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oldskool · 10-19-2021, 10:22 PM

'72 Pontiacs

(1) 455HO continued pretty much unchanged.

(2) GTO got a slightly different front cap, with fender vents, just behind the wheel well opening.

(3) Birds pretty much unchanged. Fender vents dropped. Grills had "honeycomb" pattern.

(4) 455 D-port heads had better flow.

Lots of 455HO Pontiacs have been raced, from their 1st year. I suppose the most famous '72 GTO may be the one Sonny Ray ran in SS. He won several nat events with it, & David Rampy won his 1st nat event with it. It was also a nat record holder. We saw it race at the '78 Cajun Nats.

Todd Hoven won a nat event & class @ Indy, with a 455 D-port '72 GTO Stocker.

The Axemaker '72 GTO Stocker did pretty good. Larry Maxwell had a strong 455HO '72 Lemans Stocker. A lady from Canada drives it now.

Truman Fields ran a '72 GTO for a while. Held a nat record with it.

Gary Wood ran a '72 GTO, a couple of '72 Lemans wagons, as well as a '72 Bird. The Wagons got some class & division wins. Charlene Wood won the Grandnational race, in Canada, one year, with one of the wagons, which were named "Tons-a-Fun". Gary got a class win with the Bird.

The most famous '72 Bird is probably the 455HO Formula, driven by Brad Burton. He won lots of races with it & won 2 nat Stock championships with it. Before Brad started racing, Scott Burton also claimed a '72 Bird at some races, including Indy.

Lee Bannister won several nat events with his '72. It had a Formy hood & T/A fenders, but apparently passed tech at the big races. Bill Foder has it now. Last pic I saw of it, it had T/A fenders & hood, but no T/A wheel flares. At recent races, I think he's been claiming a '73 model.

Gary Moore set the SS/J nat record with a '72 Bird.

Have lots of pics of nice '72 Stock & SS Pontiacs. But I'll just add the single post limit of 9.

10-19-2021, 10:22 PM	#27
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: Looking for 1970's statistics '72 Pontiacs (1) 455HO continued pretty much unchanged. (2) GTO got a slightly different front cap, with fender vents, just behind the wheel well opening. (3) Birds pretty much unchanged. Fender vents dropped. Grills had "honeycomb" pattern. (4) 455 D-port heads had better flow. Lots of 455HO Pontiacs have been raced, from their 1st year. I suppose the most famous '72 GTO may be the one Sonny Ray ran in SS. He won several nat events with it, & David Rampy won his 1st nat event with it. It was also a nat record holder. We saw it race at the '78 Cajun Nats. Todd Hoven won a nat event & class @ Indy, with a 455 D-port '72 GTO Stocker. The Axemaker '72 GTO Stocker did pretty good. Larry Maxwell had a strong 455HO '72 Lemans Stocker. A lady from Canada drives it now. Truman Fields ran a '72 GTO for a while. Held a nat record with it. Gary Wood ran a '72 GTO, a couple of '72 Lemans wagons, as well as a '72 Bird. The Wagons got some class & division wins. Charlene Wood won the Grandnational race, in Canada, one year, with one of the wagons, which were named "Tons-a-Fun". Gary got a class win with the Bird. The most famous '72 Bird is probably the 455HO Formula, driven by Brad Burton. He won lots of races with it & won 2 nat Stock championships with it. Before Brad started racing, Scott Burton also claimed a '72 Bird at some races, including Indy. Lee Bannister won several nat events with his '72. It had a Formy hood & T/A fenders, but apparently passed tech at the big races. Bill Foder has it now. Last pic I saw of it, it had T/A fenders & hood, but no T/A wheel flares. At recent races, I think he's been claiming a '73 model. Gary Moore set the SS/J nat record with a '72 Bird. Have lots of pics of nice '72 Stock & SS Pontiacs. But I'll just add the single post limit of 9. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by oldskool; 10-19-2021 at 10:34 PM.