Congrats Terry Pearson

Chad Rhodes · 09-23-2007, 06:28 PM

on winning super stock at Dallas

bill dedman · 09-24-2007, 12:01 AM

Is this the sam Terry Pearson who lived in South Dakota many years ago?

There was a racer named "Terry Pearson" (mildly unusual name) who ran a couple of black Olds 4-4-2's, a hardtop and a convertible, each with a foot-wide white racing stripe down the hoods, tops, and deck-lids, and called them "Mother Skunk" (his wife drove that one) and "Papa Skunk,": I believe.

Very cool, attention-getting race cars, and f-a-s-t!!!!

That was in the early-to-mid '70s, I believe.

Jerry Ryan; remember them???

IF it's the same guy, I'd say congratulations were definitely in order.... he's been racing a long, long time...

If not,
CONGRATULATIONS, anyway, TERRY!!! Great job driving the stripe in the final!!!!

Jim Hanig · 09-24-2007, 12:36 AM

Good job Terry, and yes Terry is from SOUTH DAKOTA.

JRyan · 09-24-2007, 02:00 AM

Well, kinda right Bill. It's Terry from SoDak alright, but the "skunk" cars were run by Terry P. and Ron Thorson I believe. Ron drove the convert. I believe Terry's wife at the time did drive his car a time of two. You're asking alot Bill. That was 1970 or 1971. Anyway, Congrats Terry. Glad to see another one for the "old guys".

Jerry

Larry Buckingham SS3820 · 09-24-2007, 11:12 AM

Way to go Terry!!!!

Mike Pearson · 09-24-2007, 01:54 PM

Great job in dallas. Congratulations on a big win!!!

Mike

bill dedman · 09-24-2007, 03:16 PM

Double post; sorry...

bill dedman · 09-24-2007, 03:18 PM

Thanks, Jerry; hell, that was only 35 or 36 years ago... the blink of an eye!!!

I just was pretty sure that it was the same "Terry Pearson" and that if it was, he'd been at this for a long, LONG time, and I was really happy to see him in the winner's circle.

Heck, Jerry; you might even remember the "Jolly Ollie Orange" GTO, and the "Baby Elephant" B altered run by Terry Nagel... no, "Larry" Nagel....

I remember, he had one of the first enclosed trailers I ever saw, and painted on the back of the trailer, it had a cute cartoon of a dancing, "Dumbo"-style elephant in a tutu, and above the picture, it said, "CAUTION: BABY ELEPHANT INSIDE!!!" Guess it was a destroked Hemi, or something like that...

I was coming from the strip in Marion one fine race day in about 1972, on my way to Earl Britt's Pizza Palace (probably closed on Sunday) for some grub, and up beside me at a traffic light, pulls a white '68 Firebird Stock Eliminator car, still with the slicks on it. Apparently, he lived in Sioux Falls and drove to the strip to race.

Any idea who that might have been???

Those were the days... DRIVING your race car to the track.... wow....

Alan Nyhus · 09-24-2007, 06:55 PM

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

JRyan · 09-24-2007, 07:38 PM

Thanks Al for filling in the gaps. Bill, Larry Nagel did lots of work for the Pontiac guys including Arnie Tofteland's cars. If you'll look in the (I believe) 1971 Hot Rod or Car Craft coverage of Stock at Indy, you'll read that the writer thought that the most impressive car there was Arnie Tofteland's unlettered Pontiac Tempest. Just the window sticker and a Performance Engineering decal (Larry's business) in the window, but the car was extremely fast. Just as today, the East & West Coast cars get all the ink, but there were and are some REALLY FAST cars out here in the outback. Terry Pearson was one of the original FAST GUYS from around here, and now he finally got a Wally. Congrats again Terry.

Jerry

09-23-2007, 06:28 PM	#1
Chad Rhodes VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Where the Green Grass Grows, AL Posts: 2,375 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Congrats Terry Pearson on winning super stock at Dallas __________________ Chad Rhodes 2113 I/SA

09-24-2007, 12:01 AM	#2
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Is this the sam Terry Pearson who lived in South Dakota many years ago? There was a racer named "Terry Pearson" (mildly unusual name) who ran a couple of black Olds 4-4-2's, a hardtop and a convertible, each with a foot-wide white racing stripe down the hoods, tops, and deck-lids, and called them "Mother Skunk" (his wife drove that one) and "Papa Skunk,": I believe. Very cool, attention-getting race cars, and f-a-s-t!!!! That was in the early-to-mid '70s, I believe. Jerry Ryan; remember them??? IF it's the same guy, I'd say congratulations were definitely in order.... he's been racing a long, long time... If not, CONGRATULATIONS, anyway, TERRY!!! Great job driving the stripe in the final!!!! __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 09-24-2007 at 12:04 AM.

09-24-2007, 12:36 AM	#3
Jim Hanig Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pukwana SD Posts: 860 Likes: 554 Liked 99 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Good job Terry, and yes Terry is from SOUTH DAKOTA.

09-24-2007, 02:00 AM	#4
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Well, kinda right Bill. It's Terry from SoDak alright, but the "skunk" cars were run by Terry P. and Ron Thorson I believe. Ron drove the convert. I believe Terry's wife at the time did drive his car a time of two. You're asking alot Bill. That was 1970 or 1971. Anyway, Congrats Terry. Glad to see another one for the "old guys". Jerry

09-24-2007, 11:12 AM	#5
Larry Buckingham SS3820 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Mansfield, OH Posts: 58 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Way to go Terry!!!!

09-24-2007, 01:54 PM	#6
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,434 Likes: 608 Liked 1,903 Times in 571 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Great job in dallas. Congratulations on a big win!!! Mike __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

09-24-2007, 03:16 PM	#7
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Double post; sorry... __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 09-24-2007 at 03:20 PM.

09-24-2007, 03:18 PM	#8
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Thanks, Jerry; hell, that was only 35 or 36 years ago... the blink of an eye!!! I just was pretty sure that it was the same "Terry Pearson" and that if it was, he'd been at this for a long, LONG time, and I was really happy to see him in the winner's circle. Heck, Jerry; you might even remember the "Jolly Ollie Orange" GTO, and the "Baby Elephant" B altered run by Terry Nagel... no, "Larry" Nagel.... I remember, he had one of the first enclosed trailers I ever saw, and painted on the back of the trailer, it had a cute cartoon of a dancing, "Dumbo"-style elephant in a tutu, and above the picture, it said, "CAUTION: BABY ELEPHANT INSIDE!!!" Guess it was a destroked Hemi, or something like that... I was coming from the strip in Marion one fine race day in about 1972, on my way to Earl Britt's Pizza Palace (probably closed on Sunday) for some grub, and up beside me at a traffic light, pulls a white '68 Firebird Stock Eliminator car, still with the slicks on it. Apparently, he lived in Sioux Falls and drove to the strip to race. Any idea who that might have been??? Those were the days... DRIVING your race car to the track.... wow.... __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 09-24-2007 at 03:21 PM.

09-24-2007, 06:55 PM	#9
Alan Nyhus VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lower Dakota territory Posts: 1,180 Likes: 1,074 Liked 799 Times in 236 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson 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 Last edited by Alan Nyhus; 09-25-2007 at 08:40 AM. Reason: info

09-24-2007, 07:38 PM	#10
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Congrats Terry Pearson Thanks Al for filling in the gaps. Bill, Larry Nagel did lots of work for the Pontiac guys including Arnie Tofteland's cars. If you'll look in the (I believe) 1971 Hot Rod or Car Craft coverage of Stock at Indy, you'll read that the writer thought that the most impressive car there was Arnie Tofteland's unlettered Pontiac Tempest. Just the window sticker and a Performance Engineering decal (Larry's business) in the window, but the car was extremely fast. Just as today, the East & West Coast cars get all the ink, but there were and are some REALLY FAST cars out here in the outback. Terry Pearson was one of the original FAST GUYS from around here, and now he finally got a Wally. Congrats again Terry. Jerry