Here's an image (originally posted in 2011) that I believe is representative of the MANY fine/hard-working early-olds racers that 'wowed' the fans with their (often) 3-5 second head-start 'edge of your seat' antics during the mid/late 60s. These guys weren't cheap, they simply were smart enough to realize that 135HP with 303 cubes AND a huge variety of bodies to chose from ... made $ense! The Racing Head Service group and (among many others) Keith Berg, were at the forefront of these racers.
I contend that the "group" that was "killed off" back in 1971 consisted mainly of the cars and did not diminish the overall energy and enthusiasm of the racers themselves. During the winter of '71, Tri-Five Chevolets plus a handful of interesting combinations that included the early '50's Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, Hudsons, and Studebakers (again, the cars, not necessarily the racers themselves) scrambled for a place to go. The Tri-Fives, for the most part, were competitive in Super Stock with only a few tweaks. The Olds, Ponchos, Hudsons, and Studes were, sadly, less adaptable and were soon relegated to bracket racing or a vacant spot in the back yard. Some of those racers seldom seen after the transition were people such as Jay Hamilton, Ike Smith, Chuck Parcell, Gordon Williams, and Ramon Lowe but some of them had seemed to lose interest during the period of more gradual rules changes that preceded the purge but they had been serious competitors whose combinations did not fare well in the new era. In my experience, the racers grumbled about the expense and inconvenience (grumbling is one of the less endearing but more pervasive traits of drag racers) but the majority made the transition, most to the multitude of classes that were added to Super Stock and others eventually to the newly established but rapidly evolving "new" Stock Eliminator. Granted, my experiences were mainly limited to personal contact within Divisions 6 and 7, but a good percentage of the faces around the pits remained the same. Among my personal acquaintances here in Southern California, people such as Joe Allread, Willard Wright, Dave Kempton, Val Hedworth, Paul Dilcher, John Barkley, Marv Ripes, Bob Lambeck, Gary Williams, Keith Berg, Ron Zoelle, and others never missed a beat. I well remember the thrash that accompanied the transition during the winter of 1971-72 when we were faced with the challenge of adapting to unfamiliar hardware such as unlimited camshafts, aftermarket intake manifolds, roller rocker arms, and stretching fender wells to accommodate bigger tires. Almost everyone was at Pomona in late January, 1972 with some sort of combination. Some made the switch fairly seamlessly (my neighbor and close friend, Val Hedworth, closed out the 1971 season as the Division Champion in Stock Eliminator and capped off the 1972 season as the Division Champion in Super Stock, primarily driving the same cars (a '55 wagon and a '55 four-door), switching his single engine from platform to platform in order to capitalize on the rules that granted championship points to the setting of ET and Speed records records. I believe that we should recall the pre-purge era with reverence because it represents a significant era but, at the same time, recognize the fact that most racers and many of the cars didn't disappear, they merely adapted. Such is the nature of evolution.
I believe I read a story somewhere that the old "Fabulous Hudson Hornet" was found after many years in a garage in Connecticut and someone purchased it and is restoring her back to her glory day's. Jimbo
Well, York 2015 wrapped up in the York Expo center for the last time this weekend. Doug Boyce the Junior Stock book author was there along with SO many heroes from the 60's. It was bittersweet to say the least. The Junior Stockers are contemplating how we will continue to move along and Darwin Doll has some ideas so we're pretty sure the Junior Stock contingent will continue to grow. There are a few more survivor cars that will pop up shortly and rumor of a certain Division One record holder Chevy 4 door wagon being built as a tribute so keep reading and keep posting PLEASE. At #11368 posts were just starting. Tommy D, thanks for wherever you are dragging these shots out of . I heard the Junior Stock memories Facebook page has action footage posted of yesterday's junior stock racing There was some carnage on Sunday at Beaver Srpings, just like the 60's.. It was cool. Thanks
al, it was great to meet you and many others. hopefully the jr stocker revival will keep going and grow.
Thanks for posting the great pix from the action at Beaver Springs. I was able to make it to the show, but not to the drags.
Thanks for posting the pictures looked like the weather was great. I would of loved to see and here those car going down the quarter. Ron
Thanks for all the recent photos and video. I'd rather watch these cars all day than Top Fuel. I've got to make the pilgrimage to BSD for this event. I am Butch/56sedandelivery. And hey to Tim Pogue/Hustlin' Hoosier.
We raced our altered at Beaver on Sunday and were pitted just behind all these great Jr Stockers, it was so much fun explaining to my son what a 270 HP 283 was all about, lots of great examples, Really good turnout of these cars
I agree with the comment made by 56sedandelivery "I'd rather watch these cars all day than Top Fuel" Just my opinion along with a few others. Jimbo
Thanks for the video! Just love the sound of SMALL blocks winding out! Felt like I was back at the "Grove" or US30 in about 1970.
Biscaynes, the pleasure was all mine!! Thanks for the beautiful shots. Also, if the reaction to the Junior Stockers at York and Beaver Springs is any measure of the interest in these old race cars there could be a whole lot more that come out of mothballs !!!! Cmon, if you have one, drag it out( pun intended) !!!! We'll be waiting!!!
The Jalopy Journal
