Earl Moseman ‘Lucky’ Teter was the ultimate stunt driver because he made 24 trips to the hospital in 13 months.
Lucky Teter was also the founder of the legendary Hell Drivers stunt team that still entertains people across the globe.
Lucky invented things like jumping through fire and staged crashes because he was the ultimate showman—a P.T. Barnum on four (and sometimes two) wheels.
Jerry Sutherland
Unfortunately, Lucky’s luck ran out in 1942 while he was performing stunts at a military base. Lucky liked Plymouths and he used them almost exclusively—right up to the day he went out to break his 135-foot jump record by 15 feet.
He came up short because the 1938 Plymouth’s engine started to cut out so he didn’t have the power to clear the ramp. Lucky plowed into the ramp and the whole platform fell on his car. This was going to be his last show because he was going to join the fight for freedom in World War II at 40 years old—that’s the kind of guy Lucky was.
The Hell Drivers show did go on and continues to this day. I saw the Hell Drivers when I was just out of high school, and I couldn’t believe the stunts they pulled.
They did everything from the flaming ramp jump; to the two-wheel driving; to the staged crashes. I remember the clown in the show had a funny little car and he had a problem on the infield of the track.
I thought it was part of the show when he got battery acid in his eyes, so while my buddies and I were laughing at him, the clown was in serious pain. The announcer was matter of fact about the clown with the burning eyes—I guess it was a routine day for the Hell Drivers.
The cars they used were relatively new. I remember they were mostly Dodge Darts, but they also had some Challengers and Barracudas. I bet the guys who trashed a ’71 Cuda never knew they were pounding on a pony car that would turn into a six-figure classic by 2025.
The cars were older for the staged crashes—beaters from the 1950s. They were in decent shape, but that changed instantly when metal met metal. Newer cars were used for the jumps because Hell Drivers liked calculated risks–not stupid ones.
These guys were fearless. I was still at an age where I could easily do dumb, risky stunts but these cats took it to another level. Who surfs on a car running on two wheels or jumps a sedan 100 feet if the track has a big front stretch?
The slalom on two wheels is something most drivers do after a major mistake on a freeway—and most don’t walk away. The sheet physical strain required to hang your left arm out the driver’s window while steering with your right hand is way past most human’s skill set. They claim Lucky’s right arm was massive because of all his two-wheel driving.
Lucky was never an Indy 500 winner, but his legacy as an automotive superhero will never die as long as there are Hell Drivers.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
- CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Pinterest
