Best B.O.P. stock and super stockers of all time

oldskool · 09-17-2021, 11:39 PM

That brings us up to the model year 1977. Have been lots of '77 Stock/SS Pontiacs. The '77 & '78 Birds are very similar. I've noticed that back in the early 2000's, there were quite a few Bird Stockers, listed as '78 models. In recent years, they're all listed as '77's. This is probably due to changes in NHRA hp factors for the '78 model. Anyhow, until the hp factor for the Firebird '77 180hp 400 was jacked up to over 280, the '77 Birds were real competitive. Nowadays, those '77 Birds are obviously not near as competitive as they were.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...4&MAKE=Pontiac

Going back & lookin thru the DRC files for the US Nats, reveals several real competitive '77 & '78 Birds. The 1st one I see was driven by Bob Michael in '98. He was #12 & won the M/SA class. Don Holmes was #29 on that list.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop

2 of the quickest '77-'78 Bird Stockers were driven by Dave Edwards & Don Holmes. The Dave Edwards T/A may have been the same one Bob Michael ran in '98. Somebody may have posted that on the Pontiac Stocker thread. Anyhow, those 2 were near the top of the Q-list, several times. Also got several class wins. Here's an example. They qualified in the top 5, & both won their class at Indy, 2000. Notice also that there were 5 Pontiacs in the top 15, including 3 class winners. Hey, that means that Pontiac powered cars made up 1/3 of the top 15 ! Kyle Riley was also on the list, with a '77 Lemans.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop

There were some competitive '77 Lemans Stockers, as well as a GP & a Catalina. Don Himes won the P/SA class in '03, in a '77 GP. Dave Edwards won J/SA. Scott Burton & Mike McGinley also won class that year.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

Some other Bird drivers I saw on the Indy Q-lists were: Dave Batta, Peter & Sal Biondo, Dave Ribeiro, & Paul Dilcher, just to name a few. I also noticed that Ryan Warter drove Bill Edgeworth's '77, in '08. Was #10 & won the K/SA class. I think that car was a nat record holder.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2008#indextop

Think I counted 12 Pontiac powered Stockers on the '04 Q-list.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop

Mike Morgan has done good with the Sal Piacentini 350 powered '77 SS Bird, having won class & RU in class, to Bill Rink, a couple of times.

Possibly the winingest SS Bird was the '78 T/A, driven by Ken Shawver, Monte Howard, & Jack Good. Ken was #1 qualifier & SS/KA class winner @ Indy, in '05 !

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2005#indextop

09-17-2021, 11:39 PM	#30
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: Best B.O.P. stock and super stockers of all time That brings us up to the model year 1977. Have been lots of '77 Stock/SS Pontiacs. The '77 & '78 Birds are very similar. I've noticed that back in the early 2000's, there were quite a few Bird Stockers, listed as '78 models. In recent years, they're all listed as '77's. This is probably due to changes in NHRA hp factors for the '78 model. Anyhow, until the hp factor for the Firebird '77 180hp 400 was jacked up to over 280, the '77 Birds were real competitive. Nowadays, those '77 Birds are obviously not near as competitive as they were. http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...4&MAKE=Pontiac Going back & lookin thru the DRC files for the US Nats, reveals several real competitive '77 & '78 Birds. The 1st one I see was driven by Bob Michael in '98. He was #12 & won the M/SA class. Don Holmes was #29 on that list. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop 2 of the quickest '77-'78 Bird Stockers were driven by Dave Edwards & Don Holmes. The Dave Edwards T/A may have been the same one Bob Michael ran in '98. Somebody may have posted that on the Pontiac Stocker thread. Anyhow, those 2 were near the top of the Q-list, several times. Also got several class wins. Here's an example. They qualified in the top 5, & both won their class at Indy, 2000. Notice also that there were 5 Pontiacs in the top 15, including 3 class winners. Hey, that means that Pontiac powered cars made up 1/3 of the top 15 ! Kyle Riley was also on the list, with a '77 Lemans. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2000#indextop There were some competitive '77 Lemans Stockers, as well as a GP & a Catalina. Don Himes won the P/SA class in '03, in a '77 GP. Dave Edwards won J/SA. Scott Burton & Mike McGinley also won class that year. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop Some other Bird drivers I saw on the Indy Q-lists were: Dave Batta, Peter & Sal Biondo, Dave Ribeiro, & Paul Dilcher, just to name a few. I also noticed that Ryan Warter drove Bill Edgeworth's '77, in '08. Was #10 & won the K/SA class. I think that car was a nat record holder. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2008#indextop Think I counted 12 Pontiac powered Stockers on the '04 Q-list. https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2004#indextop Mike Morgan has done good with the Sal Piacentini 350 powered '77 SS Bird, having won class & RU in class, to Bill Rink, a couple of times. Possibly the winingest SS Bird was the '78 T/A, driven by Ken Shawver, Monte Howard, & Jack Good. Ken was #1 qualifier & SS/KA class winner @ Indy, in '05 ! https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2005#indextop Attached Thumbnails Last edited by oldskool; 09-18-2021 at 01:53 PM.