Bar's Leaks founder and President Bob Mermuys is taking a different look into competition in his personal race car.  Instead of the traditional colors of his company Bar's Leaks, Mermuys, a Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, will take the "Semper Fi" colors into battle on the track in his 1933 Willys Coupe on Bar's Leaks Supercharged Thunder Series.  The drag racing series competes on a 7.60 index in the quartermile throughout the Midwest.

 

Mermuys, who served as a communicator in the Marines from 1965 to 1969, along with tours in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, cites his motivation was to salute the Marine Corps and the memory of the POW's and MIA's from foreign wars. 

 

"Being a veteran of the Corps, I decided to use my car as a tribute to the Marines," said Mermuys.  "I bounced the idea around over the offseason and decided it would be a good deal to salute those who have served in the Corps, not only in the past, but those who are currently serving.  It's also to serve the memory of our POW's and MIA's.  When we came back from Vietnam we weren't thought very highly of.  This is just a small way to say we appreciate what they've done and what they're doing."

Bar's Leaks founder and President Bob Mermuys is taking a different look into competition in his personal race car.  Instead of the traditional colors of his company Bar's Leaks, Mermuys, a Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, will take the "Semper Fi" colors into battle on the track in his 1933 Willys Coupe on Bar's Leaks Supercharged Thunder Series.  The drag racing series competes on a 7.60 index in the quartermile throughout the Midwest.

 

Mermuys, who served as a communicator in the Marines from 1965 to 1969, along with tours in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, cites his motivation was to salute the Marine Corps and the memory of the POW's and MIA's from foreign wars. 

 

"Being a veteran of the Corps, I decided to use my car as a tribute to the Marines," said Mermuys.  "I bounced the idea around over the offseason and decided it would be a good deal to salute those who have served in the Corps, not only in the past, but those who are currently serving.  It's also to serve the memory of our POW's and MIA's.  When we came back from Vietnam we weren't thought very highly of.  This is just a small way to say we appreciate what they've done and what they're doing."

 

"Since we debuted the car earlier in the year, the reception has been incredible," stated Mermuys.  "It's been a wide range of people that have come up to us at the races.  We've had veterans come by, kids who's fathers served, to mothers of Marines serving overseas right now in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It means a lot to us that we're able to show support to these fans through our race car."

 

Mermuys' 1933 Willys would make even the hardest Marine proud.  The car is a Gary Maurer Customs Chassis that is powered by a Bill Reichert (NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Champion) built 528 cubic inch Supercharged Ford engine that burns Methanol Alcohol.  He competes in the Bar's Leaks Supercharged Thunder events along with select nostalgia events in the A/Gas category.  The A/Gas class competes on a 7.50 index.

 

The car has not only been a success with the fans, but a winner on the track. 

 

"We went six rounds to take the win at the Columbus Hot Rod Reunion a few weeks ago in A/Gas," commented Mermuys.  "That was a fun race.  The place was packed.  We got quite a bit of response from veterans and their familles there.  We even had a local VA group come to us.  We look forward to racing the rest of the year with the Marines colors."