Pat Minick

Minick got his start in the 1950s, driving Chrysler products; he first partnered with John Farkonas (who was seven years Minick's senior) in the 1960s.^[2] Minick first drove Farkonas' 1956 Chrysler 300, and in 1962, they raced in Super Stock, taking wins in 31 of 33 events.^[3] They attracted sponsorship from "Mr. Norm" Kraus' car dealership, Grand Spaulding Dodge, in 1964, naming their new car Hustler.^[4] They followed this with an altered-wheelbase blown nitro-burning 1965 Plymouth.^[5] The team got clutch work done at Chicago's E&R Automotive, where hemi-running fellow Super Stock racer Austin Coil was also a customer.^[6] Needing a good tuner, while Coil needed money to keep racing, the trio joined forces in winter 1966.^[7]

In 1967, they decided to move from Super Stock to Funny Car (not yet an official NHRA class), building the first Chi-Town Hustler (a name conceived by Minick in 1966, but never attached to their Super Stock car), a tube-chassis 1967 Barracuda, "in the garage of Farkonas’ mother".^[8]

Minick would only remain at the wheel of Chi-Town Hustler until 1971, putting a stylistic stamp on the car that remained in fan memory even after he quit the team.^[9] When Minick quit, he was replaced by Clare Sanders.^[10]

Coil credits Minick with being the best of his era at controlling an automatic transmission car.^[11]

Minick also served as the team's business manager, arranging race bookings.^[12] After he stopped driving Chi-Town Hustler Minick also stopped attending distant races.^[13]

Minick had a son, Wayne, who is also a racer, who took over Chi-Town Hustler after Hawley and Coil left the team.^[14]