Drag racing and the automotive performance aftermarket lost one of its brightest lights, with the passing of Joe Mondello in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 6 in Crossville, Tenn., at the age of 75, following complications from surgery. Joe was born on August 6, 1936 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Joe's passion for all things mechanical, and particularly improving cylinder head airflow, led him to a 54 year career as an engine builder, head porter and later, a teacher. His talents led him to work with some of the most notable race teams and fellow engine builders during the 60s and through the turn of the century. He started racing at age 13, and his professional career started in 1951 working on flat-head Fords for his own '40 Ford coupe for drag racing, as well as for other engine builders.
His talents brought him together with "Sush" Matsubara and the infamous purple Mondello-Matsubara Fiat Topolino blown fuel altered, which won two NHRA National events and is a National speed and e.t. record holder. (The record stands today because the fuel altered class was dropped from drag racing.) GM, Ford, Chrysler, AMC - even Honda...Joe's touch improved all of the breed's heads for racing. He was nicknamed "Dr. Oldsmobile" for his highly successful developmental work on the Olds V-8 engines.
Joe took on every challenge presented to him - from helping develop the Briggs & Stratton engine for the Junior Dragster and Karting program, to off-road racing engines to off-shore and drag boat racing, as well as road racing (Mondello's hands were all over the 1966 Lemans' winning Ford GT-40 from Carroll Shelby). His Posi-Flow(r) heads were on many of Don Garlits' Swamp Rats as well as many other leading racers - drag racing, land speed cars, boats, road racing and circle track cars.
His passion for excellence lead him to establish the Mondello Technical School in 1996, devoted to teaching the art of professional performance engine building and head porting design to all who came including young men and women who desired a career in the field. The school started in Paso Robles, Calif. and later moved to Crossville, Tenn.
His wife Mary says, "Joe's passion was for those young people in the school. He wanted them to understand what it took to be a professional in the shop and in customer relations. He also extended that passion to teaching many of them how to be a 'professional' as a drag racer. He taught them the technical aspects of their trade (as an engine builder and as a racer) and how to interact with people."
She also said that the Quarter Mile Foundation and the PROJECT 1320 documentary became a major focus of his life for the last year or so. Before his passing, Joe had begun work on a 555 cubic inch World Products Big Block Chevy engine to be raffled for benefit of the Foundation, and was planning two additional engines. Mary relates how impassioned Joe was about the PROJECT 1320 effort and the raffle engine. "He said, 'Mary, I did not qualify! I can't finish the PROJECT 1320 engine...I've DNQ'ed.'"
Joe is survived by his wife Mary, four children Bernard Mondello, Stephanie Mondello, Gina Ozanne, and Nica Mondello-Gomez and four grandchildren, Nicole Mondello, Ross Ozanne, Adam and Joey Gomez.
Those wishing to donate in Joe's memory in lieu of flowers can do so to two of Joe's favorite charities:
St. Jude's Children's Hospital
(Mark check "For direct care of children")
The Quarter Mile Foundation
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time for California. At this point there will be a viewing and a memorial service Friday April 8, 2011 from 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm Hood Funeral Home 2371 Hwy 127 S, Crossville, Tenn. 38572 Phone # 931-484-8437, then a viewing in Los Angeles with service and interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Calif.