History 57 Chev Poppycock crash at Wichita in 71.

Thank's for the picture. That add's so much to the story.

 

Thanks for the photo biscaynes. Only half of the car in that photo.I remember it having a large rooster on the side. Not sure but it seemed like it was on the door.

 

Kind of dragging up an old thread, but my grandfather was saying that Bob Cassil's wife still owns one of their 57's that he bought new, and also not that it matters but he also remembers poppycock getting painted in hesston, and the first time it was painted the painter did it at night and it got a bunch of bugs in it and Bob had him repaint it.

 

The Cassil family still has the white Belair that Bob raced in the early 60's. Actually won a National event in Green Valley Tx. in 63. The Poppycock car was painted in Hesston by Jim Troyer and in the posted picture lettered by Donavon Schmidt in gold leaf. The chicken giving the peace sign was done after the gold leaf washed off. Donavon then did it in chrome vynol. Neat post and thanks for whoever posted. Bill

 

Came across this thread this Thanksgiving while listening to my dad Mack Burnett talk about Bob. He had this picture.

 

Thanks to all that posted and made this a great thread.

 

The 69 Boss 429 ran ok for the lazy hydraulic cam they had, the 70 model came with the solid lifter hotter 429 SCJ cam. They ran low 13's which is pretty respectable for an engine with a 6100 rpm rev limiter.

 

thanks for the pic

 

Awesome ! I haven't seen that car or pictures of it since the early 70's It was a big influence on my life.

 

I believe Smokey solved the Chevy FI problem...

 

What a sad deal but interesting glad some of you have some history and pics
looks like a junior stocker? awesome but what was the cause of this accident in the 57 chevy
to make it roll over ? could it have been drive train or drive shaft which might have caught the ground or a steering issue or perhaps the perch broke loose from the rear as I had that happen to me on the way out to race a guy in a street race my car got real unstable when I let off the gas weld on perch broke causing the rear end to get out of wack.

 

The Boss 302 was a screamer. When the wife was preggos with our daughter I was looking for a good car because the hospital was about a 40 minute drive (more or less depending on traffic). I really liked a '64 Old 442 that the Chrysler dealer had on his lot and he said, "Well what you kids want is this little Mustang. Same price." It was a plane jane '68 Mustang coupe. Edye said, "Why do we want that car husband?" I had the hood open and pointed at the screw in block plugs and said, "Because its fast?" She grinned and said, "Well les fine out!!!"

I do not know who's idea it was to stick that mill in the little car but it did Motate. I traded it the day after my daughter was born it had served its purpose.

Has nothing to do with the thread but it was fun telling it.

 

The only real problem I had ever heard of was tuning. But if there was a problem with it Smokey was probably the one with the answer. he was a real smart man.

 

Sometimes the front U-Joint will snap when side stepping the clutch while the vehicle is at high RPMs and rolling right along. The driveshaft will drop and sometimes dig into the track surface causing the front of the vehicle to go airborne and the torque of the motor will rotate the body of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to roll over. This can happen when the driveshaft safety hoop is to far back or is just a chain running from side to side. There is a web site titled, "Drag Strip Deaths", here is what they wrote:

Bob Cassil
Born: October 6, 1932
Died: May 20, 1972
Buried: Hillside Cemetery, Sedgwick, Kansas
Age: 39
Full Name: Bobby D. Cassil
Nickname:
Drag Strip: Wichita International Raceway, Kansas
Event:
Accident Date: May 20, 1972
Car: J/S 1957 Chevrolet Sport Coupe "Poppycock"

Biographical: About 2/3 of the way into the run, he lost control and the car rolled and caught fire. He was able to walk to the ambulance, but died en route to the hospital. He was survived by his widow, Barbara, and three children. He managed a service station at Newton.

Sources
"57 Chev Poppycock crash at Wichita in 71," Jalopy Journal.com

 

Sometimes the front U-Joint will snap when side stepping the clutch while the vehicle is at high RPMs and rolling right along. The driveshaft will drop and sometimes dig into the track surface causing the front of the vehicle to go airborne and the torque twice of the motor will rotate the body causing the vehicle to roll over. This can happen when the driveshaft safety hoop is to far back or is just a chain running from side to side. There is a web site titled, "Drag Strip Deaths" and this is what they wrote:

Bob Cassil
Born: October 6, 1932
Died: May 20, 1972
Buried: Hillside Cemetery, Sedgwick, Kansas
Age: 39
Full Name: Bobby D. Cassil
Nickname:
Drag Strip: Wichita International Raceway, Kansas
Event:
Accident Date: May 20, 1972
Car: J/S 1957 Chevrolet Sport Coupe "Poppycock"

Biographical: About 2/3 of the way into the run, he lost control and the car rolled and caught fire. He was able to walk to the ambulance, but died en route to the hospital. He was survived by his widow, Barbara, and three children. He managed a service station at Newton.
"57 Chev Poppycock crash at Wichita in 71," Jalopy Journal.com

 

I went to McConnell AFB in '58 and left in '62 so no I do not remember that, but sad to here this story.
I was somewhat instrumental in opening the runway between the base and Boeing for the drags there that year. My barracks chief a career Airman ran a '56 Chev. post 265 that he was cheating with, using water/alcohol from the washer bottle, (fairly common in that time I hear).

 

Sad but interesting thread. I saw a few not make it down the return road, always difficult to witness the dangers of drag racing.

 

Thanks for posting this . I raced there practically every weekend at the time but was not there that weekend. I loved watching that car. I have wondered what happened since that day till now. I appreciate the answers.