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One Last Chance to see Hemi Under Glass with Bob Riggle

65RoadRacer

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Last year at MATS when he made his "final" run of his career, I interviewed Bob Riggle, and we talked about his career, and his little excursion with Jay Leno. When I found out he was coming back, I called him again and we talked for about an hour. What an amazing guy who simply loves what he does. He told me the whole story about how he decided to come back to MATS, and that he set it up to bring Jay Leno with him.

You simply have to go just to show Bob Riggle that he's just as important as that guy with all the cars in Burbank. Bob Riggle and Jay Leno Finish What They Started
bobandjay.jpg
 
Without wanting to upset anyone here....I think ole Bob forgot that the car was not designed to turn at speed, especially on those rear tires.
 
Without wanting to upset anyone here....I think ole Bob forgot that the car was not designed to turn at speed, especially on those rear tires.
You should read my interview with him about that accident. He told me a little about it at MATS last year, but I gave my word to keep it quiet and interviewed him about it. There were a couple of things he asked me to keep out of the article, and I won't share them with anyone because he asked me not to, but the story is interesting.
 
You should read my interview with him about that accident. He told me a little about it at MATS last year, but I gave my word to keep it quiet and interviewed him about it. There were a couple of things he asked me to keep out of the article, and I won't share them with anyone because he asked me not to, but the story is interesting.
Jay Leno got scared and grabbed the steering wheel from Bob ???.............................MO
 
Jay Leno got scared and grabbed the steering wheel from Bob ???.............................MO
Actually, Jay did exactly what he was supposed to do: He kept his arms in the car and didn't try to grab for something to hold on to.
 
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You should read my interview with him about that accident. He told me a little about it at MATS last year, but I gave my word to keep it quiet and interviewed him about it. There were a couple of things he asked me to keep out of the article, and I won't share them with anyone because he asked me not to, but the story is interesting.
Like many, I've had the opportunity to meet Bob Riggle and shake his hand; I was fortunate enough to catch him at a show back in the 90's (probably a Mopar Nats - also met Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney at the same show!). Man, it was hot that day...
When I came by his tent, things were relatively quiet at that moment. My head was full of whatever parts I was looking for that day and such and suddenly, I look up and there's a childhood idol of mine, quietly seated behind one of those plastic tables and signing little picture cards, fan blowing on high speed on him in a futile effort to keep Bob cool.
I remember thinking that I shouldn't disturb this legend, feeling a little intimidated, when suddenly Bob looks up from what he's doing (probably felt me staring, awestruck)... and he grins that great big smile of his and asks how I'm doing.
I must have looked a little burnt up from the sun (I burn easily, being a fair skinned redhead) because he insisted I get out of the sun and stands me in front of his fan, shaking my hand and making small talk like we lived next door to each other or something.

It's wonderful when one of your idols turns out to be a decent human being in real life. That weekend, I met several of mine and they all turned out that way, Bob the most so.

Thank you for sharing your well-written, respectful article about Mr. Riggle.
It took me back to those days and did my heart a lot of good. :)
 
Without wanting to upset anyone here....I think ole Bob forgot that the car was not designed to turn at speed, especially on those rear tires.
It's pretty obvious what happened once you see where they had him doing the run; Bob needed to get the car slowed down to avoid the embankment for the oval track and was fighting driving perpendicular to the uneven pavements' undulations, slicks bouncing wildly in the air.
He ran out of room and had to try to make the turn.
The conditions and the car both were not made to do such things.
Bob shouldn't have agreed to make the run there, but you couldn't have found a more capable driver to attempt it.
 
What a dummy I am, Bob offered to take me on a pass at MATS in 2004. I CHICKENED OUT !!
He is a great Showman,and very approachable. He also has the ability to remember names.He meets you once for a brief moment,the next time he meets you he will call you by name.Very cool guy.
65RoadRacer, looking forward to seeing you again this year. Always enjoy watching you run the autocross course,and the yearly up-grades to your car.
 
What a dummy I am, Bob offered to take me on a pass at MATS in 2004. I CHICKENED OUT !!
He is a great Showman,and very approachable. He also has the ability to remember names.He meets you once for a brief moment,the next time he meets you he will call you by name.Very cool guy.
65RoadRacer, looking forward to seeing you again this year. Always enjoy watching you run the autocross course,and the yearly up-grades to your car.
If I drive out with my road race tires, I'll try the autocross once or twice, I have to save these tires for Willow Springs, so I don't want to work them too hard! haha

Bob Riggle is very cool indeed, thanks for the stories you guys shared. When I talked to him last year at MATS, he handed me his home number and said, "if you promise not to tell anyone about the accident at Irwindale, I'll give you all the time you want to talk about it after Jay does his show." He told me recently that he truly respected me because I kept my word, when I could have blown it wide open. I'm a journalist by occupation, and yeah, that story would have been huge. But some things are more important, and one of those things is respect. Besides, I still got the first interview with him after the show aired, and I got the first one with him about MATS.
 
If I drive out with my road race tires, I'll try the autocross once or twice, I have to save these tires for Willow Springs, so I don't want to work them too hard! haha

Bob Riggle is very cool indeed, thanks for the stories you guys shared. When I talked to him last year at MATS, he handed me his home number and said, "if you promise not to tell anyone about the accident at Irwindale, I'll give you all the time you want to talk about it after Jay does his show." He told me recently that he truly respected me because I kept my word, when I could have blown it wide open. I'm a journalist by occupation, and yeah, that story would have been huge. But some things are more important, and one of those things is respect. Besides, I still got the first interview with him after the show aired, and I got the first one with him about MATS.
Integrity in journalism? What a concept! :)
I kid, but I also acknowledge and appreciate you on your character.
You honor a good man with such respect. Mr. Riggle is certainly worthy of that.
 
Integrity in journalism? What a concept! :)
I kid, but I also acknowledge and appreciate you on your character.
You honor a good man with such respect. Mr. Riggle is certainly worthy of that.
Thank you, that means a lot - and yes, you are right, he most definitely is worthy of that respect.

I also had to keep my word to Leah Pritchett ... she was the one who did the 9.65 1/4 mile time and had been test driving the Dodge Demon. We talked about the Demon a few weeks ago when she was at our shop, and she asked me to not tell anyone about it until the reveal. I didn't. She texted me last week, we will do an interview. That's more important to me, that these people know that they can trust me with information. I looked at one of the pics... yeah, you can tell it's her driving!

demon-10.jpg
 
Thank you, that means a lot - and yes, you are right, he most definitely is worthy of that respect.

I also had to keep my word to Leah Pritchett ... she was the one who did the 9.65 1/4 mile time and had been test driving the Dodge Demon. We talked about the Demon a few weeks ago when she was at our shop, and she asked me to not tell anyone about it until the reveal. I didn't. She texted me last week, we will do an interview. That's more important to me, that these people know that they can trust me with information. I looked at one of the pics... yeah, you can tell it's her driving!

View attachment 414856
That's an amazing car right there.
Carries the front wheels from the factory.
A 50 state compliant car that runs 9's out of the box from the factory.
Weighs 2 tons whilst doing so.
Incredible.
 
It really is something. Unimaginable in the day....hell, unimaginable in this era up until a few years/hundred horsepower ago.
 
I'd like to know if anyone has any updates on Mr. Riggle these days?
I'm sort of confused on what happened to him right after the "Leno rollover"...
Supposedly he was "replaced" as driver of the H-U-G car (I thought he owned it?)
but then the article mentioned above was written, telling how the two were going
to MATS the following year to finish the ride they'd started - but I can't find anything
on that, either.

What's even more confusing is when you go to the Hurst Under Glass website, there
is no mention of Bob AT ALL - just references to "Driver #2". Seems pithy to me,
especially given the history of the car and Bob's HUGE part in keeping the name alive.

Last thing I saw was a quick reference that Mr. Riggle had an accident in his personal
car last year on the road somewhere?
I'm just having a hard time finding any good information on what's up with him these
days?
 
Bob is now in his mid 80's. Usually see him at the MATS events but not this years being canceled.
The Story after the Leno roll over is that Bob sold the car, the un-wrecked one, to a new owner. That owner was to let Bob and Jay to make a few passes down the Las Vegas track.The new owner backed out of the deal,Leno decided not to come to the show. Bob brought a trailer loaded with the parts from the wrecked car to display.
Never heard anything about the new owner doing anything with the car since then.Several years have passed now.
Bob is one of the coolest guys in this sport. Always willing to talk,tell stories and the like.
I was a volunteer at MATS for 16 years. My biggest regret was saying no to making a pass down the track with him at the wheel.Sometimes you make bad decisions in the heat of the moment.:BangHead:
 
Bob is now in his mid 80's. Usually see him at the MATS events but not this years being canceled.
The Story after the Leno roll over is that Bob sold the car, the un-wrecked one, to a new owner. That owner was to let Bob and Jay to make a few passes down the Las Vegas track.The new owner backed out of the deal,Leno decided not to come to the show. Bob brought a trailer loaded with the parts from the wrecked car to display.
Never heard anything about the new owner doing anything with the car since then.Several years have passed now.
Bob is one of the coolest guys in this sport. Always willing to talk,tell stories and the like.
I was a volunteer at MATS for 16 years. My biggest regret was saying no to making a pass down the track with him at the wheel.Sometimes you make bad decisions in the heat of the moment.:BangHead:
Yeah, I saw where there was supposed to be the return of Jay invitation by Bob, but couldn't find anything about
the results - which you've now explained, thanks.
The few times I had the pleasure to stop and talk to Bob, he always was genuinely cordial and quite hospitable -
and yeah, he's full of great stories, which I love to hear.

Boy, there sure seems to be some genuine hostility between the original driver of the car (for one year) towards
Bob, along with the current owner?
Or.....are there more than one H-U-G deal going on out there?
It just seems a shame at his advanced age, these has to be a war going on.
 
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