The passing of Hank Blankenship

chevy2junk · 01-08-2013, 12:57 PM

Hello,Hank passed away this morning at home in his sleep .An IHRA tech man as well as racer from jr stock,super stock and super rod.A life long racer .

Clay Bullard · 01-08-2013, 01:00 PM

Hank was a great friend to many of us. His knowledge and kindness will be missed. May God bless his family.

sugar1366 · 01-08-2013, 01:23 PM

Hank will be missed by our family. Racing will not be the same without him.
It was always a pleasure to talk to him about all kinds of things, not just racing. My condolences to all of his friends and family. God Bless.

Eddie Bolton

wayne sipos · 01-08-2013, 01:23 PM

sad news indeed....Hank was a true gentleman

Michael Beard · 01-08-2013, 01:25 PM

My last photo of Hank Blankenship, as he scaled cars at the 2012 IHRA Pro-Am event at Darlington, SC.

Probably my favorite memory was setting the SS/BX record in Adger Smith's Camaro at Milan. As a Modified car, 'teardown' was just a P&G, pump for cubic inches. Hank held the long tube as we pumped the motor, and his thumb traced across the chart. He looked at the engine. He ran his thumb across the chart. He looked at the engine. He looked at the chart. He looked at the engine. He looked at the chart. With a sigh, he quietly proclaimed, "It's too big." Adger grinned and wagged his finger, "Uh-uh! Six cylinder!" "Oh!" Hank grabbed a calculator and ran the figures manually, and discovered we were actually a couple cubes shy of the 277ci we claimed. Adger grins again and says, "Hey, I can go take some weight out!" "Oh, no you don't!" said Hank.

Godspeed, Hank. You will be missed.

Ross Family Racing · 01-08-2013, 01:39 PM

So sad to hear this.Hank was a very bright beacon for the IHRA and drag racing .
Jeff Ross

Bobby Butler · 01-08-2013, 01:43 PM

such sad news Hank was more then a tech man , He was a friend. Miss u buddy
Bobby Butler

KEN BUGAJ · 01-08-2013, 01:49 PM

Sad News, What a nice guy , RIP Hank , Prayers got out to Hank's Family..

Mike Carr · 01-08-2013, 01:50 PM

I/we (myself, Mom and Billy Nees) tore down at Beaver Springs in 2004 for a National Record (I wanted/needed the points that came with records back then). Once we got the car all apart, everything inspected and deemed legal and ready, Hank walks up to Mom, puts his arm around her, and says "OK Mom, now that everything is legal, the driver is not permitted to touch anything--YOU have to put it all back together". The look on my Mom's face was priceless...LOL.

R.I.P. Mr Blankenship. You will be missed.

Jim Kaekel · 01-08-2013, 01:56 PM

Hank will be truly missed.

01-08-2013, 12:57 PM	#1
chevy2junk Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The passing of Hank Blankenship Hello,Hank passed away this morning at home in his sleep .An IHRA tech man as well as racer from jr stock,super stock and super rod.A life long racer .

01-08-2013, 01:00 PM	#2
Clay Bullard Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Greer SC Posts: 36 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship Hank was a great friend to many of us. His knowledge and kindness will be missed. May God bless his family. __________________ Clay Bullard

01-08-2013, 01:23 PM	#3
sugar1366 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 92 Likes: 3 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship Hank will be missed by our family. Racing will not be the same without him. It was always a pleasure to talk to him about all kinds of things, not just racing. My condolences to all of his friends and family. God Bless. Eddie Bolton

01-08-2013, 01:23 PM	#4
wayne sipos Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ontario canada Posts: 39 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship sad news indeed....Hank was a true gentleman __________________ Wayne Sipos HR 3959

01-08-2013, 01:25 PM	#5
Michael Beard VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 4,060 Likes: 0 Liked 12 Times in 8 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship My last photo of Hank Blankenship, as he scaled cars at the 2012 IHRA Pro-Am event at Darlington, SC. Probably my favorite memory was setting the SS/BX record in Adger Smith's Camaro at Milan. As a Modified car, 'teardown' was just a P&G, pump for cubic inches. Hank held the long tube as we pumped the motor, and his thumb traced across the chart. He looked at the engine. He ran his thumb across the chart. He looked at the engine. He looked at the chart. He looked at the engine. He looked at the chart. With a sigh, he quietly proclaimed, "It's too big." Adger grinned and wagged his finger, "Uh-uh! Six cylinder!" "Oh!" Hank grabbed a calculator and ran the figures manually, and discovered we were actually a couple cubes shy of the 277ci we claimed. Adger grins again and says, "Hey, I can go take some weight out!" "Oh, no you don't!" said Hank. Godspeed, Hank. You will be missed. __________________ Michael Beard - NHRA/IHRA 3216 S/SS

01-08-2013, 01:39 PM	#6
Ross Family Racing Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: St.Clairsville, Ohio Posts: 464 Likes: 0 Liked 52 Times in 15 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship So sad to hear this.Hank was a very bright beacon for the IHRA and drag racing . Jeff Ross

01-08-2013, 01:43 PM	#7
Bobby Butler Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sevierville , Tn. Posts: 100 Likes: 135 Liked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship such sad news Hank was more then a tech man , He was a friend. Miss u buddy Bobby Butler __________________ Bobby Butler 2937 STK

01-08-2013, 01:49 PM	#8
KEN BUGAJ Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: LEXINGTON NC. Posts: 389 Likes: 43 Liked 18 Times in 7 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship Sad News, What a nice guy , RIP Hank , Prayers got out to Hank's Family..

01-08-2013, 01:50 PM	#9
Mike Carr VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Enon Valley PA Posts: 1,650 Likes: 234 Liked 80 Times in 34 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship I/we (myself, Mom and Billy Nees) tore down at Beaver Springs in 2004 for a National Record (I wanted/needed the points that came with records back then). Once we got the car all apart, everything inspected and deemed legal and ready, Hank walks up to Mom, puts his arm around her, and says "OK Mom, now that everything is legal, the driver is not permitted to touch anything--YOU have to put it all back together". The look on my Mom's face was priceless...LOL. R.I.P. Mr Blankenship. You will be missed. __________________ Mike Carr, Tri-State S/SS Association President Looking for 2015 S/SS Race Sponsors Contact me if interested buffdaddy_1302@hotmail.com (724) 510-5912

01-08-2013, 01:56 PM	#10
Jim Kaekel VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,222 Likes: 134 Liked 498 Times in 104 Posts	Re: The passing of Hank Blankenship Hank will be truly missed. __________________ Jim Kaekel 3836 STK