Seen in the Pomona pits
 

The Brent Hajek Motorsports Express arrived at the track today. Four new Mustangs are in evidence at Pomona this afternoon. One car is designated as SS/EA but an informal chat with one of the team drivers suggested that all four cars would be entered in Stock Eliminator.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Chuck -- OK you're elected our "unofficial" eyes and ears as to what goes on at Pomona with these cars -- great pictures by the way -- keep it up .The entire Stocker world is watching and depending on your reports--thanks in advance...........

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Did Calvert have his 68 there for display. He said he might have it there.

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jack
why are you not there

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

I believe that I did see the '68 entering the pits on an open trailer now that you mention it. In retrospect, it seems to me that John could have entered that car as well the Hajek ride since he's entitled to a guaranteed entry as a former World Champion in addition to an entry earned on the basis of 2008 grade points. I know that a good bit of his time has been devoted to the new cars over the past weeks but 20+ years of experience in the original Cobra Jet should have been enough to make driving the two cars a piece of cake.

A few other observations included:
1. A waiting line in the stacking area this morning at 9 AM that might have been 1/3 that of previous years. When I left the track at 2:30 the pits were probably no more than 1/5 full.
2. Top Fuel cars were arriving in Chapparal trailers pulled by dualies and without rolling hospitality suites. (How long will it be before we see a T/F car entering the pits on an open trailer?)
3. An overheard conversation drawing attention to a report filed on January 23, <http://www.nhra.com/insidedragster.asp>, by National Dragster editor, Phil Burgess, commenting on the effects of an absence of Sportsman cars on traction problems at Phoenix Pro testing. It makes one wonder if anyone besides Phil Burgess noted this phenomenon.
4. A racer marveling at the appearance of a Super Stock car (Jack Bystrom's recently re-done '68 Camaro) on the main page of NHRA.com.
5. Quite a few changes have been made in the ticketing procedure. You will now be required to print your own ticket at home and you will not receive a traditional ticket at all. Also, gone the way of the dodo bird and the passenger pigeon is the traditional windshield parking pass. The paper one that has replaced the old style is guaranteed NOT to become a collector's item.

Who can say what marvels tomorrow will bring?

c

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Chuck,

If you find time, will you try getting and posting a picture of Shawn Langdon's new
Nova Stocker that is being driven by his dad Chad Langdon.

Chad is doing double duty also driving the Clay Smith Cams Henry J in SuperGas.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

hope they brought their pontoons with them. They are gonna need em.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Phil, I saw Chad but didn't recognize him in the new ride. I did note the "Bud Rowe" sticker, however. Great looking car!

Kip, pontoons may not be enough. You know how miserable Pomona can be in the rain! It's amazing how much water flows off a 100 acre asphalt parking lot when in only rains a fraction of an inch! Of course, we've had such a great weather up to this point that it only makes sense that this race will be impacted by rain.

c

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Thanks Chuck, Please keep us posted.

Thanks Larry

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Chuck, ya forgot to mention the lack of pitting personnel !!!! I rolled around the corner with both my cars, (that's twice) and didn't get stopped. Nobody to take my card (#9) and when I looked forward for a long way there was only 2 people parking. We used to have somebody take your position card outside and then you'd roll around to be meet by the tech card handler, get crossed off on the entry list and then be escorted by one of a number of scooter pit guys.

What we got was a young fellow standing off to the right about 50' away as you made the turn and he made no motion towards the drivers side of ya rig to offer anything !! Anyway, I went back down to his 'stealth locale' and got me stuff. What a surprise, got handed some strange looking, pre-printed forms, well ya got to see the window sticker, it's huge!!! It measures 8.5" x 5.5" and it's PINK, has your name on it and has 2 strips of sticky on each side!! Here's a pic
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...h_wsticker.jpg
In California, it's illegal to have anything on your windsheild, the old sticker was small enough to not be a problem (had to remove mine before instructor would take me for class A test though) but this thing is big !!! Oh BOY, can't wait to hear about somebody having an accident because there sticker caused a blind spot, gotch-ya ears on NHRA !!!
Also, the new pit vehicle sticker is blue and about 3.5" square.

Not sure how we go about getting more crew passes with the new system but I'll find out tomorrow. I had already printed mine along with a single crew pass on the web, at 85 f%#king dollars, remember when it was $70 for so long ????? Don't get fooled by the offer that says ya get one free as that's for you as your driver's pass.

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Bernie ~ I notice the parking pass has a bar code. Are they scanning when you go in and out?

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Julie, your probably right as that's what I thought too.

Have to wait and see on that one, it's only Tues. I reckon that it's gonna stop us from switching our sticker around though ( I've never done that!) not that was anything wrong with that !!!

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Maybe we should carry an 8'X10" picture frame and hang it off the rear view?I'm sure they'll say it has to be affixed to the windshield.Is this all real or just a dream?The saga continues,cant wait for the Ford stampede and after shocks.

Ed F.

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Thank you Chuck for the great pictures and reports. Good luck at the race.

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Are there wheelie bars on the Paul Harvey CJ? Or is it a funky shadow....just curious. The cars look great!
Thanks Chuck.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Yes there is. Left click on the pic to enlarge it.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Who are the drivers of the three cars pictured?

Tom

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

John Calvert in the "Rice Holman", Jim Waldo in the "Paul Harvey" and I am not sure about the "Foulger Ford"might be Jimmy Ronzello.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Tom, I don't know for sure. My casual guesses would be:
1. The Foulger Ford version (has "SS/EA" above the words "Cobra Jet") may be the Jim Waldo car. If so, I would be inclined to believe that it has had a manually shifted transmission swapped in and it may run in A/S. Jim readily admits that he's not the most comfortable guy around when he can't find a clutch pedal to manipulate. The car has the name "Randy Ritchey" lettered on the door. For those who don't remember, Randy's father, Les Ritchey, was one of the early success stories in the Ford A/FX and Super Stock days until his tragic death in the OHC 427 Mustang in about 1966. Les ran a dyno shop, Performance Associates, here in Covina during the early sixties and his logo was seen on many of the heavy hitters in the San Gabriel Valley area in the days of 409's, Max Wedges, and high performance FE Fords. Today, Randy operates a successful business under the same name in San Dimas and did some of the dyno tuning of these cars. Any gear head needing a daily fix of seeing the cream-of-the-crop hot street cars today need only drive by Performance Associates shop and check the machinery that is awaiting service!

2. The "Rice-Holman" car bears the decal of Calvert Racing. I suspect that it will be driven by John Calvert, himself.

3. The "Paul Harvey" car may be the one to be driven by Gary Stinnett. The fact that it has wheelie bars may indicate an automatic transmission. Note the

4. The fourth car would be the Jimmy Ronzello car. It wasn't out of the trailer by the time I came home to nurse a hopefully brief case of stomach flu so I didn't see it on the ground.

I was told that two of the cars received at least some preparation at a chassis shop in the Wichita area (see the lettering on the "Paul Harvey" car) and I know that two were fitted with full cages at Phil Mandella's shop within the last month. The cars were delivered with roll bars but it has apparently become evident that their potential performance called for full cages and related safety equipment.

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PS - Tony's evaluation is very likely more accurate than mine. I'm still trying to snap back from the flu!

c

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

All you FORD fans don't get to worked up over these Mustangs that will maybe run 10.20's to 10.30's. I hope I'm wrong with all of the hype from this site as well as other sites. Same goes for the challenger.

I will only be impressed if the SS/EA can run one under being a FACTORY car as the rumors say they are putting out nearly 700hp.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

[QUOTE=Tony Janes;104141]John Calvert in the "Rice Holman", Jim Waldo in the "Paul Harvey" and I am not sure about the "Foulger Ford"might be Jimmy Ronzello.[/QUOTE

At the test session at Speedworld Raceway in Arizona that took place Jan 24 - Jan 26; the "Foulger Ford" CJ was identified as being driven by Jim Waldo. You can check out the video at http://youtube.com/watch?v=6CgJkKpUmYE.
Bill Seabrooks - superfan1

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

John was driving the Ritchey car last weekend at Fontucky.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

[QUOTE=Chuck Norton;104142]Tom, I don't know for sure. My casual guesses would be:
1. The Foulger Ford version (has "SS/EA" above the words "Cobra Jet") may be the Jim Waldo car. If so, I would be inclined to believe that it has had a manually shifted transmission swapped in and it may run in A/S. Jim readily admits that he's not the most comfortable guy around when he can't find a clutch pedal to manipulate. The car has the name "Randy Ritchey" lettered on the door. For those who don't remember, Randy's father, Les Ritchey, was one of the early success stories in the Ford A/FX and Super Stock days until his tragic death in the OHC 427 Mustang in about 1966. Les ran a dyno shop, Performance Associates, here in Covina during the early sixties and his logo was seen on many of the heavy hitters in the San Gabriel Valley area in the days of 409's, Max Wedges, and high performance FE Fords. Today, Randy operates a successful business under the same name in San Dimas and did some of the dyno tuning of these cars. Any gear head needing a daily fix of seeing the cream-of-the-crop hot street cars today need only drive by Performance Associates shop and check the machinery that is awaiting service!


Chuck is correct. Les Ritchey was one of the best engine tuners in the country. He was also a tough competitor driving Fords in the 50's and 60's. His cars were standouts in S/S and A/FX. His death while racing his A/FX Mustang was a tragedy.

http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=6365

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Here's a pic from CARS magazine in 1966.......... (les ritchey)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...agcrm1207z.jpg

Here's a pic of randy ritcheys mustang........ (not sure who took it)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...ndybmbmbmb.jpg

This looks like randy ritchey's car but the name on the door looks like "lucy something"...

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...dy-RSS3-71.jpg

Here's hubert platt in his early year cobra jet...

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...t69SSRACEE.jpg

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Tom how can you upload the pictures so big ?
my jpg fileshave to be smaller than I'd like to upload........

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Tom

I sent you a PM.

tom

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

The mustang in the middle is "LUCY BELOW" . Jim Morgan (Matt Morgans dad) has the car and is restoring it to as raced paint and condition. Havent talked to them in awhile so I dont know if its finished or not?????

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Foulger Ford was a major supporter of Stock/SS racing in Southern California between about 1968 and 1971. I even recall a Shotgun Hemi 429 that ran in C/S (I think) during that era. In about 1984 I happened to meet a gentleman who had been associated with the Lucy Below car and had pictures of it plastered all over his office walls.

I took a few more pictures today and I'll put them in a separate post.

c

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Thanks Chuck,
Has the local weather forcast improved?

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

C
Thanks
DK

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

3. The "Paul Harvey" car may be the one to be driven by Gary Stinnett. The fact that it has wheelie bars may indicate an automatic transmission.



You are correct Chuck.The car driven by Gary Stinnett is an Automatic.

Re: Seen in the Pomona pits
 

Looks like todays first session shows Waldo is in a stick car. I wondered how he'd managed a slushbox. Jimmy Ronzello was originally listed in a stick car but shows as AA/SA now.

In case you are unsure who he is...
http://www.9500rpm.com/ssbx.html
... but he's better known for running in the Ford and Mustang events.

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Interesting....
85 3611 AA/SA Jimmy Ronzello, Rockwood Mi, '08 Mustang DQ

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Could easily be scales or fuel...

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Waldo didn't like the auto and switched with Ronzello. Word is, that Ronzello will tear a CJ motor down for nhra tech on Monday. Don't know if this is truth or fiction.

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http://9500rpm.com/shelby/IM000031.JPG
Hubert Platt and Jimmy Ronzello.

http://9500rpm.com/shelby/IM000029.JPG
Joniec and Calvert

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Is that a Rockett Fuel Brand sticker I see on the car? So much for VP

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That is most definitely a Rockett decal. They rolled Rockett fuel out of the trailer by the drum.

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That Rockett sticker really jumped out at me too. Nice pics and excellent fuel!