To lose two great men of this stature within our sport within the month makes us look at what is really important. Sure there are little things to squabble over within the sport, but what really matters is showing up at the track to race with our friends and comrades. That’s what these two “legends” did, and it’s our responsibility to carry on their memories with us as we do what we love.

Charlie Brown Sr. was a huge figure in the sand drag racing world. Charlie Sr. and his son, Charlie Jr., were staples in the Top Fuel class. Charlie Sr. had a storied asphalt drag racing career and then put his mark on the sand drag racing world with his son for the past two decades. The Brown’s came to prominence with a Nitro Funny Car campaigned on sand. This was the former “Sheepherder” AA/FA that had raced on asphalt previously. The Charlie Sr. owned the car with John Aleman III tuning and Charlie Jr. driving set the Funny Car sand drag racing record at 2.69 seconds at Barona in 2000. This record still stands today. The duo moved on to dragsters with a two car team and were a force to be reckoned in the Top Fuel class from there on out. Charlie Jr. set the TF National Record in 2005 with a 2.358. Both of the Team Extreme dragsters continued on and the father-son team continued on until Charlie Sr. retired from the driver’s seat in the fall of 2006. His love of the sport never waned supporting his son and their Top Fuel program. Charlie Sr. will not be forgotten.

Richard Montiel, much like Charlie Sr., was a man held in high regard by everyone within the sport. Montiel set many memorable moments in his four-cylinder rides, all aptly named “Top Dog”; including breaking the 2-second Buggy barrier in his A/Buggy. Richard waged war in the A/Fuel class with his four-cylinder dragster, then moved up to his final BAE Hemi Top Alcohol Dragster. This dragster revolutionized the Top Alcohol class on sand and changed it into what it is today. Richard’s TA Top Dog Dragster was so far ahead of the curve that he raced in the Top Fuel class when the car was first built as it was so far ahead of the rest of the Top Alcohol class. Richard held the Top Alcohol record from 2004 until January of 2008 with a 2.496 ET recorded at Avenal. In a quest for getting the record back, he came very close in March at Yuma recording a 2.435 for his all time Best E.T. Richard also still holds the West Michigan Sand Dragway track MPH record at 138MPH. As you can see, Richard accomplished a lot in the sport. Beyond that he, much like Charlie Sr., was a greatly respected racer AND person.

In these times, we can all hold solace in the thought of these guys racing in the sky with the rest of our fallen heroes. RIP Charlie and Richard.