BTB is the guy to ask about this. I should remember it, but right now...I don'tOriginally Posted by atrackforumfan
I could dig something out that would answer it, but it would take considerable effort at this moment.
BTB is the guy to ask about this. I should remember it, but right now...I don't
I could dig something out that would answer it, but it would take considerable effort at this moment.
Well, ESPN wasn't first(Motorweek Illustrated beat them by a few years). There was racing and racing news available (even on TV) when the SPiN was still a gleam in the eye of a UConn sports fan
At one point in the 70's, there were almost 60 racing papers around the country, most catering to local and regional short track racing, but also including some national and international news. Autoweek covered NASCAR well in the 60's. The main west coast regional paper had irregular news from the NASCAR PCLM series, which is something Jack McCoy found out when he attempted to use them for his book. That was down to NASCAR not having a full time PCLM PR person until 1969 (!)
Cool. Thanks for posting it. I sincerely hope someone has collected all of those and scanned them for preservation.
Thanks for the link on Norm Palmer. What a sad thing to happen after making it successfully through all the races that he did. A 6th at Riverside (if I'm remembering correctly) wasn't too shabby against all the Nascar big boys.Well, ESPN wasn't first
Cool. Thanks for posting it. I sincerely hope someone has collected all of those and scanned them for preservation.
As to the papers, back in the days, I always thought that "Competition Press" (the forerunner of "Autoweek") had excellent Nascar coverage, including the West Coast series'. I've been a subscriber since 1966 but their race coverage now is pretty scimpy. I used to pick somethimng up at the tracks that was centered mainly on West Coast racing - can't remember for sure anymore, but maybe called "Racing Wheels" (???).
I shortened it to "Autoweek", but you're right, it was still called Competition Press & Autoweek during the earlier part of that time. In the mid-60's they had a west coast insert that covered NASCAR PCLM, regional sports cars and CRA sprints. After NASCAR finally hired a full time PR guy for the PCLM, the coverage got much better.
Yes, Racing Wheels. The west coast racing newspaper of record for 42 years. Started in July 1962, published in Vancouver, Washington. I was a long time subscriber and I've been hoping to get a whole collection scanned for preservation. I probably have about 75% of the issues.
Sold old hauler pics, (some links NSFW)
http://thethrottle.thechive.com/2012...day-20-photos/
I'd rather have 10% of the world interested in the ICS than 50% of US that NASCAR currently has
8 year olds driving 1/4 midgets show up in better looking rigs these days.
I always liked the drive up ramp trucks.
Faster than a bullet from a gun
He is faster than everyone
Quicker than the blinking of an eye
Like a flash you could miss him going by
No one knows quite how he does it but it's true they say
He's the master of going faster. -George Harrison
here's a clean one for you. Btw this is also a great time waster site
http://bringatrailer.com/2012/03/01/...lt-cab-hauler/
THAT is a real race car hauler. No one gives a big white enclosed trailer a second glance. any 10 year old boy who sees a modified on the back of that hauler is no doubt badgering his dad to follow it to see where its going
All the cars I worked on were hauled on open trailers. We had to develope a special maneuver for those times when people would get up along side the trailer then match speed with us as they looked at the cars. Sooner or later you needed to get in their lane to pass someone. We called it a "Trailer Wobbly". It was designed to wake the other driver up and get them to get out of your way. After all how many race car haulers have you every seen going slow?Nothing like leaving Talladega with someone who just finished a 200 mile race at 200 mph behind the wheel of the car hauler!!!
Keith Koether http://www.kkraceshots.com
Ex ARCA, ASA and local bullring crewdog. I remember when racing was really racing and the Talladega Express!!!
I had a single axle trailer that would do that without any help from me. No fun
Great stuff! I wouldn't mind owning any of those rigs today.......well except for #8......especially that first pic, that car is classic!
Katharine's Legge is in the gravel!--Jenks
__________________________________________________ ____________________
12-7-1941 Never, Never Forget 9-11-2001
That's never fun. I've spent a lot of time over the years setting up boat trailers and SeaDoo trailers to tow properly. Nothing worse than an improperly balanced trailer.
I wonder if most of the white car trailers aren't going down the road with firewood in them, or furniture.......
Dover Downs 1987. No cowcatcher on the front end and no glass on the passenger side window opening
Sterling Marlin
Harry Gant
Geoff Bodine
The last year of real racing at Daytona & Talladega. If only we had known!Dover Downs 1987. No cowcatcher on the front end and no glass on the passenger side window opening
Sterling Marlin
Harry Gant
Geoff Bodine
Yeah at least it kept cars from getting air and flying up into the....
...never mind
You know that whole car flying thing in NASCAR really started in 1980 or 81 I think when they downsized the cars from the big honkin' Olds and such. I really don't remember them flying as often or as far as they do these days. Back then it was more like momentum that carried them through the air. Now it seems more like they are flying like a plane than just being launched. I do remember that one thing they identified was the air coming off of the roof was missing the spoiler and that brought us the Aerocoupe. It just seems with each further advance in aerodynamics we get cars that fly higher and farther. Same goes for Indycars. Even with the big wings in the early 70's I don't remember as many cars going airborne like today.
Last edited by kkoether; 03-20-2012 at 04:40 PM.
NASCAR downsized in 1981.
The massive old cars were legal and the new small cars were optional for the previous race at Riverside,
but the small cars were mandatory at Daytona.
Im going from memory but I think the season opener was actually at Riverside in Janaury back then
Yeah they had no idea what was going on with the '81 cars on the Superspeedways
Kevin, is it possible the pictures are from 1986? The Piedmont Olds has the 1986 headlight buckets instead of the 1987 flush covers, and the 33 usually was all green in 1986, instead of white over green.
The fans should be the absolute last people considered on any decision that could effect a participant. Doc Austin
Lying was a no-brainer for me. Robin Miller
"I thought they booed [Danica] because she was being a complete jerk, but then they applauded for A.J. Foyt. Now I'm just confused."
Could be. Im just going by what I wrote on the back of the pictures. I was far less OCD back in the day. Now they are labled and put in an album a day or two after the event. But for quite a few years these pics were forgotten in a box.
Bodine won Daytona in 1986. Did they have the Aero Coupe glass that early?
Edit: just looked up the results and Labonte was in a #44 Olds in both 1986 races at Dover. I also Googled Geoff Bodine 1986 and in the images it does show the Aerocoupe. Interestingly enough if you search "Sterling Marlin 1986" into Google images pictures of him in a Bulls Eye BBQ Sauce Monte Carlo come up. It was the Hoss Ellington car Im pretty sure.
Yeah, other than the name over the door and the headlight covers, I don't know how to tell the difference between Terry in 1986 and Sterling in 1987.
I'm guessing that Nascar was willing to give Chevy the back glass for 86, before the minimum number of street cars were built, after Elliott blew past everyone in 85.
Last edited by atrackforumfan; 03-21-2012 at 01:08 AM.
Correct, Riverside had a race in January from 1963 through 1981, but was only the season opener from 1970 through 1981.
Brings back memories of all the poor weather there in January. Understandably, RIR jumped at the chance to take over Ontario's November date from '81 on.
Riverside was the season finale' for quite a few years in the mid 80 right up until they plowed it under I believe.
Imagine a R/C being the race to decide the champion in this era?
THAT would be freaking awesome!
Found this car for sale just south of Indy...
Label this one under the things that make you go, huh? Nice looking car, but The Wood Brothers never raced that year Mercury, and Pearson cetrtainly didn't drive for them in that time period.
I'll see YOU at the races!
I can't remember anyone racing that particular style of Merc in any major stock car series.
They did make pretty good demo derby cars.
Speaking of un-aerodynamic Mercs, here is a photo I shot of a "formal-window" '63 racing at an early PCLM race at Cotati, Calif. I can't make out the # for sure, but I think it might be Eddie Gray who raced one in the series and even won a race or two with it, if I'm remembering correctly.
Cotati was an old WWII airfield that had been converted into a drag strip and sports car racing track. A promoter got the idea to try full sized stock cars but, financially, he didn't make much. As far as I know, this was the first & last Nascar event ever held at this track. Note nothing between spectators and the race cars but a wood post fence!
Last edited by Beentherebefore; 04-18-2012 at 06:58 AM. Reason: spelling errors
Cotati, Calif -1964
Turn #1 action
Looks like the "formal-window" wasn't of much help in the turns, LOL.
The Plymouth was being driven by Dick Bown and got a podium finish according to the notes I scribbled on the back of the photo 48 years ago.
Last edited by Beentherebefore; 04-18-2012 at 07:09 AM. Reason: spacing
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