CLASS RACER FORUM - View Single Post

oldskool · 10-06-2021, 04:10 PM

The Pontiac Powered GT Cars

Many of these cars were racing more than 10 years ago. So, maybe that qualifies for "from the past".

3rd gen Birds have been very popular for GT racing. So, if you use a 3rd gen body, it's gotta be a '92 or older. And if you use a 350 or larger iron head Pontiac engine, parts of it must be from a 1979 or older model year. So, an iron head Pontiac powered 3rd gen Bird IS from the "past", in a manner of speaking.

#1 Phil Monteith's Pontiac powered "Hatari" 3rd gen GT Bird is well known to Pontiac racers. It took Peter Biondo to his 1st SS nat championship, IIRC. Then later, in around '04, Bruce Fulper drove the car to an Indy GT/DA class win.

While lookin at this '04 SS class winners list, also notice that Ken Shawver won SS/LA & Carroll Warling won SS/MA.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop

#2 As we all know, lots of drag cars have changed hands. Some have had several owners & are still racing. A currently active 3rd gen is now being raced by Scott & Brad Burton. It was previously raced by Steve Smith. I think it ran a 400 for most of it's GT racing life. I think it now has an alum head 428. I could be wrong. Scott didn't change the color from when Steve ran it. It's still white, with a blue stripe right up the middle & over the top. Pics can be seen on Auto Imagery.

I think most here know Scott & Brad Burton. They're long time Pontiac racers. Scott ran the quickest Pontiac Stocker, ever, a B/SA '70 RAIV 400 powered '70 Formula Bird. And Brad has won a couple of Stock nat championships in a '72 455HO powered Formula Bird.

#3 Another strong running 3rd gen was raced by Vic Santos. Bill Kennedy runs it now. For years, the car would qualify near the top of the Q-list. It was 400 Pontiac powered. At the 2015 Dutch Classic, Vic was #1 qualifier, @ more than 1.2 sec under. Then future owner Bill Kennedy qualified #2 in his Chevy.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2015#indextop

#4 Greg Meyer has another real nice 3rd gen GT car. I think it still has 400 Pontiac power. Don't know when he 1st raced it. But I just found it on the 2009 Indy Q-list, @ #82. So, he's been racing it for over 12 years.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop

#5 Lynn McCarty & family have a couple of GT cars. One is a black 3rd gen Bird. Lynn was also driving it at Indy '09. So, he's had it running for at least 12 years.

#6 I know of at least three 4th gen Birds, that have run Pontiac power. Leo Glasbrenner ran one. I can 1st spot it on DRC, with Pontiac power, in 2013. I think he ran the alum head 428 engine.

#7 I have one listed as a Johnny Duncan car. Don't know when he 1st raced it. I also have it listed with Sam Biondo driving. Don't know who built it, or when. It's now being raced by the Pickett & Agneta team, with John Agneta doing the driving. I think Phil Monteith is helping them, & may have built the engine. Not sure.

#8 The most famous Pontiac powered GT car is probably Phil Monteith's 4th gen "Hatari". It carried Peter Biondo to his 2nd & 3rd SS championships. It had 400 Pontiac power for several years. I think it was switched over to alum head 428 power, a few years back. Not sure of the exact time. Could probably look it up on DRC, by the class change. Anyhow, several guys have driven it, including several of the Biondo clan. Don't know how many races it's won. But it's quite a few. DRC shows that it was @ Indy in '98, listed as a '98. In 2000, it was listed as a 2000 model. I think it was the same car, with different body parts, but not sure. Notice the champs #1 on the window.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop

#9 There have been other body styles used for Pontiac powered GT cars. Don Kennedy has a Sunfire. There are a couple of Cobalts. All 3 of these cars have been Indy class winners. The Robert Cruzen Cobalt has recorded the quickest time, of 8.90. Several SS racers have just decided to run in GT, with their reg SS legal Pontiac. Other guys have run a Pontaic body that came with a Pontiac engine, but are using a different Pontiac engine, for GT racing. One example of that is the Larry Maxwell '68 Bird. I've read that he is running a '74 350 Pontiac engine. Pic #9 is of Carroll Warlings '74 GTO. I think it has a 400. He's also changed engines in his '74 Lemans. I think it now has an iron head 428.

10-06-2021, 04:10 PM	#34
oldskool VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: The Land of Bayous, Boudin & Crawfish Posts: 1,668 Likes: 223 Liked 747 Times in 362 Posts	Re: Super Stockers from the past... The Pontiac Powered GT Cars Many of these cars were racing more than 10 years ago. So, maybe that qualifies for "from the past". 3rd gen Birds have been very popular for GT racing. So, if you use a 3rd gen body, it's gotta be a '92 or older. And if you use a 350 or larger iron head Pontiac engine, parts of it must be from a 1979 or older model year. So, an iron head Pontiac powered 3rd gen Bird IS from the "past", in a manner of speaking. #1 Phil Monteith's Pontiac powered "Hatari" 3rd gen GT Bird is well known to Pontiac racers. It took Peter Biondo to his 1st SS nat championship, IIRC. Then later, in around '04, Bruce Fulper drove the car to an Indy GT/DA class win. While lookin at this '04 SS class winners list, also notice that Ken Shawver won SS/LA & Carroll Warling won SS/MA. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop #2 As we all know, lots of drag cars have changed hands. Some have had several owners & are still racing. A currently active 3rd gen is now being raced by Scott & Brad Burton. It was previously raced by Steve Smith. I think it ran a 400 for most of it's GT racing life. I think it now has an alum head 428. I could be wrong. Scott didn't change the color from when Steve ran it. It's still white, with a blue stripe right up the middle & over the top. Pics can be seen on Auto Imagery. I think most here know Scott & Brad Burton. They're long time Pontiac racers. Scott ran the quickest Pontiac Stocker, ever, a B/SA '70 RAIV 400 powered '70 Formula Bird. And Brad has won a couple of Stock nat championships in a '72 455HO powered Formula Bird. #3 Another strong running 3rd gen was raced by Vic Santos. Bill Kennedy runs it now. For years, the car would qualify near the top of the Q-list. It was 400 Pontiac powered. At the 2015 Dutch Classic, Vic was #1 qualifier, @ more than 1.2 sec under. Then future owner Bill Kennedy qualified #2 in his Chevy. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2015#indextop #4 Greg Meyer has another real nice 3rd gen GT car. I think it still has 400 Pontiac power. Don't know when he 1st raced it. But I just found it on the 2009 Indy Q-list, @ #82. So, he's been racing it for over 12 years. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2009#indextop #5 Lynn McCarty & family have a couple of GT cars. One is a black 3rd gen Bird. Lynn was also driving it at Indy '09. So, he's had it running for at least 12 years. #6 I know of at least three 4th gen Birds, that have run Pontiac power. Leo Glasbrenner ran one. I can 1st spot it on DRC, with Pontiac power, in 2013. I think he ran the alum head 428 engine. #7 I have one listed as a Johnny Duncan car. Don't know when he 1st raced it. I also have it listed with Sam Biondo driving. Don't know who built it, or when. It's now being raced by the Pickett & Agneta team, with John Agneta doing the driving. I think Phil Monteith is helping them, & may have built the engine. Not sure. #8 The most famous Pontiac powered GT car is probably Phil Monteith's 4th gen "Hatari". It carried Peter Biondo to his 2nd & 3rd SS championships. It had 400 Pontiac power for several years. I think it was switched over to alum head 428 power, a few years back. Not sure of the exact time. Could probably look it up on DRC, by the class change. Anyhow, several guys have driven it, including several of the Biondo clan. Don't know how many races it's won. But it's quite a few. DRC shows that it was @ Indy in '98, listed as a '98. In 2000, it was listed as a 2000 model. I think it was the same car, with different body parts, but not sure. Notice the champs #1 on the window. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop #9 There have been other body styles used for Pontiac powered GT cars. Don Kennedy has a Sunfire. There are a couple of Cobalts. All 3 of these cars have been Indy class winners. The Robert Cruzen Cobalt has recorded the quickest time, of 8.90. Several SS racers have just decided to run in GT, with their reg SS legal Pontiac. Other guys have run a Pontaic body that came with a Pontiac engine, but are using a different Pontiac engine, for GT racing. One example of that is the Larry Maxwell '68 Bird. I've read that he is running a '74 350 Pontiac engine. Pic #9 is of Carroll Warlings '74 GTO. I think it has a 400. He's also changed engines in his '74 Lemans. I think it now has an iron head 428. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by oldskool; 10-08-2021 at 12:39 AM.