Ed McCulloch
Ed McCulloch is a survivor. He’s endured four decades of a drag racing career with more ups and downs than a roller coaster. Growing up Central California, he watched midget races with his dad. Perhaps he could have grown up to be an Indy driver, but fate took a different turn. In 1957, he dropped his dads boat engine in a dragster chassis borrowed from his neighbors HL and Shirley Shahan. Since that fateful day, he won 22 NHRA national events, including six US Nationals. After moving to Oregon, he teamed with Jim Albrich on the “Northwind” fuel dragster in the early 60s. Only an ace beats a king, and a win over Jerry “The King” Ruth earned McCulloch his “Ace” nickname. He reluctantly switched to funny cars in 1969, with partner Art Whipple. In May 1970, the little-known team set both ends of the national record at 7.19 ET and 211.76 mph. Ed won his first national event at the US Nationals in 1971. The following year Ace drove his Revolution Duster to three national event wins, including a second US Nationals and Car Craft All-Star honors. In 1980, he raced the Super Shops funny car and won his third US Nationals. He joined Larry Minor’s team in 1983 and a year later Ed would run a 5.13 ET, in the Miller Oldsmobile, becoming the funny car benchmark. In 1988 Ace won a huge purse of more than $100,000 to cap his IHRA Championship. His last win as a driver came in a dragster at the 1992 US Nationals, making McCulloch one of the very elite group to win Indy in both Top Fuel and Funny Car categories.