag racing is a story that reflects a lifetime of passion and dedication. His earliest memories involve sneaking into his uncle’s garage to play with an injected flathead dragster. “I’d sneak a popsicle and crawl down beside that dragster to eat it where no one could see me,” Randy recalls with a chuckle. This early exposure ignited a fascination that would shape his entire life. As a child, Randy was captivated by slot cars and Revell models, and his allowance was often spent on car models to enhance his slot car track. This fascination wasn’t just a childhood phase; it became a lifelong pursuit.

By the age of 13 or 14, Randy had acquired his first dragster, though it was tragically lost in a shop fire. Undeterred, he obtained another front-engine dragster at 19, and his love for nostalgia cars took root. “I’ve always been a big fan of the old gassers and front-engine dragsters,” he says. “When other guys my age were doing the Pro Street, slammed to the ground with narrowed rearends and stuff, I was more into building old Gassers that people didn’t want anymore.” This passion led him to focus on building and restoring vintage drag cars, a path that distinguished him from the pro-street crowd of his era.

Randy’s Corvette Funny Car is a tribute to the forgotten art of early Funny Cars. The car features a fiberglass 1966 Corvette replica body of factory dimension with a removable hood and functional doors, on a modified dragster chassis, shortened to 100.5 inches. “Everything on that car was available on the shelf in 1966,” Randy explains. The car runs a 400 cubic inch small-block Chevy engine, blown and injected on a small percentage of nitro, with a 9-inch Ford rearend and a two-speed Powerglide transmission. Randy emphasizes the importance of authenticity: “I’m a purist. It’s as period-correct as we can make it.”

Winkle anticipates the Corvette will run mid-sevens at 190 mph.

Randy’s Corvette Funny Car isn’t just a personal project; it’s also a flagship for a new racing series he’s developing: the American Nostalgia Funny Cars (ANFC). This series aims to revive the spirit of the 1965-69 era of Funny Cars. “Those were the most beautiful Funny Cars there were. Anybody could afford to run one, and they were absolutely the coolest looking,” Randy says passionately. The series is gaining traction, with several cars already in development. “I think when we get the first eight or 10 of these on the track, it’ll take off like the Southeast Gassers Association did,” he predicts.

The ANFC is designed to be accessible and affordable, with rules to keep the cars simple and functional. “We have rules and stipulations to keep these cars simple, functional, where they can make round after round after round, and they’re not breaking parts,” Randy explains. The focus is on the show – big burnouts, dry hops, and the visual appeal of the cars – rather than just speed. “We want the beauty, the show… It’s not necessarily about who crosses the stripe first.”

Randy’s commitment to the nostalgia drag racing scene is evident in his work at Famoso Speed Shop, which he owns and operates. The shop specializes in restoring and preserving vintage 1/4-mile cars, including other early Funny Cars. “My passion is restoring and saving vintage cars,” he says. Randy’s cars are not just museum pieces; he races each one for a year or more before moving on to the next project. His dedication to authenticity and performance has earned him a reputation for building unique, one-off cars that capture the imagination of enthusiasts.

“We have rules in place to keep these cars simple and functional without breaking parts. We don’t want people just burning money like crazy. We want the beauty of these cars, and a show — the big burnouts, the pretty back-up girls, and all of that. It’s not about who crosses the finish line first,” Winkle explains.

Randy’s 1966 Corvette Funny Car has already made a splash on the track. Its debut at Irwindale’s Nitro Revival was met with glowing reviews. “People just went crazy,” Randy recalls. The car’s unique design and period-correct details set it apart from modern dragsters, drawing attention from fans and fellow racers alike.

The American Nostalgia Funny Cars series represents a return to the roots of drag racing, celebrating the innovation and creativity of the early funny car era. Randy’s vision for the series is clear: to create a platform where these beautiful, functional, and historically significant cars can shine. “I think this thing will kind of take off like the Southeast Gassers did,” he says confidently.

As the new series gains momentum, Randy’s 1966 Corvette Funny Car embodies the spirit of a bygone era while paving the way for a new generation of nostalgia drag racers. “I’m just trying to bring the beauty back,” Randy says. And with his Corvette Funny Car and the American Nostalgia Funny Cars series, he’s doing just that.