Don Carlton 1967 GTX?

James L Miller · 06-15-2012, 12:23 AM

Did Don Carlton drive a 1967 GTX somewhere along the line? A friend has a line on such an animal. I'm thinking it must have been a Sox & Martin car, perhaps after the 1968 Cuda was ready for Ronnie. Or did Carlton have one of his own?

ww63 · 06-15-2012, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James L Miller

Did Don Carlton drive a 1967 GTX somewhere along the line? A friend has a line on such an animal. I'm thinking it must have been a Sox & Martin car, perhaps after the 1968 Cuda was ready for Ronnie. Or did Carlton have one of his own?

Carlton had his own 68 cuda and in addition drove a 68 for Sox&Martin. may have also drove a 67 but I have never seen any pics.

Charlie A · 06-15-2012, 07:56 AM

Only info I can find says he drove one for Sox&Martin and turned that oppurtunity into a factory deal later.
Maybe someone has a pic of the S&M GTX with his name as driver somewhere.
Just reporting what google told me.

Whose name is on the door here? Dave Strickler? Doesn't appear to say Ronnie Sox.

troublemaker427 · 06-15-2012, 08:14 AM

Yes it is Strick's name on the door. He had an agreement with S&M to drive for them several times in '67.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie A

Only info I can find says he drove one for Sox&Martin and turned that oppurtunity into a factory deal later.
Maybe someone has a pic of the S&M GTX with his name as driver somewhere.
Just reporting what google told me.

Whose name is on the door here? Dave Strickler? Doesn't appear to say Ronnie Sox.

Charlie A · 06-15-2012, 08:18 AM

If Don Carlton ever drove for them and the name was on the door, as popular as the S&M cars were, there is a picture somewhere......just where?

ss wannabee · 06-15-2012, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troublemaker427

Yes it is Strick's name on the door. He had an agreement with S&M to drive for them several times in '67.

Wow, didn't know that!

Myron Piatek · 06-15-2012, 11:16 AM

Here is a quote from a May, 1977 Car Craft article by Al Kirschenbaum:

"Years later, when Don's flat-towed '68 Hemi 'Cuda plowed into a tree in a highway mishap, Buddy Martin bought the car and gave him a job driving it. Don's talent at the tree (Christmas, not wood) and reputation as a match racer didn't go unnoticed by Buddy, and Don subsequently did a lot of testing for the S&M team in the year and a half that he was with them."

It doesn't specify a time-line/date, but goes on to say that he went to work for Tom Hoover and Ted Spehar after a 6-week job driving a Billy Stepp car.

jackarnew · 06-15-2012, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myron Piatek

Here is a quote from a May, 1977 Car Craft article by Al Kirschenbaum:

"Years later, when Don's flat-towed '68 Hemi 'Cuda plowed into a tree in a highway mishap, Buddy Martin bought the car and gave him a job driving it. Don's talent at the tree (Christmas, not wood) and reputation as a match racer didn't go unnoticed by Buddy, and Don subsequently did a lot of testing for the S&M team in the year and a half that he was with them."

It doesn't specify a time-line/date, but goes on to say that he went to work for Tom Hoover and Ted Spehar after a 6-week job driving a Billy Stepp car.

I was at Bradenton Fla. testing with Bill Stiles, the day they put Carlton in the Missel. Watched his name go on the car and make his first run in it.
He was a super shoe!

68hemiss · 06-16-2012, 08:47 AM

S&M were running alot of cars (as was Landy) and they often had other drivers racing them - S&M -Don Carlton, Herb McCandless, Dave Strickler, Joe Fisher, ect... - Landy - Bob Lambeck, Mike Landy, Mary Ann Foss, Butch Leal, ect... Leal even drove Grotheer's 71 RR while he was waiting for Butler to finish his 71 P/S Duster. If Carlton started at S&M in 69 - they were still running the 67 cars - so possibly. Carlton was running a 68 Barracuda at the 70 Winternationals and was the original driver of their 70 P/S Duster before Herb McCandless. From what I understand Don left S&M and built his own P/S 70 Barracuda and then drove the winter 70-71races for Billy Stepp in his P/S Challenger before landing in the Missile in 71.
Mark J

James L Miller · 06-16-2012, 09:01 AM

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/FL/Bradenton.html

This says Bradenton opened in mid-1973. That sounds about right to me as I graduated from HS in St. Petersburg in 1975 and the track was built just before then. Some of the guys from our auto shop class went down there to see the Division 2 races. That would have been late 1974 or early 1975. I seem to recall Carlton in the Challenger Missile in 1971.

Thanks guys for the info. It's looking like it must be an S&M car if it proves out. Anyone have more info on the RO GTX? Was it just one of them, or were there two?

06-15-2012, 12:23 AM	#1
James L Miller Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 495 Likes: 6 Liked 24 Times in 15 Posts	Don Carlton 1967 GTX? Did Don Carlton drive a 1967 GTX somewhere along the line? A friend has a line on such an animal. I'm thinking it must have been a Sox & Martin car, perhaps after the 1968 Cuda was ready for Ronnie. Or did Carlton have one of his own? Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mopar 2 Ya!

06-15-2012, 07:56 AM	#3
Charlie A VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 2,483 Likes: 68 Liked 87 Times in 63 Posts	Re: Don Carlton 1967 GTX? Only info I can find says he drove one for Sox&Martin and turned that oppurtunity into a factory deal later. Maybe someone has a pic of the S&M GTX with his name as driver somewhere. Just reporting what google told me. Whose name is on the door here? Dave Strickler? Doesn't appear to say Ronnie Sox. Last edited by Charlie A; 06-15-2012 at 08:08 AM.

06-15-2012, 08:18 AM	#5
Charlie A VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 2,483 Likes: 68 Liked 87 Times in 63 Posts	Re: Don Carlton 1967 GTX? If Don Carlton ever drove for them and the name was on the door, as popular as the S&M cars were, there is a picture somewhere......just where?

06-15-2012, 11:16 AM	#7
Myron Piatek VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,538 Likes: 34 Liked 132 Times in 48 Posts	Re: Don Carlton 1967 GTX? Here is a quote from a May, 1977 Car Craft article by Al Kirschenbaum: "Years later, when Don's flat-towed '68 Hemi 'Cuda plowed into a tree in a highway mishap, Buddy Martin bought the car and gave him a job driving it. Don's talent at the tree (Christmas, not wood) and reputation as a match racer didn't go unnoticed by Buddy, and Don subsequently did a lot of testing for the S&M team in the year and a half that he was with them." It doesn't specify a time-line/date, but goes on to say that he went to work for Tom Hoover and Ted Spehar after a 6-week job driving a Billy Stepp car.

06-16-2012, 08:47 AM	#9
68hemiss Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 167 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Don Carlton 1967 GTX? S&M were running alot of cars (as was Landy) and they often had other drivers racing them - S&M -Don Carlton, Herb McCandless, Dave Strickler, Joe Fisher, ect... - Landy - Bob Lambeck, Mike Landy, Mary Ann Foss, Butch Leal, ect... Leal even drove Grotheer's 71 RR while he was waiting for Butler to finish his 71 P/S Duster. If Carlton started at S&M in 69 - they were still running the 67 cars - so possibly. Carlton was running a 68 Barracuda at the 70 Winternationals and was the original driver of their 70 P/S Duster before Herb McCandless. From what I understand Don left S&M and built his own P/S 70 Barracuda and then drove the winter 70-71races for Billy Stepp in his P/S Challenger before landing in the Missile in 71. Mark J

06-16-2012, 09:01 AM	#10
James L Miller Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 495 Likes: 6 Liked 24 Times in 15 Posts	Re: Don Carlton 1967 GTX? http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/FL/Bradenton.html This says Bradenton opened in mid-1973. That sounds about right to me as I graduated from HS in St. Petersburg in 1975 and the track was built just before then. Some of the guys from our auto shop class went down there to see the Division 2 races. That would have been late 1974 or early 1975. I seem to recall Carlton in the Challenger Missile in 1971. Thanks guys for the info. It's looking like it must be an S&M car if it proves out. Anyone have more info on the RO GTX? Was it just one of them, or were there two? __________________ Mopar 2 Ya!