Those who live in California’s verdant Central Valley have likely seen the bright-red Panella Trucking rigs hauling freshly harvested produce from the fields to various processors scattered around the area. Drag racing historians, on the other hand, connect the Panella name with multiple race cars, including several gassers that tore up NorCal tracks in the ’60s and ’70s. What the two have in common is Bob Panella Sr., then drag racer, now trucking company magnate. In fact, these two sides of Bob’s life come together at Panella Trucking headquarters where he houses a collection that includes several of his race cars. Also on the property, his son and three-time NHRA Pro Stock Truck champion, Bob Jr., builds race engines, including some for his dad’s projects.
Many racers who want to relive e.t.s gone by have had to settle for building tribute cars, but Bob has been able to locate and buy back his actual former race cars, including his ’41 Willys pickup, this ’51 Anglia, and the Opel GT that was an NHRA AA/Gas Supercharged record holder in the mid-’70s. Once they are back in the
