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Check out this thread...good buddy of mine thinking of trying to organize this
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Re: Nostalga Pro Stock
I couldn't participate yet, but I'd sure love to go watch. -
Re: Nostalga Pro Stock
Enjoy!
Back When Pro Stock Was… Strange! <---------------------- 8)
By Danny White
Today, Pro Stock is a bland field of generic cars where it seems the only difference is the paint. Understanding that it takes major money to race Pro Stock, I can see where it stifles free thinking and trying unusual cars, engines, and setups.
The free thinkers have moved to Pro Modified where the rules are looser than they ever were in Pro Stock. The Pro Mods have wild bodies, engines, and attitude. But in the seventies and early eighties, Pro Stockers were the undisputed kings of doorslammer drag racing.
I have made an informal list of some of the wildest American Pro Stockers built since the inception of the class.
1. The Tijuana Taxi (1975). The strangest Pro Stocker ever built, I think, is the Gapp & Roush Tijuana Taxi Maverick with four doors. This was the only Pro Stocker ever built in the United States with four doors, though in Australia it is not unusual. Back in the seventies the great minds at NHRA had different weight breaks for each setup. A short wheelbase car with a small block raced at a different weight than a long wheelbase car with a big block. With these rules in place and Pintos doing too good according to NHRA, they kept adding weight to them. It got to the point where many racers noticed you could save over 100 pounds if you had a long wheelbase car with a small block. There was not a long wheelbase two door Ford being made in 1975. Most racers who took advantage of the rule built 70 model Mustangs like Dyno Don and Bob Glidden. Wayne Gapp & Jack Roush built the wildest car yet – a four door Ford Maverick. Gapp’s driving and Roush’s tuning won several times in 1975. NHRA quickly wised up and leveled the rules and the long wheelbase advantage was gone. The Gapp & Roush team went on racing their unique car throughout the year after others had gone back to the small block Pintos and Mustang IIs. The car was sold in 1976 and was later totaled in a pit area crash.
2. Buddy Ingersoll (1986). The turbocharged 1985 Buick Regal of Ingersoll was no doubt the most controversial Pro Stocker ever raced. It was so controversial that it was only allowed to run one race -- IHRA Bristol -- before it was axed. The turbocharged Regal of Ingersoll was one of Warren Johnson’s Hurst/Olds Cutlass reskinned with new panels. The car was built to race in NHRA’s Competition Eliminator where it ran so good they made a new class just for it. How it got to race in Pro Stock is different – the powers behind the scenes lobbied both NHRA and IHRA to make it legal. The argument was that the twin turbocharged Regal was closer to stock than any other Pro Stocker out there. IHRA decided to try it much to the chagrin of the other racers. The tryout race was at Bristol, a moderately high altitude track. Ingersoll got to the finals and went 7.20s. IHRA promptly outlawed the car from further Pro Stock races.
3. Doug Messner (1981-87). Messner’s Citation could win the ugliest Pro Stocker award for using the Citation body in drag racing. But that would be a different contest all together. The car was built in 1981 with a small block that was replaced with a big block in 1982. Doug’s machine was never a threat to qualify but was still an eye catcher for the being the fasted Citation in the world. The car met its end at the Texas Motorplex in a top end crash. It was a victim of a crosswind and the Motorplex’s narrow groove. The team built a new Beretta the next year, but it was about as successful as the Citation.
4. Mike Senia’s Beyond Criticism (1984). Mike Senia was a Chevy racer until he built a new Cadillac El Dorado for Super Gas racing. The car turned many heads until he decided it was time to go Pro Stock racing. He had a new El Dorado built in 1984 just for Pro Stock racing. The team had long time racer Carl Hobson driving first at the Gatornationals. The Caddy suffered severe tire shake problems almost every time it went down the track. The car was gone over many times by many people. The unique car was finally stuffed into the wall by future Pro Stock star Ed Dixon. The team knocked at the door of breaking the sevens but never reached it. Senia regrouped, did a 180, and went from Pro Stock to Stock in 1985 with a fleet of factory backed stockers.
5. Larry Peternel (1981-1985). Peternel is a long time Pro Stock racer that used to be a Mopar fanatic. He raced a Duster in the seventies until the car finally went out of date. The choices for Chrysler Pro Stock racers in 1981 were slim. Most built the small Omni’s, but not Peternel. Larry chose the classy Imperial. The Imperial was neither sporty nor aerodynamic. That did not deter Peternel. He did a lot of fabrication work on the car, including split carbs that he turned around! While the car was not successful except in UDRA racing, Peternel made his mark with this car.
6. Tom Judd (1970). The Buick Skylark of Tom Judd was only one ever built. The next Buick P/S would be Buddy Ingersoll in 1986! Judd raced in Division 1 and local races and was always a couple tenths off the pace. Judd used a real big block Buick for power, too -- no corporate blocks here!
7. Alfred Williams (1978-79). Williams’ Mustang II, sponsored by country music star Billy "Crash" Craddock, would not make the list except for one big reason. In the mid-seventies IHRA dropped weight break Pro Stock racing and went with a common weight break. The rules got more lax as the years went by. The powers that be did not stipulate that you had to the same engine make as body make. Williams built a cheaper Chevy and slapped it into his Ford! The car was a middle of the field racer in the late seventies. IHRA later redefined this rule and a Ford found its way into the frame rails.
8. Marriott Brothers (1976). The sexy Shelby Mustang of the Marriott brothers was a one of the kind doorslammer. It was the only Shelby Pro Stocker ever built. The car, driven by Bobby Lee Marriott, was not built for the same reasons as the other long wheelbase small block cars. Joe Smith started to build the car for Rick Brantley but the Marriotts purchased it to replace the teams aging ‘69 Camaro. The Shelby was a solid 8-second car and earned the Division 4 championship in 1976. The sleek machine was retired due to the age rule and was replaced by a Mustang II.
9. Hilger & Brown (1976-1981). This Texas duo walked to the beat of a different drummer when they had Don Hardy build them a miniscule Chevy Chevette. Ronnie Sox had one built but it was sold to a racer in Puerto Rico. That made the pretty blue Hilger & Brown car the first. The chassis was built on a Pinto jig since they were so similar. The small block machine was somewhat successful in local and AHRA races. The team sold the car when it was clear that the days of the small block Pro Stock was over.
10. Bill Kuhlmann (1986). I loved this Camaro at its inception more than after it became world famous in 1987. Kuhlmann at the time was a struggling local racer on the unlimited UDRA circuit. Bill started building the car in 1983 and did not finish it until 1986 because in the interim, he got the chance to drive John Taylor’s Pro Stocker. When Taylor quit, Kuhlmann decided to finish his bare bones Camaro. The car was built to take advantage of the UDRA‘s liberal rules. It was as light as possible, weighing in at less than 2000 pounds! The Camaro did not have lights, just covers, and had a large rear wing to help plant the car on slick tracks. Kuhlmann’s Camaro was very successful. It derailed the Gary Steward/Bob Olson freight train that had been killing the UDRA Pro Stockers for the previous couple of years. Then 1987 came. Kuhlmann added nitrous and ran the first 200 mph doorslammer pass at Darlington, and you know the rest of the story.
Danny White
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Re: Nostalga Pro Stock
Gliddens Arrow.Love him or hate him it was the first competitive SB mopar in P/S.Comment
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Re: Nostalga Pro Stock
I've been hoping this would Happen! I just love the early days of Pro/Stock! really hope it takes off!
Bring on the Tube frame Mustang II P/S replicas! :oComment
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Re: Nostalga Pro Stock
Just found this whilst surfing, Though the preposal is for '69-'72 cars only (full floor cars) That would be cool too!
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Re: Nostalga Pro Stock
I think it is a great idea, but in it's current form it won't take off - way too restrictive given the performance available today compared to back in the day. If limiting to no 4-links or tubs, why not say no roll cages - only bars? No 5 point harnesses - only lap belts? Factory correct sets only, no full face helmets, no aluminum heads, absolutely no enclosed trailers (unless it is a full on truck/rig).
I think the way the Heritage Series is set-up is about the best way to have success. Index racing A(7.60), B(8.60), C(9.60), and D(10.60). Pre-73 only, no electronics, no NOS, .400 Pro Tree and pick your index.Comment
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