With all the talk lately about Grag Anderson and John Hagen I just would like to say that today would have been John's "71" birthday. And we lost John 25 years ago this coming August.

My first touring ahem "pro" job was working for him at the rip old age of 2 until I was fired by me dad for goofing off at 5 it was I believe. I was supposed to pick up all the rags on the floor and keep quiet. As well I had to ride shotgun in the car on the ramp truck with my dad.

Proof of my great status and highly coveted position was I had to safeguard the funny pages under my feet in the passenger foot well.

My first worst day in racing was that day standing on the line.

I was in awe and still am of what I thought was the coolest deal in life. Apartment up stairs, hardware store and race shop downstairs, and a restaurant right next door to the store. Three race tracks within 45 minutes.

A mentor, a hero, and one hell of a great man period. A huge loss for everyone not because of what he was as a drag racer but because of who he was as a whole person. He would and did do about anything for anybody.

He believed in our racing efforts when we were teenagers in high school enough to spend time talking to me and giving advice as well a ton of old catalogs and materials for us to work with.

Forever thanks to John, Gerry, and the boys it was my honor and pleasure.

Signed with John Hagen coveted nickname "Low Pockets"

Growing up in Coon Rapids, MN, the home of Minnesota Dragways, I was a regular visitor to that place. John was a regular racer there and I think along with the Snake and Mongoose, were the first drag racing names I ever knew. John Hagen was the first driver autograph I ever got, back in 1972 when I was 8 years old.

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"I never said most of the things I said."

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - GREG ANDERSON – THE APPRENTICE

Can't help but bring this story every time John's name is mentioned.

That was one of the finest pieces done in a very long time by anyone on anyone Bobby. It actually came out reading and learning about two people. I had to start and stop reading that one more than a few times.

In fact I just printed it out for my dad to read.

Greg spent a long hard time after that. But he also learned from one of the very beast at the most critical time of the learning curve the beginning. He has done John, Warren et al, and his family proud with his toolbox.

Still some of my fondest door car memories are af the Mopar Vs Chevy match racing by Hagen and Johnson in the upper midwest.

This site : keystone bison dragways holds plenty of those memories too.

Regards,

Tom

rip john, im sure he is looking down and is very proud of greg .

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kalitta motorsports kb/summit pro stock john force racing-#1 fan visit a legend@ arniebeswick.com

John was an awesome competitor, he beat me like a rented mule every single time I raced him. It was a hard day when we lost him, if he had lived, I think the early history of pro stock would be significantly different in the record books.

Thanks for the story, Jim.

And Bob, you certainly weren't the first butt he whipped!!

Good stuff guys..RIP John

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--Medicated for your safety!!--

Thanks for sharing the stories. They truly tell you how a lot of drag racing teams really were.

I will share mine. I never knew John, but on my way to my first national event I heard the news of John's accident and I never forgot that name.

Fast forward a few decades... I hear of this Greg Anderson guy who had worked for him and now is running Pro Stock! I love an "underdog" Ha! Now I have a new hero to cheer for and still do!

Now here is where my story gets good.

So I'm sitting in my pits at the Brainerd race and this older lady comes limping by and I ask her if she needs a ride. She says "Yes! I would love that!" We jump on the golf cart and I ask "where to?" She says "Greg Anderson's" and continues to tell me that she is John Hagen's wife! I felt like I was hauling the the President around! I dropped her off and thought that was one of the coolest things I have ever done!!!

Anyway......here are a few pictures from Thunder Valley (Marion SD) that I have of John's old cars.

I think these are from Sioux City IA.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...e/134edefa.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...rookDale-1.jpg

I was lucky enough to grow up at Minnesota Dragways as well. John Hagen was as classy as they come. I know he and Charby we're close friends and I got to hang around those guys often. I have so many fond memories of those days! I remember as a kid putting a coat of wax (I was the shop kid!) on both Charby's wagon (owned then by Clyde Birch) and Hagen's Cuda (owned then by Lenny Lou). I'll have to do some digging...I'm sure I have some pictures of those cars in our driveway in either 73 or 74. Unfortuantly; my Dad and I we're in John's pit earlier that sad day at BIR. He has never been back to the drag strip since. Back to John, Even that morning; John was friendly as ever to see his old friend and to share stories as we we're talking cylinder head grinds. You could just tell how cool he was. ALL CLASS!

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"Ok, No Problem" -John Force entering the driver's seat for the first time - 08

That's the car and my Dad is in that picture!!!! How cool is that!

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"Ok, No Problem" -John Force entering the driver's seat for the first time - 08

More neat stuff I scanned in today.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...tune/BIR83.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...nnerCircle.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ne/SSAARed.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...une/Rodder.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/daytune/News.jpg

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"Ok, No Problem" -John Force entering the driver's seat for the first time - 08