K.S. Pittman, one of the all-time greats of the legendary gasser wars of the 1960s, died Jan. 31 after a long illness. He was 82.

Pittman campaigned a variety of gassers, often meeting and defeating the best the category had to offer, including George Montgomery; Stone, Woods & Cook; and “Big John” Mazmanian. Born in Mineral Wells, Texas, in 1927, he migrated to Southern California when he was 17 and made a permanent residence in the San Fernando Valley.

One of Pittman’s earliest rides was Tim Woods’ ’50 Olds, one of the first gassers to run a GMC blower on an Oldsmobile V-8 engine. Pittman later went out on his own, teaming with engine builder John Edwards, and he was soon earning $750 per match race against the other luminaries in the A/GS ranks.

Pittman drove a variety of A/GS cars, including a ’41 Willys, a ’33 Willys, and the aerodynamic Austin and Opel GT body styles. His final effort was a ’72 Vega Funny Car.