Original hemi dart information

[Paul Ceasrine]

Jason,
Thanks for correcting me. I thought the Kenton was out of Ohio. Though your uncle was a northwest region New York racer, I don't recall ever seeing him at Dover Drag Strip (Wingdale, NY) or New York National, out on Long Island, unless he was there for the 68' S/S Magazine
Nationals, along with Ed Miller (Syracuse). I didn't realize Kenton
was for Ken-Ton. The other Dodge (Hat) sponsor looks like Youngstown Dodge (up there near the border???). You are right about the first paint job. Did your uncle really have to race the car like that. Please don't say he had to wear a white cowboy hat too, at the track for the sponsors
The maroon and black paint job is .
Paul (the Amherst area has the best Wings on the planet.

[Mopar Steve]

Dick ran the Iron Butterfly in '69. Spehar built the car in '69 for SS/CA from his wife's Slant 6 330. It was to take advantage of a one year only rule change allowing the steel front Hemi car to utilize the fresh air scoop. He didn't build the car though until late in the year. It only ran at a couple national events. Ted and Tina (his wife) both confirmed this at the Hemi Reunion. Car is believed to possibly still be around.

[68hemiss]

Jason, I think that you are right about running the Dart after the Iron Butterfly. I think Dick told me that being a contract racer he was supposed to race at The U.S. Nats - he blew a motor shortly before and didn't have a good block left. He called Chrysler to explain and they put him it the Butterfly for the race. Interestingly, I have also seen Wally Booth's name on the Butterfly. Wall did have a green Super Bee that he raced also before the RatPack Camaros.
Mark J

[68hemiss]

Crate Camaro,
Frank Elliot's old car - Frank built a clone recently - he sent me some pictures of it. I am not sure if that car ever ran as a S/S (maybe the first owners) Frank always ran it as a M/P and was VERY sucessful with it. Any chance of getting any pictures of it now from Reggie?
Mark J

[Mopar Steve]

Originally Posted by 68hemiss

Jason, I think that you are right about running the Dart after the Iron Butterfly. I think Dick told me that being a contract racer he was supposed to race at The U.S. Nats - he blew a motor shortly before and didn't have a good block left. He called Chrysler to explain and they put him it the Butterfly for the race. Interestingly, I have also seen Wally Booth's name on the Butterfly. Wall did have a green Super Bee that he raced also before the RatPack Camaros.
Mark J

Dick was in the Iron Butterfly at both Indy and Dallas that year. He scattered a 727 at Indy and was runner up to Sox at Dallas.

[Hemi Challenger]

Mark J. : We talked at the Hemi Reunion and I was asking you about Dennis Kilbanes 1968 Dart out of Strongsville Ohio. The car had KILBANE DODGE on the side of it. The car was sold from Strongsville, Ohio in around 1971 and never heard from again. Just wondering if you have heard anything about this car yet. Thanks / Gary

[Paul Ceasrine]

Jason,
That photo of your uncles car looks like August 69', at York/US30, at the
Super Stock Magazine Nationals. The yellow Cougar Eliminator in the
back-ground is a 69'. Charlie Castaldo won the S/S Eliminator there, with his SS/BA car. That would mean, 2 months later that Dart was in the NHRA Finals at Dallas...versus Sox & Martin in the S/S championship run..?
PC

[Mopar Steve]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Jason,
That photo of your uncles car looks like August 69', at York/US30, at the
Super Stock Magazine Nationals. The yellow Cougar Eliminator in the
back-ground is a 69'. Charlie Castaldo won the S/S Eliminator there, with his SS/BA car. That would mean, 2 months later that Dart was in the NHRA Finals at Dallas...versus Sox & Martin in the S/S championship run..?
PC

Paul,

Dick definitely ran the Iron Butterfly at Dallas. Here's a pic of the semi-final run with Ron Mancini and an article with reference to it.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Steve,
Then it looks like Dick put the Hemi Dart on the shelf for awhile, after the
8/10/69 Super Stock Magazine Nationals?
If he was campaigning the Dart for the 69' season, How did he get to
run the 64' Dodge at the Finals?
Paul

[Mopar Steve]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Steve,
Then it looks like Dick put the Hemi Dart on the shelf for awhile, after the
8/10/69 Super Stock Magazine Nationals?
If he was campaigning the Dart for the 69' season, How did he get to
run the 64' Dodge at the Finals?
Paul

Good question, like I said, I know he ran the '64 Dodge at Indy as well. Possibly a few divisional races too, I had never asked about the divisional entries on the car. Note that he is running a Division 1 number.