Lower Class Stockers
 

When was the last time that a Stocker running 13.00 or slower won a national event? Has a front wheel drive stocker ever won a national or divisional event? Should the lower class cars be in a seperate eliminator (like there would ever be a seperate eliminator)? I've always liked the uniqueness of all the slower cars/trucks. Jeff Ross

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

I thought Yac's win was with a Citation... '88 Summernationals?

I made three semis with my EF/SA Turismo (Dutch Classic, Nat'l Open @ US13, and Cecil County FMDRS) and finished #11 in NHRA Div. 1, missing one race. Close, no cigar, but I was still learning the car at the time, too.

The stats are skewed against them just because there are so few of them, and the 'hitters' choose to run faster cars. Put one of them in a slow car, and you've still got a winner.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Larry Hill's son won a National Event in a six cyl. pickup truck...NHRA M/N/O/P Stock...in IHRA it would be GT/PU2PEA1 to the seventh power.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Ahh, the stuff dreams are made from........

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

I believe Mark is the only one to have won a Nat'l. I, like Mike, got close a few times at some IHRA and NHRA Div/Open races, but never quite got there. Did get back to back IHRA eighth place Divisional finishes in a 17-18 second Sunbird in '03 and '04. Maybe one day one of us can join Mr Yacavone.

B.D.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

I've run a few rounds against stockers in the slower classes. One of the most fearsome was Lane Weber in his V/SA Buick. Others that come to mind were a fourth round race at Indy against Steve Tarrance and a second round race against Tom Kasch at the same event in 1994. I wouldn't be seeking out any of those guys for a rematch. A slower class car in the hands of someone who has a good handle on dialing and knows how to drive the stripe can give you ulcers.

c

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Mark Yacavone won the '86 Summernationals in Englishtown with a 1981 Ford Escort FWD stocker (that was borrowed!). He is the only person ever to win a NHRA National Event in a FWD car.

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Neil Smedley won the Las Vegas sping race in Q/SA or P/SA a few years ago. I had a good time watching him take out some real hitters along the way.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

nothing like spotting one of those cars 8 seconds on the tree at a combo race ... 8 seconds seems like 8 minutes.

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Perhaps.... just perhaps... the gross injustice of the "first’ rather than "worst" red-light thing could be a factor as to why this question is even being asked.

IHRA/NHRA, if you’re listening, correct this now. Don't take a poll, don’t ask for input: Just institute the change without even telling anyone. It's time to end this lunacy.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Kevin Fogerty Sr. won the 2002 Keystone Nationals running his 65 Impala in P/SA.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Have you ever heard of Larry Hodge, Jody Lang have Won Nationals...Jody, was National Champ in Stock a couple of times...I think he runs high 12's in bracket mode.. But, Mark is the only one in front-wheel drive..... I am sure there are others with slow cars that have Won...Don't forget fast Eddy in the AMC, I know he's won Div. races in both NHRA & IHRA...

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Sal Biondo won quite a few races with his J/SA 77 Firebird, which he still owns, but, doesn't compete with much anymore. He ran low 12's, for the most part, and not too many drivers would want him, in that car, in the other lane. Bob Mullany won Div. 1 with a 66 Belair wagon R/SA entry. Jim Harrington drives a low 12 sec. K/SA Camaro, and he wins plenty!

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Bill O' conner thing that's how you spell it won Div 7 points race in the 90's in omni.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

I may be considered a LOW Class Stocker, no matter what I drove. LOL!!!

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Now you're talkin' rocket ship there!!!!!......compared to my ride, that is.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Randall Campbell has won many, many IHRA nationals in his Y/SA Chevy II Wagon. I'm sure he holds the title to the most national event wins at Bristol. He used to say he drove faster in his tow car to the races than he did at the track!

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

It was Larry and not Chris that won a NHRA National event in the truck. He won Atlanta and was the 1st pick-up truck to win a National event and still the only truck to win a National NHRA event.

Patsy

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Billy Nees won The Keystones back in the 80's V/SA Chevy 230. Greg Schmutz I believe won the Delmar Divisional race a few years ago V/SA Chevy 200. I runnered up at the Virginia Divisional race in the 80's V/SA Buick 231. Can't think of a lower class group.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Guilty by association......with Billy, at least

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Didn't Mike Smith win the Keystone Nationals in the eighties with his U/SA '65 Plymouth Belvedere wagon?

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

My dad has won pleanty with his t/sa he has had since 83 he has even finised in the top 10 quite a bit

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Thanks Dave for enhancing my record but I've only got 1 Div. win.Atco in 2006 and 2 r/u at MIR in2007 (IHRA).I'll try to equal your expectations though.Getting a win with a slow car is daunting to say the least.
I usuaaly am decent at the tree (worst light last year was a .077).My anxiety is at the stripe (covering dial and or taking too much).


Ed

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

It wasn't a Stocker but Bob Mullaney beat up on the footbrake class regularly in N.J. a number of years ago with his $1 Nova. I don't recall the et's it ran but it was very slow. Bob can drive and win with slow or fast cars......I used to watch him turn win lights on with that $1 Nova over and over again......He has won many times in lots of cars.....fast or slow....they don't call him "Bucks" for nothin......

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

I believe Tommy Mattingly III won the div. 3 title in a 65 Chevelle wagon O or P/sa a year or two ago.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Mike Smith won the 1981 Summer Nationals at Englishtown At 14:91
also 1984 Southern Nationals at Atlanta at 14:99
Finished # 5 in NHRA World Champoniship Points
U/SA 1965 Ply Wagon 273
This is the same car that Clayton Wright has Now.
I think Mike Smith was the most sucesfull of the low class racer in that time period.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Yacavone is, indeed, the only FWD NHRA National Event winner. I believe the first IHRA FWD winner was Ed O'Riley at Darlington '77; he's still the only human ever to win a National Event in a rental car.

My National Open wins don't count for much and I've never entered a National Event.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Randall Campell has many wins in low class stockers as Bill said I think it was 1991 he won IHRA world championship with Y/SA chevy II, 87&88 Mt. Park track championships,Doorslammer Nationals @ ohio valley late 80's again in o-n/sa Malibu wagon maybe 2-3 years ago, also got to eight@US nat's.few years
ago in Bear's aka Jonathon Tarrence's V/SA monte carlo. Also mention low class stockers should mention ,the late, JT Allen.
Mike Taylor 3601

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Zac Ross dominated to win the IHRA Div. 3 Championship in a 273 Coronet Wagon... and I think he was just 16 at the time!

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Jeff Ross that started this thread isn't he Zac's Dad?And yes he was 16.
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Certainly most of you remember that Tom Redier won Stock at Indy '76 with his X/S Pinto wagon. However, arguably the most brutal of all the "little cars", (at least from the perspective of being more than capable of winning a National Event for more than a two-year stretch), was George Williams' Z/S Vega panel wagon.

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I have a 79 dodge omni gf/sa ihra ef/s nhra,won class at nhra 5 times and was runner up at a ihra points race at douglas georgia in 2002,runner up is as close as i have got to winning a points race but i cant even remember how many bracket races or money i have won with that little slow omni at local tracks. I have a super stock 68 camaro that my son frank drives and a ihra crate motor 91 firebird and i have as much fun racing the omni as the camaro or firebird


allen lambert

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Zac won Div.3 IHRA back in 2002 ...he set the V/SA record that year & I set the U/SA record. I RU to Ken Shawver @ Tri-State Div. race on Sat. night combo. I made it to 16 cars @ Indy Div. in 2005 & 7 cars @ Edgewater that year. 2006 Mooresville Div. I made it to 3 cars & Dad made it to 4 cars in 2007 Div @ Kanahawa Valley with his 69 4-door W/SA Nova. In 2006 Dad made it to 5 cars @ Mooresville & Clay-City 10 cars @ Milan with his H/PS Mustang. ( the car would run .20 under & he could drive it to & from the track) He also finished 8th in Div.3 that year.

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In 1985 Larry harrell WON Stock at the NHRA National in Chandler,Ariz in an '80 Dodge at
13.316 @ 98.25 MPH....

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Getting back to the original question, we have , in this century , Neil Smedley in April '01, running 13 teens.
Kevin Fogerty, Sept 02, running 13.0's til the final ,where he runs 12.98 . We'll give you that one ,Kev.

Who else?

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Wow,thank you Chuck Norton for the kind words. The first two names that popped into my mind were Mark and Billy for winning a Nat`l Event with a lower classed car. I myself have come close a few times,Runner Up in Denver in `01 and semis in Denver and Dallas other times. I have won one Division race in Topeka in `96 and have had three other runner ups all in the same "era" of `95-`96. My proudest moment was winning the `96 Division 5 Championship over a Kevin Helms,and only going to 5 races to do it. My points total was 376,and I was holding a first round loss in that total. Ahh,the good `ol days.

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There has been at least a couple of Div.6 Stockers that have won a NHRA national event. The late Cal Queapama won the Seattle race in the late 70`s or early 80`s with a 61 Impala 4 dr HT, running mid 15`s in I believe V/SA (this was when Stock still went all the way to Z/SA). Also Rob Robinson won at least 1 national event, but I`m thinking it was 2, with his 65 Impala wagon in R/SA. Both these cars were 283`s.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Without hijacking this thread, I would like to ask a quick trivia question that I don't have the answer to, but maybe one of you will.

Brett mentioned Tom Reider's 1976 Indy Stock Eliminator win with his Pinto station wagon, a 2300cc, 4-banger, 4-speed car.

I seem to remember (don't have any doncumentation anymore to back this up, but I'll bet Brett does!) that Pinto wagon ran something like 15.56 on its way to that Eliminator win. That number sticks in my so-called mind...

I am somewhat of a lower-class "stats" closet freak, myself, and have watched those 2300s throughout the years that run that class, and it amazed me that for many, MANY years, no one seemed to be able to turn mid 15's with one of those cars like Tom Reider had done, way back in 1976. As a matter of fact, Ellis Buth, certainally no stranger to how to make one of these motors perform, is the current record holder at 15.83 seconds.

Given the relaxed cam duration rule (compared with 1976) and other "enhancements" that have helped e.t's along the way in the last 30 years, HOW did Tom Reider get his Pinto wagon to run 15.50s way back then, or is my ancient mind playing another trick on me??? Maybe it was 16.56, and I dreamed all this.... but, I don't theeeenk so...

Remember; this is for entertainment purposes only; no actual Pintos were harmed in the formation of this query....

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Bill, I believe you are correct. But, remember X/S was a 23 pound class. So, the W/S pintos are running some 200 + pounds heavier (3-4 tenths) than Reider was. And, of course, there is Bob Shaw who won the Sportsnationals in 1975 with a string of 16 teens in his Z/S corvair.

Re: Lower Class Stockers
 

Billy won the Keystones in the '90s...'94 or '96? Also won the NHRA Div. 1 championship, driving to out west to do it, and he was the last guy to have a shot at overtaking Al Corda for the national championship the year Al won, but Billy didn't travel. He beat Corda at the Keystones the following year (and I believe they were both double-oh on the tree! 2nd round, 1998)... a real 'coulda, shoulda, woulda' moment.

Munk was a pretty consistent Top 10 finisher in the Div. back in the day with 'Ol Blue, too. :cool: