History NHRA Junior Stock

Terry,

As a well-used septuagenarian who has been to Indy and fought this fight several times, I decided to step aside and allow the kids and the millionaires battle it out. Looks like it wasn't necessarily a bad decision.

Times have changed.

c

 

Thanks for the info Chuck.

 

WOW vistacruiser! Great pictures of Great Olds stockers! Please post more if you have them and don't worry if you happen to accidently post a non stocker picture. Your ratio of cool pictures is at about 99.5%

 

Hi Colesy, I saw your picture of the Chevairs, including Dick Griffin. I'm trying to find out whatever I can about him. And maybe find some pictures of my car that was a former drag car of Dick Griffins. I have his 1978 442 Olds. I understand it was featured in a few magazines but I don't know which ones. Supposedly my car won the Gatornationals . . . don't know what year however. Thank you for any help, or direction you may be able to point me in.

Ed Sawyer

 

I ran 8.90X15s on the front of the 442 back then --- they were huge! Wow! What rollout!!

 

Speaking of mistakes in Larry Davis book - He has at least two pix of MY car in his book listed as being owned and driven by Ron Garey. In one pic he even calls it the 66 C/S car when you can see that it is the 67 car! I still appreciated him including the pix in his book!! Here they are:

 

On Larry Davis book.
I think there is a key mistake in the book, regarding Mark Coletti's 1969 Winternationals Stock Eliminator winning car.
pc

 

That book is fraught with errors. He should have researched it a lot better, instead of relying on photog's notes anddeductions.

Lebrun's car is wrong. Rock Running's car is wrong. Several of the FE Fords are wrong.

I gave the book away. It made me nuts.

 

You have to like a NICE Wagon. How much did it weigh ????

 

At least the pictures are good.
On the 1969 NHRA Winternationals.
In the book, it states Mark Coletti's Barracuda was a new 69' Cuda with a 383.
The truth. The car was a 68' 340. It ran in F/SA. The book has it right though, as Mark Coletti was 17-years old.
That car was run by Mark's father, Joe in 1968. He lost to Jim McFarland in the
Sox & Martin prepared 68' 340 E/SA Cuda in the class final. Joe's nickname,
Smokey Joe.
pc

 

Wasn't it Smokin' Joe Colletti -- (not Smokey). ??

 

Hey Tweed. Pretty sure it was Smokey Joe. I spent some time with him in Arizona.

 

What happened to the roof???

 

67 W-30,
It was 'Smokey Joe'. The lettering was on the drivers side door, even when
Mark was winning the 69' Winternationals.
Now, 'Smokin Joe Frazier', that's a different kind of smoke.
pc

 

OK guys -- my bad --- Smokey Joe it is!!

 

Ya all wanna see the #1 Qualifier in Stock Eliminator at the Nationals? almost 2 seconds under the index. Still has the A/C hooked up and drives it on the street too! Sorta makes you wanna barf? dont it?? Can you say "NOSTALGIA" racing FOREVER? Its Charlie Blossom's 04 PT Cruiser-turbocharged. I think he went 13.77 on a 15.60 index!!

 

Rolled it at Hyde Park Dragway in Newark, OH in March, 1968. Car was re-bodied and went on to be the Stock Eliminator at 68 SpringNationals

 

The 71 I had was a 2 seater and weighed 4163. The 3 seater for that year was 4251.

 

I just got back to Florida after going to Indy. I was only there Saturday. It was cool at 8:00 in the morning, but I wanted to see the stockers run. I had the same reaction when I saw that car pull up to the front of staging. Hopefully, it will be factored back into oblivion! I realize things change, but I love the old stockers. I found some '66 Biscaynes ( a 2 door P/SA and a wagon Q/S). Too many new Cobra Mustangs (though they did run in the 9's). Still better than working! I had a great time despite the fact that I supported very food vendor there by 2:00 !!! LOL

 

You should have been there Thursday to see the SLAUGHTER of the old cars against the new junk during class run offs for stock.