60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Im pretty sure iit is the "same" DICK BERGERON who is the pit reporter

at the sprint races for FOX ......

Looks like him anyways

 

i quit racing pretty much cold turkey
it is a VERY POWERFULL drug that is not too good for your health AND WEALTH
so I dont watch any races, I attended local races a couple years ago and next I was looking to buy another car
so got into hot rods, not cheep but much less KINNETIC DISSASEMBLY, meaning less crashes and abused engines

did the racing for 18 years from street stock to latemodel, now got 2 chronic diseases and dont even want to think about the whiplash from the wrecks, shock and all the other funn stuff of racing

 

as the good doctor dick always told me..."it`s 2 g`s and 2 r`s" .........Dr. Dick Berggren......

 

Dick is a great guy, haven't spoke to him in a long time. (Glad I didn't type anything else as PitBull, or worseyet: his dad would be all over me like a cheap suit.)

 

Someone stole his wheels and tires! Probably that Landry fellow that was known for impersonating him!

 

I seem to remember it being the first time they ran it on a Sunday afternoon, and I recall he dominated, but Mr Meade could probably remember the event more accurately.

Hey George, by the way, you should post some pics of the nice aluminum stuff you guys build.

 

Hello im new to the site. Does any one have any pictures of the Mike Murphy M3 Gremlin. He drove most of the northeast asphalt tracks like Starr, Westboro, Norwood and Hudson etc. Would appreciate any photos or info you may have or know of. Chris

 

He Started his own magazine on stock car racing but I'll be darned if I can remember the title of it right now even though I have several issues packed away.

 

I got to interview him for LongIslandJam.com before I started my website. World class gentleman, wish I had time to sit down with him and really do an in depth interview.

 

Hehehehehe, you know me well, Richard.

 

Say Richard, I like your your Ah Vah Tar.

Pete, shouldn't that interview be in the Jam archives somewhere? Geez, I haven't been there i ages. Most likely went unnoticed . LOL.

 

Congrats kid! 1000 posts and you are now a Senior Member. Great job Pete.

 

Mike Loescher, 1971 or 1972. Fred Smith photo.

 

Does that mean Pete qualifies for the senior disocunt at IHOP like his dad does?

 

Thank you,Dr. John, that's the best photo I've ever seen of Mike's coach. That was my all-time favorite car, and my favorite driver.

 

CJ Baker, and his type belonged at Circle Track and NOT SCR. Oil and Water, apples and oranges. I knew it when I picked up their first copy with the Peterson mark.

Lopez publications put out the racing bible for us out here, and I'm still not happy about what that Circle Track crew did.

 

The cool thing about Rich's avatar is that he builds his own in full size and THEN makes the avatar.

Rich, when you get the chance you really should try and digitize some of your old stuff from Islip and the other tracks you shot at. I can't contribute any of my stuff as all the negatives burned up at Marty Himes' a few years ago.

 

I wrote and shot a ton of feature articles for CT when CJ was there, lots of tech, lots of car features. Back then, Dick Berggren used to always come up to me to say hello and to ask me when I was joing his team. I finally did after CJ moved up in the Peterson organization and the new editor made some bad descisons. After moving to SCR I penned only one article before I got too busy with my PR gig and quit writing and doing photograpy for publications.

Yeah, SCR and Open Wheel had a diffrent vibe (better in my opion too), but CT under CJ Baker's guidance had some good coverage and good tech features. And yes, that's a biased opinion!

 

Hey Brian ! When I have time I was going to do that, plus I have a s**t load of other stuff, sprints, tour mods, dirt mods, etc. I've spoken to Peter about that as well.

 

I remember this car. This was the Gordon Ross #19. Here's it's running a BBC, so it must be at a 100 lap Open Competition Show at Lebanon Valley. That was a $1,000 to win once a month deal. Guys from New Jersey and PA used to come up and win the BIG $dough$. you'd see injected BBC and 427 Fords. The Valley didn't allow big blocks on a regulat Sat. nite yet.

This car started out with a GMC 6 with a 12 port head for regular Sat. nite racing. It ran fast, but wouldn't last 30 laps.

I remember an incremental increase in the number of laps it would last. First about 20, then 23, then 25, then 28. Everytime he'd be going for the lead or leading when it went BOOM!!!! THEN the next week ya' see a #19 '55 Chevy with a SBC painted the same color scheme coming through the pit gate!!!!!!! Gordon gave up on the 6 and went with the SBC.

That was back in the years at the Valley when if ya' ran a coupe or coach it had to have a flathead V8 or an inline 6. If ya' ran a OHV V8, it had to be in a late model. Usually a '55-'57 Ford or Chevrolet. There was a good running early '50s Olds with a OHV V8 that ran good. Think it was #900, Karl Hauesal (sp?).

Then they allowed small block OHV V8s in coupes for a period of time before they allowed big blocks.

Doug Garrison (R.I.P.) provided a lot of folks with a bunch of good entertainment back then.

The other coupes had a rear view mirror mounted in the roof. I think Doug bought the car from Ross and became an owner/driver in the #5.

 

I'll forgive ya' this time.

Yep, that's one of the M-6s I remember.

I also think there was silver gray one before this. I remember Bergin finishing second to Kenny Goodermote in a 200 lapper at Pine Bowl Speedway on a super hot Sunday afternoon.

You showed a pic of the Harvey Ford #62Jr that Kenny drove many, many posts ago. Although the pic was a flathead. This 200 lap race he ran a Ford Y-block.

The M-6 was hi-tech at that time, it even had a dry-sump on the Chevy V8. Bergin led most of the race but ran outa' brakes. Goodermote caught and passed him with only a handful of laps to go.

There's a lot more story to that race and how Goodermote caught him, but I'll save that for another day. It has to do with a rock throwing pit crew member. .

Look at the rear spring set-up on the M-6 below. Technically, that's almost the textbook correct way for installation as shown in the Landrum Spring tech site.

I can't remember who owned the M-6? Does someone here remember? I thinking Walker, but I having brain fade.

Thanks for the pic. I love it .

 

Naw I just get to move to deep end of the ball pit at Chucky Cheese, Rich! I've moved up slowly, first I had swimmies and then...........photos!!!!!!

Leo Cleary

Ron Crabtree

Sal Dee



Daune Algiers

 

Dundon

Dutch Hoag

Dutch Hoag

Dutch Hoag

Dutch Hoag

 

Earl Ford

Earl Ford

Earl Neigh

Ed Bunnell

 

Ed Flemke Sr.

Ed Kennedy

Ed Moody

Ed Pelletier

Ed Yerrington

 

Uhm, Yeah, I know you are trying to be helpful but I've know Oakley for quite a few years now and know of his new found skills when he moved down to NC.

My comment was meant as tongue in cheek between him and I. And no D'head (Rich), knows exactly what I mean by that comment (lol), I meant my tongue in my check.

He also knows my term of endearment very well. Speaking of which Rich, Irene joined my facebook and I mentioned were in touch, she says, Hi.

 

Emil, go back and read what Brian wrote, he was all positive. Like you, me and Brian go back quite a few years as friends. You've met him, but you may not remember him via his HAMB ID . He's a good guy, but don't get into a rank out session with him; he may not look it, but he is very quick witted! (Now I'm in trouble!)

 

Your memory's about as good as mine, Rich! I remember it was a pretty easy win and then wondering...who is this guy?

Pictures of aluminum products might not be in the spirit of hot rods. I don't want any trouble with the board administrators. LOL. Unless you're talking about the aluminum bodies we're making for todays' Modifieds!

 

Got to hand it to you, John! That's pretty good!

 

I didn't know you were doing bodies, I meant the tanks etc.