YORK MUSCLECAR MADNESS AND YORK US 30 REUNION
2014
DVD #176
This video covers all the activities of the Thirteenth Annual Musclecar Madness York US30 Reunion held at the York County Fairgrounds in York, Pa. on July 11-12 2014. This is the event that is too big for a normal length video so we have expanded our coverage to three hours and fourteen minutes.
Our coverage looks at the terrific group of cars that came out to the show and the special people who own them. We saw everything from Stockers to Dragsters.
The event featured a salute to General Motors and the First Annual Junior Stock Reunion.
Some of the General Motors cars that we profiled include: Bill Drevo, Jr. Z-28 Camaro, Gary Swenson’s 1957 & 1963 Corvette, Kevin Tingler’s Max Sterling 62 Super Duty Pontiac, Mark Smith Metal Flake Paint Camaro, Ken Colacino 1962 Lightweight Pontiac Catalina and Steve Croumer Super Charged 1971 Chevelle.
A whole bunch of Junior Stockers were on display both inside Memorial Hall and outside in the Car Show Area. We talked to Marv Ripes about the 1957 Chevy that he got from John Barkley and the 1967 Corvette that he raced with John Dianna. Both cars were National Event Winners. Marv also talked about his A1 Automatic Transmission business.
We also talked with Fred Borcherdt about the General Motors dual range hydromatic transmission that was used in the Chevrolet Sedan Delivery Junior Stockers. Fred became an expert in preparing the Dual Range for Drag Racing. Fred also set many National Records with his Pontiac Junior Stockers. Great Story.
Wayne Jesel debuted his recreation of the Yoo Hoo Too 1956 Chevy Sedan Delivery Junior Stocker at the show and we had a chance to talk to him about the car’s history. We also talked with John Massari son of Wayne’s former partner Tony Massari about the origin of the Yoo Hoo Too name. Very interesting.
Tom Ronca had his original 1956 Chevy Junior Stocker at the show and we talked with him about the car and his big win at the US Nationals at Indy.
Bill Johnson and his 1955 265 C.I. Chevy was one of the first Junior Stockers to attend a York Reunion and he has been coming back for the past eleven years. His car is an NHRA and AHRA event winner.
Jack and Ken Gunning brought out the 1957 4-door Chevy Junior Stocker that they ran with Allen McMaster back in the 1960's and 1970's. This car is a time warp. It is a former National Record Holder and National Event Winner. Great story.
Anne and Walter Toews ran a 1958 Chevy Sedan Delivery under the name “LAW Automotive” back in the day and we had a chance to talk to them about the car. Anne was one of the very few women driving a Junior Stocker back in the day and she put plenty of guys on the trailer.
Also on display at the Show was a 1961 Corvette named “Buckshot.” The car was owned by the late Roger Sinistri and was driven by former Pro Stock World Champion Larry Lombardo. Back in 1969 a special best of three match race took place at Maple Grove Drag-O-Way between the Buckshot car and a similar Corvette that was owned and driven by Carmen Rotondo and we have included original flashback video footage of the race. You get a look at how the car was stored at Jo Lombardo’s gas station and then all three rounds of the match race. We have also included and interview we did with Roger Sinistri back in 2010 along with an interview with Carmen Rotonda. This stuff is priceless.
There were several Memorial displays on the show floor honoring some of the Drag Racing legends that have recently passed away. A customized pickup truck was in the Ross Gilbert Memorial area and some of the cars that were run by Ken Montgomery and Bud Faubel were found in their respective areas. Mike Keough set up a Memorial Area for Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins and show attendees could purchase some original Jenkins Competition merchandise. Mike also shared a story with me about how Bill Jenkins appeared in the motion picture “The Blob” back in 1958. The Cult Classic was filmed in Downingtown, Pa. and Bill Jenkins was an extra in the movie. Another great story about the Grump.
I also did a profile of the 1971 Ford Pinto that the late Buddy Ingersoll used to win the 1977 NHRA Modified Eliminator Championship. The turbo charged 4 cylinder Pinto has been restored to its former glory by its current owner Rick Tygett. This is one mean 4 banger.
Jay Bouder had his 1969 American Motors AMX at the show and it looked just like it did back in the 1970's. Jay called the car “No Deposit No Return” and topped it off with a 1970's style psychedelic paint job. Jay built the car back in the day then sold it and later bought it back. Luckily for him the original paint job was still in tact when he got it back. Wait ‘till you see this one.
On Saturday they had an outside car show and a terrific group of cars showed up. I walked through the area and did profiles on some of the cars that stood out to me. Jeff Johnson had a bright red 48 Studebaker with a blower on top of the engine, I found a 421 Pontiac Station Wagon, a 1980 Chevette that was turned into a Drag car and a 1984 Ford LTD LX that has become known as a 4 door Mustang GT. I also met Bill Hostler who has the same Ford Mustang that he used to race at York back in the 1970's. When I looked at the car I recognized it as one of the bracket cars that I show racing at York in our York US 30 The Super Strip production. Needless to say Bill had to have a copy.
They also held a scale model car show and we show you a bunch of the entries. Along the way we talk to celebrity judge Bruce Larson and eventually the best of show winner Terry Adams. Terry built a ‘55 Chevy Gasser called “Flat Out” and a companion Chevy race car ramp truck transporter. Terry spent over 400 hours on the project.
We close out the video by showing the Gunning Brothers preparing to flat tow their ‘57 Chevy back home. These guys still had the original tow hubs and tow bar that they used back in the day. As they drive off into the Sunset we close out our coverage of the Muscle Car Madness York US 30 Reunion. Over three hours of entertainment in one video. It is like getting three videos for the price of one. Order your copy today.
