Love me some Vintage Pro Stockers…..

(I once had a Pinto shell parked out back of the house - I had harvested the driveline for a kit car - and was talking with a friend to turn it into a poor-man's P/S or ModProd. One day I came back from a business trip and my wife had sold the carc*** for s****. )

 

The Crazee Cuda had the coolest paint job. I'm still searching for a better shot of it.

 

Variety as far as the eye can see...

 

And since I'm a KC kid, here are a few PS folk from the area.

Jack Schorr ran a transmission shop in Independence, MO and had a long, long line of race cars. The first shot is up against Jerry Haas. Looks like Eddyville, IA to me.

 

More Jack Schorr of Independence, MO.

 

Lee Hunter

 

Wes Jerde was a KC engine builder, a partner with Al Vander Woude on the last of Al's Flying Dutchman funny car, and had a shop in the Hickman Mills area (a mile from where I grew up) in **** Harrell's old building (Harrell had moved his operation across the state line to Merriam, KS shortly before he p***ed). Wes is on the right in the close-up with Al.

 

January, '72 issue of Street & Super Cars magazine.

 

Of course, NHRA copied what IHRA and AHRA was doing. Here is the AHRA Finals for 1971 as featured in the January, '72 issue of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated magazine. Can't remember who Joe Satmary was running here in the Cable car.

 

Akron Arlen

 

The Mo-Town Missile was my favorite early PRO - used a Clutchflite in it I Believe -

 

Al Joniec ran Mustang and Maverick Pro-Stockers after he moved on from his funny cars.

 

Bill Stiles - note the rear wheels are mounted backwards, needed before it was easy to narrow rear ends.

 

Someone else pointed out that small Mopar Pro Stockers were at a disadvantage - IIRC, these were limited to 366ci Hemi's or 340-based wedges. Still not compe***ive with 351 Fords or even the heavily modified AMC's.

 

Paul Blevins. Just about the only other Vega that was compe***ive with Grumpy.

 

A lot of funny car pioneers - Dyno, Durham, Fast Eddie, et al - jumped on the PS train when the cost of nitro racing got out of hand. Bruce Larson was one of them.

 

Indy, '75

 

EARLY Pro Stock! Don't remember who this is, though.

 

Chuck DeNinno ran this Maverick and a Mustang (I think that one is coming along later...)

 

https://www.gapponline.net/2010/02/14/nhra-national-event-results-1973/
Nicholson won Gapp got runner up.