Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

There were a few competitive Tri-Power GTOs.
Most had a dealership behind them and a lot at stake.
The HP was just flat too high, compared to W-30 Oldses , (bigger cam ,ram air hoses, battery in trunk, etc.)
Here's a few:

https://i.postimg.cc/ZqstLT1K/75-G-sized.png

https://i.postimg.cc/qBxfmxf5/stephen-pontiac-dino.jpgimagehosting
https://i.postimg.cc/SQr5LQC0/2lxxilg.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zGVfWXtp/mimi-dino.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/5NjJKKB2/scan0100.jpg

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I have that pic of the John Thropp car in my files. Love the tow bar.

Towed my GTO to the track, in '73, with a 472 powered Caddy. Plenty of torque. No sweat. Hey, I had to start somewhere. For '74, I moved all the way up to a homemade pipe trailer, which had mobile home axles & no brakes. But hey, I was winning races & having loads of fun ! :)

That reminds me of this 3rd pic, which appears to be a GP pulling a trailer with a Bird on it. Have seen a few pics of Pontiacs, especially wagons, pulling other Pontiacs around.

By the way, that GTO in the top pic is a '67. I've seen very few of those on the track. I suppose the GTO racers just didn't wanna give up their Tri-Power & 4-speed. I think the 400 engine, TH400 trans, & Q-jet would have been a lot more competitive. Dial your own, breakout racing, is just tuff with a stick.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

As mentioned, there were a lot of Pontiac dealers that fielded drag cars.

That Stephen Pontiac car reminded me of a couple of pics I have.

One is a chrome bumper '68 GTO Stocker. The other is what I think was a poor attempt at a Pro Stock car. Anybody know how quick it was & how much it lacked being competitive ?

When I 1st saw it, I thought the "Pro" was for the Pro bracket, at a local bracket race. But, I think I read that it was actually an attempt at the Pro Stock class. That was obviously in the very early days of Pro Stock. Never knew of a dealership sponsoring a bracket car.

"...Following a 1973 NHRA rule change to allow records to be set at any national meet, at the 1973 NHRA Winternationals, "Dyno Don" Nicholson set the first official Pro Stock e.t. record with a 9.33, while Bill Jenkins turned in a record 148.76 mph (239.41 km/h) speed; later at the same event, Nicholson made a 9.01 second/150.50 mph (242.21 km/h) pass, breaking both his and Jenkins' records..."

Anybody know how the Stephen Stockers did ?

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I remember that Stephen Pontiac Firebird Pro Stock car running at Dover Dragstrip early 70's

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Do you remember what kind of times it turned ?

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's a couple pics of the Don Breen '71 Firebird 455 H.O. that later went to John Spry and ultimately to the Axemaker family. It was originally run in SS/JA but since we've talked about it here....

Indy, U.S. Nationals:

https://i.imgur.com/UQVKmJt.jpg

Lunati add after Don won the NHRA Points Race at Minnesota's Donnybrook Raceway (now known as Brainerd). Don beat Herman Chapman in the final, who's car is also in the add:

https://i.imgur.com/cH2GvaGh.jpg

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Yes, the 67 car was added to that team, along with the more well known 66 4 speed car.
I couldn't find a pic last night, even though it did appear on the cover of SS/DI ,in the class final at Indy...Still looking

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

The next '68 Bird I'll mention belongs to Todd Hoven. He's explained to me the circumstances under which he came by the car. If he wants to add to or correct anything I say about the car, he is invited to do so.

If I'm correct, the car is the one that Roy & Mike McKinney traded to Truman Fields, in the deal in which they got the '68 that Truman had won the '73 US Nats with. Truman then took the McKinney car and began racing it. He got the C/S class win with it at the '77 US Nats.

Then he raced it for many years, with several different paint jobs. Long story short, Todd got the car & raced it for a while, with a Truman Fields Hard Times resto look. Then that look was changed back to a plain green, without all the lettering.

Todd ran it as a stick car for a while, then switched to auto. He drove it himself, for a while. Then, as many here know, he started driving a Mopar, & his brother Duane started driving the bird. Again Todd, if any of this is wrong, please correct it.

I'll look up some numbers & race results for it, since Todd has had it.

He made the field for the 2015 US Nats with a .958 under, 10.592.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2015#indextop

He won this div 1 race in 2016.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...er=30#indextop

He got the D/SA win at this div 1 Nat Open race, with 10.543. Aslo cut a .008 light. Ran a 10.533 the previous round.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...UMMIT#indextop

I'm sure Todd can tell us about any other wins the car has had,

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Another nice 10 sec '68 Bird belongs to Ronald prince.

At this div 5 race, he qualified with a .667 under, 10.883, and was RU.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=316804

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2018#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

There are LOTS of pics of other '68's thru the years.

Here are 4 oldies.

Will probably find others to post later on.

Check out that old ramp truck in pic #2. Back in the '70's & '80's there were lots of those at the tracks we ran. But most were not as old or big as that one.

My 1st was a new '74 Ford 1-ton with a 390 & 4-speed. It was baby blue & cost around $3500. Got it a little cheaper, because the '75's had already come out. This one was probably still on the lot because of the color. A friend gave me some ramps off an old trailer, and we welded 'em on the truck & called it a ramp truck. Made it too steep. So, I had to add an electric winch to load the car. And this pic shows the home built trailer I'd bought, for $500. This pic was taken in early '75, before the door lettering & decals were added to the Bird. But, TJ had already won several races by that time. The 1st two wins came while it was still in red primer. Hey, we ran local tracks. They didn't care what color they were.

And while I'm showin my old junk, that '68 ragtop reminded me of ours So, here's a pic of it, along with my first 1-ton crew-cab, a '76 model. It's the truck that carried us to 49 races in '78. Cost about $4000. They're at least 10 times that price nowadays, probably more. I haven't bought one lately.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's some pics from the late 60's early 70's of local Canadian racer John Dubois.He held the H/S record with the '71 'bird.The car had a Milt Schornack engine and a Bieber Changer (shifter) on the muncie trans...gsa612

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

There have been quite a few '69 Bird Stockers, thru the years. Many were bought because of the RAIV round port engine. I suppose that many Pontiac dealers fielded a '69 RAIV Bird. Have probably already posted some pics of some of those. One that has already been mentioned belonged to Phil Monteith. He began running Stock with it, then changed to SS. He has continued to keep the Hatari name on his cars.

Today, the only active '69 Bird that I know of belongs to John Schloe. It has been said that he switched from the RAIV to the D-port engine. Therefore, as of this moment, I know of no Pontiac Stocker still in competition, using the RAIV heads, since Scott Burton's car is now overseas. If anyone knows of one, please post that info.

One reason I can think of for using a '68 Bird, rather than a '69 is the shape of the top of the rear fender wells. It's the same deal with '69 Camaros. Has to make it a real problem getting some big 9" slicks tucked in there. But, I'm sure many of you guys know just how it's done.

Not sure of all the race results John has compiled, with his '69. But I'll do some research on it. If some of ya'll know of races he won or records set, please post that info, with pics or links, to verify.

OK, he won a big race in 2010. Qualified with a .705 under, 10.845

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

And, Leo was #1 qualifier at that race, with his '68 Bird.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

This season he qualified #3, with an .881 under, 10.519, at a div 7 race.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop

He was #5 on this list, with a .907 under, 10.493.

https://www.facebook.com/nhrad7/phot...type=3&theater

He was #8 on this Q-list. He was the top Pontiac qualifier at many of the races he entered. Must know something about Pontiacs.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2018#indextop

His son Ryan races a 2nd gen.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Race on Sunday,Sunday,Sunday!.Sell on Monday...gsa612 ** That's Milt S.with John D's dad (owner of Towne Pontiac) in that image,but it will not enlarge**.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Yeah a LOT of Pontiac dealer support for drag racing, back in those days.

I suppose most '69's ran In either B or C class back in the old days, with round port heads, and D or E with D-port heads.

At some point the rules were changed to allow weight adjustments, so that most cars can run 3 different classes. What was the exact year the rules were changed to allow this ?

I remember seeing Towne Pontiac on a car. But, don't remember now what car it was on. Here's a slightly bigger version of the Towne C/S '68.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

OK, got some Nat record certificates to post. Let's see if it works.

Nope. They're in pdf form. But TJ is workin on 'em on her Mac desktop. So, when she gets 'em back to me in a form I can post, I'll post 'em.

By the way, all you guys who have set a record with a Pontiac powered car, please post your certificates, or send 'em to me so I can post 'em.

And it don't matter how slow the record was. It was quicker than any same class car had ever set that record, before that time.

Now, ya'll will have to help me here. I don't understand this nat record deal, where an existing record is "retired". I use to think all records stood, 'til somebody else beat those records. What is the thinking on retiring a record ?

OK, the Mulry/Aceves '74 Bird set the J/SA, K/SA, & L/SA records. The first 2 were set with the car as a Formula. But, to run L/SA, they had to add the hood, shaker, & all the T/A body pieces. So, in the pics below you can see it as a T/A, and, in the last pic, as a Formy, in an all Pontiac class final !

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Well, we're up to '70 model Birds. Scott Burton's '70 RAIV Formula Is the only '70 Stocker I can think of. It's been sold & shipped overseas now.

But, while Scott was racing it, it made some noise. It is known as the quickest Pontiac Stocker ever. It ran B/SA, and actually dipped into the 9's, in legal form, at a bracket race. Here's the round, posted on DRC.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2017#indextop

He dialed a 10-flat, & here's what he turned.

72 Scott Burton
0.028 9.989 129.77

I assume that everybody here knows about this car. But, for any who don't, here's a link to a fairly detailed magazine article about it.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hppp...tiac-firebird/

As far as I know, it was the only RAIV Stocker engine still in competition.

It would take a long time to post all of Scott's Pontiac racing accomplishments. But, I'll do some searching & try to hit some of the highlights, of what he did with just this car.

OK, the 1st time the car pops up on my radar is as #8 qualifier, at the 2010 Mile-High Nats, @ .982 under.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

Also won the B/SA class.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

Just as a side note, Brad Burton qualified higher, also won his class, AND won the race. But we'll talk more about Brad later.



At Indy, Scott went .869 under, which was good enuff for #58, in the 128 car field. Brad was higher & got RU.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

At Vegas, Michael Brand drove it, & ran 1.047 under, for the #8 position.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

Scott drove it at Pomona & ran 1.014 under, for the #10 position. Ya'll take a look at this Q-list. There were 3 Pontiacs above Scott. That means that 4 of the top 10 were Pontiacs. How cool is that ? :cool: Also Pontiacs in #15 & #20 positions.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

Well, it looks like the RAIV Bird was off to a great start !

At Indy 2014, he ran a .977 under 10.273.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2014#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

A few more B/SA pics.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I think YoKen is going to start charging you rent! :D

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

10-4 ! :)

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

According to this information, the Stephen Pontiac Pro Stockers best was a 10.35


STEPHEN PONTIAC CADILLAC INC, Bristol, CT (Pontiaction 68 GTO RA II/ 69 Firebird RA IV/ 70 Firebird RA V drag racers sponsor)
Stephen Pontiac Cadillac Inc. was located at 1097 Farmington Ave in Bristol, Connecticut during the 1960s and 1970s.
The dealership sponsored cars named Pontiaction. The service technician at Stephen Pontiac Bill Eckstrom had already been an avid drag racer prior to the dealership involvement in 1968. Bill became their driver and did very well campaigning the Stephen Pontiac cars. The 3 dealer sponsored cars were named Pontiaction I, II and III and competed in NHRA and even Indy.
The first Pontiaction racer was a 1968 Pontiac GTO RA II 4 with a speed steel bumper (Endura delete) that ran in D stock.
Pontiaction II was a yellow 1969 Firebird Ram Air IV 4 speed that ran in C stock at 11.93 E.T. at 118 MPH in the quarter mile.
Pontiaction III was a pro stock 1970-73 Firebird RA V that was rebodied according to the year it raced. This car was raced at Indy as well as posting 10.35 second E.T.s in the quarter mile.
The Pontiaction II Yellow 1969 Firebird was raced for the 1969 season as a Stephen Pontiac team car. Bill Eckstrom believed the car was converted for street-legal use and sold after that. In researching the car Jeff Palazzo found no evidence of the car ever being registered during that time period. It is suggested that Pontiaction II was raced in 1970 now named Yellow Bird by the new owner.
Jeff Palazzo of Simsbury bought Pontiaction II in 1989 showing only 15,000 miles on the odometer. Palazzo raced Pontiaction II for 12 years. He quit racing it because of it's rarity and difficulty finding parts.
Pontiaction III was retired after 1973. Pontiaction III lives on as the RA V engine from that car is being used in a 1969 Trans Am racer. Howard Block bought the body and is restoring the car.
Stephen Pontiac later became Stephen's World 'O' Wheels and then Stephens Automall and Stephens Toyota.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Thanks for that info !

"...a yellow 1969 Firebird Ram Air IV 4 speed that ran in C stock at 11.93 E.T. ..."

That brings up a question. The caption under the pic of Truman Fields winning the '73 US Nats says that he set the C/S record at 12.06.

So, what year did that '69 Bird run 11.93 ?


Another question: Truman got the C/S class win at the '77 US Nats. How quick did he have to run to get that win ?

Is there ANY source to find all/any of those old nat records & class win records ?

Or were they just on paper & never transferred to any form where they'd be accessible online ?

Would especially love to find records of all the US Nats, prior to 1998, since 1998 & up records are online at DRC.

Does anybody here have records of class winners from ANY of those older US Nats ?

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

That was the late Butch Di Lorenzo driving the grey ghost that weekend.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I have a pic of a Bird with Biondo on the door. I now have a recent pic of a similar lookin car I have labeled as Dylan Biondo. It has Biondo & DiLorenzo on the window.

Anybody have more info on this car ?

Also have a pic of a Bird with DiLorenzo Racing on the side. Anybody have more info on this car.

When I say "info", I don't mean JUST who built it, & who all has owned it. I mean performance & race results, also.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Another question: Truman got the C/S class win at the '77 US Nats. How quick did he have to run to get that win ?
I think he ran 11.50’s maybe 60’s

He set the record in B that year at an 11.31

Is there ANY source to find all/any of those old nat records & class win records ?

Old National Dragsters is you best bet.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Thanks for all that info Todd !

Yeah, I wish I had access to the old ND papers. I had a few years worth, back in the '70's. But, having no foresight, I threw 'em all away. Most young folks don't realize what may be important to 'em later in life.

So 11.31 was the B/S record in '77. A B/S record of 10.05, was set in 2017. So that means that the quick B-Stockers can now run 9's. I assume those would be some of the higher hp BBC cars, & maybe some late models. Looks like this record was held by a 2000 model Bird.

https://www.nhra.com/stats/14-mile-r...ock-eliminator

No B/S Pontiacs running now. I suppose one of the RAIV cars would be the only Pontiac that could make B/S. C is the highest class I've seen one of the RAII Birds in, in recent years.

I thought that 11.31 sounded familiar. That same year, H-O set the SS/KA record at 11.31.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Just a little clarification, because you know how the Stock Police can be..

That wasn't most of the pieces to make it a Trans Am, that was ALL of the pieces to make it a Trans Am...

Thanx,
Bob

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I'd seen this video. But I suppose it just didn't register on me, at the time.

John Clegg bought his '73 SD455 Bird, brand new. He then took it to the '73 US Nats & won D/S with it. So, that means that at the same race where Truman fields won Stock & set a new nat record, John Clegg was the D/S champ. Those are 2 of the big names in Pontiac drag racing history.

http://missiongarage.com/photos.htm

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

OK, I stand corrected.

I know how picky some tech guys can be. Wesley told me I'd have to get the correct factory fan & cover up the radio hole before he'd even look at anything else. That was my introduction to NHRA tech. :(

I said it that way because I could not see a T/A fender vent. Maybe it's there & I just couldn't tell, in that pic. I just looked at it closer, and I can just barely make out small parts of it.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

You have missed a few d 3 die hard Pontiac racers. Former d 3 champ Jack Treola ....as in the Treola - Hoy firebird. After he retired from racing jack sold the car to another Pontiac die hard Larry Sloan. You would have to go back many years to see Larry on a Q sheet but he was Pontiac through and through. In his younger years he was groomed at the track by Roy Dean Sr. Not sure if Larry still has the Treola-Hoy firebird....

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Thanks for that info. I've never heard of any of those names. But, I'd like to get all the names of all the good Pontiac racers, thru the years, AND info/pics of their cars, in these Pontiac threads. Pontiac drag racing history is a big part of my history.

But, I knew VERY few Pontiac racers, in my area. There were LOTS of races we went to where we had the only Pontiac engines that came in the gate. I caught a lot of flack from the area Chevy guys, at first, telling me how I should get rid of all that Pontiac "junk" & get me a Chevy motor. But, they were wasting their breath. I'd been in love with Pontiacs since I'd seen the first ads for the '64 GTO, followed by the '65, '66, & 67 GTO ads.

Was '69 before I was able to borrow the money to buy one. Drove it on the street for 60k miles, then put it on the track. Some of the most enjoyable times of my life were spent in & with that GTO & all my Pontiacs that have followed. Nowadays, I love to talk about the Pontiac drag cars of the past & present.

For this Stocker thread, the story begins with the Pontiac V8 drag cars of the late '50's, and ends with the 1981 301T Bird Stockers. So, we're talkin about cars from a period of only about 25 years. I refer to the 60's & '70's as Pontiac's "Glory Days". Some end it when the last SD455 Bird rolled off the line. But, for Stocker drag racing, the later Pontiac V8 cars have & still do play a big part in Pontiac Stock class racing. So, I wanna talk about all the competitive Pontiac powered models.

PS: Can't talk about 'em much more this year. But I plan to ring in the new year doin just that !

Happy New Year, ya'll ! :)

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

OK, in going up thru thru the Firebird years, we got to 1970. I personally can't think of another competitive '70 Bird Stocker. BUT, since they were available with the RAIV engine, I figure some dealers raced 'em. So, if ya'll know of any other '70 model Bird Stockers, please post that info.

I figure that when the '71 455HO Birds came along, some dealers & others fielded one. I can't see much difference in the '71-'72 Birds. So. I'll lump them together. In recent years, I suppose Brad Burton has had the most competitive 455HO powered Bird Stocker, ever. He's won lots of big races & I think maybe a championship or 2. Several of you guys probably know the car & the Burtons well, & have raced against 'em. So, some of you can add things to this thread, about them & their cars.

All I know is what I've read online. But, there is a lot of online info about the Burtons & their cars. So, I'll dig into some of it, and ya'll can add some stuff I can't find.

Usually, one of the 1st places I like to check is the US Nats records. Most of the really quick Pontiac Stockers show up at Indy. So, lets see when Brad shows up there. Decided to start with 2004. Wow, is it rich with Pontiac Stocker history.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop

I think I count at least 10 Pontiac powered cars on the Stock Q-list. Some of the names I'm familiar with are #4 Bob Mulry, #10 Bryan Phillips, #13, Don Holmes, #36 Bill Rink, #54 Mike Morgan, #59 Scott Burton, #91 Todd Hoven, #93 Sal Biondo. That group includes some big names in Pontiac drag racing history.

#40 is Mike McGinley, with a '74 GA. I assume this is one that we've discussed that has been passed around. Maybe some of you guys can give us it's complete racing history.

#98 is Kyle Riley, with a '77 Lemans. Same for this car.

A couple of the cars I'm not sure about. So, maybe ya'll can help. #34 is Dave Edwards with a '78 Tra. So, is that a '78 T/A ? And, '78's could run a 403 Olds. So, have you guys known of any competitive 403 powered '78 Birds ? Or did they all have a 400 Pontiac ?

#31 is Dave Batta, with a '78 Firebird, It could also have a 350 sbc engine. Do ya'll know this car ?

And all these cars were more than a sec under. By the way, Bob Mulry & Bryan Phillips picked up their class wins.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop

Anyhow, the car I wanna look at now is the car Scott Burton was driving. It's listed as a '71. Since he was running D/SA, I assume it had the 455HO engine. So, is this the same car that Brad has been running as a '72 455HO ?

I'll do some research on that '71 Bird & see what I can find. Guessing that Scott made some noise with it, before Brad did. It may be next year before I can post any of what I find. :D

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Missed one: 1302 AF/S Mike Carr, Enon Valley PA, '85 Sunbird

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

So, what does it have, an Iron Duke 4 cyl ?

For my part, I'll keep my discussion mostly about Pontiac V8 powered cars, '81 & older.

But, I have mentioned that some raced the OHC inline Six. And, there was the 4-cyl that was sorta half of a 389. But, for this thread, that's about all I'll say about it.

No offense is meant to anyone, by this or anything else I'll say here.

By he way, Happy New Year, ya'll ! :)

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

OK, I've begun my research on the '71 Bird that Scott Burton was driving at the 2004 US Nats.

The first thing I found was that at that race, Scott made it to the quarterfinal round, and Sal Biondo made it to the semifinal round. I mention this because going rounds at Indy seems to mean a little more than at a small race, Same with winning your class, especially if there are several cars in your class.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop

Next, in '03, Scott had run the Bird as a '72 model.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

He also won his class, along with Mike McGinley & Don Himes.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

And, Sal Biondo had also made it to semifinal that year. Hey, 2 semifinals in a row at the Big GO, ain't bad. It beat what most have done there.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

In '02, Scott also ran the Bird as a '72. I noticed something on this Q-list. Tim Gillespie's '68 GTO was bumped from the field, by much slower class winners. That don't seem right.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2002#indextop

Scott also won class that year.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2002#indextop

Scott was not on the '01 or earlier lists. But, while I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd go ahead & check out those years, anyhow. I did find the '00 list interesting. Don Holmes was #2 @ 1.265 under. 5 of the top 15 were Pontiac. 2 of those were '74 GTO's. #15 was Danny Ashley. And Tim Gillespie's '68 GTO did make the field. There were a couple of Pontiac names I don't know.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop

Don Holmes, Dave Edwards, & Danny Ashley won class.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop

In '99, Don Holmes was #4 @ 1.264 under. Bill Rink was # 7 @ 1.154 under. Dave Ribeiro was on the list. Peter Biondo was driving Sal's Bird.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1999#indextop

In '98, Bob Michael was #12 on the list with a '78 T/A. There was a '71 Bird driven by Alton Minchey. Anybody know this guy/car ? I was glad to see that Todd Kuhn's '70 GTO made the field. Love those old GTO's.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop

Bob Michael got the only Pontiac class win.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop

I also noticed that Lee Banister was there a couple of years, but didn't go quick enuff to make the field. :(

That's as far back as the DRC records go, as far as I know. But, the Burtons do most of their racing in the West, even all the way to the coast, sometimes. So, I'll began combing thru the DRC files & see what else I can learn about this 71/72 Bird. I assume it's the one Brad drives now. But I don't know that.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

No. it has a Pontiac built 1.6 SOHC 4 cylinder.
Your thread..You can exclude whoever you want, but it doesn't say V8 in the heading ;-)

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Its the same car Butch & Richard Di Lorenzo raced that car and when Butch passed away Peter & Sal Biondo took over racing that car with Dylan driving it now.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Hard to believe in all of these posts no mention of one of the most diehard Pontiac guys of all time, Phil Szupka. A true Pontiac historian and expert who had a string of real fast Pontiacs !

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

At the 2000 Mile-High Nats, Scott was #9 @ 1.052 under. He claimed a '73 Bird at this race. Ran G/SA. I assume that means he was running a D-port 455. I think the SD455 would run a higher class & the 400 would run lower. Bill Rink had the only other Pontiac on the list.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop

At the '01 Mile-High race, he was also listed with the '73. Also, Larry Maxwell is on the list with a '72 Bird. Anybody have the info on this car, such as previous owner, next owner, etc ? He ran E/SA. So he had the 455HO engine. Wonder if this might be the car Brad later had, and maybe Scott converted the car he'd been running over to a '70 RAIV ? That body style could work for a '70, '71, '72, or '73, with only minor changes.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2001#indextop

I know that in recent years Scott & Brad have been running some of the West coast races. So, I checked out the '01 Winter Nats. Scott was not on the list. But, Bill Rink was on top of the list @ 1.300 under. Larry Maxwell was on the lsit with his E/SA '72 Bird. Near the bottom was Michael Moyer, with a '78 Bird. Bryan Phillips & John Schloe were also on the list.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2001#indextop

While out in that area, decided to check out the Phoenix race. Bill Rink was on top of this one too, and even further under, @ 1.384. Neil Smedley was 1.129 under, with his 301T '81 Bird.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2001#indextop

Scott did not make the '02 Winter Nats. Only Pontiac on the list is Bob Mulry @ 1.049 under.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2002#indextop

Scott did make the Phoenix race. This time he is listed with a '72. Ran 1.008 under. Neil Smedley was there, and a guy named Richard Desmond is on the list, with a '74 GTO.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2002#indextop

Scott & Bob Mulry were at Denver. Bob went 1.130 under, with his K/SA '74 Formy, & Scott went 1.084 under with his '72 Bird. I assume it was a Formy also, since the only Stocker Birds I've known the Burtons to race are Formy models.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2002#indextop

Scott also won class at this race.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2002#indextop

In '03, Scott made the Phoenix race. Both he & John Schloe were 1.041 under.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

He made the 1st Vegas race that year. Slowed a little, to .941 under. Ahead of him, in Pontiacs, were Bob Mulry @ 1.115 under, Bryan Phillips @ 1.084 under, & John Schloe @ 1.065 under. Larry Maxwell was also on the list @ .714 under.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

At Denver, he was 1.151 under. Lee Bannister was on the list. He ran .741 under, with his H/SA '73 Formy.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

Scott was running F/SA at this race & won the class.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

Looks like they didn't run Stock at either Denver or the early Vegas Race, in '04. Don't know what the deal was there. Anyhow, Scott did make it to Fall Vegas race. Apparently, they had some real good air. Bob Mulry was #1 @ 1.544 under, Scott was #3 @ 1.312 under. He was listed with a '71 Bird, and moved up to D/SA. I assume that means that he had swapped in a 455HO engine. John Schloe was #7 @ 1.266 under. Don Elgin even went 1.060 under. Larry Maxwell is also on the list. And Shawn Kvaas, from Canada, is listed with a '77 Bird.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop

So, if I understand what I've seen, Scott's Bird would run close to a sec under, with both a D-port & a round port 455. And, Brad had not started driving it, as of 2004.

Well, that's enuff for now. BREAK ! :)

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Sorry, but I've never heard of him. But sounds like a good guy to include. So, any of you guys who have info on his cars, please post it.

You guys have to understand, I live in the deep South, where there has been no class racing, with only a very few exceptions, for a LONG time. I have never lived near any of the big tracks, and areas where there is lots of class racing. So, there may be LOTS of Pontiac racers who I have never heard of.

So, I'd like for you guys to help us get all the good Pontiac racers' info posted here, for all to see.

PS: I have since talked to Phil, by phone. Seems like a nice guy & obviously knows a lot of drag racing history.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

OK. That's fine with me. But I don't know anything about that engine, nor which cars it came in. Somebody else will have to post info about those cars.

Looks like I'll be busy finding & posting info about Pontiac V8 powered cars & their drivers. I'm no expert, as all can tell. But, I know enuff to be able to look up stuff and ask for the info I need.

When ya'll think of good Pontiac racers from the past, try to help locate info about 'em, or provide contact info for people who might have 1st hand info about 'em.

It's great when you can hear from the guys who were on the scene & witnessed this stuff. Similar to talkin to a soldier who was actually in the battle.

Thanks to all who have & will help gather all this info ! :)