Any older division 7 racers out there?

[ckessel]

I was at my old bosses place yesterday and finally had a chance to take some pictures of his old race car. 70 SS396 Nova that he campaigned in Division 7 during the 70's. He remembers having many races against the Rettig Bros and Steve Wann. He's from Hanford and knew Butch Leal who is a Hanford native too. Vern help the class record for awhile back then. From what he told me, there were very few mods you could do on the SS class. Almost like the current Stock class. I worked for Vern and his wife Carol in the early 80's at his speed shop in San Luis Obispo. Learned ALOT being there. This place was fun. Hundred plus sets of headers, 50 or more intakes, carbs galore, cams and parts, ignition, cranks, rods, pistons, heads etc etc. I was in heaven!

 

[beanhead]

WoWee I remember those guys! I was just a pup in those days but my dad and uncles took us to watch the races many times...thanks for posting that Carl!

....One of my uncles raced roundy-round back in the day and one of his best racer buds was a guy named Mike Parker "The Fresno Flash"....I used to call him California Flash and he'd say, "Dammit boy! Butch is the California Flash! (because they all knew each other) I'm the Fresno Flash!" Us kids would tease him because we were a bunch of little ********, even back then!
Man those were good times.

 

[Budnicks]

I vaguely remember the car, paint job sort of, not the name much...

Longtime Div. 7 racer, my 1st comp # was 7911, my 1st pro # was 750
from 1975-2007, then into like 2014 sparingly after that, just to keep my license current

Maybe seen it at Famoso, OCIR, LACR, Ontario, Long Beach, Riverside, Irwindale or Lions (?)
as kid watching my stepdad, he quit racing in late 1974, he was a Pontiac guy...
my 1st altered AA/Gas at 18 y/o 1806#s 6#s/Per/cid
& my 67 Camaro, 454 Iron LS7/N2O streetbeast in the background

don't pay attention to the date stamps they are from converting a few to digital
from Polaroids or in frames

my pro-gas 49 Ford with a 477cid alky inject BBC at 1st, easy 8.50 car
later had a blown Enderle Inj. alky Milodon Mastodon

my 67 Camaro 1st run in the 8's 1980-sih

me in the white 87 Trans Am, Sac Raceway Govn. cup 1988-ish (?)

my T/S outlaw Pro-stock 89 Camaro IROC/z28 at Sears Point in the early 90's (?)

 

[ckessel]

I love that old stuff.

 

[Budnicks]

I love that old stuff.

Me too
I was heavily involved in the Goodyguys & SCTA, Gary Meadors before that
now the Heritage Racing NHRA,
partially why I built the 49 Ford, (for A/Gas or B/Gas) it had to be pre-1950 body at 1st
I also worked/crewed on the Nostalgia Races long time record holder T/F
owned by my old neighbors in Pleasant Hill, Pete & Marlene K.
& later Fritz their son drove, especially early on when Jim Davis (RIP) drove it
I never had their budgets, I was into more a bit newer stuff too...
But;
It was a blast to ride along & be part of it, learned a lot...
Did a lot of IHBA races too (RIP Al Bush, not from that wreck prostate cancer)
Crazy Horse (535) days Pete & Marlene K. owned too

BFFB, blow fuel flat bottom, the fuel altered of drag boats, all Hemis baby

Jim Davis in Tulsa Ok. 1990's