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Old 07-05-2022, 02:12 PM
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Default Pontiac Drag Racing Legends

If we were to make a list of the Pontiac Drag Racing personal that made the sport and kept it going over the years for us next generation fans to enjoy.

Who should be on this starting list? (I purposely left off most of the great resources that currently keep the hobbie going) :-)

Please add to this starting list.

Semon E. "Bunkie" Knudsen
Elliott M. "Pete" Estes
John Z. DeLorean
Herb Adams
Mark Frank
Malcolm McKellar
George DeLorean
Milt Schornack
Bill Mitchell
Jim Wangers
Mickey Thompson
Henry "Smokey" Yunick
Dick Jesse
Arnie Beswick
Don Gay
Monk King
Marvin Panch
Stan Long
Ace Wilson
Bill Abraham
Arlen Vanke
Bill Knafel
Nunzi

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  #2  
Old 07-05-2022, 02:57 PM
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Some gentlemen I would add to the list,

Jess Tyree, Fireball Roberts, Craig Hendrickson , Kern Osterstock, Art Peterson, Jim Hand, Pete McCarthy.

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Old 07-05-2022, 03:17 PM
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I am disappointed that Tom Nell was not on the list as he was Herb Adams "Go to Engineer". He supplied and worked with Arnie for years.
Same deal with other Pontiac Guys at Pontiac Engineering like Dudley "Skip" McCully.

People like the Butler family, the KRE Guys, Travis Quillen, Bob and Frank, Mr Edelbrock, and Wade and Mark H. (The marketing guys).

I say this because "Pete" Estes never made a "racing pass" in his life. Same for Semon Knudson, who started the Performance Programs at Pontiac. Pontiac Motors Division VP.

Tom V.

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Old 07-05-2022, 03:25 PM
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Old 07-05-2022, 04:54 PM
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Jim Mino

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Old 07-05-2022, 04:58 PM
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Lloyd and Carol Cox.John Angeles

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Old 07-05-2022, 04:59 PM
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I know this won’t be popular here but how about Rusty Wallace Pontiac driver for many years. Yes I know those had “small block” Pontiacs in them before someone throws it out there.

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Old 07-05-2022, 05:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grandam1979 View Post
I know this won’t be popular here but how about Rusty Wallace Pontiac driver for many years. Yes I know those had “small block” Pontiacs in them before someone throws it out there.
Not a drag racer.

Pontiac Drag Racing Legends is the thread subject.

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Old 07-05-2022, 05:19 PM
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Harold Ramsey Union Park Pontiac

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Old 07-05-2022, 05:25 PM
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Rudy Diphus,(Spelling)

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Old 07-05-2022, 05:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by b-man View Post
Not a drag racer.

Pontiac Drag Racing Legends is the thread subject.
Not all of the drivers on that list are drag racers.

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Old 07-05-2022, 05:27 PM
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Brother Jerry Leek(spelling)
Look in the back of Pete McCarthys book for more.Tom

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Old 07-05-2022, 05:29 PM
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JMHO,I think it should be of drivers and owners only?Tom

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Old 07-05-2022, 07:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 455dan View Post
Some gentlemen I would add to the list,

Jess Tyree, Fireball Roberts, Craig Hendrickson , Kern Osterstock, Art Peterson, Jim Hand, Pete McCarthy.
You left out Floyd Hand

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Old 07-05-2022, 09:09 PM
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How about Eddie Hill, Bob Michaels, The Hunt Brothers, Bill Rink, Phil and Vance Heck.

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Old 07-05-2022, 09:23 PM
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Pete's book seems to have most if not all,either in pictures with stories or listed in back

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Old 07-05-2022, 09:32 PM
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Arnie Beswick

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Old 07-05-2022, 09:41 PM
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Not a drag racer, but Ray Nichols from Nichols engineering built a bunch of cars for Pontiac race program from 57, through 63, and of course Smokey Yunick in the NASCAR part of the race program.

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Old 07-05-2022, 09:48 PM
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Old 07-05-2022, 09:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mgarblik View Post
How about Eddie Hill, Bob Michaels, The Hunt Brothers, Bill Rink, Phil and Vance Heck.
Wasn't it Eddie Hill who said something like "threw that Pontiac junk in a lake" ?

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