60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

In Australia these were called sedans but from the looks of the pictures I've seen through this awesome thread you guys call them modifieds, this was part of the hugely popular USA 4 car team that toured every summer from 1974 to the mid eighties (different cars every year of course!) with different drivers including Jack Hewitt and Charlie Swartz and Rodney Combes.

This Monza was a stock car products chassis with an injected big block.

 

The 112 BATMOBILE was designed and built by Kenny Weld. It's one and only race, which it won, was at the Syracuse N.Y. mile. Very questionable if it was "legal" . Many gray areas. This car started a whole new MODIFIED evolution. There was always a minimun body width, nothing was ever said about how wide a body could be.

 

I can remember reading the articles about it and Syracuse at the time in Stock Car Racing magazine (I still have the issue), it changed modifieds forever.

 

The modifieds of that era were supposed to resemble some kind of production car, e.g., Thunderbird, Gremlin, etc., the Batmobile was supposed to be a Lincoln. The only piece that resembled a Lincoln was the trunk lid. The trunk was the only piece that was Lincon, it even had the factory letters on it that spelled "Lincoln".

 

Sorry for the lack of updates guys, surprised my mail box wasn't full! My laptop is headed to the shop for a day or two. They have all my photos! Great work John, keep it up!

 

Steve V: One question: Do Ausies race turning left--or turning right? I've read some articles about your racing, but always wondered about the direction you raced in. Welcome!! Thanks, Neal

 

In response to the question about which direction speedways run in Australia. The answer basically anticlockwise or keep turning left as illustrated by the pics below.

There are some classes that do run clockwise which are the "Street Stocks" and the motorbike sidecars.

 

I Think the car looks more like a Lincoln then some of those other cars that were in the race. The grill was a Lincoln wasnt it?

 

Phil Edwards at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1972. This was the old Gordy Treichler coach, a twin to his brother's (Roger's) No. 74 coach. It was sold to Edwards in late '71, who then sold it to Bill Bitterman, who then sold it back to Edwards. After Edwards raced it in '72, it was sold to Jerry Ciancio (No. 00) for the '73 season. It was reskinned with Gremlin tin, then dispappeared...

 

Richie Evans wins the 1969 All Star League 100 at Lancaster (NY) Speedway. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Richie Evans wins the 1969 All Star League 100 at Lancaster (NY) Speedway. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Richie Evans wins the 1969 All Star League 100 at Lancaster (NY) Speedway. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Richie Evans leads Merv Treichler at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1970. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Roger Treichler, victory lane at the last race at Langhorne, 1971. Fred Smith photo.

 

Roger Treichler (Sanborn, NY), 1975. Fred Smith photo.

 

Sege Fidanza (Middleport, NY), 1975. Fred Smith photo.

 

You forgot about the Lincoln grill. It was also a real Lincoln piece.

 

I was there for that race.

The show of the day was Geoff Bodine. He got a flat tire early in the race and had to pit under green. He lost a lap in the process.

WITHOUT the aid of a caution, he unlapped himself and proceeded to repass everyone again under the same green flag stretch to retake the lead.

His day ended when his open tube rear end axle broke and put him in the fence near the flagstand. Until then, he had'em ALL covered!!!!!!

 

Thats great stuff John! Brings back a lot of memories growing up and watching some great modified racing in New york. -Tom Bliss

 

BIG BOB OROUKE!!!! He was a staple at Islip Speedway with his golf kart and brown van.

 

Just saw the pics of your 37 Ford and it looks great. I have a 91 Troyer that ran the asphalt tracks of New England and I am fitting a 37 Chevy cut down body off a old racer that had a bad frame to it. Not as easy as it looks but when its done I think you are going to have a sharp looking piece. Good Luck!

 

Uh Pete, you forgot the chicken and the pizza.

 

The "Batmobile" after Syracuse
The car did race again. Driven by the owners son

 

I remember that. Hands down the ugliest modified to ever make a lap in the modern era.

 

Maynard Troyer at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1968. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Lee Osborne at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1967. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Richie Evans races Pete Hayes (17) and Chuck Boos at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1969. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Ted Renshaw at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, approx. 1969-70. Ted is in the process of building a replica of this car at his house in Canada. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Bobby Hudson with the Snyder Bros. coach at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1970. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Ted Renshaw (Ridgeway, Ontario) with the Don Adler-owned No. 5 coach at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1969. Gordon Reinig photo.