More Scotto & Blevins. Bill Izykowski driving the Vette was runner-up to Paul Blevins in the Nomad at the 1971 Niagara WCS event.
This was music to my ears it has been a long time sence Ive heard a good running 4 speed car leave the line at 10,000 rpms. Thanks for the flash back!!!!
He is? God bless him. I met George's son, then George Sr., from a job I was previously employed at back in the early-mid-1990s. When I ran into George Sr. in the staging lanes at Raceway Park during its national event sometime in the early-mid-1990s, and saw his car, to say I was impressed with its really cool, 70s-period paint and lettering job, to put it mildly, is an understatement. Pete P.S. Btw, does his Camaro still have the same paint and lettering?
You're welcome! Yep, unforgettable. Today's manual shift cars have the soft clutch/pressure plate/light flywheel combo that does not give that boom-type sound when the clutch is sidestepped and between gear changes. Also, forever gone is the really cool sound of the rpm's coming up as the tree counted down--especially a car whose engine has a tunnel ram and two four-barrel carburetors. Nowadays, and for at least the last couple decades, those rare times when a stick car makes an appearance, especially locally, we have to endure the constipated eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-waaaaaaaaahhhhh-type sound as the car is staged, tree counts down, and when it launches. Gentlemen and ladies, 'tis NOT the same, really cool-sounding and visually exciting thing. No siree. What I'd give to hear that old combo again on regular asphalt--not VHT-laden concrete track surface--somewhere on some desolate stretch of highway to re-live those really cool daze I so fondly remember back in the pre-bracket racing era of the 1970s. Pete
Colesy, weekly Modified Eliminator action--both Bucks and Cups versions--at Raceway Park, Englishtown never disapppointed and was what Junior Stock racing was to Division I in terms of turnout, action and caliber of cars. If you were there back then you know what I'm talking about! If you weren't, man, oh man, did you miss it! To those who've never experienced the thrill of these cars and are saying "what's the big deal, they don't look too much different in appearance than the bracket racing cars at your local strip," all I can say is: THERE IS A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE in SIGHT, SOUND, MOTION of the cars, and level of EXCITEMENT, irregardless of how quick bracket cars traverse the quarter mile these days in their lackluster, cookie-cutter fashion. Right, Ray? Man, do I miss those times... Pete
P426, I remember when E-town had a Wednesday night Modified Eliminator show, over 60 cars showed up ! I recall when Dougie Diem's Camaro was metallic blue. Also remember when Stieve's Speed Shop backed a '61 or '62 vette, white with the rollbar hoop sticking through the black roof a bit. Pafoo Drag-On '57 Chevy...Marchito & Spino's two Camaros. Some really good times !
"I remember when E-town had a Wednesday night Modified Eliminator show, over 60 cars showed up !" Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case. "I recall when Dougie Diem's Camaro was metallic blue." Never saw it blue--just white. I don't know if this the same Camaro pictured above or not, but Doug Diem did roll its exact twin on top end, totally destroying the car. "Also remember when Stieve's Speed Shop backed a '61 or '62 vette, white with the rollbar hoop sticking through the black roof a bit." Yep, can't forget that car. It always made it to the final rounds. "Pafoo Drag-On '57 Chevy...Marchito & Spino's two Camaros. Some really good times ! I went to vocational and technical high school in the early-1970s with a relative of Pat's. Marchitto & Spino in their Neighborhood Garage A/MP Camaro was another hard-running Raceway Park regular. You know, it's a real shame that there were no VHS cameras (never mind later digital cameras!) available back then to capture the sights and sounds of this too exciting class and era. Today and for some time now we have state-of-the-art video equipment available and affordable but NOT the same cars, era and action! Pete
This is what Zang's old vette looked like last time I saw before it was sent to the letterers shop. Don't know what ever happened to the car seemed to vanish just like the guy Gary that bought it.....
Maybe somebody can straighten me out here..... I remember Will Stieve's white corvette with the black top, had "Ratchet" above the rear tires and ran D/MP....but I always thought it was a 59 or 60 corvette with the rounded rear quarter panels.....any help? This was after he moved the speed shop to Dover.
Talked to Butch Lake last night and he did say that the wagon was indeed his old car. Seems the side panels were removed and replaced with station wagon side glass along with the deck lid and rear glass 1940 Willys Coupe
Will's vette was a 59, willie's living in virgina and now comes up every so often to visit or pick up any engines the he rebuilds for us at the restoration shop I work at.......Rich
Cool shot... would like to find the 55 , I thought at one time Jersey John had the car,,,,, any info?
Ron, Can't help you with any info on the 55, haven't seen Ray or Ron since 89/90, when they were running a camaro in super gas, and we started running a front engine dragster with a injected small block with NETO. At one time Ronnie lived a couple of blocks away from me but lost contact......Rich
Thanks for the pictures of Tim McDonalds D/MP 62 Vette, BOY does that bring back memories, He is a local hero from my area. Gordon
I just speed read all 47 pages !!!! I'd like to lay all those pictures on the floor and roll in them like a dog, MAN I LOVED MODIFIED !!!! In a day and age when all you hear are 2-steps and throttle stops, there was nothing like modified. My favorite was the Wayne County Speed Shops Opel GT, You just had to see them run and cover the spot to the other driver and there was no break outs !!! BALLS OUT TO THE FINISH LINE. I hope this thread keeps going for a long time, I don't think I'll ever get tired of the old modified class. Gordon
OH YA, back when it was a 1/4 mi. there was a TON of heavy hitters running there, Doc Dixon, Mike Shane, McGrue, (sp), Tim McDonald, Tim Lysikowski, Bill Thomas Those were good times, I was to young to race but I was there watching
Thanks for sharing this photo with us, Tweed. Those plain-and-simple daze back in the 1960's were really cool! Pete
I am Mike's sister and will bring this story to his attention. He'll love it! In 2002, Ray Jr. worked on my '67 Sting Ray when my brother, Paul, brought it to his shop. I never got the chance to thank him for that, so if he's out there...thanks so much!
Of all the classes in drag racing Modified Production was my favorite and there were so many killer cars that were scary fast in those day's When I think of the old Preparation H driven by Bruce Sizemore with it's six cylinder engine running the the 11:20 in modified production man this car put so many small block Chevrolet's on the trailer along with almost anyone else who got in it's way. These for me these were some of the best days' in drag racing history in the late 60's and early thru the 70's
So it started around 64',so when did the class end or turn into something different? I see alot of late 60's cars,even a 'cuda!
A pretty good article about the end of the class. http://www.competitionplus.com/08_19_2004/sportsmen_fight.html Larry T
The Jalopy Journal
