1965 Mercury Comet A/FX Coupe

Dyno Don Nicholson, a superb engine tuner, began his racing career on the dry lakes in California in the 40's and 50's. As the factory drag racing wars began to escalate in the mid 1960's, Don was one of the individuals leading the pack, often ending up in the winner's circle, first with his Chevy and later with his Mercury.

As manufacturers realized the potential of winning results and how it translated to sales, they became more involved in the activity. Guys like Don raced for fun and money. The fun became a business and the money became important. There were many racers in the 1960's that caught the attention of the factories. Guys like Jack Chrisman, the Dodge Chargers, The Ramchargers, Dyno Don, Dick Landy, Gas Rhonda, and many more helped propel the factory experimental class in the mid 1960's. As they experimented with altering the wheelbase, supercharging or injection, bigger slicks, transmission, etc, the factory wars were in full swing.

Don passed away in 2006 and raced almost to the day he died. One could argue with good reason that his 'Mercury Cyclone' was one of the most successful cars of its era. For anyone who lived drag racing through magazines and track visits, the car was the 'King' of drag racing.

This car's altered wheelbase, flip top, and engine configuration led to the name 'Funny Car' that is still used today. This car defined the funny car movement.