Who had the most successful Modified Production car?

[Scotty D]

wasn't coleman roddy the champ in 81 the year of the demise.also didn't the wayne county boys have some fast mp cars as well.

[NWDragracing]

Originally Posted by Scotty D

wasn't coleman roddy the champ in 81 the year of the demise.also didn't the wayne county boys have some fast mp cars as well.

Wayne County had the Opel running in B/G class.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index...4304&Itemid=24

The last Modified race was the 1981 NHRA Finals at Orange County with Larry Kopp against Paul Mercure.

[Bob Rice]

Originally Posted by Scotty D

wasn't coleman roddy the champ in 81 the year of the demise.also didn't the wayne county boys have some fast mp cars as well.

Mike Edwards was the 81 World Champ.
Bob Rice

[Dwight Southerland]

Maybe we need a little clarification here. Be sure to note if you are talking about a Modified Production car or a car that ran Modified Eliminator. Modified Eliminator included Gas classes, Modified Compact, Street Roadsters and Super Modified in its lifetime. True MP cars should also recognize Bob Riffle in the early days along with Don Grotheer, Butch Leal and Dick Landy out of the Chrysler camp. Mike Fons and Dennis Ferrara made people stand up and take notice of the big block cars. Blevins was very successful in the early days. I would think that Kopp, Mercure or Cotton Perry would be the standouts for having won the most NHRA national races. Buddy Ingersoll also won a few national events along with Jim Ehlen and Crawford Benham. Modified Eliminator standouts should also include Bruce Sizemore, the late Billy Mansell of the Minga & Mansell team, Don Coonce, Don Bowles and Tony Christian.

[Rich Biebel]

The SummerNationals I mentioned earlier '78 or '79 I can't remember was an awesome event for Modified.

Garley , Terry Hoard in the Mazda and Billy Mansell were the 3 fastest cars.

The Mazda was hideous in looks and sound but it ran way under and would probably win every race if it didn't break...


Mansell won that race I think......

[Geerhead55]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

The SummerNationals I mentioned earlier '78 or '79 I can't remember was an awesome event for Modified.

Garley , Terry Hoard in the Mazda and Billy Mansell were the 3 fastest cars.

The Mazda was hideous in looks and sound but it ran way under and would probably win every race if it didn't break...


Mansell won that race I think......

Rich,, One of the most memorable Modified finals I ever saw was out here at the Fallnationals in I believe '79, the year of the Grace Cup points championship. All the heavy hitters were out here at Seattle, and the Opel was here after going 8 teens in recent weeks according to National Dragster at the time. The final pitted Hutchens in the Opel against Hoard and his Mazda. So the lights come down and off goes Hoard and we just knew there was no way he was going to hold off the all conquering Opel GT of Wayne County and David Hutchens,, but by golly, he did it! Noisey assault on the ears and all, and we couldn't believe it, and yes the crowd went wild!
I'd still say after all these years that the Opel is my favorite car from the Modified Eliminator days, although there were a couple NW based Corvettes that run a vey close second place. My 2 cents.
Danny Durham

[ss wannabee]

I just want to thank the good Lord for being around at that time. I didn't go to a lot of races...but got a chance to see Ridgeway's '55 Chevy, and Moroso's Corvette run in the '60's, and Blevins' Nomad (and 'Vette with Billy), Bob Thompson's K&G Speed Corvette, Moe Hale's "Hangman" '55 Chev, Fred Hartman's also, the Checkmate cars, the Granny Goose Camaro (and 'Vette), Garley, Larry Kopp, Tony Feil,Ferrara, the Opel, and others I can't remember. Saw Coleman Roddy later..might have been Comp? Can't forget Glen Self too......I was at the Summernationals in '79 and '80, but don't remember too much!

I saw Caudle's '55 on TV, and in the Hot Rod Mag. article....Later saw the Vega at Indy...but don't think he had the earlier success with that car. I also saw the Ray & Bob Zang '55 Hardtop from NJ in early '70's...and realize it was quite similar to Carroll's car...even paint!

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Geerhead55

Rich,, One of the most memorable Modified finals I ever saw was out here at the Fallnationals in I believe '79, the year of the Grace Cup points championship. All the heavy hitters were out here at Seattle, and the Opel was here after going 8 teens in recent weeks according to National Dragster at the time. The final pitted Hutchens in the Opel against Hoard and his Mazda. So the lights come down and off goes Hoard and we just knew there was no way he was going to hold off the all conquering Opel GT of Wayne County and David Hutchens,, but by golly, he did it! Noisey assault on the ears and all, and we couldn't believe it, and yes the crowd went wild!
I'd still say after all these years that the Opel is my favorite car from the Modified Eliminator days, although there were a couple NW based Corvettes that run a vey close second place. My 2 cents.
Danny Durham

Danny I agree about the Opel.....

They brought it here to the Summer's I guess around 1980. I remember thinking that the car was very low and small and Hutchens was a pretty tall guy. I think he easily won that race and was letting off early on most runs...Maybe it was a Comp car at the time....just really don't recall the details.

Larry Kopp had it after them I think......It was like a little bullet.....and I wanted one for a long time as a S/G car.......

[Tom Goldman]

Rich, the Wayne County Opel ended up bracket racing at Island Dragway quite a few years back, pretty inexperianced guys as I remember.
They only ran it a short while and then dissapeared.
A lot of people have tried to locate that car.

[Dennis P Chapman]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

Danny I agree about the Opel.....

They brought it here to the Summer's I guess around 1980. I remember thinking that the car was very low and small and Hutchens was a pretty tall guy. I think he easily won that race and was letting off early on most runs...Maybe it was a Comp car at the time....just really don't recall the details.

Larry Kopp had it after them I think......It was like a little bullet.....and I wanted one for a long time as a S/G car.......

Larry did have the car after that he was a big guy also to fit in it.