Going for a Drive in Bobby Isaac's 216+ MPH Charger Daytona

"SteveLehto" (stevelehto) 09/13/2014 at 10:00 • Filed to: None

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I've been writing magazine articles and books for a few years now and have gotten do some cool stuff along the way. One highlight: I got to drive Bobby Isaac's K&K #71 on the road outside the Talladega raceway.

Isaac was the NASCAR champion in 1970 but many people have forgotten him. He !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and passed away in 1977. But in 1969 - 1970 he won 28 races. He also started from the pole 20 times one year. Good numbers no matter how you slice them. But, for me, the cool part of that time frame was the 1969 Charger Daytona he raced on the superspeedways. (For those unfamiliar: In 1969 Dodge slapped a nose cone and a wing on a Dodge Charger for aerodynamic advantage, called it a Daytona and sold enough of them to the public to call them "stock" cars. Plymouth would do the same thing in 1970 for the Road Runner, resulting in the Superbird. I am currently writing a book on the two preceding sentences.)

First seen at Talladega in the Fall of 1969, the "poppy" red Charger Daytona was one of a few winged entries in a race tarnished by a drivers' strike. Petty, Pearson, and the other big names sat out but Isaac – not a member of the union – raced. As did the eventual winner, Richard Brickhouse, also in a winged car. There is a whole story there as you might imagine, but I am going to focus on Bobby's car here.

The Daytonas raced through the 1970 season and then NASCAR passed a new rule saying you could have wings and nosecones OR Hemis – but you couldn't have both. Yes, Mario Rossi tried to teach Bill France a lesson and entered a winged car with a small-block in the 1971 Daytona 500 but he did not finish. The NASCAR contingent of winged cars was sent to pasture that year.

Earlier, Chrysler had taken their factory winged car to Talladega and run the first official lap over 200 at 200.447. Isaac and crew returned to Talladega and ran a few laps of their own. One topped 201. Not many people seemed impressed. Being the second to break 200?

Bobby Isaac and his crew – including legendary chief Harry Hyde – went to the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! with their wing and invited an official from USAC. Bobby did a flying mile at 216 and ran laps around a staked-out oval for a few hours to set records at various distances up to 500 miles, much of it spent simply sliding at full throttle around the curves.

Afterwards, the K&K car was sent around doing various promotional events and ended up at a car dealer in Alabama. Tim Wellborn, a Mopar car enthusiast if there ever was one, heard about it and acquired it. When he got it, it did not have a running race motor. Sometime later, Chrysler contacted him and asked him about using it for modern day PR. When he mentioned it needing a motor, they scrounged up a crate motor for him. The car is now self-motivating again but the new motor is a bit larger: it is a 528 CI Hemi. And if you like numbers like this, it has a 2.71 rear end.

I met Tim at an Aero Warriors convention at Talladega and I hinted that I'd love to write a story about the car someday, and driving it would really make the piece work. He said he'd see what he could do to accommodate me. Shortly after, I was there with a photographer from Mopar Action .

Tim fired the car up to pull it outside. I was standing next to one of the front fenders not far from the exhaust pipes. It was one of the loudest noises I have ever felt. Outside, Tim got in and I climbed into the passenger side. The car only has one seat so I got to sit on the floor and hang onto a piece of the roll cage as he pulled it out onto the road and ran it through the gears. It was a blast.

After a couple of passes, he asked if I wanted to drive it. We switched places. I quickly discovered that I am a bit wider than Bobby Isaac must have been as I wedged myself through the window into the driver's seat. I fired it up and pulled back onto the road. The first thing I noticed was that the car did not want to steer at low speeds. Those gigantic Goodyear rollers want to go straight until you get going a bit faster. I walked it through a few gears – as I might have driven the Jeep Wrangler I owned then – when Tim suggested I should put my foot "into it." I did.

The car has no speedometer so I really have no idea how fast I was going. The car has no brake lights, turn signals, license plates or a variety of other details Alabama state troopers might have liked to see if we had crossed paths. But we didn't that day. After two passes of a few miles each way, I got back out and we all took some pics of the car.

I wrote an article about the drive for Mopar Action magazine (the cover photo was shot by Cliff Gromer of Mopar Action ) and have stayed in touch with Tim. He has since opened a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in Alexander City, Alabama where he displays his huge collection which includes the K&K #71 (which is lent out to other museums from time to time), a few other wings, and a large number of Hemi-powered cars. If you are ever in the area, drop in. It is well worth the visit. If you see the K&K #71, know that it runs and drives, and it gets out from time to time. And it is a BLAST to drive.

Follow me on twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Steve Lehto is a writer and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! from Michigan. He wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . He also wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Conan > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 10:05

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Some fantastic Mopar moments you had there! I'll have to check it out when I head back through Alabama.

SteveLehto > Conan 09/13/2014 at 10:07

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Tim's museum is mind-blowing if you like Mopars. Well worth the visit.

Thanks for the note.

Alfalfa > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 10:08

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That Charger Daytona is a lot cooler than mine...

SteveLehto > Alfalfa 09/13/2014 at 10:09

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Each has its merits. The one I drove would not fit on your desk.

f86sabre > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 11:00

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Sounds like a great experience and a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with a bit of history. Those winged cars are one of the true highlights of NASCAR history and should be appreciated by all types of race fans.

SteveLehto > f86sabre 09/13/2014 at 11:03

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It was a lot of fun. That's an understatement of course.

Thanks for the note.

someassemblyrequired > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 12:30

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Looking forward to the new book as your Bobby Isaac book was fantastic.

SteveLehto > someassemblyrequired 09/13/2014 at 12:49

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Thanks!

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 14:45

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Duet on the flute?

Blondude > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 14:49

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WAT

Blondude > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 14:51

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JimEmery > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 14:51

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Great article! Is there any truth to the stories that Bobby Isaac was only semi-literate? Back about 1970, after he won the Grand National championship, I can remember reading that he left school after the 8th grade to work in the mills.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 09/13/2014 at 14:53

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Glad somebody got that joke.

SteveLehto > Blondude 09/13/2014 at 14:58

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I saw this truck around the same time at the big Mopar meet in St Louis. Didn't drive it but it looked awesome.

SteveLehto > JimEmery 09/13/2014 at 15:00

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Yes and no. He did drop out of school to go to work but the real problem was that he avoided the press to the point that many reporters did not like him. As a result, they were not kind to him. He is the polar opposite of the drivers you have today with their twitter accounts and PR people.

PeteRR > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:06

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How's this for astonishing. The 1970 Grand National champion car got transported on an open trailer. This is at Bonneville.

SteveLehto > PeteRR 09/13/2014 at 15:07

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Gotta love how they did things old school. I interviewed five or six people who were there at these speed runs. What an amazing time.

Thanks for the post.

Clutchman83 > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:07

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Fun fact, I lived in Wichita KS for a short time and actually met several people who were illiterate through work. This is circa 2012. I wouldn't be shocked to find out if any stock car racer from that Era had trouble with literacy. It's a regional issue apparently.

JimEmery > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:08

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Thanks! Apart from the Salt Flats runs, does Tim Wellborn know the race history on the #71 Daytona? Harry Hyde's K & K team had a huge fleet by the standards of the day, I think there's a picture from 1970 of the team's entire fleet of cars outside the shop with either 3 or 4 winged Daytonas visible.

There's a #6 Dodge Daytona for sale in California that is an authentic Cotton Owens car from 1969, but the claims made about its racing history as a winged car seem to be exaggerated:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.ph…

PeteRR > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:10

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The other thing that cracks me up is the team is sponsored by an insurance broker. Not an insurance company like Allstate or Nationwide, but by insurance salesmen. That's grassroots racing.

rayJoyal > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:11

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All the more reason to buy a bigger desk, or redefine "desk."

JimEmery > Clutchman83 09/13/2014 at 15:11

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Right, even today it's a problem. Bobby Isaac grew up in the poor rural south in the 1930's and 40's, it's not like the educational standards were very high in that environment.

SteveLehto > JimEmery 09/13/2014 at 15:13

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I know they had at least two wings and I am not 100% if anyone tracked which ones ran where. I do know they had a preferred engine for qualifying and one for races (one was more powerful but they were worried about its durability and vice versa). I am familiar with the story of the #6 and the controversy. There is a lot of controversy in this arena as you might imagine (with how valuable these cars are).

SteveLehto > PeteRR 09/13/2014 at 15:14

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Nord Krauskopf had an interesting connection to racing. He went out and found insurance for race tracks. As a result, he knew a lot of people in the industry and it only seemed natural for him to underwrite a team to race at those tracks.

SteveLehto > rayJoyal 09/13/2014 at 15:15

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It's like needing a "bigger boat" in Jaws.

JimEmery > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:19

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OK, I found the photo, thanks to google images - it looks like they had three winged cars (2nd/3rd/4th from left) and three short-track cars. That would be a respectable fleet even by today's standards, it was probably unsurpassed back then:

SteveLehto > JimEmery 09/13/2014 at 15:23

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I bet Petty had a similar fleet. Keep in mind that many of these cars were modified from time to time in mid season. I count three nosecones but am not sure I see three wings. It was quite common, for example, for a "Daytona" to have begun its career as a 1968 Charger. Then get modified to a "500" in 1969 (grill and rear window plug) and then get the wing and nose cone to become a Daytona.

Just adds to the confusion when it comes to provenance.

JimEmery > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:26

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I think the white wing on the middle car is there, but it doesn't contrast well against the white garage door. I've heard Mario Rossi never had more than two cars, but documentation on this kind of thing is absent.

SteveLehto > JimEmery 09/13/2014 at 15:28

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Better question: Whatever happened to Mario Rossi? He appears to have disappeared . . .

Birddog > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 15:51

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Steve, your posts have become an absolute favorite of mine here.

I'm definitely going to be picking up your books.

SteveLehto > Birddog 09/13/2014 at 15:52

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Thanks! And if you haven't already, follow me on twitter so as to not miss any posts. @stevelehto

TheHondaBro > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 16:19

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Holy shit how has his gearbox not melted?

Also, they're not centered, which is REALLY ANNOYING ME.

SteveLehto > TheHondaBro 09/13/2014 at 16:22

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I know very little about the truck. Except that the offset does give the driver a little more to his field of vision.

Ad_absurdum_per_aspera > JimEmery 09/13/2014 at 16:27

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It was also an era when people knew a lot less about learning disabilities and what to do about them. I think of that a postwar field (though some research on dyslexia, for instance, goes back to the 19th century), and of the idea that schools can, must, and shall accommodate learning disabilities as 70s-onward stuff.

As Clutchman83 notes, sub-par literacy remains a problem even in this day and age and is not confined to places where you might stereotypically expect it. Interpolating among various perspectives on this complex issue, perhaps as many as 1 in 7 American adults have English-language literacy levels that pose a significant problem in getting along in modern life. Semiliteracy or worse seems to be a characteristic of about 2 in 5 people who live in poverty, more than half of adult prison inmates, and (adjusted for grade level) maybe four out of five youths who have interacted with the juvenile justice system. It's worse in pockets where you might stereotypically expect poor schools and low socioeconomic opportunity, but is a problem found across the country.

Of course, all this in general; m any sources describe the supposed semi- or illiteracy of Bobby Isaac as a widespread and persistent misconception that Isaac greatly resented. (Perhaps "barefoot kid from up the holler makes good" fits a prefab narrative structure that people are ready to believe — all the more if what you make good in is stock car racing.) I have no idea whether he suffered from any particular learning disability (as opposed to what appear to have been considerable family hardships even by Depression standards). Although he did drop out of school at a tender age, a normal student should have the "Three R's" under some kind of control by that time and be clear of the usual American definitions of functional illiteracy, which seem to draw the line at a fourth- or fifth-grade reading level.

There's also a good story by one Steve Lehto whose denouement makes it clear that Isaac could and did read...

SirRaoulDuke > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 16:52

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Nice article. Thank you.

SteveLehto > SirRaoulDuke 09/13/2014 at 17:17

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Thanks. And if you don't already, follow me on twitter and never miss an article. @stevelehto

Sammy2345 > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 17:54

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A friend of mine had a 71 Plymouth Barracuda with a wing just like that on the back.It looked like it was factory installed.Did they make Cuda's with Daytona wings back then?

SteveLehto > Sammy2345 09/13/2014 at 18:00

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Not the tall ones, no. I've seen quite a few wings on other cars. They can look cool.

stevegravelle > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 18:02

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Book sounds awesome, please keep us posted on pub date. Urban legend here in Cedar Rapids, Ia. is that they sold a disproportionate number of both cars here.. I've seen a couple, but wouldn't swear by that.

SteveLehto > stevegravelle 09/13/2014 at 18:05

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I will. Follow me on twitter so as to not miss anything. @stevelehto

Thanks for the note.

SteveLehto > stevegravelle 09/13/2014 at 18:39

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Hard to say. I know the cars did not sell well at the time. Anywhere.

Chaparral2F > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 18:42

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Fabulous Steve. Besides having another home run article, you brought tears to my eyes getting to drive that incredible K&K Insurance Daytona driven by Bobby Isaac. Being a teenager in the 60s was automotive nirvana. LeMans Prototypes, Can Am cars. F1, drag racing and of course, stock car racing. I lived and breathed stock car racing and voraciously read articles by Competition Press [Autoweek] and National Speed Sport News. I myself sided with Mopars in their valiant battle against their arch enemy Ford. Those Hemi Daytonas and Superbirds battling it out with Boss 429 Torinos and Cyclones was the best racing NASCAR has ever had. Bobby Isaac like Charlie Glotzbach were some of my heroes. To be able to actually drive this car is something Steve I could only dream about. Thank you for sharing and giving me a walk in memory lane. If you ever write a book on the Daytonas, I will be the first in line to buy one. Thanks again!

SteveLehto > Chaparral2F 09/13/2014 at 18:45

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I am currently working on a book about the Daytona - Superbird project at Chrysler. Follow me on twitter for updates. @stevelehto

And I agree about that era. I read old Stock Car Racing magazines cover to cover. Thanks for the note.

Krag > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 18:52

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I always thought Dodge missed the ship not doing a little reconfigure on the Intrepid and doing a remake of the Daytona. The basic body style was there . The long hood and short rear deck. Loose the rear doors and drop a viper engine in it or develop a V8 . I know there is more to it then that but with the popularity of the Challenger today I think it would have sold.

Chaparral2F > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:00

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Steve, what do I need to do so that I don't have to have my posts pending?

carl32536 > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:07

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Bill France was a chevy man and sold out to company bidding!! Have no respect to the man and never will, just like pro stock wrote rules to push mopar's innovations out of ruling that class!!

carl32536 > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:07

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Bill France was a chevy man and sold out to company bidding!! Have no respect to the man and never will, just like pro stock wrote rules to push mopar's innovations out of ruling that class!!

SteveLehto > Chaparral2F 09/13/2014 at 19:11

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Not sure. They show for me (they are not grey.)

SteveLehto > carl32536 09/13/2014 at 19:12

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There is much wisdom in your post. Thanks!

Nibbles > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:16

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You've clearly made amends here. I had completely forgotten about that redhead about 1/3 through this article! Excellent piece

(Yeah I'm quite jealous)

SteveLehto > Nibbles 09/13/2014 at 19:23

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She haunts your dreams, doesn't she? Thanks for the note.

Philbert/Phartnagle > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:28

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Freaking awesome! I bet that was a blast and a half to be able to drive that thing. Thanks for sharing!

P.S. Let us know when your book on the Daytona and Superbird is out.

SteveLehto > Philbert/Phartnagle 09/13/2014 at 19:36

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Thanks. It was a blast.

Follow me on twitter and I will keep you updated @stevelehto

LocalSP > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:44

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http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Mario_Rossi.ht…

Philbert/Phartnagle > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:45

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Done, thanks for the link.

SteveLehto > LocalSP 09/13/2014 at 19:48

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Yes, I've seen that. It is still unclear what happened to him though. One of those weird mysteries.

Thanks!

Maxsdad > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 19:57

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I don't see how ANYONE could ever forget "The Gentle Giant" (one of several with that nickname). If you ever saw him race, you couldn't help but be touched by both his talent and his humility. I was a fan of Terry Labonte because he reminded me of Isaac, and I'm a fan of Matt Kenseth for the same reason.

Maxsdad > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 20:02

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The third wing is camo'd by the roll-up door (directly above the 5th car's windshield) ,but it's there.

SteveLehto > Maxsdad 09/13/2014 at 20:16

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He was a great driver. I interviewed several drivers who raced against him and they always said that. Ned Jarrett and David Pearson both had the highest praise for Bobby's driving skills. There is something to be said for someone who was great and quiet.

Thanks for the note.

SteveLehto > Maxsdad 09/13/2014 at 20:17

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I was looking on s cell phone. On a bigger screen I agree. Damn small screens.

Thanks for the note.

Kylemaro > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 20:58

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you look different steve, did you get a haircut or something?

SteveLehto > Kylemaro 09/13/2014 at 21:02

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It's that indoor lighting. Fluorescent lights and so on.

Kylemaro > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 21:27

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ahhh must be it. like this picture of me from high school. i look so different

SteveLehto > Kylemaro 09/13/2014 at 21:29

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Same thing when I hear recordings of my voice. Sounds nothing like me.

George S. Cadorette > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 22:22

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Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail

 www.jobs700.com

Braking-Dad > SteveLehto 09/13/2014 at 22:29

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Even as I sit here as a die hard Petty fan, the winged K&K #71 Isaac Daytona was the most beautiful Grand National Stock car ever built - hands down.

SteveLehto > Braking-Dad 09/13/2014 at 22:30

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I agree. I love the color too.

dammitjimm > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 01:43

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Didn't Herr Mopar throw together a Daytona with a 528ci crate motor to tour Europe within a year of the buyout?

colorfulyawn > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 02:04

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Sounds like fun. I'm a big fan of the wing cars.

Jwend392 > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 03:19

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SteveLehto > colorfulyawn 09/14/2014 at 03:22

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So am I. It was a blast!

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 12:49

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There was a Superbird at our house a few months when I was around 4, which would've been 1989. It was unrestored, very ratty, and had all 4 tires flat, so us kids were allowed to get in it and pretend to drive it. Don't know if my dad owned it or was storing it for a friend (dad's no longer alive to ask) I just remember being astounded by the wing and even swinging from it once. My cousin and I drove that thing a million miles at 200mph in our imaginations, sawing at the steering wheel like bad actors in the 40s.

I'd give anything to drive one in real life, even at 5mph. But I wouldn't want to own one because I don't want to be afraid of hurting such a rare car.

SteveLehto > TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 09/14/2014 at 13:19

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Wow. It would be amazing to find out what happened to it.

There was a wrecked bird near my house in the late 1970s. It was being parted out and I guarantee you that if someone had the thing today - regardless of how bent it was - they'd straighten it out and the result would be worth it.

Thanks for the note.

asaspapa > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 13:57

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My dad was in Harry Hyde's crew when Isaac won the title. I have searched high and low for these pics of #71. Anyway I can obtain a few? Thanks! Loved the old Daytona's and S'Birds.

SteveLehto > asaspapa 09/14/2014 at 14:12

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What was your dad's name? I interviewed quite a few members of the crew back in the day (about ten years ago) when I first wrote about Isaac. You can respond here or email me directly at Lehto@kennon.com

I have a lot of pics and I'd be happy to share them with you. I also have a facebook page set up for Bobby. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bobby-Is…

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 14:41

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That's the thing though, it's very easy to forget that for a long time the wing cars had very little value and people didn't want them. It took a fairly outrageous personality to own one, especially when the fuel crises hit. Insurance was insane on them. All the big block bad ass muscle cars we love today were worthless used cars, beasts of burden due to their poor mileage.

When we had that one at our house, you still got looked at like you were crazy quite a bit for wanting to restore one. To think I swung from the wing of what today could be a quarter of a million car is mind-blowing!

BTW, really been liking your posts, especially the law ones.

SteveLehto > TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 09/14/2014 at 15:02

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The wing was surprisingly sturdy.

Thanks for the note. I try to mix them up (law versus cars) as best I can. If you haven't already, follow me on twitter. I always post there whenever I put up a new article. @stevelehto

Forcebewithyou > Clutchman83 09/14/2014 at 17:16

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Volunteering at an adult literacy program in high school (circa 1994). Illiteracy among adults was pretty consistent in all fifty States . Though the southeast of our country was a bit higher than average.

lonestranger > SteveLehto 09/14/2014 at 20:13

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2003 F-150. No, I'm no fun at parties.

SteveLehto > lonestranger 09/14/2014 at 20:57

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This was the chase vehicle. We took turns. One person drove the truck while a photographer in the back took pics of the Daytona.

MC20 > SteveLehto 09/15/2014 at 10:02

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USAC has a stock car series back in those days, which could be considered an equivalent to the modern day ARCA series.
I found a documentary from the early 70s on Netflix that showed some action from the series.

Including some shots of the winged cars on what i think was the Springfield mile (couldve been another dirt mile) I would pay a pretty penny to see those cars on dirt.

SteveLehto > MC20 09/15/2014 at 10:18

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Yes and the really cool thing about USAC was that they allowed cars to be run one more year than NASCAR and they never outlawed the wings. So Daytonas ran through the 1971 season in USAC.

Thanks for the note.

MC20 > SteveLehto 09/15/2014 at 16:44

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Steve what type of racing do you get into? I see you're from MI aswell.

SteveLehto > MC20 09/15/2014 at 17:42

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I don't follow modern racing all that much. I love watching and reading about the old school stuff, whether it was NASCAR or at Bonneville and so on. I love the technology and could look at and read about the cars of any era all day long. I know it is considered sacrilegious by many but modern NASCAR to me seems too much of a show. The cars all look alike and haven't been "stock" in decades.

My uncle actually raced quite a bit on the smaller tracks like Toledo and so on and even made it into a FEW USAC races back in the late 1960s. Where in MICH are you ?

MC20 > SteveLehto 09/15/2014 at 18:03

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Originally just north of Lansing, but now I work at Lane Automotive in the SW corner of the state, if your familiar with that.

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars are at Berlin Speedway on the 27th, nothing quite compares to them, you should check it out.

SteveLehto > MC20 09/15/2014 at 18:32

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I was born in E. Lansing and am pretty familiar with the area. I spent the bulk of my life in the Oakland County area with a few years in Grand Blanc (and a couple in CA going to law school). I like the whole state. Am not as familiar with that corner although I've been through it a few times. Is it 12 that cuts across the bottom and hits all the little towns?

Shiarlis > SteveLehto 09/15/2014 at 19:05

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There's a chance I may be as interested in this as much as the Daytona...

SteveLehto > Shiarlis 09/15/2014 at 20:08

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It is unusual, I'll give you that.

MC20 > SteveLehto 09/16/2014 at 09:44

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Yeah, Im just off of 94, actually i can see it out the window from work.

I grew up just off of Chandler rd in St. Johns, which is what Abott turns into as you go north.

You should check out our showroom in Watervliet if you're ever in the area, we're a huge competitor to Speedway/Jegs/Summit, so we've got some eye candy.

SteveLehto > MC20 09/16/2014 at 09:50

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I'll do that next time I'm down that way.

real127 > SteveLehto 09/16/2014 at 14:38

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The whole photograph looks very modern - modern camera, modern plastics in the car, etc. - except this bit right here. For some reason the color looks a little washed out and the focus slightly blurry. It's like looking at an old photograph but it's the side mirror, and the Daytona is situated perfectly in there to be like I'm looking back in time. I love it.

asaspapa > SteveLehto 09/17/2014 at 21:55

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Wouldn't have been dad, he left after Harry Gant died, I believe. Became a deputy sheriff. Not sure if it was with Harry's brother, C.J.Hyde, Chief-of-police (Louisville,Ky.). His name was John W. (Buck) Montgomery. he passed away 6 years ago this month. I would love to have a pic of the car to show his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My email is: asaspapa00@yahoo.com . If I run across any articles mom had on Bobby, I'll notify you. BTW have you ever seen a die cast of his car?

SteveLehto > asaspapa 09/17/2014 at 22:04

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There are a couple different versions of this car, at different scales. I can get you pics. I'll email them.

asaspapa > SteveLehto 09/18/2014 at 19:27

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Thanks! I'll dig out mom's collection.

dart440 > SteveLehto 09/22/2014 at 20:39

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Just curious I've heard bench racing stories about Mark Donahue lapping in a winged car and doing laps at 220 is that real or what. To have a average lap speed of 200mph you would have to do at least that in the straight or more depending on the track. The funny thing is that these cars would smoke the modern cars even still today with a pilot behind the wheel

SteveLehto > dart440 09/22/2014 at 20:42

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Impossible. Bobby's car set a world record at 216 on a huge straightaway. No way a similar car could go faster on an oval.

SuperSoul > SteveLehto 09/23/2014 at 01:30

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The Mark Donohue closed circuit reference was correct-it just wasn't in a winged Mopar. It was in the most powerful sportscar of all time , the Porsche 917-30. A fearsome device that could call up 1500hp to qualify. Interestingly, the fastest car ever to lap the Daytona banking was one of the Greenwood Supervettes.

SteveLehto > SuperSoul 09/23/2014 at 07:12

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I do not know about that so I will have to look that up one of these days. I just know for a fact that it did not happen in a winged car.

Thanks for the note.

DConsorti > SteveLehto 02/12/2015 at 12:04

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You, my friend, is a model for a brazilian lawyer!

DConsorti > DConsorti 02/12/2015 at 13:02

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OPS!!! just correcting my grammar:

You, my friend, ARE a model....