John "The Zookeeper" Mulligan was a drag racer from Garden Grove, CA. He was killed after an accident during a Top Fuel race when paired against A. "T.V. Tommy" Ivo. The accident occurred on 01 September 1969 at the US Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Mulligan was driving a car built by Woody Gilmore at Race Car Engineering in 1968. The owners were Mulligan himself and Tim Beebe, the dragster was therefore lettered "Beebe & Mulligan". The car had had its debut at the World Finals at Tulsa in October 1968 and it was originally fitted with a 392 Chrysler Hemi.
The "Beebe & Mulligan" won the 1969 Winternationals in Pomona, then Tim Beebe decided to switch to a Chrysler Hemi 426 engine that was purchased from the Ramchargers by Marv Rifchin of M&H. Mulligan and the Beebes campaigned it in California before heading East for the US Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
At the US Nationals Mulligan set a new record in a qualifying run, with a 6.43. Then in the first round of eliminations tragedy struck. Mulligan was doing even better than the qualifying run, when, about half the way, a coupler broke taking the clutch off. Fragments of one disc penetrated in the oil pan causing a fire.
Unable to control the car, Mulligan crashed. The car went into the guardrail and rolled in flames. Mulligan was ejected and sustained severe injuries, including first and third degree burns on over 50 percent of his body. He was taken to the Indianapolis Methodist Hospital in critical condition. Although suffering terrible pain, Mulligan's condition stabilized after a few days and doctors reported that he was responding well to treatments, but after sixteen days he suffered an kidney failure and unexpectedly died.
Mulligan was known by his liking of challenging superstitions surrounding the number 13 and the color green, so common in the American racing culture: his car was numbered 13 , he would have no problems on taking the thirteenth qualifying spot and he painted his pit fuel rig green.
R.I.P
Mulligan was driving a car built by Woody Gilmore at Race Car Engineering in 1968. The owners were Mulligan himself and Tim Beebe, the dragster was therefore lettered "Beebe & Mulligan". The car had had its debut at the World Finals at Tulsa in October 1968 and it was originally fitted with a 392 Chrysler Hemi.
The "Beebe & Mulligan" won the 1969 Winternationals in Pomona, then Tim Beebe decided to switch to a Chrysler Hemi 426 engine that was purchased from the Ramchargers by Marv Rifchin of M&H. Mulligan and the Beebes campaigned it in California before heading East for the US Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
At the US Nationals Mulligan set a new record in a qualifying run, with a 6.43. Then in the first round of eliminations tragedy struck. Mulligan was doing even better than the qualifying run, when, about half the way, a coupler broke taking the clutch off. Fragments of one disc penetrated in the oil pan causing a fire.
Unable to control the car, Mulligan crashed. The car went into the guardrail and rolled in flames. Mulligan was ejected and sustained severe injuries, including first and third degree burns on over 50 percent of his body. He was taken to the Indianapolis Methodist Hospital in critical condition. Although suffering terrible pain, Mulligan's condition stabilized after a few days and doctors reported that he was responding well to treatments, but after sixteen days he suffered an kidney failure and unexpectedly died.
Mulligan was known by his liking of challenging superstitions surrounding the number 13 and the color green, so common in the American racing culture: his car was numbered 13 , he would have no problems on taking the thirteenth qualifying spot and he painted his pit fuel rig green.
R.I.P
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Motor