NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Frank Hall, a former world champion Funny Car driver and NHRA Division 6 Director, died July 16.

Hall began racing in the late 1950s, driving supercharged gas dragsters and then injected fuel dragsters through the late 1960s. In 1970, he began competing in Funny Car, driving for “the King of the Northwest,” Jerry Ruth, and a number of other car owners.

In 1973, Hall teamed up with Jim and Betty Green to drive their Green Elephant Vega and won the world championship with a holeshot victory at the NHRA World Finals in Amarillo, Texas.

Green, who also was heavily involved in the safety equipment business as Operations Manager for Competition Specialties (a longtime sponsor of Ruth’s car), was runner-up at the following year’s Winternationals, then returned to drive for Ruth later that season.

In March of 1977, he was named NHRA’s Northwest Division Director, replacing Jack Shannon. He remained in that post until Nov. 1979, and then returned to Funny Car competition, driving for Ron Hodgson through the 1981 season.

Hall was inducted into the Division 6 Hall of Fame in 2012.