"Jungle" Jim Liberman

Russell James "Jim" Liberman (September 12, 1945 - September 9, 1977) was a United States drag racer from Pennsylvania, known as "Jungle Jim". He was named #17 on the list of the Top 50 NHRA drivers. Liberman was known for driving backwards at 100 mph (160 km/h) after doing his burnout.

Liberman was a flamboyant showman who primarily toured the United States drag racing events and averaged an estimated 100 events per year during the 1970s. He refused to lift off the gas when a run was completely out of shape.

Liberman was born in Pennsylvania. He dropped out of high school in his junior year and began racing when he moved to Northern California.

He began drag racing in the Stock division at Fremont Raceway in 1964 and made a jump up to funny cars in 1965, driving a nitromethane injected Hercules Nova. Later that year he started on the national scene as the driver of Lew Arrington's supercharged Brutus GTO Funny Car. In 1966, Liberman went out on his own in his first supercharged Chevy II. In 1967, he went on a tour that established him as a household name within drag racing circles across the country. Despite making eight second runs in his Chevy when other top dragracers in factory-sponsored cars made runs in the seven second range, he gained a large fan following. Liberman was more interesting. He won the hearts of the spectators after he did wheelstands for the full length of the track in a two race match race against Don Nicholson.

Liberman's success in 1967 prompted him to run a two car team in 1968. His choice as the first driver in his second car was Clare Sanders. Others drivers using Liberman's cars included Ron Attebury, Jake Crimmins, Roy Harris, Russell Long, Pete Williams, and former partner Arrington. The team went on to include a Steve Kanuika-owned and sponsored nine-second heads-up '69 Camaro and a Dutch Irrgang-driven '72 Vega Pro Stocker.

Super Stock & Drag Illustrated had a story idea that required the total disassembly of a Funny Car down to the last nut and bolt for a true exploded-view picture. Nearly every leading driver in the category turned down the magazine's request. Liberman complied, and the resulting publicity only added to his legend. Another one of his strengths was that Liberman was the main Chevrolet banner carrier.

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