Team "Check Mate"

Mike Keener · 11-29-2007, 09:02 PM

Bob,

No, Mark didn't join Team Checkmate until we started the Stocker program in 1993. Mark adopted Pauls old NHRA competition back when he ran #31 for winning the division in 79 or 80 if memory serves me correctly. Merc now runs with the Divison 2 number 2503.

MK

rx dealer · 12-01-2007, 01:41 PM

I was over merc's place 2 days ago to give him some parts for my car and evry time I walk in the shop it's so cool to see the old photo's and all the trophies. It's was my dream since I started drag racing ( 1978) to be involved with keen & merc. reading and seeing all the photo's in pop hot rodding and thinking these are the guys I want to do my race car and now I'm living my dream. I have been helping merc at the track every chance i get and now merc is putting my own race car together (MPR built 97 firebird for super stock). I'm so very lucky because merc also built the engine from top parts i got from mike keener and hell yes it's a stick car. Mike the cavalier look awsome and just like your car my all white firebird would have to earn it's blue hood too...thanks to you and merc I'm living my dream...luke awdish

Bob Rice · 12-02-2007, 08:31 AM

For those interested, I have added more pictures to the Team "Check Mate" photo album.
Bob Rice

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/Albu...&a=32610889&f=

Geerhead55 · 12-02-2007, 07:12 PM

Good job Bob, as always. Its good to see more people sending photos in. The Nostalgia Super Modified group is gearing up for a debut season at Pacific Raceways this spring. Hopefully more will get involved as the year progresses. Take care Bob and Happy Holidays,,,,,,,,,,, Danny Durham

Don Whitmore · 12-03-2007, 09:38 AM

Bob...thanks again for posting the additional pics. Great stuff! It looks like Buster Couch is in one of them...

Mike Keener...thanks for your reply on the local tracks. By the way, how did the Keener and Mercure paint scheme evolve? How did the 'blue hood' and trim come about?

Bob Rice · 12-03-2007, 08:23 PM

Danny,
I was wondering where you were. Glad to hear that the Super Modified group is coming along.
Bob

Don,
Buster is in a couple of the pictures. I?ll have more to post in a few days.
Bob

Mike Keener · 12-04-2007, 12:53 PM

Don,

Interesting question about the Blue & White paint scheme. That came about as a general compromise between Paul & I when we became partners in 74 and this is how it worked we worked it out.

Paul wanted to retain the "Check Mate" name because he had been using it since 1970 or so with good success. I agreed but wanted to bring something of my past to the team as well so it was agreed that Team Checkmate would adopt the Blue & White 70 Pontiac Trans Am colors (polar white & lucerne blue) from the record setting C/MP Camaro that Richard Maskin & I built for the 1970 season. The 68 Camaro that Richard & I built was only run for one season because I was drafted in Mid 1970 and wound up selling my inteest in the car to Jim Gilbert. When Jim aquired my interest in the car at the end of the 70 season it was then painted the "Wally Booth Green" color for 71 and the car was then titled "Mouse Pack 1".

MK

Ed Carpenter · 12-06-2007, 12:15 AM

Mr. Rice thanks for the photo's. I just looked at about 300 of them and it's great to look back at these cars. Alot of ol Chevy II's. I really like that.

Ed Carpenter

66 Chevy II

4244 SS/I

rx dealer · 12-06-2007, 09:50 AM

MIke, The last time i was at Dick Aarons shop he had a ton of photo's all over the shop you might want to call him about them...I will check with Jim Tarian "JT" he has a large collection of magazine's and photos...luke

Michael Beard · 12-06-2007, 10:33 AM

Mike - enjoyed reading all your stories. I was happy to get to know you during the formation of Top Stock. Forgive me, as it was before my time, but what was the race format for Modified? I got to see a number of really cool Modified pics at Adger Smith's. It amazing that something so cool ever went away.

11-29-2007, 09:02 PM	#1
Mike Keener Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 294 Likes: 102 Liked 24 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" Bob, No, Mark didn't join Team Checkmate until we started the Stocker program in 1993. Mark adopted Pauls old NHRA competition back when he ran #31 for winning the division in 79 or 80 if memory serves me correctly. Merc now runs with the Divison 2 number 2503. MK __________________ Mike Keener A/S B/S C/SM

12-01-2007, 01:41 PM	#2
rx dealer Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lake Orion, Michigan Posts: 337 Likes: 12 Liked 53 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" I was over merc's place 2 days ago to give him some parts for my car and evry time I walk in the shop it's so cool to see the old photo's and all the trophies. It's was my dream since I started drag racing ( 1978) to be involved with keen & merc. reading and seeing all the photo's in pop hot rodding and thinking these are the guys I want to do my race car and now I'm living my dream. I have been helping merc at the track every chance i get and now merc is putting my own race car together (MPR built 97 firebird for super stock). I'm so very lucky because merc also built the engine from top parts i got from mike keener and hell yes it's a stick car. Mike the cavalier look awsome and just like your car my all white firebird would have to earn it's blue hood too...thanks to you and merc I'm living my dream...luke awdish

12-02-2007, 07:12 PM	#4
Geerhead55 VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Tacoma, Washington Posts: 1,632 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" Good job Bob, as always. Its good to see more people sending photos in. The Nostalgia Super Modified group is gearing up for a debut season at Pacific Raceways this spring. Hopefully more will get involved as the year progresses. Take care Bob and Happy Holidays,,,,,,,,,,, Danny Durham

12-03-2007, 09:38 AM	#5
Don Whitmore Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" Bob...thanks again for posting the additional pics. Great stuff! It looks like Buster Couch is in one of them... Mike Keener...thanks for your reply on the local tracks. By the way, how did the Keener and Mercure paint scheme evolve? How did the 'blue hood' and trim come about?

12-03-2007, 08:23 PM	#6
Bob Rice Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: New Bern, NC Posts: 617 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Team "Check Mate" Danny, I was wondering where you were. Glad to hear that the Super Modified group is coming along. Bob Don, Buster is in a couple of the pictures. I?ll have more to post in a few days. Bob

12-02-2007, 08:31 AM	#3
Bob Rice Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: New Bern, NC Posts: 617 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Team "Check Mate" For those interested, I have added more pictures to the Team "Check Mate" photo album. Bob Rice http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/Albu...&a=32610889&f=

12-04-2007, 12:53 PM	#7
Mike Keener Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 294 Likes: 102 Liked 24 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" Don, Interesting question about the Blue & White paint scheme. That came about as a general compromise between Paul & I when we became partners in 74 and this is how it worked we worked it out. Paul wanted to retain the "Check Mate" name because he had been using it since 1970 or so with good success. I agreed but wanted to bring something of my past to the team as well so it was agreed that Team Checkmate would adopt the Blue & White 70 Pontiac Trans Am colors (polar white & lucerne blue) from the record setting C/MP Camaro that Richard Maskin & I built for the 1970 season. The 68 Camaro that Richard & I built was only run for one season because I was drafted in Mid 1970 and wound up selling my inteest in the car to Jim Gilbert. When Jim aquired my interest in the car at the end of the 70 season it was then painted the "Wally Booth Green" color for 71 and the car was then titled "Mouse Pack 1". MK __________________ Mike Keener A/S B/S C/SM

12-06-2007, 12:15 AM	#8
Ed Carpenter Live Reporter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Dripping Springs, Tx Posts: 2,709 Likes: 186 Liked 520 Times in 132 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" Mr. Rice thanks for the photo's. I just looked at about 300 of them and it's great to look back at these cars. Alot of ol Chevy II's. I really like that. Ed Carpenter 66 Chevy II 4244 SS/I

12-06-2007, 09:50 AM	#9
rx dealer Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lake Orion, Michigan Posts: 337 Likes: 12 Liked 53 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" MIke, The last time i was at Dick Aarons shop he had a ton of photo's all over the shop you might want to call him about them...I will check with Jim Tarian "JT" he has a large collection of magazine's and photos...luke

12-06-2007, 10:33 AM	#10
Michael Beard VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 4,060 Likes: 0 Liked 13 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Team "Check Mate" Mike - enjoyed reading all your stories. I was happy to get to know you during the formation of Top Stock. Forgive me, as it was before my time, but what was the race format for Modified? I got to see a number of really cool Modified pics at Adger Smith's. It amazing that something so cool ever went away. __________________ Michael Beard - NHRA/IHRA 3216 S/SS

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