He was the ihra pro stock driver of the year in 73 as well. Driver don grotheer drag racing plymouth barracuda stock car at pomona raceway, 1972 winternationals. North wilkesboros richard greer, a former pro stock driver in the 1970s, was one of those honored in the ceremony. Jul 16, 2019 steve matusek incar footage from his first pro stock run preparing for this weekends race in denver. Driver don grotheer drag racing plymouth barracuda stock. He believed in the technology, and that was very important, pappas continued. In those days, the pro stock cars carried the front wheels high in the air on a launch, and the great drivers like don carlton made the 12 shift. Time is supposed to heal all wounds but for the ihra race official who grew up under the tutelage of the great pro stock driver, time only reminds him of the mentor he lost nearly 34 years ago. After chryslers support for pro stock racing was halted in 1973, don worked with chrysler as a test driver on their dodge colt and plymouth arrow race cars. Jan 24, 2017 on july 5, 1977, the sport of drag racing would lose one of the kings of pro stock, don carlton. Indeed, called by one period scribe as a cyborg, the likeable pilot would pay the ultimate price as a drag racing driver. Come out and enjoy the fun or follow us on social to st.
Back in 1971, our intrepid roaming photographer, bob mcclurg, was handling pr for the dayton, ohiobased pro stock team that had bobby yowell as its driver. General lee edwards don garlits museum of drag racing. Nascar trans am supertruck racing decals slixx decals drag sprint car transam motorsports hobby supplies scale models kits stock, funny car, revell monogram speedway don carlton s mopar missile 7274 duster prostock. See all the action at the 2nd annual don carlton nostalgia pro stock event at wilkesboro dragway. When plymouth pulled out of pro stock racing, the car was campaigned by don carlton. Driver of the advance auto parts chevy camaro ss funny car for the john force. Steve matusek incar footage from his first pro stock run preparing for this weekends race in denver. Wilkesboro dragway hosted the first annual don carlton memorial and nostalgia pro stock race on saturday. Carlton defeated a redlighting butch leal in the pro stock final, and judy lilly became the first woman to win multiple national event titles with her victory in super stock. Includes all vital information, photos of cardriver, links to video clips, etc. The drama of 1970s chrysler pro stock drag racing unfolds in this new book, which focuses on the racing and technological evolution of the legendary motown missile and mopar missile racing programs from 1970 to 1977.
Nov 05, 20 when plymouth pulled out of pro stock racing, the car was campaigned by don carlton. Don carlton acura used used car dealership in tulsa. As of 2002, he held the record for the most number of categories in which he reached a final round. The drama of 1970s chrysler pro stock drag racing unfolds in this new book.
Stewart pomeroy on the motown and mopar missile allpar. Jeff had recently sold a rolling billy stepp pro stock challenger and was in the process of restoring and documenting don carltons forgotten wire car. In doing so, he got to encounter members of other teams, especially those who raced mopars, as yowell did. Don carltons shop driver in the 1970s, was one of those honored in the ceremony. Musi wasnt the only small block stalwart to get roped into the newfound brand of pro stock racing.
Drag racing list five don carlton missile cars to exhibit. Nostalgia drag world don carlton memorial race 2017 at. I bought it from don and owned it for about a year and a half. During this time, relationships were developed with a large contingent of past and present pro stock participants, most notably of the mopar contingent. More vintage pro stock page 8 for c bodies only classic. Jul 06, 2016 winning a pro stock race is one of the most difficult things in the world of motorsports to do. North carolina birth index son of william dewey and lola belle icenhour carlton, born in caldwell co. Nhra springnationals event while landys own pro stock racer was being. Carl worked with clyde hodges who was an employee of don carlton. Now owned by arnie klann, it was recently restored in california under the supervision of one of its original mechanics, dick oldfield. Recognized as both a mechanical genius and a topnotch driver, he consistently won national titles and set the standard for speed and elapsed time in the pro stock category. Rsc mopar missile 1972 plymouth duster don carlton pro. Three people very close to carlton clyde hodges, satch gragg and joe.
Creating new memories at the don carlton memorial nostalgia. On july 5, 1977, the sport of drag racing would lose one of the kings of pro stock, don carlton. Dragway hosts first annual don carlton memorial race. Slixx decals, don carltons mopar missile duster pro stock. Time is supposed to heal all wounds but for the ihra race official who grew up under the tutelage of the great pro stock driver, time only reminds him of the mentor he lost nearly. Don carlton, ronnie sox, harold denton, lee edwards, don nicholson, billy stepp, bob glidden, bill jenkins, as well as local favorites, peewee wallace, malcom durham, and later dick landy and the ramchargers. Don carlton acura offers excellent customer service and a huge inventory of used cars for sale. I also offer shipping discounts which if you place the items in. Nostalgia pro stocks invade wilkesboro dragway sports. Ronald lyles drag racing cuda motown missile plymouth cuda drag racing, then pulling into pits.
Motown missile pro stock plymouth duster this was the last of the missile pro stockers. The idea for this event came from jeff rudisill and tyrone graham to honor the memory of the late great don carlton. It is presently owned by ben donhoff, of melbourne, florida. Nascar trans am supertruck racing decals slixx decals drag sprint car transam motorsports hobby supplies scale models kits stock, funny car, revell monogram speedway don carltons mopar missile 7274 duster prostock. Accel was a pioneer in the performance ignition and fuel systems industry, and carlton was known as an innovator and always had meticulously prepared, wellmaintained mopars. Drag racing 1987 ihra world nationals norwalk pro stock round. Set against a backdrop of characters like bill grumpy jenkins, dandy dick landy, and dyno don nicholson, carltons driving prowess had few equals. Unequaled by any other drag racing development program, this was a huge undertaking. The late don carlton, who died tragically in a pro stock testing crash in milan, michigan, in 1977. As of 2002, he held the record for the most number of categories in which he reached a final round won or took second at an event. In 1973 he recorded the first legal pro stock 8 second run with a 8. Don carlton, ronnie sox, harold denton, lee edwards, don nicholson, billy stepp, bob glidden, bill jenkins, as well as local favorites, peewee wallace, malcom. So some of you were wondering who the 61 people that have ever won in pro stock were and.
Rsc mopar missile 1972 plymouth duster don carlton pro stock 1. They were narrow, short cars and could be very twitchy at speed. Rsc mopar missile 1972 plymouth duster don carlton pro stock. In those formative years, virtual unknowns such as john brumley, sam carroll, billy ewing, and calvin nabors earned the opportunity to mix it up with legends such as ronnie sox, don carlton, and dyno don nicholson. Motown missile driver don carlton chatting with fellow driver ronnie sox. Carlton started out racing super stock locally in north carolina. Don carlton memorial and nostalgia pro stock race youtube. As previously mentioned, the central theme of the event was to honor a man who influenced so many lives in this area. Slixx decals, don carltons mopar missile duster pro stock decal. The first car driven by don carlton in nhra pro stock was the 1971 dodge challenger motown missile.
One of the few cars to ever be outlawed by the nhra, they were disallowed from the pro stock category in the late 1970s. With clyde hodges he had his own shop and cars in lenoir, north carolina, as well as building customer cars. Unequaled by any other drag racing development program, this was a huge undertaking in term of time, money, and effort. Don carlton timeline 19581968 hometown racer, agas to super stock, hudson nc caldwell co.
Making my way through the pits, i heard many stories about the drivers themselves. Carlton was killed in 1977 while testing his pro stocker for the chrysler corporation. Rare photos of construction and finished product of the famous missile drag cars driven by don carlton and sponsored by mopar. Don nicholson may 28, 1927 january 24, 2006 was an american drag racer from missouri. Pro stock driver don carlton eventually bought the missile and ran it with don carlton lettering in place of motown missile lettering. When chrysler quit pro stock racing for financial reasons, the company transferred the car to don carlton. Creating new memories at the don carlton memorial nostalgia pro. Driver don grotheer drag racing plymouth barracuda stock car. The race was in memory of carlton, a lenoir native. Ihra racer clyde curtis also had a colt in the mid seventies, but no et is available on him. Chryslers ex officio engineering team made big noise in pro stock. Not a day goes by that i dont think about him, admitted gragg, ihras div. National nostalgia pro stock association public group. The national hot rod association nhra estimates he won 90 percent of his match races.
The numbers bear it out and they also bear out that there have been an incredibly talented and driven group of people that have raced the class over the years. I ship within 1 business day usually of payment received. Mar 01, 2018 one of the few cars to ever be outlawed by the nhra, they were disallowed from the pro stock category in the late 1970s. I have pictures of me and grump during his last year or two on the planet at cecil county dragway when he was testing his pro stock engines with dave connolly before he hit the big time in pro stock. John has given me permission to repostshare these original vintage photos with you guys. Dons career came to a tragic end in a fatal accident on on july 5t. See more ideas about drag racing, drag cars and car humor. They were not only his competitors but also his true friends. Amt superbug volkswagen gasser street, drag, dune beetle, open dune buggy. In those formative years, virtual unknowns such as john brumley, sam carroll, billy ewing, and calvin nabors earned the opportunity to mix it up with legends such as. Don was killed while testing at milan dragway in michigan. Last years inaugural don carlton memorial race saw fans and drivers from all over the country make their way to wilkesboro dragway, to take part in celebrating the life of one of the greatest pro stock drivers and pioneers of the sport.
A lot of lessons learned by the motown missille car was applied to this car. A native of lenoir, north carolina, carlton had a busy early career racing super stock in his home region. Mike fons here driving the rod shop dodge challenger pro stock car. Two racers who inspired lee were don carlton and ronnie sox. Lee soon became one of the most successful pro stock competitors on the ihra circuit. Relive mopars skunkworks racing team and its rise to dominance in this fascinating history. From the earliest days of ownerengine builder ted spehar, factory engineer tom hoover, and driver don carlton, the narrative is a colorful look at the teams inner workings, programs, victories, and even defeats.
Mention the name don carlton and satch graggs eyes still well up with tears. He raced in the 1960s and 1970s when there were few national events. Lots of them wrecked and you can see why in this video. I sold to kenny hahn and it changed ownership a few more times. Renowned racer don carlton lost his life while driving one in 1977. Meet the drivers, see the cars and watch the action on the drag strip. After chryslers support for pro stock racing was halted in 1973, the company turned to development of dodge colt and plymouth arrow race cars, and don participated in that program as test driver. Mention the name don carlton and satch gragg s eyes still well up with tears. For those of you that are living off the grid or in a remote village in siberia we would like to fill you in on the historical race that took place may 20 th, 2017 at wilkesboro dragway in wilkesboro, nc. North carolina drag racing hall of fame honors 20 inductees.
Later competing in pro stock against the name drivers of the day saw lynwood lining up against such drivers as. Nov 15, 2006 don carlton was by far the best driver i ever sawever. Revell 1957 ford 2 door sedan gasser or stock, 2n1. In an article in the may 1977 issue of car craft magazine, released shortly before that fateful july day, don carlton was.
In 1972, he again won the nhra division 3 pro stock championship as well as 5 ihra pro stock races. Don carlton was by far the best driver i ever sawever. Pre lenco don carlton was one of the best shifters driving. As a boy of 12 years old in 77, anyone out of high school seemed like an aarp member and so did he, but in reality he was only 36 young years of age, and in the prime of his career. Mpc 1957 chevy bel air 2 door sedan spirit of 57 flipnose gasser. Mopar missile paint scheme, this car clearly has don carlton lettered on the doors. It was billed as the don carlton memorial nostalgia pro stock race or as it is affectionately known as the woodstock of nostalgia pro stock. The pairing of accel and don carlton, of the pro stock motown missile and mopar missile fame, seemed like a match made in heaven.
Vintage drag racing pro stock don carlton and the motown. Winning a pro stock race is one of the most difficult things in the world of motorsports to do. In 1970 we became an nhra major sponsor and by 1971 or so almost every single pro stock racer in the country were running fenton gyro wheels, including dyno don nicholson, the mopar motown missile don carlton as driver and on and on and on. General lee edwards of calverton was a popular pro stock mainstay in the 1970s with his potent bigblockpowered entries, while onetime vmp owner don beverley from chester, likeable.
He did a lot of traveling around to divisional and national events. In 2017, the two groups put on their first race with the don carlton memorial and nostalgia pro stock race aka the woodstock of pro stock at wilkesboro dragway in wilkesboro, north carolina, followed by showing up at the goodguys u. Remembering pro stocks yesteryear drag illustrated. He won pro stock at the nhra rod shop open at national trail raceway in columbus, oh, a special race for charity put on by gil kirks rod shop of columbus and the best appearing award at the u. He was instantly killed while testing his pro stock car. Revell 1957 ford del rio 2 door station wagon, gasser or stock. For on this day, chrysler would lose both its number one test driver and champion of the unblown hemi, and the sport would lose forever the competitive genius of don carlton, ihras first ever pro stock world champion.
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