Event Coverage I had a chance to drive a piece of history at the Central NY Stockcar H.O.F.

I received a message Saturday night from family friend John Hager asking me if I wanted to drive the Ed Stevens Coupe at Mid-State Sunday, of course I said Yes!

Modified owned and built by Ed Stevens.
-1937 or 38 Dodge coupe body
-49-53 Chevrolet Frame
-Flemke front end
-Halibrand 10 spline (Champ) quick change rearend.
-S.B.C. raced and won against Big Blocks

Raced at
-Middletown The Orange County Fairgrounds NY
-Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon NY
-Nazareth PA
Reading (Redding) PA


Standard Hero Shot



Myself and Ed Stevens


John Hager, Myself, and Ed Stevens

 

More of the show and Hall of Fame-


Iron men in tin cars!


Family friend, hot rodder (he built his first hot rod at 14!) Mid-State Speedway track Champ 1969, Wastertown Speedway track Champ 1972 and Central NY Stockcar H.O.F member LeRoy "Bud" Hinman


"Bud" Hinman, 2nd generation racer and family friend John Roese, and multiple track champ Tommy Williams


Myself with "Bud"

 

Photos-Jeff Hager and Cliff Haslun

These were only parade laps but that didn't mine you couldn't show off a little!

 

Cool stuff! I love those old stockcars.

 

thanks for the coverage

 

Excellent pictures.

 

The car is an animal lots of power and no power steering which was fine once it was moving!
I stood on it a couple of times in 1 coming off 2 and going down the backstretch. I really wanted to open it up but thought about the fact it wasn't my car and I was in a piece of history!

And the 40 year old tires!

 

Very cool. Thanks for sharing. Must have been a lot of fun. This is a pic of me in the 90s up here in Ontario Canada.

 

Mine I am building to run with the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds

 

There was also a general interest car show a couple H.A.M.B. era cars.

This 58 Chevy is an old build in period custom, it is currently owned by 2023 Central NY Hall of Fame inductee "Thunder" Musson

I know it's a magazine feature car perhaps @Moriarity can give some insight-


And this cool 41 Ford Pick up

 

Gotta love the old stock cars

 

Robbert, thanks for sharing! Sure looks like you had fun.

 

Dam I love those old race cars thank you for the pics.

 

Bet that was a blast, driving that powerhouse on the track. Great pics, love the '58!

 

Robert, you were in your glory. It was evident in your eyes and smile.

 

It's was a little weird having to use a hand lever on the brake at low speed or coming to a stop.



For anyone unfamiliar with a center steer car you can not get your right leg over the transmission hump/stick to depress the brake pedal.
The brake pedal is set up with a hand brake lever for low speed/stopping
Left leg is use the clutch
Left hand for the brake at low speed/stop
Right hand on the steering wheel
Right foot to work the throttle, race cars don't like to idle for some reason.

At speed the left foot is used for the brake.

This is not the Ed Stevens car, and the brake and clutch pedals have been reversed.
This was a fairly common practice on center steering stock cars.


This video shows the hand brake set up being used at low speed then changes to foot braking at high speed.

 

Hey Robert, now try that hand brake, clutch, steering (6:1 Ross midget box at first), while lighting off an injected engine cold on methanol being push started. I can tell you from experience that the first time in it, I looked like a complete *****!

3rd gear, check.
Fuel off, check.
Mag off, check.
Clutch down, check.
Hand wave to push truck, check.
Get rolling, check.
Driver blows horn let out clutch, check.
Roll until 60 psi oil pressure, check.
Hit mag switch, check.
Open fuel valve, check.
Open throttle enough to fire engine, check.
Pull away from push truck, check.
Run some slow laps warming engine, check.

Now comes the really fun part, getting into the pit stall without killing someone.

Turn back into pits, check.
Left foot on clutch, check.
Left hand on brake lever, check.
Estimate how far car will roll, check.
Shut off fuel with right hand while braking with left hand and trying to steer, check.
Engine sputtering, push in clutch, check.
Pop transmission out of gear, check. Get left foot back on brake pedal, check.
Steer with left hand while turning the mag off, check.
Just barely coast into stall without killing someone or knocking over tools, tires, spare parts, check.
Start breathing again, check, check, and recheck!

And try to get out of the car without looking like a complete nubee while friends and fellow compe***ors are laughing their ***es off, and fall out of the car because your foot is shaking sooooo much and slipped off the side bar, CHECK!

Yes, my first time in it at the Valley with the injection and Jim was driving another car. I really didn't want to take my old Bell Star off, I was so embarr***ed.

And then a little bit later, hot laps. Don't ask...

 

I am SOOOOOOO JEALOUS

 

THAT is SUPER COOL!

 

Way cool Robert!!! You kept the Shiney side up, good man.

 

Nice! Thanks for the pictures.

 

OCFS had a modified driving instruction course a while back, some magazine did a review of the mechanics of driving a real-deal DIRT modified. EVERYTHING looks easy from sitting in the stands...

 

Enjoyed the pictures, thank you.

 

What a cool experience that had to be. Great pictures too.

 

Loyd Holt Coupe in the early 70s


The Loyd Holt Coupe after a garage fire in 2022



The Loyd Holt Coupe last Sunday after being restored by the Jeff Holt and the Holt family!

 

Lloyd couldn't be more proud of old number 15!

 

Thanks for posting

 

This just came up on the old F****Book

Ace Kolar Photo-

 

Thankyou you for your Picture post.