SOUTH CAROLINA MOTORPLEX & GAINESVILLE RACEWAY 2019
NOSTALGIA PRO STOCK PLUS MORE
DVD #186
This two hour and fifty-two minute video production covers all the action at the Menards Chevy Show at South Carolina Motorplex in Orangeburg, SC on March 8-9, 2019.
The video begins by checking out some of the action at the Friday night open test and tune session at the Motorplex.
We return to the track on Saturday and begin our coverage by profiling the cars of the Southeast Nostalgia Pro Stock Association. We found seven cars in attendance and they included: Mike Whitaker and his 1972 Plymouth Duster, Harry Pinkard with his Larry Morgan tribute Pontiac Firebird, Phil Church with his Larry Cleary driven Lee Edwards tribute Pro Stock Vega, Tony Scaramuzza and his Bob Lambeck tribute Plymouth Duster, Leon Smith and his original Dodge Charger Pro Stocker, James Brown and his original Bo Beverly Pro Stock Hemi Duster and Frank Teague with his Darrel Alderman tribute 1994 Dodge Avenger Pro Stocker.
There were plenty of other race cars in the pit area and we take a look at some of them. We also do selective car profiles of the vehicles entered in the Menards Car Show contest. We look at twenty-five different cars/trucks and include two owner interviews. The show was restricted to GM vehicles or other brands that were powered by GM. We found a really cool 1939 Ford Street Rod and a very cool Ford Pinto Station Wagon entered in the show. GM power of course.
While continuing our travels around the pit area we took a look at the Fuel Funny Cars and the Jet Dragsters that would be doing some exhibition runs during the day. Long time Funny Car racer Paul Smith had his "Entertainer" Corvette Funny Car being prepared for a match race with Michael Harrigan's "Fool's Gold" Plymouth Duster Funny Car. Later in the video we show two runs between the two Funny Cars. Good stuff.
One other vehicle we found in the pit area was the 1966 Chevy Chevelle owned and driven by Gene Spires of Orangeburg, SC. I immediately recognized the paint and graphics as being those used when Pro Mod legend Gordy Foust owned and raced the car. In an interview with Gene he tells us how Gordy became the first Pro Mod (Shoebox Car) to go over 200 MPH in a Super Chevy Show at Bristol, Tn back in 1989. We also include an interview I did with Gordy back in 2004 where he talks about that historic run. Great story about the history of Pro Mod racing.
We also talked with Becky White who published Quick Times Racing News back in the 1980's. Becky tells us how Quick Times came into being and how it spread the word about Pro Mod racing in the Southeast. Great lady and great story.
Out on the track we captured a lot of the racing action that ran into the late night hours. We captured a little bit of everything but our emphasis was on the Nostalgia Pro Stock cars. We also show the Jet Dragsters running with their smoke and fire show. Afterward we talked with one of the Jet Jockeys 6'6" tall "T.V." Todd Skelton.
The SC Motorplex segment runs two hours in length but we still have another fifty-two minutes to go. We fill that time with footage shot at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fl. On May 18, 2019 we attended a test and tune session at Gainesville where we follow two Nostalgia Pro Stock cars and a Nostalgia Front Engine Dragster on the track. Harry Pinkard was the first N/PS car and the second was a brand new Joe Lepone, Jr tribute Pro Stock Camaro owned and driven by J.D. "YoYo" Swann. YoYo is a long time racer out of Maryland and was attempting to dial his car in for Nostalgia Pro Stock Racing. The dragster is owned and driven by Randy Ross of New Smyrna Beach, Fl.
You probably know that the annual NHRA Gatornationals is held at Gainesville during March each year but perhaps you did not realize that this championship caliber track is available to local racers for test and tune sessions during the year. Our footage includes a look at the group of street and race cars that made a pass on the famous Gainesville quarter mile. They also held a gamblers race and we following the cars during the first round of eliminations.
The quick car of the day turned out to be YoYo's Camaro when he clicked off an easy 8.19 at 171+ MPH. The story turns quickly to disaster on the second run as YoYo looses control of the car at the 1000 foot mark and hits the barriers on both sides of the track. Luckily YoYo was unhurt but the same could not be said for the Camaro.
We close out the video as YoYo has Tim Christ of Coast Chassis Design (CCD) in Edgewater, Fl. take a look at the broken race car and provide YoYo with help as to where to go next. Hopefully we will see YoYo return to the track sometime in the near future.
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