Last Year of Modified? Question

[BlueOval Ralph]

The guys running at the top of the category like Arlen Fadley were a long way from many of the weekend racers

This couldn't be futher from the truth, I worked at Ford the same time Fadely raced the Maverick and would go with him some of the time, He worked at Fords during the day and on the car in his spare time which was day and night.He built his own engines, trans & rearends at home in Flat Rock, The Ramcharges did all the engine machine work, Batten did the heads and airflow, LocMachine in Taylor did major maching. He (we took vaction on Fridays and Mondays so we could go the Points Meets and National Events. The last yeaar he ran the car 1978 before it was sold to Mike Edwards he alot of help from John Bujenski (from the old Seibert & Bujenski fame) and in fact was parnters with hime when they ran the Mopar Dragster in 79 & 80. If you go back in time most if not all the Modified Racers were Weekend Racers.
Ralph






V

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

FJ...I guess it is mostly how commited you are to the sport. Your abilities are much higher than the average guy I would have to say. From the cars that you build/built and for your on track performance as well. Everyone knew you and your cars.....I know we did....We were a small engine shop and tried to promote the business and field a couple of cars in various classes. We did not have the budget for it I can tell you that and we did work hard. My friend and co-workers C/SM car (Dennis Siderko), qualified #3 at E-Town behind Billy Mansell and Garley Daniels one year and we were subsequently tossed in teardown for some marks further than 1/2" into the intake port. It was a real arbitrary call and we agrued it for a longtime but got nowhere. That single event was very devastating to our efforts. We continued but it was never the same after that. Many of the guys I recall were garage owners or other various automotive business owners. The guys running at the top of the category like Arlen Fadley were a long way from many of the weekend racers. We did pretty well here and there but it was tough to keep up and the amount of time and work needed was real tough to sustain.........nice talking to you.....Rich

[rx dealer]

BlueOval Ralph or anyone, Do you remember a 69 camaro that ran in D/gas? on the door it said Guth & Gugowski (sp) that car was light blue and had a 427 with hemi 4 speed and a dana. It ran out of the Dearborn Michigan area. It ran at Milan, Tri City dragway , and Central Mich Dragway ( mid mich motorplex ) and many tracks at in the Midwest. I used to own that car and it turned out to be built by Wally Booth and similar to his Rat Pack camaro. I sold that car and I wish I still had it, I always wonder what happened to that car. Any photo's or info would be great..Luke Awdish

[TOM KASCH]

71 Indy
Tom Kasch photo

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by SPS

Robert/ Rich:

I think that most of us involved at the time would argue about the cost or sophistication of the Modified cars of the time. {yes, this was 30 years ago, not today} . These were well-built cars , as good as the parts available.
Examples would be Arlen Fadley's Maverick,{one of my toughest competitors}, arguably one of the first body-in-white cars ever built. Or my own Camaro, built in the mid 70's with a 4-link under the stock floor and stock frame rails {within the rules of the time}.

Remember, we raced at least 3 times a week and made probably 4 times as many runs a year as today.

I don't agree that it took buckets of money to race or be competitive as I sure didn't have a lot.. Instead , hard work and determination was the key to success. No crying when you got beat. Instead you went home and went to work. {sometimes I'm amazed we did that much work}

One of the best parts in my memory of Modified was the recognition by your competition when you ran well. No hard feelings here, just excellent competition by a close-knit group of racers with the same competitive spirit.

FJ

FJ,

Gonna agree with Rich here again. You were one of the best and I too, consider you above the average for racers of that and any era.

I'll respectfully disagree with the money aspect , from both my and a friends perspective that campaigned a couple of modifieds. I won't argue with you regarding the work part. You always had to work on these things. Both to make them run, as well as the constant maintenance they required.

Here in my neck of the woods, a good friend of mine, Toby Meek, built a Boss 302 powered Maverick. Never could get that thing to run faster than an 11.90. Later in the 70's he and his brother built a D/MC Pinto with the 2000cc engine. That one was respectable, took alot of work to get it there. By the time they got it to work, the class was dissolved. My own attempt was a 67 Mustang, that I never had the money to purchase the right parts for. The 289 Windsor just didn't have the parts availability they enjoy today. It sure taught me how to fix things. That thing could destroy everything from the clutch on back.

Someone else asked about flywheels. I had a 50lb Weber behind mine. Worst thing I tried was a solid center Ram clutch, that thing was brutal.

Robert Swartz

[Rich Biebel]

One thing is for certain about the internet......No matter what you say someone will disagree with it or take it to mean something unintended. I think I will say sayonara to Modified Eliminator. I enjoyed being around for that era but that era is long gone.....

[Greg Barsamian]

Originally Posted by Superfan1

Anyone have any pics of the Baldwin Chevrolet / Motion Performance Camaro driven by Dennis Ferrara in A/MP, and B/MP? That was one of my favorite Modified Eliminator cars.
Bill Seabrooks - superfan1

That car was purchased by Les Lucier & Jim Reid. A gentleman in Nebraska restored it and brought it to Barret Jackson 2 years ago, It didnt bring anything close to what he had in the restoration. Last I heard they were in litigation against BJ.

Those of you that recognise Ryan Ondrejko's 62 Corvette, that is the very car that went "heads-up" for the A/MP record in 1972. Joel Rosen & Dennis Ferrera made the trek to Lebanon Valley & ran away with the record that year. The Corvette was Owned by Vince Barletta, built & maintained by Wes Nester from Worcester Mass. The 62 was called The "Plastic Rat" It featured an all-Aluminum ZL-1 engine built by Jim Reid at Reid's Automotive. The car was always a "hit" with the M/P crowd at the Valley back in those days! Yanking the wheels 2 to 3 feet on every launch!
We stole err borrowed a carrage from the Mammouth Mart one night to make a set of wheelie bars for it so the damb thing wouldn't flip over.

The Baldwin Motion Performance Camaro was "trick" to say the least. Bill Lorenzo & Ed Sarkiaian from SS & DI did a detailed story on that Camaro when Reid & Lussier campained it. They set many records in M/P with that car as well.

Jim Reid Sr & Jim Jr still build & maintain the engines for the 62, currently campained by John & Ryan Ondrejko in Division 1 S/G. They recently won the 2008 NHRA D-1 National Open series championship, and last fall Ryan took "Vinny's Vette" to the winners circle at the 2008 IHRA North American Nationals at New England dragway in Super rod.
The Barletta family still own the car.

Bob Don you were sponsored by the "Speed Shack" in Norwood, where "We push Speed"
( I still have the licence plate frame you gave me)
Negrini is now out in D-7 planning on driving them crazy with his Johns Racecraft Firebird in SS/CM

BTW I still own "The Wild Armenian"
Greg

[Adger Smith]

Just a note to let you know how huge Modified was as a spectator draw... In 1977 I was running The I -20 track in Tyler TX. I had an ALL Corvette Modified & Gas race. It was a 16 car qualified field & paid some decent money(by round) for the times. There were 22 cars trying for the 16 spots & it was a was a Who's Who of Div 4 racing. I think there were a couple of other Divisions represented, too. I advertised the race on all my mail outs & billboards the year. (about 6 mo's of ads) It packed the place. We had a near capacity crowd. I learned later that there were people camped at the local KOA waiting for the race. Some great racing & the spectators loved it. Just like the monthly Modified meets we had in conjunction with Hallsville. I wish my head injuries from my racing accident hadn't taken away so many of the details of that time. I bet there are others that remember that race. I can only remember a few of the guys there & can't remember who won... So sad...My memories gone just like Modified.

[Jimmy Smith]

Hello Adger and can the Blue Oval or anyone know the where abouts of C.J.Batten? I saw a inquiry about him on another site and I remember the name and know he was a Ford Guru but did not know him personaly. This thread brought back a lot of memories. When I ran the Greenville Ms. Track we would have Don Peek, Mansell & Minga, Buddy Bennett, Willis Ragsdale ,Sanford (Sleepyhead) Bolan,With a Hemi and 4 speed in a Street Roadster and a host of other guys that were semi local. That was fun. Later J.Smith 4621 racing

[FED 387]

Batten was /is in the Detroit area hooked up with diamond Pistons and did have Batten Heads not sure if they are still in businees tho-Comp 387

[Jimmy Smith]

Thanks 387, I will pass this on. Later J.Smith 4621 racing