In Memoriam: Al Eckstrand the Lawman

Elton “Al” Eckstrand, a former Chrysler Corporation lawyer who drove for both the Ramchargers and the Golden Commandos, died May 10 in Naples, Fla., after a short illness.

Elton “Al” Eckstrand, a former Chrysler Corporation lawyer who drove for both the Ramchargers and the Golden Commandos and campaigned “The Lawman” series of Dodge Stockers during the 1960s, died May 10 in Naples, Fla., after a short illness. He was 79.

Eckstrand’s biggest victory was Top Stock Eliminator at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals driving the Ramchargers S/SA Dodge. It marked the first time that a car with an automatic transmission won a major Stock title. The NHRA called the race “one of the largest gatherings of Stock greats ever assembled to date.” They added that “The victory was a landmark event for the Chrysler racing program because it firmly established the Dodge and Plymouth brands as legitimate contenders in the burgeoning Super Stock ranks and set the tone for their domination of the stock-bodied fields through the early 1970s.”

Later that year Eckstrand drove his own “Lawman” Dodge to runner up at the US Nationals to Herman Mozer’s Ramchargers Dodge. Previously, Eckstrand was Super Stock Automatic Eliminator in the 1960 and 1962 Nationals. Eckstrand named his 1962 Dodge Dart 330 two-door coupe “Res Ipsa Loquitur,” which is a Latin legal term of art meaning “It speaks for itself.” He started his drag racing career in 1958 with a Plymouth Fury. He never raced anything but Chrysler products.

After he stopped racing in 1965, Eckstrand continued with Chrysler as an attorney. When he retired, Chrysler gave him a 1966 Hemi Charger to use in a tour of U.S. military bases in Europe and in Vietnam. He continued his work with the U.S. military for nearly a decade and was given a commendation from the US Department of Defense. During this time Eckstrand moved to England, taking up residence in Pennkill Castle, an ancient homestead in Ayershire that he spent years restoring. He returned to the United States in 1999 and lived in Florida until his recent death. His 1966 Charger is now in the collection of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich. Eckstrand was a member of the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.