About Jim Liberman
Russell James Liberman (September 12, 1945 – September 9, 1977) was an American funny car drag racer, nicknamed "Jungle Jim." In 2001, he was named #17 on the list of the Top 50 NHRA drivers of all time. Liberman was known for driving backwards at 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) after doing his burnout. Liberman was a flamboyant showman who primarily toured the United States at drag racing match race events. During his career, he 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. He was regarded by many as the "greatest showman the drag strip has ever experienced." Liberman married Roberta Louise "Bobbi" Good on August 14, 1965, in Santa Clara, California. They divorced in October 1972 in Orange, California. In 1966, Liberman went out on his own in his first supercharged (steel-bodied) Chevy II, the first to wear the "Jungle Jim" name. 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.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.