80’s/90’s Stock and Super Stock pics

[oldskool]

Here's some close-up sites & sounds from the SS staging lanes at the 1990 US Nats.

[oldskool]

Here's some Stock qualifying from that '83 US Nats race. The Axemaker & Reuland '72 GTO is on it, probably with Sam Reuland driving.

The blue Mckinney '68 Bird is also on it. Looks like they had their Stock & SS Birds painted to look alike.

[oldskool]

More Pontiacs on this one I can't ID.

[SS BRP]

Originally Posted by oldskool

Here's some close-up sites & sounds from the SS staging lanes at the 1990 US Nats.

I watched that one a couple days ago actually, its really weird to not see a sports car be turned into a drag car, some of those Chevy’s and Oldsmobile’s turned into purpose built race cars looks really cool but its odd too, those are cars you bring your kids to soccer practice in.

And those newer Firebirds are nice, mid, to late 70’s models. Another good one are the 2000’s Firebirds, I think 1996-2002. Ive always been a fan of those, I get excited just seeing one on the road. As long as its the 5.7L V8.

[tommy d]

Originally Posted by oldskool

:...it's important to point out that Roy McKinney was the VERY first NHRA Super Stocker running in a GT class of Super Stock with a 400 cubic inch engine to run in the nines back in 1997. Roy deserves that mention..."


I've probably read that several times. But I suppose it just didn't register. I first heard of Mike & Roy McKinney, back when Mike won Stock at the '77 US Nats, in the same car that Truman fields had won with, in '73.

And, I've had pics of the McKinney Pontiacs on my computer for several years. But, just a few minutes ago, I realized that I have a pic of that McKinney GT car that broke into the 9's, back in '97.

The 1st pic I have is from the 40th anniversary of the US Nats. From what I can find, that was in 1994 ? The car was running low 10's at that race.

The 2nd pic looks to be the same car, but with a different hood, maybe.

There have now been several 400 Pontiac powered GT cars run in the 9's. But, if that info is correct, the McKinney car was the 1st to do it. And they did it 3 years before Keri Angeles did it with a 400 powered reg SS class '69 Bird.

Mckinneys have that car back in their possession again.

[oldskool]

"...Firebirds, I think 1996-2002. Ive always been a fan of those, I get excited just seeing one on the road. As long as its the 5.7L V8."

Yeah, those bodies look pretty good, especially the black ones with the scooped hood.

BUT, since I'm a self proclaimed "Pontiac Freek", I only get excited about one that is a Pontiac powered drag car.

Otherwise, to me, it's just another Chevy powered Pontiac body.

I think Phil Monteith's 4th gen Hatari Bird took Peter Biondo to at least 2 SS Championships. Won lots of big races.

" Mckinneys have that car back in their possession again."

Is this it in pic 4 ?

Leo Glasbrenner also ran a Pontiac powered 4th gen, for a few years.

I think John Peneta has been driving the red car in recent years. IIRC, it was a Johnny Duncan car. I think maybe Phil Monteith built the motor for it, as well as his Hatari Cars, since it has "Hatari" on the door. I think maybe Sam Biondo drove it some, among others. As always, I could be wrong on some of these details. If so, I'll stand corrected.

[oldskool]

"...And those newer Firebirds are nice, mid, to late 70’s models..."

Yeah, & there have been some very competitive '74 & '77/'78 model Birds, thru the years, & even into this century.

The first '74 that comes to my mind was driven by Bob Mulry. IIRC, Pontiac racer Bob Aceves had a hand in it. I've mentioned here that the car set the nat record, in 3 different classes. They had to change it into a T/A, for the heaviest class. It was also #1 qualifier at LOTS of races, out West, running more than a sec & a half under, at some races. Obviously, this kind of performance got some hp added. Same for the '77/'78 Birds.

The '74's could run a 400 4-barrel, 455 D-port, & the SD455. Those SD455 heads are now so valuable that VERY few guys will race 'em.

Right now, Ryan Warter, up in Wash state, runs the only competitive '75 Bird that I'm aware of. I know he's won at least one nat event, for sure.

Only '76 I'm aware of belongs to Kevin Love, in Canada. It was a class winner at Indy, back when Mike Morgan had it.

'77 seems to be the most popular year for 2nd gen Bird Stockers. I can think of lots of 'em. They were very competitive for quite a while. Most choose to run the Formula hood, so they won't have to deal with the T/A shaker scoop & the wheel flairs.

NHRA has kept bumping the hp up to the point where, the same '77 400 engine is more competitive in any '77 body, OTHER THAN a Bird. For example: Bob Michael has built & raced a '77 Lemans & currently has a '77 Catalina. That Cat is the only '77 Cat Stocker I've ever heard of.

There are still some guys running the 400 powered '77 Bird. But, IIRC, when asked, former record holder Dave Ribeiro, said that, with the current hp factors, the '77 Bird might be more competitive with a 350 Pontiac engine.

There are too many '77/'78 Bird Stockers to mention here, But a few I'll mention were raced by: Mark Yacavone, Bill Edgeworth, Dave Ribeiro, Rob Holmes, & the Biondo family. Others have also raced these cars.

[tommy d]

Originally Posted by oldskool

"...Firebirds, I think 1996-2002. Ive always been a fan of those, I get excited just seeing one on the road. As long as its the 5.7L V8."

Yeah, those bodies look pretty good, especially the black ones with the scooped hood.

BUT, since I'm a self proclaimed "Pontiac Freek", I only get excited about one that is a Pontiac powered drag car.

Otherwise, to me, it's just another Chevy powered Pontiac body.

I think Phil Monteith's 4th gen Hatari Bird took Peter Biondo to at least 2 SS Championships. Won lots of big races.

" Mckinneys have that car back in their possession again."

Is this it in pic 4 ?

Leo Glasbrenner also ran a Pontiac powered 4th gen, for a few years.

I think John Peneta has been driving the red car in recent years. IIRC, it was a Johnny Duncan car. I think maybe Phil Monteith built the motor for it, as well as his Hatari Cars, since it has "Hatari" on the door. I think maybe Sam Biondo drove it some, among others. As always, I could be wrong on some of these details. If so, I'll stand corrected.

Yes Marty drives it. #4

[oldskool]

"...And those newer Firebirds are nice, mid, to late 70’s models..."

Can't leave this without mentioning some of the '74 & '77/'78 Birds that have run Super Stock.

For me, the first '74 that comes to mind is the original H-O Racing Specialties SD455 T/A. It was a record holder in '77 & is was probably one of the quickest reg SS class Pontiac powered cars ever, having run mid 9's, while the Cleggs owned it & J.B was driving.

Also have a pic of a black one, with H-O on the door.

Johnny Duncan run strong in a '74 SS Bird.

Wilbert Thornton also has a '74.

Mike Morgan now has one of the 2 quickest 350 Pontiac powered SS cars ever. It's a '77 Formy. He didn't build it, but has had it now for several years. Won class at Indy & has been RU several times, to fellow 350 Pontiac racer, Bill Rink. Sal Piacentini ran it before Mike got it.

One of the winningest SS Pontiacs is a '78 T/A. It was driven for years by Ken Shawver. Then Monte Howard drove for a while. Jack Good now owns it. Couldn't list all it's wins, but I know it won class at Indy multiple times. Also qualified near the top of the Q-list many times.

[oldskool]

" Yes Marty drives it..."


Marty McKinney is doin pretty good in bracket racing. There are pics of some of the McKinney Pontiacs on his FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/mckinneymarty88