Stocker Cylinder Heads....

[Dan Bennett]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

Rich, I've heard stories about that car when Spyder raced it, on how unbeatable it was compared to anything else. I've heard that from multiple people over the years. Spyder told me how mad Jenkins was when he sold the car, because he didn't not want other people looking at it. Think there was stuff in the questionable or on the edge? I'm sure. I'm not saying you think the class is bad, just that tech wasn't perfect back then and stuff got by. I will ask Walter about some of this.

Tech has thrown people out for questionable cylinder heads, In fact it has happend this year. I think tech does an excellent job, and unfairly overruled by the higher up due to politics at times. Nothing new I'm sure...

You're underestimating Jenkins. He was a genius at carbs and flow, but he might have even been better on the short block. Even back then, he was bringing a level of attention to engine building that few had attempted.

I worked around his engines and had conversations with him about the Monster Mash. Though he was always candid with areas he'd stretched the rules in I never once heard him say that about the car in question.

Jenkins sealed short blocks tighter than anyone I'd ever seen. Back in the day, I would not have believed his leakdown numbers had I not seen them myself.

And as for being angry about the car being sold, you'd be angry too if your entire career had been people copying your ideas that you didn't/couldn't patent. Things like gas ports, cylinder finish, block plates, and everything else he invented to keep blocks sealed.

Now extend that sort of thinking to every other process of engine building and you might understand why he didn't need to cheat.