|
Num Posts
Sort Order
|
|
Posted: 10/30/05
12:20 PM
|
|
Everyone thinks import racing is something new-wrong. Imports were refered to as sub compacts, and some arestill referred to as sport compacts. Well sub compacts dominated NHRA Pro Stock for years, just look at "Grumpys Toys".
 Grumpy Jenkins' 1972 Vega Print #PS-13 |
After two years of looking at the tail lights of Pro Stock Mopars, Jenkins found a loop-hole in the Pro Stock rules for 1972. NHRA was allowing the use of Vega and Pinto cars as racers. The only problem was that those cars do not have any kind of "frame," as they are uni-body construction cars. Grumpy noted that the rules call for the driver to be protected from all direction - hence a full roll-cage tube frame was the only way a Vega would pass safety inspection. The 331 cubic-inch small-block, tube framed Vega trumped the hemi Mopars and changed Pro Stock forever, ushering in the tube frame chassis Pro Stock racers.
|
#222: 1973: Bill Jenkins Driving "Grumpy's Toy 10" - Launch
 Here's another image from the same race captured at Dragway 42 (West Salem, Ohio) on May 20, 1973 (notice the overflowing crowd).
#224: 1976: Bill Jenkins Pro Stock Monza" - Burnout
Here we see Jenkins at the 1976 Thompson race as he melts the slicks on his famous "Grumpy's Toy," Monza. At that point, Grumpy was sporting a full beard which can be clearly seen through the windshield. Also, check out the overflow crowd in the background. Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins is a living drag racing icon and is still building fantastic Chevrolet racing engines.
|
|
Posted: 10/30/05
07:23 PM
|
|
Thats not even close to the import racing we are talkin about.
|
4Birdman
New User
| Posts: 8
| Joined: 10/05
Posted: 10/31/05
03:48 AM
|
|
At least the right tires are driving those. With a FWD car I feel like the rest of the car is useless.
|
|
|
MrFoMoCo
User
| Posts: 241
| Joined: 03/05
Posted: 10/31/05
06:42 AM
|
|
While "the Grump" dominated the first year of the tube frame era, it's misleading to imply that his "domination" lasted for years.
Anybody ever heard of Gapp and [Jack] Roush?
Bob Glidden?
Dyno Don?
Ford compacts and subcompacts kicked around a lot of bowties in '70s and '80s Pro Stock action (and still dominate IHRA Pro Stock (home to the real 800-cube "mountain motors")
Here's some links I copied from a Turbo Ted post . . . Vegas and Monzas weren't the only "sport compacts" in Pro Stock!
http://www.nhra.com/50th/top50/images/B_Glidden02.jpg
http://www.oklahomaoutlawracing.com/TIR/images/07.jpg
http://www.oklahomaoutlawracing.com/TIR/images/06.jpg
http://www.dragraceusa.com/nostalgic/GappRoushTaxi.htm
http://www.nhra.com/museum/features/feature16.html
|
nogo1049
New User
| Posts: 36
| Joined: 09/05
Posted: 10/31/05
01:45 PM
|
|
FORD Pinto
CHEVY Vega
How many pro-anything HONDA Civic or NISSAN Sentra or TOYOTA Celica cars can anyone find that are either great or historic?...or interesting? (Don't waste time with the front wheel drivers that magically make 10s or the not-in-the-right-mind turbo 4 bangers that somehow put up big numbers in tube chassis cars)
|