Comments on: E.J. Potter – Michigan Madman

By: Dave Yaeger

Dave Yaeger — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:22:19 +0000

I was there at Dragway 42 in Ohio (refer to Ted Wise post from 4-6-07 above) Must have been 1974 or 75. Real neat part was, to build MORE excitement – as EJ warmed her up on the stand at the starting line, his crew slid a steel pan under the rear tire, poured some gas in it and “lit the sucker”! After a good minute, they pulled the pan away, EJ cranked on the throttle, the crew pushed the bike forward off the stand – and he smoked that rear tire ALL THE WAY to the finish line!!! Miss those days – ALOT

By: Jeff Dane

Jeff Dane — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:08:04 +0000

Mr. Potter, Jeff Dane with the King Kong Monster Trucks, EJ, is the best machinist I have ever known. Back in the early 1980′s, EJ helped build many parts to make it possible to put a V12 Allison Airplane motor in the bed of a 1984 Monster Truck Ford Pickup named “Awesome Kong”.

Jeff Dane

By: Carlos Harley Duaso

Carlos Harley Duaso — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:06:36 +0000

Mr Potter i have been a fan of you Sir since i saw a magazine article of you doing a burnout/ take off on one of your first V8 bikes,and i have a few photos of you hanging up in my shed,
I guess now that ive found you on the internet ill have to buy your book and video
regards and all the best for the future.
Carlos Harley Duaso South Australia!

By: J delnooz

J delnooz — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:40:08 +0000

YES I do remember remember E.J. potter. Mchigan madman at Santa Pod u.k. in the sixty’s never likly to forget this brave man.s antics two thirds up the strip a speed wobble with V8 lump between your legs ~~~~~ shut down straighten it up and wind it on flat again without losing much speed still turned in a top time compared with the british bikes of the time, they think the word awsome is new but they did’nt see E.J. all those years ago, thanks for the memory they can’t take that away.

By: Joe Graham

Joe Graham — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:10:29 +0000

A lot of years ago in the sixties, I used to run at Atco dragway in NJ. We would go all the way in the back of the pits to tune the car and have a few. One afternoon this guy pulls in towing a trailer with a motorcycle on it. It was EJ & his girlfriend (or wife). we helped him get the bike off and by then we had already noticed the Hillborn injection on the “sideways” Chevy engine. He said that he had gone through the traps at 100mph. I told him that I didn’t think that was so hot figuring a Chevy engine on a bike! He said “no, you misunderstand, I went through the traps at 100.” After watching the show I believed him. It had to be a few years later, and as hard as it may be to believe, here comes this raggedly looking trailer with that 1957 four door Plymouth Belvedere on it. It was him again. He gets that thing started on the line, takes off, and I don’t know if the supercharger on that engine burped or what, but as he goes through the traps he keeps going. As I remember, Atco had about a half mile shutdown area. EJ went beyond the end and into the woods. All we saw was a cloud of dust. Nothing but silence, the ambulance took off, and the mumbling in the stands started. About ten minutes later the ambulance with its lights on came slowly back down the center of the strip. There he was laying on the stretcher in the back of the ambulance giving all of us the thumbs up. Forever the showman. I have told that same story a few times, and I never thought to check that guy out on the internet till today while we were talking story about the old days on the East Coast. You’re right Don, Thanks for the memories. Joe Graham, Honolulu.