[Alan Nyhus]

Bill, I'm a Soux Falls 'local' and can answer some of these questions.

-Yes, that's the same Terry Pearson. He and his partner Ron Thorson (both from Rapid City, S.D.) were always a formidable pair and both won many times at Marion...the 'original' Thunder Vally Dragways, by the way. I went to Indy in 1975 or 1976 with Terry and helped him with his SS/JA '67 Camaro convertible. I believe Terry was runner up in class that year. Terry's car was a 'flood car' from the Rapid City flood of 1972.

- The 'Jolly Ollie Orange' GTO was owned by Denny Kadinger. Larry Nagle did the motor work for that car and a lot of other Stock and Super Stock cars in the area, including Arnie Tofteland's very fast Pontiacs.

-Larry Nagel's 'Baby Elephant' A/A was one of the nicest cars around at that time. Larry did it all..chassis, motor..you name it, Larry could do it. The "Caution, baby elephant inside" phase was thought up by Bill 'Willie' Hofstad, another Sioux Falls guy that many will remember.

-The white '68 Firebird Stocker that pulled up beside you on the street was Jack Wright. Jack did a lot of winning with that car in the early days of Stock...back when you had to have the street tires, etc. after NHRA axed Jr. Stock.

I was fortunate to have been assocated with a lot of the really good racers of this area...the Koppien family, Ron Roddel, Bob Sherwood, Larry Nagel and Don Breen, just to name a few. I started going to Marion when I was 14 years old, changing spark plugs on my cousin Don Breen's '65 327-350hp 300 Deluxe 2 dr. sedan Chevelle which ran in SS/C.

Hope this jogs the memory. Congrats to Terry! -Al Nyhus