LEGENDS THE SERIES - THE LEGEND OF THE BLUE MAX

It’s hard to imagine that any race car had a bigger international fan base in the 1970s and early ‘80s than did the legendary Blue Max, a Funny Car that captured the imagination of an entire generation of adrenaline junkies.

When the late Harry Schmidt had a replica of a German military medal for valor emblazoned on the side of his race car, he could not have imagined what would ensue. Although the ‘Max’ was exceedingly popular from the day it first rolled to the starting line at the 1970 Winternationals, it didn’t really hit its stride until Raymond Beadle came on board in 1975, first as partner with Schmidt and later as sole owner and driver.

In this episode of Legends: The Series, Season Three, “Waterbed Fred” Miller, D. Gantt and Dale Emery, the mechanical trio whose talents sent Beadle to three NHRA and three IHRA world championships as well as countless match victories in the U.S., Canada and England, talk about their amazing run, their Hall of Fame driver and the unique team chemistry that made all of their success possible.

[Enzo-wjzc]

😢😢Man this is murican history, I loved that Blue max funny car as a kid. im a menber of this site.😁thank u from a big fan.

[wmustanggt]

Raymond Beadle was awesome, very fan friendly. Had the chance in the 80's to talk to him one on one in the pits at the Gators one year. He was just standing at the rear of their trailer by himself chillin' out, he said hi as I was walking past and I stopped and talked to him for while. Great guy.

[MikeBrown-iipt]

Blue Max, Jungle Jim, Snake, Mongoose, War Bird, even Big Daddy and Cha Cha in top fuel...I could go on. I love all forms of motorsports, from local dirt tracks on up. However, I'm a drag racer at heart, and, I was fortunate enough to be around to see these people run during what I consider the "golden era" of drag racing. I'm also looking forward to tomorrow night (8/10/2019), at Summit Motorsports Park (it'll ALWAYS be Norwalk to me!) for Night Under Fire!

I had to laugh a few weeks back when a couple of young guys at work asked if I'd heard about someone going 190 in an electric dragster. I said yeah that was Big Daddy. They said huh? Even though they really are drag racing fans, they had NO idea who Don Garlits was! I spent our lunch break educating them. I ended by by telling them that all Big has to do is look at a drag strip to set a record, and, even though he's in his 80's, he still wants to be faster than everybody else.

[austinv]

"I'm thinking positive, the rods thinking negative." One of the most accurate lines I've ever heard!

[adechapman.]

Without doubt my favourite funny car. They were the proper days of drag racing and seeing the Blue max come to the UK was something special.

[notapplicable]

The "card game scene" what a bunch of happy go lucky sweet guys! Life was Good!! was, good.

[edwardfoehring]

I remember Raymond B. At us 30 in Indiana. He would come into the stands and bet on cars with the brothers. Watching the money go back and forth awesome fun.

[beebop]

I so loved the Max car! I didn't care if it won the race or not, when they had her all decked out in Blue glory it was so beautiful it was orgasmic!! lol

[mikebaker]

The Blue Max is iconic and always will be. I've been a fan since 70, they were always a threat wherever they went. Great video!

[rjeff]

Love the fact when the roof blew off he Blue Max that the other driver born and raised in Lubbock, Tx came to help Raymond and the Blue Max team! They also went to the same High School!

[Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

Funny about that Blue Max name. One day In 1966 I stopped by Harry Schmidt's house to see what Harry and Mike Burkhart were doing to their Chevy II funny. After lunch Harry wanted to see a movie, so he and his wife Carol, Mike and I went up the street to the Inwood Theater and watched The Blue Max. Harry came out raving about how great the movie was. I think he made a connection between fighter pilots and drag racers. I moved away from Dallas not long after that, but when I heard that a new funny called the Blue Max was the car to beat, I thought, well, that's Harry.

[hondalimited]

The Blue Max was a great name, Beadle a great driver. Walked over to his pits once in California and while talking with him he says, You want to get a picture together? So my friend took a photo and still have it to this day in my drag racing photo album He was a very personable guy

[happydays]

Drag racing then was unbelievable then. The heart pounding thunder, anything could happen. Blowers could go sky high, engines completely grenaded after leaving. Oildowns took forever to clean up, and things are safer now, but the excitement, or risk, danger is what I'm searching for isn't there. Racers don't have the personalities of Raymond, or a Richard Tharp, nowadays.

[balancepoint]

My cousin Mark Connell, himself a World Record holding Drag boat racer was a major sponsor on this Legendary car. Rio Airways.

[phantomfg]

Great memories of The Blue Max, The Snake & Mongoose, Candies's & Hughes, 240 Gordie, rare west coast appearance by Cha-Cha and Big Daddy at Sacramento Raceway. Back when John Force was a nobody. Summer nights off Excelsior road at my home track that this year celebrates it's 50th anniversary.

[dianawise]

I watch you guys as a child .my father and I bet Penny's one your races best days ever

[nitrofumes]

After the big roll over and coast to a stop, I remember Moroso put out a big ad in National Dragster saying that Raymond Beadle would do ANYTHING to show off his new Moroso oil pan!

[toodabutt]

As a life long fan of the Blue Max team, I really enjoyed this. I watched this car countless times for match races at my local drag strip in Houma, Louisiana. Many times it was against the Candies and Hughes car. or Gene Snow. The Candies and Hughes home base and work shop was about 5 miles from the track "Southland Drag Strip". I will cherish those memories for all of my life. I have several of those picture/post cards of the Blue Max that Raymond would give out at the races. Some of them were autographed by him. I have them displayed on the wall of my shop as a shrine to the Blue Max. I also have a die cast model of it too ( and a die cast model of the Candies and Hughes "Cajun Cuda") I wish this video were 2 or 3 hours long. Thank you for making this.

[cschoen]

No matter if it was the Schmidt only car, or the mid 70s Mustang with Beadle/Schmidt, or the yellow/blue '78 Arrow, or the '80 Omni and into the 80s Trans Ams...those Blue Max cars were the most beautiful funny car paint schemes ever. Gorgeous! First class operation all the way! Would've loved to been around Beadle when he hooked up with Tim Richmond. Bet those were some good times!

[justinmcglocklin]

Great clip he was a good guy heck of a racer and a great friend blue max will never be forgotten I still got the old blue max Hawaiian hat he gave me