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Joaquin Arnett Jr. - 1926-2010
The early days of drag racing are filled with larger-than-life characters with no money but the restlessness and ambition of youth who created the sport we know today. Born November 27, 1926, Joaquin Arnett Jr. was one of those men – Cofounder and leader of the Bean Bandits racing club, the San Diego, California resident was driving by age 13, served in the Merchant Marine during the Second World War, built record-breaking streamliners and drag cars, and helped create one of the first legal drag venues in the southwest.
The recreation of Arnett's groundbreaking dragster is currently on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum
Arnett won the first NHRA National Meet at Pomona in 1953, and was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1992. In recent years, he helped recreate his trophy-winning dragster that was featured on the cover of a 1953 issue of Hot Rod magazine, and that car took to the strip at Barona Dragway this past summer as part of a celebration of his contribution to motorsports.
Arnett passed away from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease on September 24 at age 83 in El Cajon, California. He is survived by his wife Viola (the couple married in 1945), a daughter and son, sister, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. The NHRA Hot Rod Reunion will hold a commemorative run of Mr. Arnett’s dragster October 16 at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California and the Bean Bandits club is planning to hold a celebration of life on November 6 in National City.
As a personal note, I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Arnett in person several years ago, and can say without a doubt that the world is a better place for racers thanks to his contributions to the sport. Godspeed, Joaquin, and save a spot in the pits for me…
