Raymond Gene Whisenhunt
Raymond Gene Whisenhunt Raymond Gene Whisenhunt, born Jan. 20th, 1934, passed from this life on June 4th, 2011. He was son of Holter Robert Whisenhunt and Gladys Mae Whisenhunt (Johnson). On Oct. 19th of 1951 he married Peggy June Clem and they had two children, Janice Kay Whisenhunt and Ronnie Whisenhunt. He was the business owner of Napa Auto Parts of Denver City for 45 years. He was preceded in death by both parents (Holter Robert Whisenhunt and Gladys Mae Whisenhunt) and one brother, H.R. Whisenhunt Jr. He leaves behind two children, Janice Kay Whisenhunt and Ronnie Whisenhunt; five grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Denver City Tuesday, June 7th, at 10 a.m. In May of 1961, Raymond and his brother Rayford Whisenhunt set an American Hot Rod Association National drag racing record in D-Fuel Altered Class in San Angelo, Texas, at Wall Dragway. In 1967, 33-year-old Raymond Whisenhunt drove his B-Fuel Altered nitro methane powered 327 Chevy to four world records, one each in the four times he powered his 1,010 lb roadster down the quarter mile. The Denver City driver who loves speed and tinkering with race car engines upped the old world record by 15 mph and set a speed which drag strip observers speculated would stand for sometime. The car was powered by 98% nitro methane and 2% benzene. It was the third world record for Whisenhunt. Raymond also set the world record in the D-Fuel Altered Class in AHRA. Raymond was once asked, If you like speed so much why don't you fly racing aircraft or watercraft? and he responded I am scared of heights and I can't swim, with a grin on his face. Raymond and wife Peggy moved to Denver City and opened the auto parts store in Denver City on Jan. 20th of 1964 on Raymond's 30th birthday. Raymond and Peggy opened their auto parts store at 305 N. Main in Denver City, where the City Hall drive-up window is today. They later moved to 102 East Broadway, where they stayed until retiring in 2008. Napa Auto Parts remains at 102 East Broadway today.
Published in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on June 6, 2011
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