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oldskool · 01-25-2020, 01:07 AM

Well, after quite a bit of searching, I think I've finally figured out why I was so confused about all those classes from the very early 60's, like S/S, OS/S, S/SA, A/FX, & B/FX. I was trying to lump all those classes into one class, called Super stock.

Not so. It seems that all those classes, plus A/S & A/SA, were part of what was called "Top Stock".

Then, all the Stock classes from B/S & below were included in what was called "Junior Stock".

I'd occasionally run across the term Junior Stock. But, in my mind I just assumed that class had rules like some sort of "Pure Stock" class.

Another reason I had a different idea about it was because when I 1st started racing my GTO, the class I ran was called "Top Stock", at our local track. But, their use of that name was NOT the same as NHRA Top Stock, from the early '60's.

At that time, there was no bracket racing at our track. The street driven cars would run what I think was called Street Stock. Actually, some of the cars that ran in Top Stock were also driven to the track. Top Stock ran for $75 plus a trophy. Street Stock just ran for a trophy, IIRC.

Anyhow, I never ran a track that had a Junior Stock class. Only read about Junior Stock, since I got online. And only discovered exactly what it was, yesterday. I'm sure that many of you older guys may remember Top Stock & Junior Stock well. I don't.

Now, as it got closer to the mid '60's, the FX classes went wild. They separated themselves from Top Stock cars, with all sorts of modifications, like blowers, shorter wheelbases, light body parts, etc. These cars began booking into match races, at tracks all over the country. This was the birth of the Funny Car. Arnie Beswick probably led the Pontiac powered match race tour guys. There were a few others, including Don Gay. But, those cars had nothing to do with Stock or SS, so that's all I'll say about that.

So, if I have it correct now, Everything from B/S down, ran Junior Stock. Everything above B/S, ran Top Stock, at least at the national level. I assume that some local tracks made their own rules, as mine did.

If this Top Stock/Junior Stock info is not correct, some of ya'll who know for sure, please explain it to us.

Then, somewhere around '66 or '67, Stock & SS, became 2 separate classes. The SS cars could run headers, bigger than stock cams, after market intakes, & bigger tires than the Stockers could run. Again, this is what I read online, about the history of Super Stock. May not be accurate, since we all know that not everything you read online is true.

Here is a link to the site where I got much of this info.

http://www.mre-books.com/ct953/superstock1966.html

Below is a pic, which I've probably posted here already. Not re-posting to brag, but just to show that the class I ran, in '73-'74, at my local track, was called Top Stock.

01-25-2020, 01:07 AM	#7
oldskool VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: The Land of Bayous, Boudin & Crawfish Posts: 1,668 Likes: 223 Liked 747 Times in 362 Posts	Re: Best Pontiac Powered Stockers Well, after quite a bit of searching, I think I've finally figured out why I was so confused about all those classes from the very early 60's, like S/S, OS/S, S/SA, A/FX, & B/FX. I was trying to lump all those classes into one class, called Super stock. Not so. It seems that all those classes, plus A/S & A/SA, were part of what was called "Top Stock". Then, all the Stock classes from B/S & below were included in what was called "Junior Stock". I'd occasionally run across the term Junior Stock. But, in my mind I just assumed that class had rules like some sort of "Pure Stock" class. Another reason I had a different idea about it was because when I 1st started racing my GTO, the class I ran was called "Top Stock", at our local track. But, their use of that name was NOT the same as NHRA Top Stock, from the early '60's. At that time, there was no bracket racing at our track. The street driven cars would run what I think was called Street Stock. Actually, some of the cars that ran in Top Stock were also driven to the track. Top Stock ran for $75 plus a trophy. Street Stock just ran for a trophy, IIRC. Anyhow, I never ran a track that had a Junior Stock class. Only read about Junior Stock, since I got online. And only discovered exactly what it was, yesterday. I'm sure that many of you older guys may remember Top Stock & Junior Stock well. I don't. Now, as it got closer to the mid '60's, the FX classes went wild. They separated themselves from Top Stock cars, with all sorts of modifications, like blowers, shorter wheelbases, light body parts, etc. These cars began booking into match races, at tracks all over the country. This was the birth of the Funny Car. Arnie Beswick probably led the Pontiac powered match race tour guys. There were a few others, including Don Gay. But, those cars had nothing to do with Stock or SS, so that's all I'll say about that. So, if I have it correct now, Everything from B/S down, ran Junior Stock. Everything above B/S, ran Top Stock, at least at the national level. I assume that some local tracks made their own rules, as mine did. If this Top Stock/Junior Stock info is not correct, some of ya'll who know for sure, please explain it to us. Then, somewhere around '66 or '67, Stock & SS, became 2 separate classes. The SS cars could run headers, bigger than stock cams, after market intakes, & bigger tires than the Stockers could run. Again, this is what I read online, about the history of Super Stock. May not be accurate, since we all know that not everything you read online is true. Here is a link to the site where I got much of this info. http://www.mre-books.com/ct953/superstock1966.html Below is a pic, which I've probably posted here already. Not re-posting to brag, but just to show that the class I ran, in '73-'74, at my local track, was called Top Stock. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by oldskool; 01-25-2020 at 09:54 AM.