Southbound – Mitch Mannino

Mitch Mannino (Mr Mitch) biography

I’m the former owner of a towing company, which financed all the toys though the years, but it was time to get away from the 24-7 rat race. I now own small transport & logistics company named AT, LLC. I’m also a Partner in a small bar called The Zombie Club in Downtown Crown Point, Indiana.

I’m 60s born and raised in the Region in Gary, Indiana. As a little kid I watched my father race at “Smokin’ US 30 Dragstrip: Where the Great Ones Ran” as a bracket racer, and learned my way around a track and a car. I remember watching early Top Fuel racing, the controversial Thunderbolts, and the great Don Garlits.

I pumped gasoline as a teenager in the 70s and rode dirt bikes all over the neighborhood, learning the art of sliding and drifting. When I was old enough I bought a 72 Ford 4×4 and traded the motorcycle for a lift kit and tires. I really got into off roading, to the point of eventually having to change every part on the truck. (I thought I was Mr. Majestyk.) It took another two years for me to destroy the truck completely. After the Ford truck I tried early Broncos. Rolled them both. No more 4-wheelin’ for a while. After that, I decided to follow my father’s lead and race. The first car I raced on a dragstrip was a 1969 Cobra Jet Mustang, then a 1970 Mustang Mach 1, achieving no success in either. The ‘69 motor blew up, so I traded for the Mach 1. I quickly wrecked that, so my career in racing was over for the time being.

In the 80s I served my country in the United States Air Force, stationed in Colorado and California. In California as a young man, while serving, I figured I would give 4-wheeling another chance. I built a lifted ‘77 Ford F-150 with 38 inch tires. I put in 400cid with closed chambered heads, 4:56 gears with Detroit locker, 3500 stall. For a big 4×4, it was quick and fun in the mountains. I did eventually manage to roll the truck in a Denny’s parking lot and total it out.  I’ll tell you about that someday.

After my tour in the Air Force ended in the 90s, I started an automotive repair shop in Merrillville, Indiana, and that lead to the towing business. Thought it was time to be a grown up, but I continued to race, riding motorcycles instead. I managed to either wreck or blow those up also.

Sometime about 20 years ago I switched back to cars for racing. I purchased a ‘66 Ford Falcon, caged and back halved, powered by a 460. The Falcon was extremely reliable, because I didn’t wreck it or blow it up. I sold it to a friend, and last I heard, that car is still racing somewhere in Indiana today. I picked up the Fairlane in Columbus, Ohio at a Ford swap meet, from someone using it for bracket racing. It had been a dream of mine to own one, and I ran after the guy after he drove by. He wouldn’t budge on the price at all, but I wanted that car. I paid asking price for it, and never looked back. Once again, it didn’t take long to destroy the motor that was in it. I decided to get serious and take it off street and build a 598 cid in front of a c4. This motor has been in the car for over 10 years and hundreds of passes.

Fast forward to the present. I have been racing my ‘64 Fairlane 500 just short of 20 years. It has the original interior and one paint job. Its an all steel body with the exception of the hood and front bumper. The front suspension is stock. In the the rear it has 9 inch slicks with split Mono-Leafs, and CalTracs to keep it all together tight. It has a fabricated frame tied tightly to the unibody. Special thanks goes to Jeff Kyprianou , Steve Higgins and Ray Goss for all their help getting this thing together.

Over the years I decided to make some changes to the looks, so every so often I change the wheels. The next change I have in mind is that I am going to switch the motor to FE427+and letter the car “Sock it to Me”.

Although I’ve never considered it a Thunderbolt, it does look the part, on the outside anyway.

As for its fastest pass, I’ll keep that number to myself.

I have a serious love for cars and motorcycles, and am partial to Fords.

I have 10 vehicles more than 25 years old, including motorcycles, a boat, and a truck to pull it.

I’ve been fortunate enough to own every car I dreamed about as a kid.

I became a member of the Nostalgic Superstock Club over a parking misunderstanding, but it was a fortuitous mistake.