Let's set the record straight on something...

"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing)
11/10/2015 at 08:21 • Filed to: #Monte Carlo SS #NASCAR

This is the first NASCAR to hit 200 MPH, Cale Yarborough’s 1983 Chevy Monte Carlo SS. The Hemi Charger Daytona that hit 200 at Talladega was not in compliance with NASCAR rules. It had a 426 Race Hemi, an engine that had been outlawed for 5 years by the time the Daytona made it’s “200 MPH Record Run.” The Monte Carlo SS hit 200 MPH in qualifying in 83, and then later during the Daytona 500 the next year hit 201.848.

Stop perpetuating the myth that the Daytona was the first NASCAR to hit 200 MPH. It wasnt NASCAR compliant and did it during a time trial, not a sanctioned event.

DISCUSSION (24)

Party-vi > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 08:29

If the Daytona was a NASCAR race car (it was), and it hit 200mph (it did), then it was the first one to hit 200mph. It literally happened . Like, people were there and verified it. The Daytona race car did in-fact 100% verifiable hit 200mph .

Sweet Trav > Party-vi
11/10/2015 at 08:40

With an engine that had been outlawed from NASCAR racing for five years.

The car also never raced an event, it was development mule. It was built to the NASCAR rulebook, except for the use of the 426 Race Hemi.

Which is a pretty big variation from the rules.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > Party-vi
11/10/2015 at 08:44

I gotta agree with Travis on this one. NASCAR is a sport. Sports are all about arbitrary rules.

If the Daytona did not meet the NASCAR rules it was not a NASCAR race car at the time.

Not that I care either way. I didn’t even know this was a thing.

yamahog > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 08:49

Also can we plz wrap your car with this livery?

Sweet Trav > yamahog
11/10/2015 at 08:49

If i ever make it to Autocross nationals in it.

yamahog > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 08:53

I think that would clash with the required TIRE RACK livery.

Your boy, BJR > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 09:00

The only reason the 426 was outlawed was because FoMoCo was a bunch of whiny little brats who couldn’t compete, so they tattled.

Pretty much the same reason every awesome race motor has ever been banned.

Sweet Trav > Your boy, BJR
11/10/2015 at 09:03

No. The Ford 427 SOHC kicked the Hemi’s dick in.

Party-vi > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 09:08

So what you’re saying is, this NASCAR racing car did not go 200mph?

Party-vi > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
11/10/2015 at 09:10

So every time Smokey Yunick or Darrell Waltrip had a car out racing it wasn’t a NASCAR race car? K.

Your boy, BJR > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 09:14

“The 426 Hemi was not allowed to compete in NASCAR’s 1965 season due to its unavailability in production vehicles sold to the general public and because of complaints by Ford regarding its power.”

Also, there’s a reason pretty much all American race car motors are based off of Mopar designs......

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Party-vi
11/10/2015 at 09:28

Ha. By the “if it’s not in compliance, it’s not a NASCAR race car” logic, Smokey never built a single NASCAR car in his whole life. That dude lived to break the rules.

BigBlock440 > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 09:30

Huh?

Kinja'd!!!

This guy did it during the 1970 Talladega race, timed a 201 lap.

Also some quotes from the record run in question:

http://www.allpar.com/racing/200-mph…

No, it didn’t happen during a race, but

Buddy Baker came to Detroit in March 1970. The #88 racing mule was gone over to insure that it met all the NASCAR requirements within the exact strict limits of the rules. No modifications were thought of, much less suggested.

In the third week of March 1970, a small caravan arrived at the Talladega Race Track in Alabama. The Dodge Charger Daytona engineering mule, #88 was among that caravan, along with technicians from Chrysler, Larry Rathgeb, and Buddy Baker. They were met by several NASCAR officials, including Bill France. The Chief Inspector checked the car, and the Chief Timer set up the equipment to record the speed. Breaking the 200 mph barrier would be good for NASCAR, since it was their track and their equipment, all certified.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

March 24, 1970 in Talladega was blustery, wet, and cold. The Chief Inspector had carefully examined the #88 car. It was correct right down to the decals. The timing equipment had been mounted, checked, and was tested. It was accurate to 1/10,000 of a second.

Birddog > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 09:43

NASCAR rescinded the Hemi ban in 1965. The Hemi cars that ran in 1969 and 1970 were completely legal.

The 200 MPH barrier was not broken during a race. You are correct about that. It was during a closed test at Talledega though and not during qualifying. The car actually broke 200mph on 3 test laps.

Even NASCAR acknowledges this.

“Baker was the first driver to eclipse the 200-mph mark on a closed course, lapping the Talladega track at 200.096 mph and later 200.447 mph during a transmission test on March 24, 1970. The mark came in a winged Dodge Daytona fielded by Hall of Famer Cotton Owens.

Former Charlotte Motor Speedway President and General Manager H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler said Baker eclipsed the 200-mph mark on a number of occasions, unofficially, while testing tires for Firestone in the 1960s.”

BigBlock440 > Birddog
11/10/2015 at 09:50

Actually, Bobby Issac did brake the 200 mph barrier in a Daytona during a race later in the season, also at Talladega.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 09:59

The HEMI was legal in 1969 and 1970 as was the BOSS 429 (which is a Hemi...)

Sweet Trav > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
11/10/2015 at 10:09

Not a 426 hemi. In 66 they ran a reduced displacement version 404 CID.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > Party-vi
11/10/2015 at 11:02

Throw the caveat that it didn’t have a NASCAR rules compliant engine in it and that statement is fine.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > Party-vi
11/10/2015 at 11:05

So, I’m no NASCAR fan. I just did some reading and it seems that cheating is a big part of the sport. So, what does that mean? If you can get away with it, you’re good? I see there is plenty of precedent to throw out records or victories if the cheating is caught.

The Daytona wasn’t cheating, but it wasn’t actually racing either.

Party-vi > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
11/10/2015 at 11:08

Ford had the same issue with their high-intake engines. I suppose none of those winning cars count either? :P

Party-vi > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
11/10/2015 at 11:17

The Daytona was built to correct NASCAR specifications to push the radical new aero body mods to over 200mph, and the car did it. It was the first vehicle to hit over 200mph on a closed circuit track. It did 200mph and was the first. I don’t see how there is any more discussion to this. The record is for a vehicle hitting 200mph on a closed circuit.

Also, the Chrysler HEMI was only banned because at the time it was not a regular production engine for passenger vehicle. Ford’s SOHC engine never saw a race before it was banned for the same reason. Once the engines were fitting to street vehicles they were allowed back in racing. The 1970 record run was done with a NASCAR legal engine in a NASCAR approved vehicle.

Party-vi > Sweet Trav
11/10/2015 at 11:23

The HEMI (just like the Ford SOHC) was outlawed because it was not a regular production engine. Once Ford and Chrysler started putting their engines in production vehicle as a regular option the engines were allowed to race.

Nick-Speed > Sweet Trav
12/08/2015 at 08:48

Where are you getting your information, specious article like this?
Every Dodge or Plymouth that raced in NASCAR in that era did so with a “426 Race Hemi” which the street Hemi was based on, not the other way around, it was a legal engine and car.
Was this your way of getting response from all the readers that are more knowledgeable than you?

nitroram33 > Sweet Trav
12/10/2015 at 02:22

Tell that to Petty’s Superbird and all the other race HEMIs after 1966.

Kinja'd!!!