Lou Sattelmaier, a veteran racer who used his race cars as a weapon in the war on drugs, died Dec. 28. He was 74.

A part-time driver in the 1950s and '60s, Sattelmaier teamed with his brother, George, to race in and around Ohio with a '32 Ford altered coupe. In the fall of 1971, Sattelmaier began a one-man crusade to curb drug abuse among youth. The idea came about when his children asked him to come to their school for a show-and-tell. That led to a coveted sponsorship with Marathon Oil, and in 1975, he teamed with the U.S. Navy, then in 1977 with Quaker State Oil, and then Pennzoil.

In the spring of 1984, Sattelmaier climbed behind the wheel of his jet-powered Sonic Thunder Mustang and continued to race and campaign against drug abuse. In 1990, his son Bob received his license and now pilots his self-built Super-Sonic jet Funny Car; he ran alongside his dad until 2004.

Sattelmaier is survived by his wife, Elaine; children, Lisa, William (Candy), Robert (Shannon), Suzanne (Samuel), John (Melissa); 12 grandchildren; sister, Inga; and brother, George (Anna).

Family and friends may call Saturday 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Waite & Son Funeral Home, 3300 Center Road, Brunswick, Ohio. Services will be Monday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Medina County, 797 N. Court St., Medina, OH 44256.

For more on Sattelmaier, including photos and news clippings, log on to www.jetfunnycars.com/.