Hall of Fame drag racer Hubert Platt passed away early Saturday morning, according to a post on his Facebook page.
Platt, from Cumming, Ga., was diagnosed with gallbladder and liver cancer several weeks ago, according to a post by his son, Allen.
Known for his signature “Georgia Shaker” drag cars, Platt was born in Conway, S.C. on December 8, 1931. He spent a few years honing his skills by hauling illegal moonshine between Georgia and South Carolina. After serving in the Army, Platt moved to Atlanta, Ga., and soon began competing at area drag strips.
In 1963, Platt built the first of his famed “Georgia Shaker” racers. In 1964, he began racing full time, running out of his shop in Chamblee, Ga., and racing on the match race circuit the following year.
One of Platt’s favorite racing achievements came in 1965, as he bested NASCAR star Richard Petty in a match race at Lassiter Mountain Drag Strip in Birmingham, Ala. Petty, who moved to drag racing for the 1965 season after NASCAR banned the high powered Chrysler Hemi engine in competition, was topped by Platt’s Georgia Shaker III Ford Falcon.
From there, Platt would build one of the first modern type Funny Cars, sponsored by Dick Walters Ford. After that, Platt moved to the Holman-Moody built Ford team. It was in this ride that Platt would make his mark in the drag racing history books, winning in the 1967 NHRA Winternationals, along with setting the NHRA A/XS record twice. Platt would also win twice on the short lived NASCAR drag racing tour.
In 1968, Platt would partner with Rome, Ga.’s Randy Payne to head up the Eastern Ford Drag Team. The duo would travel the country scoring wins and setting records with Platt’s CJ Mustang and Payne’s Torino Cobra.
Platt would continue to race until 1977,when he got tired of all the traveling, and hung up his racing helmet for good.
In 1986, Platt was inducted into the NHRA Hall of Fame. In 1995, he was enshrined into the Super Stock & Drag Illustrated Hall of Fame and was inducted into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2001, he served as the Grand Marshall for the NHRA Southern Nationals at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga.
In 2006, Platt was inducted as a member of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Ga., an organization he remained active with by attending reunions, special events and ceremonies until his passing. In 2014, Platt also served as the Grand Marshall for the annual Mountain Moonshine Festival in Dawsonville.
Hubert Platt was 83 years of age.
Funeral services are planned for Monday, Sept. 28 at 1 pm at Ingram Funeral Home in Cumming, Ga. Visitation is scheduled from 11 am Monday until the time of the funeral service. Click here to see Platt's full obituary.
