Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Back in 1975 or so I used to drive over to Lebanon Valley Dragway in upstate New York . They used to attract a few really top notch Stockers , including Gary Woods , W.A. Lee , and another guy I can't remember his name , but he had a 1971 GTO 455HO named the Brown Bear . He lived , I think , in Chickopee , Mass . That got me into getting in Stock , when I graduated College . Great memories , It would be cool if anyone remembers who ran the Brown Bear !

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Bob Beyer. Before that, he had a 61 Chevy 'vert. 348, stick. I/Stock..Sponsored by a Sunoco in West Springfield. He used to stop at Augie and Ray's in East Hartford on the way home from Ct Dragway..That's where I met him..over 50 years ago ;-)

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

"...top notch Stockers , including Gary Woods..."


I assume you are referring to Gary Wood, who had the famous Tons-a-Fun wagons ? Can you provide any more info about Gary, or the other Pontiac racers you mentioned ?

Use to love the Tons-a-Fun wagon. But, it wasn't 'til I got online a few years back, that I actually learned more about his racing. The only wagon I had known of had the GTO type front end. Learned that there were actually 2 wagons. The other one had a Lemans front end. They ran both the 455HO & the 455 D-port engines. Also learned about his 2nd gen Bird & his '72 GTO.

Gary & his then wife Charlene, got some big race & class wins , including the '75 Spring Nats, & a nat event in Canada, IIRC. Their story is in this article, below the Jack Mullins section.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0212hpp-pontiac-history/

I know these pics have probably already been posted, somewhere in this thread. But, I'm not gonna go back thru it to find 'em.

Just learned that Charlene was recently inducted into the NHRA div 1 Hall of Fame ! How cool ! :cool:

https://poststar.com/sports/motor-sp...6f163d76f.html

https://www.facebook.com/charlene.j.wood

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/articl...s-alive-in-75/

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

More Gary Wood.

1st pic is of Gary makin a little smoke with his '72 GTO. One is for his class win, with Tons. And one is for his event win at the Summers, with the 2nd gen Bird.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

" Bob Beyer..."

Found Running Bear & Boppin Bear Pontiacs. But no Brown Bear.

Not familiar with the name or the car. Is he any kin to Ed Beyer ? I just read on the Jalopy Journal that Ed set a nat record with a '56 Pontiac.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...0#post-5978822

Here's an interesting/strange post I just copied from the J.J. site.

"...I raced NHRA Stock class cars from 1963 to 1973. From 1950 Oldsmobiles to a F/S Amx.
But what did it in for me was this.
In 1973 NHRA started to use the "NET" horsepower ratings that the manufacturer was advertising.
I bought a new 1973 Pontiac Ventura 350 ( pontiac engine ) that was rated at 150 horsepower. It fit in Q/SA at the time. I had a set of dual exhaust installed with cut outs,a shift kit in the 350 Turbo hydramatic and 4.11 gears. I drove it to the first points meet and set the Q/SA mph record. Did the teardown, passed, put the head back on using the same head gasket and drove the car home and sold the car 2 weeks later. I have not been to a drag strip since..."

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...1&MAKE=Pontiac

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Bob Beyer is the name . I bought some parts from him to put my 1971 Lemans wagon together . Brown Bear was the name on the car . Thanks Mark for the info . Gary Wood had the Tons of Fun wagon and I just had to have one after I saw it run . When I moved out to Michigan in 1979 it was the first car I bought , still have it .

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Anyone running the OHC 6 cylinder?

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

In and around the gas station where I worked in the late 1970`s, people got rid of those things, and I mean got rid of them, as fast as they could. Pretty rare piece these days, I imagine.
MJ

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Nobody that I know of.

But, Knafel Pontiac ran 2. One was a ragtop.

According to the lettering on the cars, they may have set some sort of NASCAR record, in '66. Don't know how many years NASCAR did drag racing.

A search reveals that NASCAR stopped their drag racing program after the 1967 season. IIRC, Arnie Beswick won something at a NASCAR event, in Florida.

https://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/...nned-for-2016/

http://wediditforlove.com/1960Winters.html

And, how about an OHC six nat record holder gasser ?

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...67.vmKHaZhJZnk

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I think the Paul Dilcher Bird has been mentioned as one that ran pretty strong. Found this race where it was more than a sec under.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=34434

Snagged a few pics off his FB page.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

A fellow Pontiac guy just found & sent me this Super Bird pic. It and the other '67 Bird pictured below show some things from days gone by.

(1) The Super Bird looks like an independent racer, like I was. We came up with a name for our cars & put that name on the side. And looks like the guy just put whatever decals he could find, on the car. I did the same thing, when I 1st started. Had no idea where to buy the real contingency size decals. Just used whatever my local NAPA store could come up with, or whatever I could find. Also he didn't use any lightweight alum wheels. Just used some factory type steel wheels. Some guys would paint the wheels with some sort of silver or alum colored paint. I always thought that looked sorta cheesy. But, lots of low buck guys did it.

(2) Then there were car dealers that sponsored cars, therefore had the dealer name on the side, for advertisement. Many times, some dealer employee would actually prepare & race the car. As mentioned, lots of racers nowadays don't want any name or decals on the car, at all. They seem to want the car to look more like a street car than a race car.

Anyhow, these Birds are typical of the way cars looked, back when we started racing.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Is that "Butchie" Delorenzo in the Myrtle Motors car?

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Well, after quite a bit of searching, I think I've finally figured out why I was so confused about all those classes from the very early 60's, like S/S, OS/S, S/SA, A/FX, & B/FX. I was trying to lump all those classes into one class, called Super stock.

Not so. It seems that all those classes, plus A/S & A/SA, were part of what was called "Top Stock".

Then, all the Stock classes from B/S & below were included in what was called "Junior Stock".

I'd occasionally run across the term Junior Stock. But, in my mind I just assumed that class had rules like some sort of "Pure Stock" class.

Another reason I had a different idea about it was because when I 1st started racing my GTO, the class I ran was called "Top Stock", at our local track. But, their use of that name was NOT the same as NHRA Top Stock, from the early '60's.

At that time, there was no bracket racing at our track. The street driven cars would run what I think was called Street Stock. Actually, some of the cars that ran in Top Stock were also driven to the track. Top Stock ran for $75 plus a trophy. Street Stock just ran for a trophy, IIRC.

Anyhow, I never ran a track that had a Junior Stock class. Only read about Junior Stock, since I got online. And only discovered exactly what it was, yesterday. I'm sure that many of you older guys may remember Top Stock & Junior Stock well. I don't.

Now, as it got closer to the mid '60's, the FX classes went wild. They separated themselves from Top Stock cars, with all sorts of modifications, like blowers, shorter wheelbases, light body parts, etc. These cars began booking into match races, at tracks all over the country. This was the birth of the Funny Car. Arnie Beswick probably led the Pontiac powered match race tour guys. There were a few others, including Don Gay. But, those cars had nothing to do with Stock or SS, so that's all I'll say about that.

So, if I have it correct now, Everything from B/S down, ran Junior Stock. Everything above B/S, ran Top Stock, at least at the national level. I assume that some local tracks made their own rules, as mine did.

If this Top Stock/Junior Stock info is not correct, some of ya'll who know for sure, please explain it to us.

Then, somewhere around '66 or '67, Stock & SS, became 2 separate classes. The SS cars could run headers, bigger than stock cams, after market intakes, & bigger tires than the Stockers could run. Again, this is what I read online, about the history of Super Stock. May not be accurate, since we all know that not everything you read online is true.

Here is a link to the site where I got much of this info.

http://www.mre-books.com/ct953/superstock1966.html

Below is a pic, which I've probably posted here already. Not re-posting to brag, but just to show that the class I ran, in '73-'74, at my local track, was called Top Stock.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Anybody know of any Pontiac Stock nat event wins during the '80's & '90's up thru 1997 ?

After the Mike McKinney US Nats win in '77, the next Pontiac Stock win I know about was the Al Vanis win in 2003, which I mentioned.

Surely there must have been others, in that 20+ year period.

Any online source for nat event Stock & SS winners for that time period ? :confused:

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Bloomster told me it’s Harry Wesch who also worked at the dealership.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

In looking for results of national events, I happened across this short video of the 1965 Winter Nats. Thought some of you might be interested in it.

At aprox the 1:45 point of the video there is a good close-up of the Gay Pontiac '64 GTO. And, at aprox the 8:37 point, Arnie Beswick's A/MP '63 Tempest, drives past the camera.

The video is near the bottom of the page, at this link.

https://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/...kably-awesome/

And, speakin of Arnie's '63 Tempest, here's an AHRA video I happened across. I assume the round shown at aprox the 15:40 point, was the semifinal. And, at aprox the 16:18 point, I assume that was the final round, showing that Arnie won the Sportsman Eliminator class at that race.

https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/...nternationals/

Here's a pic of that Gay Pontiac '64 GTO, along with the other 2 cars they were racing, at the time, and their hauler.

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

While lookin for some more videos with some Pontiac Stockers on 'em, I ran across this one. For obvious reasons, I HAD to post a link to it ! :cool::)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE6ZA90HgKY

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Not posting these in any particular order, but just as I run across 'em.

In this one, Randi Lyn Shipp got RU.

https://www.nhra.com/videos/2018/201...inner-ben-line

This was a qualifying session at a div 7 race in AZ. There were 6 Pontiacs entered. Three 1st gen & three 2nd gen Birds.

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

5 are shown in this round, including the quickest Pontiac Stocker ever, the Scott Burton B/SA '70 RAIV Formula.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0g5yePsk6E

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's a video of the 1st round of elims, at the 2012 Winter Nats. Leo was #2 on the final Q-list. List also included Pontiacs driven by John Schloe, Scott & Brad Burton, Larry Maxwell, and Lindy Lindholm.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2012#indextop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqkJLbxlXSI

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

How about an all Pontiac nat event final ? Bryan Warter picked up his 1st Wally. Randi Lyn was RU. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXqea0Smhf0

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Wanna make a pass with Randi Lyn, inside her '67 Bird Stocker ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKK1cDV8vzc

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

How 'bout Randi Lyn's 5th nat event win ? :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fceYW5gZKVI

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

And, here's her 7th nat event win video ! :)

https://www.nhra.com/news/2019/chicago-stock

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

And I finally found a video of her 6th win, which was at last year's Gators. She did a big wheelie. Looks like that car really needs a wheelie bar on the rear.

https://www.nhra.com/news/2019/gainesville-stock

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's the All-Pontiac final from the 2019 Mile-High Nats ! :)

https://www.nhra.com/news/2019/denver-stock

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Round one of class elims, in Stock, at the 2016 US Nats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCHzzl-pd38&t=476s

Michael Brand won F/SA. Don Turk won N/SA.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2016#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's the 1st round of stock, at the 2011 Winter Nats. There's almost always several Pontiacs at many of the West coast events. There were at least 5 in this race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3LzOPaMhWM

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2011#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

There were 6 Pontiacs in 2012.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2012#indextop

Here's the 1st round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqkJLbxlXSI

Brad Burton won the race ! :)

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2012#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Looks like there were at least 9 Pontiac Stockers at the 2016 Sports Nats.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2016#indextop

Here's round one of class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3USr76XsmM

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

How 'bout Randi Lyn's very first nat event win? Scott Burton got 3rd.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2011#indextop

It was the 2011 AZ Nats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H503xAUIYVg

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's where Leo picked up his 7th nat event Wally, in Sonoma, 2018. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXMUGy7qlsE

Trying to find video of Leo's 6th win, which was an All-Pontiac final against Brad Burton. So far, I can't find it. :(

(https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2016#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Can't find out a whole lot about this race, since it's not a nat event or Lucas Oil Series race. But there were several Pontiacs entered, & some good close-up pics. I saw Bill Foder, Bob Michael, Julie Biermann, Don Turk, & Rob Holmes, for sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1khW6pTxLk

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Would love to find video of these 2 finals. It was a Stock/SS Pontiac sweep !

Brad Burton won Stock.

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

Leo won SS.

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

Just ran across Julie Biermann's name. Can't remember if I posted her div 3 race win, or not. Don't wanna leave anybody out. She won this race with a heads-up E/SA final ! :)

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2016#indextop

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I know that some don't particularly like the qualifying rounds. But I'm always very interested. I know that some hold back, sandbag, or whatever you wanna call it. Then a few seem to bomb their index by more than 1.2. Then there are some races where going real quick is not supposed to hurt you.

I don't know all the qualifying strategies & tricks. But, I always like to keep up with where the Pontiacs qualify. A quick look at this list showed at least 9 Pontiacs.

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

Here's the 3rd round of Stock qualifying, at the 2015 US Nats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KshecumoxyI

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I've probably mentioned the All-Pontiac, father/son, Stock final. Brad beat Scott for the win at the 2012 Spring Vegas race.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2012#indextop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckbnX7RVW70

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

I'll follow that up with this one, which is about that same race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEjUfq3lrWA

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Brad was Stock Champ in 2010, then again in 2012.

https://www.knfilters.com/blog/burto...-and-joins-kn/

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=219127

https://www.facebook.com/pg/burtondragracing/about/

https://www.knfilters.com/blog/brad-...onals-at-lvms/

https://www.knfiltros.com/blog/kn-s-...onals-victory/

https://classracer.com/classforum/sh...92&postcount=1

http://www.dragraceresults.com/fulls...riday_at_Vegas

This article mentions his All-Pontiac final win, in the Northwest Nats.

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-...orning-news-12

Here was his 8th nat event win.

https://dragracingedge.com/featured-...-two-aint-bad/

https://www.nhra.com/videos/2017/fal...er-brad-burton

He's been winning races now for quite a few years. This final round from a div 7 race last year shows one reason why. He cut a .015 light & ran a 10.810 on a 10.81 dial. Takes a pretty good package to beat that.

https://www.nhra.com/results/2019/lu...ock-eliminator

https://dragchamp.com/2019/nhra/winn...as-oil-series/

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Here's a little video I found, which features a restored alum front end 421SD drag car. The guy calls it a Super Stock car. But, as we've seen, these cars were actually running in the Top Stock class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWlrdr2b9f4&t=57s

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

And here's a video of one of the little 421SD factory built '63 Tempests, which was found & restored.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEvHWHoCRUk

Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers
 

Found some short promotional videos of Stock/SS racing from the '60's. This one shows how the cars went from the 409 Chevies & 421 Pontiacs to the Mopar Hemi & Ford 427 powered cars, and how the FX class went wild, with anything goes match racing. There are a few Pontiacs here, but they're such a small part of this video, that probably only real Pontiac guys would even notice them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3GnHSdyVvM&t=66s