I'm sure I misspelled his last name. Does anyone remember him buying Brotherton's Top Fuel car and running a few events back in the early 90's? (I Think) I remember seeing him at Dallas or Houston and never heard of him again. Seems like he was a paint and body guy.

I'm pretty sure he still has the paint shop down in San Diego. James Drew mentioned he saw him not too long ago. I'll ask.......

Wasn't it Leo??? Unless Porky was a nickname.


He took out Gary Ormsby in the first round at Houston in 1990, much to the delight of Joe Amato... Hmm. for some reason 5.11 et comes to mind.

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I think I remember that guy. Would it be possible that he was at Indy around '89 or '90? I remember the name Porky on a TF car at one of those Indys.

I do believe Leo was his first name. I think he may have run a 5.08 or 5.02 when he beat Ormsby. I really liked the low buck guys back in the late 80's early 90's. Remember Rudy Toepke when Medlin tuned him? I was a big fan of Michael Brotherton when he just started running IHRA and ran a few select NHRA deals. I think his crewchief was a guy name Larry Rogers from Sand Springs Okla. Never heard of him after that.

John, the last I heard Porky was back working in the San Diego area doing body work. I'll work on this weekend.

I thought I heard a few years back that he got into some sort of trouble for making meth.

wow... i thought i was the only guy that remembered him!

his first name is leo... and porky was a nickname. when i was a kid my dad flew us from kc to phoenix for the nationals and we ran into the porky's gang in the pits. man what a cool guy... i always wished he would made the big time cause from a fan point of view you couldn't have asked for a nicer guy.

of course at the time i was like 12 years old... and when he heard my dad mention that we were from kansas he took us all thru his trailer... put me in his car... GAVE me 2 t-shirts... he had a fan for life! i still have the shirt somewhere

that was a cool race cause we cause most of the drivers were staying at our hotel. i remember seeing kc 'hollywood' spurlock at the hotel eating breakfast and he too was super nice to me!

Porky won an all expense paid educational course for six years. He's been done with that for about 5 yrs.
He does go to the local races to watch now.

Mike Brotherton is part of Dallas Motorsports Marketing, with sizeable ads in N.D. for their trailer business.

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I remember him. Houston 1990, took out Ormsby. Famous Amos Saterlee (sp) was his crew chief. I seem to recall mid way through the 1990 season there was a larger ad in National Dragster from the U.S. Marshalls. They had the entire "Porky's Racing Team" for sale at auction. I have to admit I was surprised. I never met Leo but he seemed like a good guy.

Dave

Unfortunately it is true that he was busted. Perhaps a nice guy to those at the races, but too bad he was involved in illicit activities. No doubt that he isn't the only one who supplimented his racing budget this way; the sport has a very long list of such individuals.

Bob, I thought he was a manufacters rep for the goverment?

Larry Rogers designed, built, and tuned the Michael Brotherton car. He put the car in the Cragar 4 second club despite working with a budget that was one-fifth of anyone of the top teams, and a car that was 150 lbs over weight because of the tight budget. I went to several NHRA races and match races in 1989 with Michael and Larry and had a blast. Larry is one of the smartest people I have ever been around, he can build or fix ANYTHING. Larry had several opportunities to go to work for some top teams after Michael sold his equipment and went to drive for Jeff and Susan Bernstein, but he chose to stay home with his family. I ran into him a while back, he's living on Lake Keystone near Sand Springs in NE Oklahoma, and has a business that builds framework for hospital rehabilitation exercise equipment. Larry could have been a top tuner if he had chosen to keep racing.

Leo "Porky" owns specialized paint and body in vista ca. I lived around the corner from his shop two years ago. He does work on some nice lowriders. I just went to get supplies from his shop though he does not sell paint supplies he referred me to a good place locally and sat and talked with him in his office he was super nice down to earth guy he had a nice alky dragster back in the day also. Art Hendey bought the Brotherton dragster from him but never ran it, It just sat in Art's shop in San Bernardino,

Holy God.... This is why I love the mater.... People who remember TOTALLY OFF THE WALL Drag Racing References.!!! Yes, LEO..."PORKY" Gastellum had his Paint and body shop in OCEANSIDE, CA for many years. His shop was on Oceanside Blvd, and about a mile from my house....(i used to drive past it everyday on the way to school.) I can't say I ever met the guy, or when to his shop, as well all knew what he was "IN TO", (and like Mr. Meyer said... Did some "TIME" for). This was the same time that Mr. GENE ADAMS also had his shop in Oceanside, That shop I have been too! (like a kid in a candy shop folks!), and of course the Infamous MACHINE TECH was also in Oceanside!
Famous AMOS was his crew chief, and it was the 1st round towards the end of the Season in Texas, when he beat Gary Orsmby in round 1. It was Michael Brotherton's car, and I believe that Texas race..(DALLAS I THINK) was one of the only races he qualified at.

Oceanside, Is also where the Lauffler Family, (owners of VW Paradise in San Marcos, The worlds fastest VW Dragster, "THE NAIL" 6.53 @ 207 I believe) live, (at least did when I was living there...) I also heard that Cory Lee lived there as well.

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