Flash: Sarah 'Hole shot' Palin is going to be on SNL tonight. Word is she's going to announce the debut her new S/SA (Sled Stock Automatic) .
"So does that mean she will have a "High Stall Torque Convertor" ? No, 'Slippery-Slope Sarah' uses strickly-stock dogs (no steriods) ... the only problem the crew reports is that the sled tends to drift a bit too far to the right. And Sarah is dead set against any regulations in her class. And this just in ... crew chief 'Joe The Plumber' ... has quit and gone with 'Boltin Biden's' GAFF/SA team!
Great pictures Bob -- Kudos! Here is a 'Mystery photo' ... fill in the blanks! Never before published/posted image of ... *'Doctor' (*hint -- he was a dentist) J__k Ro_____n's 7_ Olds __/SA , sponsored by Lu___ Olds. *Image Taken @ Cecil 72 or 73 ... not really sure -- 'brain damage' from tire smoke! The winner gets 10 shares of Washington Mutual, Inc. stock see-> http://finance.google.com/finance?q=OTC:WAMUQ Good Luck! ... Steve
Excellent! -- go to your friendly-local Washington Mutual bank to collect your prize! Here is a slightly-better pic of Jack's ride-->
Not sure if it 'went' to Mayo or not, but it wasn't Troxell's car as that car was campaigning in the same time period. BTW ... remember the (455cu in) 'VistaBruiser'? I watched it get rear ended in the STAGING lanes by the *Ceri Bros. '65 Chevelle Wag (*while 'losing it,' during a staging-lane 'burn out') -- the front end of the Ceri Bros. car was destroyed -- the 'Bruiser' had a dented rear bumper and went on to compete. *It was at a NED WCS meet at Sanair Canada ... same '72ish' time frame. Never saw the Ceri Bros Wag (N/SA?) again ... but I'm sure it was repaired.
I recall now it WAS Cayuga, not Sanair. It was the first and only visit there for me, and it was a hectic, fast-paced weekend. I went with Jack at the very-last minute and the *three of us (including Jack's 'main man' ... don't recall his name -- he's the one in the Cecil 'burnout' pic) ... stayed with some super-hospitable local folks, and I'm SURE we 'were' (somewhere) in Ontario, NOT Quebec! I recall Jack was not 'happy' with NHRA during that time period -- they had 'factored' his 350 Olds another 10-15 HP, and he had written (I forget just what) some 'disparaging' comment on the roof of his car to 'express his displeasure.' It was clearly visible from the 'tower,' and I'm sure it was 'noted.' Well back to the Cayuga WCS meet ... he really wanted to bump the ET record there, and he certainly DID ... low 12.something. Then he backed it up! When he pulled up to the scales he was told (no kidding) "you're too LATE, record runs are CLOSED." He was ... how should I say ... 'displeased' but he didn't make a 'scene' ... he was a really classy guy!
One more time ... my last (promise) ... 'Mystery photo' contest. What track was this? ... alas, minimal 'clues' in this photo. And ... What was Ed's (here's a*clue) *'slippery' 50's vintage late-60's-era Junior Stock ride?
While you two were talking about Oldsmobile's I went back through my photo archives and found this, taken at Maple Grove in 1971.
"What track was this? ... alas, minimal 'clues' in this photo" My answer was York, but Bob got a hole shot on me! Back in 1971 or '72, I talked the owners of Delmar into holding a $1000 to win Stocker race. They had about 100 cars from all up and down the coast, Div. 1, 2 and 3 cars. Ed Hamburger won the event. The track owners pissed me off (and a lot of racers) by running the entire field over again for 3rd & 4th place money. Is late in the afternoon when they finished and people had a long way to drive! Other than that, it was a good race.
No Bob, but I don't see how anyone could tell, given the sparse landscape in that pic ... It was Englishtown! As to his previous ride, yes, it was a '56 Pontiac 2-dr, 317 Cu In, 227 HP Hydro ... I/SA at the time. Ed called it "The Banana Peel"
That sure looks like York to me! I don't remember ever seeing any buildings near the end of the track at Englishtown. If there were hangers at the airport back then, there wasn't one that would hold a large aircraft, but there was at York. I never went over to the airport at Englishtown, but I recall it being small with s short runway. Only light planes flew in and out of there. I do however, remember Connie Kallitta flying in and out of the place with a Lear while the Summernationals were going on. It was announced that no jet had ever taken off there because the runway was too short. Just found and uploaded a photo of York. Take a look.
"Just found and uploaded a photo of York. Take a look." I agree ... the buildings are the same, and there are no buildings like that at the Englishtown finishline area. I took the photo, but guess my 'foggy' mindset was 'equating' York (primarily) with 'under the lights' and Englishtown with daytime racing. As to the airplanes @ York, yes, I remember once thinking I was going to have a 'head on' with an errant Piper Cub. Have to wonder ... how many of these guys are still breathing!
I've often wondered what became of Bill Spanakos's car. It just seemed to 'disappear.' Many have 'romanticized' it's demise as having been CRUSHED to 'save its secrets' -- I doubt that. As late as '76-77, I saw an almost identical car (with a GLIDE) @ Cecil County. The convertor stall speed must have been 5,000! Those solid-lifter 195/265's sure could 'sing.'
Check out the s/s/fx thread, I believe their's details on the demise of the monster mash car there. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=247089&highlight=super+stock+fx&page=2
"was there 2 of them?" Thanks for the replies and the great pics guys. And the link to the 'excellent' SS/FX thread! Alas, this thread better encourages discussion about earlier ('pre 69) cars. Yes, most folks agree there were two cars, but not at the 'same time.' I always figured the second car was put together from the 'good stuff' off the first 'mostly' to take advantage of the lighter 'business coupe' body *no chrome trim, window trim, back seat, etc. Both the heavier car and the business coupe made the 16lbs per HP break ... so why carry an extra (30-40lbs) load. As you know, the car had to weigh in at the 'shipping' weight back then. BTW: I JUST located some old Jr. Stock Englishtown pit shots (hard-copies long gone, but I still had the 35mm negs) I'll get some prints made tomorrow and post them ... a mix of mostly PA, and Jersey racers, including a good one (if it prints OK!) of the 'Yoo Hoo Two' car.
Just came across a photo that reminded me of a story. Back in 1966 I was in the Army and home on a three day pass. Charlie Hampp and I went over to Capital and met up with Bob Rogers from Seaford, DE. Bob was a regular at Delmar and ran a '57 stocker. Bob towed the car with a 1952 Chevy Fleetline 6 cyl. 3 spd. He wanted to race the tow car as well and asked me to drive it (I think it was put in M/S, back when sticks and automatics ran together below J/S). In the first round I squared off against a Corvair forward control pickup. I left fairly easy, as I didn't want to break the tow car 75 miles from home, and took the win. The next round I left a little harder and took another win. The final for class was against a '53 Olds (in primer) running an automatic. This time I left harder than the previous rounds and got a good start leaving the Olds lumbering off the line. Just before the lights, the Olds blew by and took the win. I got back to the pits and told Bob I was sorry for not winning a trophy for him and he said "That's ok, the Olds is the record holder in the class." Turned out to be Kenny Worrell. Now I'm thinking "How can a street driven 6 cyl, Chevy run that well against the record holder?" Then I found out that Bob had replaced the 216 with a 292 truck engine.
John Thropp(RIP)....I finally get to see his 57 !! I had dealing with John years ago. He told me stories about that car. I bought a '57 Safari wagon & a 60 Bonni stick car from him. I got a small tour of his shop...I was sadened to hear he passed not long after that.
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