The Bill Thomas Cheetah
Race History
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Race History Chronological History Production History
Cheetah number one was never raced as it was sold to Chevrolet Engineering. Although it was extensively tested, and did quite well on the skid pad, it was concluded that the lack of torsional rigidity was responsible for the erratic handling. The car was later returned to Bill Thomas Race Cars.
Cheetah Number Two had an extensive race career before ending up on the street. In July 1963, Bill Thomas tested several people to drive the development/factory car, including Bob Bondurant, Billy Cantrell, and Jerry Titus. Jerry Titus was selected. The car was scheduled to make its competition debut in the 1963 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix at Riverside International Raceway. However, in testing at Riverside two weeks before the event, Billy Cantrell crashed heavily into turn nine, effectively preventing the car from running the '63 event.
The debut finally came in January 1964 at a Cal-Club event at Riverside, with Jerry Titus driving. As Titus completed lap one, in 1st place, the lower radiator hose came loose, dumping water under the rear wheels. The car went straight off turn one, climbed the Armco guardrail, and went over the top. Titus survived, but the car was heavily damaged. However, it was repaired at the Thomas facility and continued to compete in West Coast tracks such as, Pomona, Riverside, Cotati, Seattle, Phoenix, and Santa Barbara through out the remainder of 1964 with Jerry Titus as the driver. Near the end of the year, Friendly Chevrolet in Rialto, CA became the owner/sponsor until the car was sold to Jerry Entin in 1965. Entin’s previous race car had been Max Balchowsky’s Ol’ Yaller Mk.II.
Entin’s inaugural event with the Cheetah was a club event. It was the first race to be held at the old Stardust Raceway in Las Vegas. Entin won! He then campaigned the car at Santa Barbara, Riverside and throughout Southern California at Cal-Club events. In preparation for the Times Grand Prix in 1965, Entin heard a clunking noise and took it to Bill Thomas’ shop. Thomas was unable to find anything wrong. Late in the race the right rear suspension pulled out going into turn 6. The car rolled slowly and the body was lightly damaged. Entin had the car repaired. He then rented it out for the Elvis Presley movie Spin Out. Entin later sold the Cheetah to Denny Doherty of the Mama's and Papa's, who promptly converted it into a wild street car.
The third car (the first fiberglass body) was purchased for the 1964 Daytona race by Ralph Salyer. Ralph Salyer and Gene Crowe, his mechanic, campaigned this car which became known as the Cro-Sal Special and was modified to be the one and only roadster.
Bud Clusserath, out of Indiana, purchased the fourth Cheetah to run in the 1964 Daytona 12-hour. Clusserath campaigned this car, but never as successfully as Ralph Salyer.
The fifth car was raced by Alan Green Chevrolet/Bardahl out of Seattle. This car was driven by Jerry Grant at Daytona in February 1964 where, during qualifying, he got off course, hit a drainage ditch and severely damaged the car. Thus, this Cheetah did not compete at Daytona.
The sixth car was purchased by Alan Green Chevrolet to race on the West Coast and the USRRC.
The seventh car was also purchased by Alan Green Chevrolet to be sold as a street car. Alan Green's wife occasionally took it to the drag races.
The eighth car was not originally raced until many years later when Skip Gunnell converted it and ran vintage events.
Jack Goodman, of Dixon Cadillac, purchased the ninth Cheetah with the original intent to drive it on the street, and occasionally run a Cal-Club event in Southern California. Many times it was incorrectly reported that this car had a Cadillac engine. In reality, it was delivered with a stock 1964 Corvette Fuel Injected 375hp engine. When Jack Goodman decided to go racing, the “Thomas Dual Air meter” fuel injection unit was installed along with the 1964 Pontiac NASCAR radiator, angled back 45 degrees, and hood vents. In August 1965, one of the first Chevrolet 396 rat motors and a M22 'Rock Crusher' was installed in this car. It competed at the Los Angeles Times Riverside Gran Prix in this configuration. James Phillips purchased the "Dixon Cadillac" Cheetah and it went to his shop in Las Vegas, NV. The 396 motor was replaced with a L-88 purchased from the Bill Thomas shop in early 1968. David Pinjuv wrenched on the Cheetah for Phillips during 1968. They raced all over the Southern Pacific Region SCCA in the A Sports Racing class. David states that they won at Tucson, did well at Denver, got rained out in Oregon, ran Willow Springs, broke a spindle at Odessa and towed to every race within reach. He especially remembers Tucson since he rode along for the victory lap. “The intake gaskets had failed and there must have been 6 quarts of oil on the floor board, every fastener on the passenger door had been lost and the door came off in my hand when I climbed in”. Tucson was a rough track. The steering rack was shot and the third member had rotated 3 inches to the right. The rebuild after Tucson included the adoption of Corvette disk brakes on the front. Jim won the A/SR championship for the Southern Pacific Region of the SCCA in 1968. After the season the Cheetah was sold so Phillips could purchase a McLaren Mk3. There are conflicting reports where the Cheetah is now.
Cheetah number ten was drag raced extensively by Don Greib, sometimes referred to as the factory drag race car. It was in the Bill Thomas shop the night of the fire and was a total loss.
After Chevrolet Engineering completed evaluating the first factory car, it was refurbished and made its brief road racing history, as the Hurst Performance Special. The factory also drag raced this car and used it for publicity purposes.