Modifieds

[THE BEAR]

I am a big fan of open wheel cars....particularly mid and late century stuff . Can't stand the newer dirt stuff which looks like it wants to roll off the frame in every corner.

Here is a little build from the world of videos.

Howie Cronce - YouTube

[KevMcNJ]

I saw Howie run every Friday night in my younger days.

He wasnt one to pile up the wins like a Billy Pauch or Brett Hearn, but had a few.

Saw him win at East Windsor one night around 1980. He came off turn 4 to take the checkers and the front end collapsed.

Got in the fence, darn near flipped.

Destroyed the car but still got the W.

He lives a couple towns over from us here in NC these days.

I dont know him but we chatted in the pits at Harris (NC) Speedway last Summer.

He came to see the sprint cars.

He is a frequent visitor on 3Wides Message Vault if you wish to say hi to him.

Google it.

[THE BEAR]

Syracuse (RIP) They ran this years version of the classic up in Oswego. It was a chit show as the dirt laid down over the asphalt came apart and ruts big enough to house a family opened up.

Here we have the "good ole days":

MILLER 300 - 1989 - YouTube

[KevMcNJ]

Glad I made it to Syracuse a few times.

Never went for the Sunday race but went on Saturday a few times.

I know of at least one driver that had a brand new car sitting in the shop that they left home so it didnt get wasted at Oswego. They brought their spare car.

I read one of Friesens crewmen saying his car looked like it had 25 races on it after Oswego weekend.

I think a month isnt enough time to let the dirt settle in after Classic Weekend up there.

I'll be at the Charlotte Dust Track all three nights this weekend.

Its gonna be cold and my wife has a broken toe so this could be a challenge for us this year.

Good to see big blocks again. Ya dont get that too often in the Carolinas.

[THE BEAR]

Coupes to Pintos to Sprint Car: Hot Rod Freddy Sabatino - YouTube

[1987Carzan]

Some modifieds from 1988 at Belle-Clair Speedway, I grew up at this track and nearby Highland Speedway. Mike Hammerle, Don Klein, Ed Dixon were the stars. I used to love spending summer Friday and Saturday nights covered in dirt.

[1987Carzan]

More from the aforementioned Highland Speedway:

[happyscrappy-t]

From coast to coast, sidewinders to big block dirt, I think about 1985 was the peak of modifieds in general across all varieties. Before the supers went radical offset and the dirt cars went full hog shed. Not that there is anything wrong with what they became, I just really like where they were in the mid 80's.

[THE BEAR]

This is pictured as a Will Cagle car...i have my doubts. Yes, he did some driving for the Tom Corelis team and the builders out of West Sand Lake NY, and this car reminds me of some of the "28", "50" and "57" and other cars which were painted and lettered as this is. But i just don't see this as a car which Will built over the winter and drug north from Florida to run the bigger payday events up through New England.

Let us know your thoughts:

Vintage 1937 Modified Chevrolet - YouTube

[KevMcNJ]

Coupes to Pintos to Sprint Car: Hot Rod Freddy Sabatino - YouTube

I believe he passed away a year or three back.

We werent friends but we knew each other when he raced URC sprints.

We used to go to Quebec once a year to race Friday and Saturday night up there.

The partying afterwards at the hotels was often legendary. A bunch of us wound up in his room late one night and eventually the manager showed up.

They were getting noise complaints about his room.

Freddy explained to the guy that it couldn't be his room because the people to the left and right of his room were in his room.

The manager said you dont understand the complaint came from down the hall.

😁

[flatlander_48]

Syracuse (RIP) They ran this years version of the classic up in Oswego. It was a chit show as the dirt laid down over the asphalt came apart and ruts big enough to house a family opened up.

Here we have the "good ole days":

MILLER 300 - 1989 - YouTube

Agreed about Syracuse. I was there once when the Outlaws were part of Super DIRT Week and twice when the Silver Crown cars were part of the Weekend. JJ Yeley won both Silver Crown events and I believe Steve Kinser won the Outlaws event.

[KevMcNJ]

Kinser set fast time at Syracuse one year in almost total darkness.

I forget why but the show ran long and it was late in the afternoon before WoO time trials began and almost dark by the time #11 hit the track.

I think be stationed someone with a light down in turn 3 so hed know where to turn.

[THE BEAR]

The Ray Hendrick car from Langhorne...



Pretty funny if you can read what is on the trunk lid of this car sometime..

Here running strong at Langhorne:

Langhorne 1969 - YouTube
...and anyone who tells you that your cajones are not up in your throat running down into puke hollow isn't trying hard enough. Ray makes it look easy.