The term Funny Car is attributed to Mercury racing chief Fran who?

The term Funny Car is attributed to Mercury racing chief Fran Hernandez.

The phrase arose during the early development of altered-wheelbase drag cars in the mid-1960s. As racers modified production cars with radically moved axles, powerful engines and unusual proportions, the vehicles no longer looked like ordinary showroom models. Hernandez reportedly referred to them as “funny” cars while Mercury’s racing program sought ways to compete with rival manufacturers.

These cars grew out of Super Stock and A/FX competition. Moving the wheelbase rearward improved traction for the narrow slick tires then required by NHRA rules. Fiberglass bodies and custom chassis soon replaced much of the original production-car structure, producing the flip-top “flopper” Funny Cars familiar today.

The category was initially treated as an exhibition novelty and appeared under changing classifications. NHRA eventually created a dedicated Funny Car class at the 1969 Winternationals. The name survived because the cars looked funny compared with stock vehicles, even as their performance became vastly more serious.