2009
At the Cajun Sports Nats, John & J.B. Clegg got their '74 Bird running a bit better. It was #33 @ - 1.067.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At Fontana, Ryan Schloe was #24 @ -.852. The reason I mention this is because I have him listed driving an early 2nd gen in Stock, in other years. And, we all know that some guys/families switch their cars from Stock to SS. And, some use the same car, but put on different body parts, so it'll pass as a different year model. Then, most Pontiacs get passed around from one Pontiac racer to the next.
With all this in mind, who knows the story on this particular Bird, which is listed as a SS/IA '71 Formula. It's running quicker than his Stocker. So, is it the same body he was running ? Did he switch over to the 455HO engine ?
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
I'll just take time here to ask about SS tires & suspension. We all know that there are currently lots of Stockers running quicker than 10.00, with legal 9" tires. So, obviously, many SS cars that run slower than 10.00, can get by with 9" tires. And, if they're the GM leaf spring F-body cars, they can get by with the CalTrac bars, rather than going to narrowed rears, tubs, big tires, & some sort of ladder bar or 4-link set-up.
But, I still see some 10 sec SS Pontiacs running big tires. Since the low 10 sec Stockers hook up enuff to do huge wheelies, and some need wheelie bars on the back, why do guys still feel the need to run huge tires ? Wouldn't the cars actually run slightly quicker, using the 9" tires ? Sorry for the dummy question. But hey, if you don't know something, you just don't know.
At the Midwest Nats, Bill Rink was #12 @ - 1.010. I suppose Bill has the quickest '74 GTO straight SS car ever, by far. I think he has posted that he switched the car over from Stock, because NHRA had added so much hp to it.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Thunder Valley Nats, Johnny Duncan & Peter Biondo are near the bottom of the list. I assume the 2000 Bird Peter was driving is the Hatari car, with a 428 engine. Does anybody know when the Hatari was switched over from the 400, to the 428 ? Has it ever had a 455 in it ?
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Summer Nats, Carroll Warling was #3 @ - 1.163. Billy Ingels was #40.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Route 66 Nats, Bill Rink was #19 @ - 1.068.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At Englishtown, Sal P. was #19 @ -.949.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Mile-High Nats, Carroll Warling was #3 @ - 1.347, with his '74 GA. Not only was this car a nat record holder, I suppose it was one of the quickest Pontiacs ever, against it's index. Don't know what a list of the top 10 or 20 Pontiacs would look like, if listed by the numbers they ran, in competition, against their index. I suppose there were a few which did, or at least COULD have run more than 1.5 under.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Toyo Nats, Vic Santos was #33 @ -.883. Sal P. was #37 @ -.867.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Fall Nats, J.B. Clegg was #35 @ -.895.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Northern Sports Nats, Bill Rink was #30 @ - 1.064. Bill Eadelis was #89. There ain't very many SS GTO's left.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop
At the Pomona Finals, Ryan Schloe was #47 @ -.740. Joel Larkin was next, at #48 @ -.733. Art Peterson was also on the list, with his '69 GTO. As far as I know, it is the only '69 GTO I know of that has been in active competition, in recent years. I know of a couple of '68's that ran Stock.
Hey, back in the day, there were lot's of '69's in action, especially Judge models. But, it's all just part of Pontiac history, now.
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop