Dave Pelissier’s 1963 International Scout Drag Car

Story & Photos by Chadly Johnson

Over the years it has been a real privilege to have attended many of the top nostalgia drag racing events in the US, but my hands down favorite is the Meltdown Drags, held at historic Byron Dragway in Byron, Illinois. At drag race events such as the Meltdown, you will find vintage drag cars of all styles. Some cars run deep with drag racing history, some are beautiful, some ugly, restored, un-restored, scary fast, dripping with metalflake, etc. Then there are the crowd favorites…often due to high flying wheelie action, or wicked half-track long staging burn outs with complete disregard to the price of racing tires. With all these various traits abounding at the track, once and while you come across a car that seems to have it all…and when I spotted Dave Pelissier’s nose high, wheel standing, 1963 International Scout bringing the crowd at the Meltdown Drags to their feet pass after pass, I knew there had to be a story itching to be told.

I tracked Dave down in the pits once racing had ceased for the day. The first thing I noticed was the Canadian plates on Dave’s tow rig…eh? After some chit chat, Dave told me the Scout’s amazing story.

Read the rest of this article in Issue # 45