Kenny Safford

Kenny has been an associate member of the club since 2001. His club car is a 1932 Ford Hiboy Roadster. He also owns a 1959 Chevy El Camino and a 1956 Ford Pickup.

Kenny is married to wife Carolyn.  They have a son and a daughter and four grandchildren, and the family pet is a Jack Russell Terrier. 

Kenny is retired, but still keeps busy in his home-based machine shop.

Raised in Hollywood, California, Kenny began his love of cars in 1956 after his first ride down the strip at California’s San Fernando Drag Strip in his friends 1953 Ford, with a top speed of 78 mph.

During the 1960’s, Kenny championed such top fuel dragsters as the “Sour Sisters Olds” of Safford, Gaide & Raticon; the Gotelli “Speed Shop Special”; and the B&M “Torch Master”.

Switching to funny cars in 1969, Kenny ran the Stone, Woods & Cook car on the Coke-sponsored “Cavalcade of Stars” tour. But he is undoubtedly best known as the owner/driver of the famed “Mr. Norm’s Charger” funny car, sponsored by Grand Spaulding Dodge, which he ran from 1972-1980.

In addition to drag racing, from 1972-1998, Kenny owned and operated Performance Auto Parts and Machine Shop on Western Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. They specialized in high performance engines.

Kenny remains actively involved in drag racing, having rebuilt his Sour Sisters Olds dragster, which is displayed at the Wally Parks NHRA Museum in Pomona, California.

He also enjoys his memberships in the Road Kings Car Club of Burbank, California, since 1958 and the L. A. Roadsters Car Club since 2001.

Kenny currently builds high performance engine and street rods in his home-based machine shop.

Kenny and his wife Carolyn live in Palos Hills, Illinois. The son Kenny and wife Kellee live in Simi Valley, California and their daughter Kristi and husband Bill live in Palos Park, Illinois.

What it means to be a member of the L. A. Roadsters:  Very proud!