Paul Candies & Leonard Hughes
For over a quarter-century, the Louisiana based of Candies and Hughes raced both top fuel and funny cars, becoming the first team to win titles in both divisions. Their partnership included over two dozen race cars which combined to win over 45 major events. Although the first-class team was always able to attract major sponsors, they became known as” The Wrench” and the “The Wallet”, with Hughes initially doing the driving and tuning, and Candies the financing. Their later drivers were the best of the sport had to offer, including: “Q-Ball” Wales, Larry Reyes, Leroy Goldstein, Dave Settles, Richard Tharp, and Mark Oswald. Beginning in 1964 Super Stock Plymouth, the pair moved up to the altered wheelbase ancestors of today’s funny cars. By 1968, their full-fledged tube-framed race car, tuned and driven by Hughes, seemed able to earn top speed honors wherever it ran. The teams first national win came at the 1970 Gatornationals as part of another milestone. The first time two cars from the same team appeared in an NHRA national event file, it was Leonard in the team’s new ’70 Cajun Cuda over Reyes in the ’69 version. Not only were they beautiful, but fast as well. In 1971 and 1972, the two-car team featured one for Hughes at national events and the other for Goldstein to match raced. In 1973, Candies and Hughes team raced both funny car and a top fuelers. Hughes retired from the cockpit Goldstein reached the final round in both categories at the IHRA Longhorn Nationals in Dallas, scoring a win in top fuel. Like their funny cars, the team’s dragsters,which served as test vehicles for the Keith Black Hemi, seemed able to set top speed almost at will. The team continued as a major force in fuel racing with Richard Tharp winning the NHRA Top Fuel Championship in 1976 and Mark Oswald the NHRA Funny Car Championship in 1984. Drag racing’s version of the” Odd Couple” retired in the mid-90s after racking up and enviable record, including five IHRA Championships, to NHRA Championships, and nine top five seasons.