Alex Xydias (born March 22, 1922) is an American hot rodder, racing driver and land speed racer, active in the early days of the auto racings.
Xydias was born in Los Angeles. He served in World War II as radio operator and engineer on a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
In 1946, immediately after Xydias was discharged from the United States Army Air Corps, he opened the So-Cal Speed Shop in Burbank, one of the first hot rod speed shops in Southern California. In 1950, he drove the first streamliner (made, with help from Dean Batchelor,[1] from a drop tank)[2] powered by a Flathead Ford V-8 60.[3][4] THe Xydias-Batchlor tank, named the So-Cal Streamliner (wearing #5), would earn them SCTA's first Hot Rod Trophy (for top speed of the meet) at the 1949 Bonneville Nationals, with a speed of 193.54 mph (311.47 km/h), and put them on the cover of Hot Rod in October that year.[5] It would be the first flatty-powered tank to exceed 200 mph (322 km/h),[citation needed] thanks in part to running 40 percent nitro.[6]
Xydias is a member of the board of directors of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.
Alex Xydias is the founder of the Alex Xydias & Pete Chapouris Center for the Automotive Arts at the Pomona Fairplex https://fairplex.com/tlcfairplex/ctec/ which offers a two year program in the automotive arts
Xydias turned 100 in March 2022.[7]
References edit
- ^ Hot Rod, January 2024, pp.18 and 82.
- ^ Engerud, Ivar (9 March 2021). "Hot-rod-legende Alex Xydias (98): – Jeg skjønner ikke at jeg turte. Jeg fikk så vidt presset meg på plass i fronten". finansavisen.no (in Norwegian).
- ^ Madigan, Tom. Edelbrock: Made in USA, Tehabi Books, 2005.
- ^ The guide to United States popular culture. Browne, Ray B. (Ray Broadus), 1922-2009., Browne, Pat. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. 2001. ISBN 0879728213. OCLC 44573365.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Hot Rod, January 2024, pp.18 and 82.
- ^ Oilstick.com NHRA museum article Groak, Bill, 2004.
- ^ Vaughn, Mark (23 March 2022). "Hot Rod Hero Alex Xydias Turns 100!". Autoweek. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
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