Indy 1988

[GUMP]

I spoke to Ken before the Covid outbreak. He seemed like a nice man.

[Frank B.]

You know Sammy Pizzolato won the 1988 Stock World Championship in one of those Olds.

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by Steve Stasko

I may have the National Dragster(s). Let me check tonight, I have a bunch from the late-70's up through the early 90's. You can have them...I'm trying to purge my garage.

I just got through reading the Dragsters that you sent! The car is even on the cover!

HUGE THANKS!!

[GUMP]

Does anyone know anything about the Buick Regal that Mike Town drove to the win that year in Super Stock?

I'm interested to know if it was a "factory car" like my Cutlass. Is it still around too?

[Jeff Niceswanger]

Originally Posted by Jeff Taylor

I was runner up in super stock and I believe the guy who won stock might have been the pipe smoking transmission guy named Ken Shaver

Ken helped me win class at Indy one year. Couple races before Indy week Ken told John and I about his "secret". He told me to go to Tractor Supply and buy a 2-inch water shut off valve. Stick it in the bottom radiator hose. This was before anyone was using dry ice. He showed me how to fill the radiator moments before pushing it to the ready line. Fill the radiator with the coldest water you can get your hands on. After chilling the motor, and more importantly, the radiator...close the water valve. We used the leftover water in our cooler. Do not open the water valve. Leave everything "off". While at the ready line, have John open the hood and open the water valve, but don't start the engine. When told, fire the motor and quickly do your burnout. Pre-stage. THEN...reach down and turn on the radiator cooling fans, but do not turn on the water pump. Durning this period the water temperature is skyrocketing.... but the water in the radiator is still ice cold. The instantaneous cold air flowing out of the radiator is now streaming across the top of the carb. A couple seconds later your off and running. Ken was right it was almost a tenth quicker, especially if it's a hot day outside. At the end of the track "baby" the water pump off and on as you try to get the heat out of the engine. This took a little while as your trying not to crack a head. But eventually I did. I just recently threw that valve away. It laid under the bench for decades. Every time I think of Ken, I think of his help. And of course, that Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco blend in that pipe of his.

[Nick Heath]

Originally Posted by GUMP

Does anyone know anything about the Buick Regal that Mike Town drove to the win that year in Super Stock?

I'm interested to know if it was a "factory car" like my Cutlass. Is it still around too?

This car? https://www.autoimagery.com/image?&_...ATgJQs-&GI_ID=

Mike was still racing it as of 2023.
If I recall, it was Keith Lynch's originally and was part of the "Team Strange" fleet - there's a chance it was a "factory car" because weren't there a bunch of those Buicks running in SS/X around that time?

[Sean Marconette]

Mike Town is still racing the same car. Not sure how much he visits this site though. Good guy and fun to talk to.

Sean

[Ralph A Powell]

Yes Ken?s car was a factory Oldsmobile

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by Ralph A Powell

Yes Ken?s car was a factory Oldsmobile

It would be really nice to have a copy of the "Disposition of Scrap Vehicle" paperwork that I have seen for one of these cars.

[Ralph A Powell]

Early on in the Oldsmobile program there was no paperwork. Later there was just a letter that stated it was a scrape vehicle and that you could not drive this vehicle on the highway!