JELLY BELLY WHEELSTANDER FIRE TRUCK THURS/SAT AT SPEEDSWAY

Jelly Belly Wheelstander Fire Truck
Toyota Dragstrip: Thursday July 15
Toyota Speedway: Saturday July 17

Ed “The Outlaw” Jones will make a rare double appearance in Irwindale this coming Thursday (July 15) and Saturday (July 17) nights with his very cool wheelstanding Jelly Belly Fire Truck.

Hey! everyone loves Jelly Bellys!

Ed Jones’ racing career started the year after he graduated from high school in Malad, Idaho. He bought a new Camaro and headed to Las Vegas to college. He had always had a love of fast cars and decided to try drag racing. He won his first race – and that was what started everything!!!

After returning to Idaho, Ed married his highschool sweetheart, Wendy. They spent many weekends at the race track winning several races. By the time they had two children, Stacey and Todd, he decided it was costing too much and parked the car for two years. With his love of cars and having a hard time staying away from the race tracks, he had the bright idea of getting an exhibition wheelstander. Ed and Wendy used all of their savings, borrowed some money and bought a wheelstanding stagecoach in 1976. They raced this car for many years and then added a wheelstanding firetruck in 1987.

Both vehicles are authentic reproductions, one a 1875 Concord Stagecoach and the other a 1931 Chevy Firetruck. The old stagecoaches were pulled by four-legged horses. They have been replaced by 1300 plus horsepower from a supercharged 427 c.i. Chevrolet V-8 engine. This type of muscle can push the 2800 pound stagecoach to over 120 mph at 10.9 seconds when “The Outlaw” wants to show some speed.

Wheelstanding the entire length of a drag strip, the 3,000 pound firetruck is truly unique. The fiberglass and aluminum body is detailed with hose reel, ladders, siren, bell, fire extinguishers and all the goodies that make a real fire truck. Underneath, Jones has built a custom chassis fitted with a 1200 horsepower, supercharged 427 c.i. Chevrolet engine.

Once Jones lifts the front wheels off the ground, two rear wheel hand brakes guide the cars down the strip as titanium skid bars make sparks fly. Headers shoot 20 ft. flames containing a secret ingredient which enables fans to smell Jelly Belly Candies.

Ed is one of about eleven wheelstanders licensed by the National Hot Rod Association in America to run on NHRA approved drag strips. Getting this license is difficult, since each applicant must prove his car is professionally prepared and the driver can provide a show safely, that is worthy of NHRA licensing.

Ed and Wendy have shared 40 years of marriage and many memories. They and their 2 children have been to many car shows, air shows and drag strips throughout the entire United States as well as Canada, Japan and Germany. They have made many friends at tracks around the country and can be seen in the pits talking to the fans, answering questions and handing our samples of Jelly Belly Candies where they perform. Now that their children are married with families, Ed and Wendy do most of the traveling alone but hope to start taking some of the 5 grandchildren with them on a few trips.

Jones has many great accomplishments. In 1988 he was featured on the international television show “Spectacular World of Guinness Records” as he set the Guinness world record for the longest wheelstand on a dragstrip. The record still stands at 2,298 feet. He has accomplished running a dragstrip “Drag City Raceway” for 8 years. He has been on the Malad Volunteer Fire Department for 33 years and is very active in city functions in his home town of Malad, Idaho. He now owns a used vehicle dealership and a windshield business.

If you ask Ed what he thinks about the past 34 years of wheelstanding , he says, “I have it all. I have been doing what I love and a close family that has supported me all the way in following my dream. I hope others will be inspired to follow their dreams.”

FANS HAVE TWO CHANCES TO MEET ED AT TOYOTOA SPEEDWAY THURSDAY AT THE NHRA DRAGS AND SATURDAY AT THE NASCAR RACES ... HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BRING SOME OF HIS SPONSOR'S PRODUCT ALONG TOO!