The Last Winged Warrior! how a 1969 Dodge Daytona with a 305" Small block Mopar ALMOST made history

[knucklebuster]

Just found this with great restored footage featuring close ups of Petty, Yarborough, etc. with AJ Foyt and others. This is a great tip of the hat to the 340 that battled the big block and almost won!

"Today on Unity Motorsports Garage, we take back at the Last Winged Warrior! The 1969 Dodge Daytona owned by Mario Rossi and driven by Richard Brooks almost made history at the 1971 Daytona 500 by running a 305ci Destroked 340 Mopar engine to accommodate the Aero rules set by Nascar... The little Mini-Motor held its own of the Big Blocks that dominated the Superspeedways of Nascar..."

 

[polyjohn]

Buddy Baker, a real Mopar legend!
Did you see that Daytona 'get all loose' on the top bend?
200mph in a doorslammer.
One tough dude!

Big-blocks destroyed by the 'mini motor'.
Corporate image was salvaged by Pete Hamilton's, gentle tap into Brooks...
Just think if it been a 358 cube small-block?

 

[Krooser]

I believe Big Bill was in charge not Jr as was mentioned early in the video.

 

[j-c-c-62]

So I wonder how much ballast they had to add to be legal.
Seems like they were in the 3600Lb? range back then.

 

[Photon440]

So I wonder how much ballast they had to add to be legal.
Seems like they were in the 3600Lb? range back then.

I don't know about 1971, but in 1970 the weight minimums for category I and II cars (full size and intermediates) was:

b. Minimum weight Category 1 and Category 2 cars. 3900 pounds for all cars, with gas, oil and water, ready for racing without driver.

 

[j-c-c-62]

The point mainly being here, the little motor offered no real overall weight savings, only where it might be placed.