Best Pontiac Powered Stockers

[impstocker]

Originally Posted by oldskool

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

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.

?

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

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by impstocker

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

Do you remember what kind of times it turned ?

[oldskool]

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,

[oldskool]

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

[oldskool]

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.

[oldskool]

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.

[Alan Nyhus]

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:



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: