The Road Kings of Burbank have a long history of racing. From the nationally famous drag racers like Don Prudhomme, Tommy Ivo and Ken Safford, to the local racers. They have raced almost every kind of vehicle, on every kind of surface throughout the country, whether it be asphalt, salt or water, in a straight line or on the circle tracks. The classes and vehicles these Road Kings drove in represent a cross section of racing in all of its’ diverse forms.
The racing history of the Road Kings begins with the formation of the club itself. The club began in 1952. “T.V.” Tommy Ivo started racing his “type car” that year. Ivo became the first true professional racer. Going from town to town (between his movie roles), racing throughout the country. Also that year, Richard Johnson campaigned at the local tracks. Ralph Marshall rode a “Vincent Rapide” in the gas motorcycle class in 1952-53. Bob Sagesar competed in a gas coupe with a blown flathead in the early ’50s as well. By then, Bill King had already been running on the salt, starting back in 1946. Later in the 1950s, Don Prudhomme started his career in the gasser wars. Don then stepped up to the Fuelies and the national spotlight. Ken Safford started the same year as Prudhomme, driving gas coupes, fuel dragsters and funny cars. All told, there were 36 Road Kings racing in the 1950s.
In the 1960s the variety of machines and classes followed the trends being set throughout the country. George Sakora ran a Crosley gas dragster, while Owen Engle and Denny Cross raced their 4 cylinder machine. Later members like Nick Sfetku, Joel Embick. Ed Drugmond, Bill Loven and Frank Ney piloted drag boats.
Many still race today, Including Bob Muravez, who recently began driving the Western Hoist top fuel dragster in the Nostalgia Races. In his 3rd race Bob won at Las Vegas.
The list today contains many names from the same family, again mimicking the national trend. The Salvatore, Pucio, Giannoupolis, and Dalton families all have multiple members racing today.
To look at the list of Road Kings and the wide variety of vehicles driven is to look at the sport of racing and see its history.
“The Road Kings started out with purple jackets and when I painted my first Buick dragster red. I talked the club into getting RED ones, so they would match my car.............. How’s that for some smooth talken, silver tonged, old devil action. Before that I pressed everyone into wearing white pants with their white Road Kings shirts to the races. So I’d have the first high buck uniformed race team. It seems as though Donald Trump wasn’t the first high end conman that knew the mechanics of THE ART OF THE DEAL!!! [big ol’ Ivo type grin]”
