Leonard Woods (Stone Woods & Cook) Passes Away

Oct. 9, 2010

Lenny Woods, a black businessman whose name graced the ground-breaking Stone Woods & Cook Swindler drag car racer in the 1960s, and son of Tim Woods, was found dead in his failed California Ford dealership Tuesday after an apparent suicide. He was 64 years old.

(CAPTION): Most people don't know Tim Woods put his sons' name (Leonard) Woods on the side of the car as an impetus to keep the youngster on a good path, see above photo.

(CAPTION:) circa 1961 with Fred Stone (left), Doug "Cookie" Cook (middle) and Tim Woods leaning on car. Decades after the peak of their fame, many fans still didn't know that Stone and Woods were black. The team had been one of the first racially integrated groups in drag racing and the first black team to win a national drag racing title.

The team launched what was to become the "Gasser Wars" of the 1960s, essentially a barnstorming group of drag racers headed up by 4 of the most powerful of the supercharged gassers that consisted of: Stone, Woods & Cook, Big John Mazmanian, Ohio George Montgomery and K.S. Pittman (S&S Parts Team), that would run 4 to 5 booked in match races a week touring the country visiting tracks possibly twice in a summer.  The Swindler won hundreds of races, and thanks to the ingenuity of the team became the iconic ideal of gas-powered drag racers from that era, including the model toy version from Revell that has sold millions of copies.

In a 2008 interview with the National Hot Rod Association's magazine (National Dragster), Leonard Woods noted that it was his name, not his father's, painted on the Swindler:

"My dad liked it as a family sport, a team sport, it was something that he and I could do together," said Woods, who began working on the team car as a teenager while attending boarding school at St. John Bosco High in Bellflower, Calif. "I think  my dad  felt the need to put my name on it and as a hook to keep me interested in such a wholesome sport, plus he was a little concerned with the liability his construction company might face if something happened."

When K.S. Pittman split with the Fred Stone and Tim Woods' team prior to the '61 Indy Nationals, they signed up "Cookie" to drive and wrench on their Swindler II '41 Willys coupe.

There were actually several Swindlers during the period from 1961 to 1966 that Stone, Woods & Cook raced.  The original Swindler was Tim Woods' 41 Studebaker with a blown Olds V-8.

Swindler II, the first Willys, was initially built to run in the A/Supercharged Gas class with a bored, stroked, and blown 448ci Olds V-8. It was a show-quality car with blue-and-white tuck-and-roll '58 Thunderbird seats with matching door panels and headliner and a chromed rollbar, however it was destroyed in a towing accident returning from the '61 Nationals at Indy and replaced with another virtually identical Willys body. With its familiar light-blue paint, this is the version that gained S-W-C's initial fame, and in 1963, Revell immortalized it by creating a plastic model kit in the Swindler's image.

After an NHRA weight-break change in the A/Supercharged Gas class, the team built a second, lighter Willys in 1964 with a fiberglass front end to take advantage of the new rules. They continued to run the Swindler II in B/GS, at which time the cars were renamed Swindler A and Swindler B.  At first, Swindler A was painted black; both cars were later resprayed in a darker candy blue.  After a narrow victory against Big John Mazmanian at the '64 Winternationals, both cars' blown Olds engines were switched to blown Hemis.  Swindler B was later traded to fiberglass manufacturer Tex Collins of Cal Automotive for a load of lightweight parts, and the car eventually found its way into the hands of an East Coast street rodder. That car still exists and is currently being restored, according to Doug Cook's son, Mike Cook Sr.

The Swindler A was nearly 1,000 pounds lighter than the Swindler II, with a Spartan Black naugahyde interior, a single fiberglass bucket seat, Plexiglas windows, and a bigger 467ci blown Olds. After it was wrecked in a racing accident in 1966, S-W-C built a second Swindler A and continued to run it in A/Supercharged Gas until 1967, by which time the Gasser Wars were nearing their end.

Newer, more aerodynamic body styles were replacing the archaic Gassers and after a brief effort with an A/Supercharged Gas '67 Shelby GT350, S-W-C built a '66 Mustang dubbed Dark Horse 2 (the original Dark Horse was the lesser-known '33 Willys campaigned by S-W-C as a third car in the early '60s which had Chuck Finders as the driver.)

Late-model factory experimentals had begun to evolve into early Funny Cars and Stone, Woods & Cook decided to move into that class as well along with many of their competitors like Mazmanian and Montgomery.

(CAPTION:) Here the new Mustang version for Stone Woods & Cook as the Swindler 2 makes it's debut at Thompson Dragway (circa '67). [photo: Chuck Baad]

In 1967, the blown Hemi, Hydro-matic transmission and all four wheels and tires were removed from the rebuilt Swindler A Willys and transferred to Dark Horse 2 Mustang funny car style body.  The winter/summer toured was immediately booked around thye nation to packed crowds waiting to see the new SWC funny car creation.

Doug Cook was nearly killed driving it that summer at a race in Alton, Illinois, in September 1967 when it flipped at the top end doing about 180 mph. That crash led to Cookie's retirement from racing.

(CAPTION: Although Doug Cook split up from the team, SWC cars did appear at strips all over the country disguised at Swindler III with another driver, under a special contract with Stone & Woods whereby a percentage of the match race fee would be paid to SWC.  This photo was taken at Pittsburgh Internatioal Dragway in '69. [Photo: Bill Truby]

Following his retirement from driving, Doug Cook split up with Stone and Woods, who campaigned a few Funny Cars with other drivers until about 1974, getting a percetage of the booked in match race.  Fans flocked to see the famed car and never knew somebody else other than Doug Cook was doing the driving.  "There was only one way to tell, said Doug, "when they contracted for another driver an "e" had to be painted after after my name" - (so it would read Cooke!) (see picture above).   Many of the contracted teams went so far as to rename it "Swindler III". 

Lenny Woods bought a Ford dealership in Chino, Calif., in 1981, and ran the business for nearly three decades. When the U.S. economy slumped over the last couple of years, Woods's dealership struggled. He sought a loan from the city and other support to stay open, but had to close in April, telling the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin:

"Everything I own is invested in this business, sadly, and I made a commitment to this," he said. "It's like a runaway train. I put more and more into it to try and save it, and I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know what the future holds. I'm just trying to concentrate on selling the dealership, in which I'll get nothing. The bank owns all of the assets."

Employees found Woods inside the dealership Tuesday, with a revolver nearby.

 

***

 

Herb Scott, Pennsylvania Racing Legend Passes

March 7, 2010

Pennsylvania racing lost a great man today, Herb Scott, the ten time Pittsburgh  Racing Association Champion and Hall of Fame Member will be missed.

Herb started racing in 1948 and he won his first feature that year at the New Kensington race track. His 500th feature victory came at Don Martin’s Lernerville Speedway on May 30, 1975 and he won the last feature, number 520 at Latrobe Speedway in 1979.

Other honors which he has accumulated during his many years of facing included: the Pittsburgh Roadster Association title in 1951, twelve consecutive feature wins at Clarksburg, West Virginia in 1952, twenty one feature wins at Heidelberg in 1956 with a total of 45 feature wins for the year. Herb won the Pittsburgh Racing Association title from 1956 through 1960, 1962, 1965, and again in 1967.

His driving accomplishments came in several types of race cars including roadsters, modifieds, sprints, and late models. Herb ran at Langhorne and won the 1958 Tri-State Championship at Heidelberg. He also won the first Johnny Apple Seed Classic in 1970 at Mansfield, Ohio.


Other honors which he has received include: The Dapper Dan Club of Pittsburgh sports award 1957, 1960, and 1963. In 1974 Herb was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In 1977, the Hall of Fame at Pocono was established by the staff of the Race of Champions and Herb became a member. 2008 Herb was inducted in the National Dirt Track Hall Of Fame.

Bill “Pappy” Kessler,
Doc Frawley, Hoot Martin, Art Munch, Tom Kennedy,
Ziggy, and George Leon.
Herb won his first trophy driving for Pappy
Kessler. It is ironic that some
twenty years later Herb’s son Deek won
his first trophy also driving for
Pappy. When Herb drove for Doc Frawley
he was teamed up with Bill Webster.
Bill built and maintained the cars
that he and Herb drove.

One of the most interesting owner-driver teams that Herb drove for was in 1971. Herb and teammate Bob Wearing drove the 8-ball cars of George Leon. On race nights each car would be racing at a different track. The idea was if they raced together they would have one first and one second. If they split, they could possibly, and usually did, win two events. In 1971 the Leon-Scott-Wearing team won an unheard of seventy features between them that year.

During the early years, Dick Linder was the driver Herb liked to watch in action. Later, Herb’s favorite driver was his son Deek. Deek cut his teeth in the claimers and semi late divisions and later moved into the modified and late model ranks.

People often wonder why Herb retired while he was still at the top of his game. According to Herb he was getting light headed from time to time. He was racing at Schmucker’s Speedway in Latrobe in 1979. Scott
was leading the feature and there was a caution at the half way point for an accident. The race was stopped with all the cars lined up on the front straightaway. The drivers got out of their cars and Herb was leaning against the number 7. He began to get light headed again.
Herb said “I looked up and made a deal with the Lord. I said if you let me finish this race I will quit. I won the race and sold the car the next day”. That was the final race of a very successful career that includes
a record 520 feature wins. The name Herb Scott is synonymous with winner.

Herb and his wife Pat have been married 60 years and they lived in Wexford, Pa. In addition to their son Deek, they have two lovely granddaughters. He enjoyed retirement while driving around in his street rod and going to car cruises with his son Deek. 1960 was the first year of Herb Scott Service. This is the 50th Year of operation.

Family members included: granddaughters…Stephanie Sabo, husband Jason, Son Julian; they live In Plant City Florida. Julian is Herb’s only great grandson. Jodie Cowan, husband Adam, they live In Butler, Pa. Herb’s siblings…Harold, Roy, Elizabeth, Freeman, Lester, Ruby, and Donald all deceased.

Herb & Pat belonged to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wexford, Pa. Herb belonged too Masonic Lodge #716 in North Hills. Funeral arrangements are not available at this time.

---------------------------------------

 

Porky Zartman of S&S Racing Team Dies

March 28, 2010

Sadly, Pork Zartman passed away this morning after losing his battle with cancer, Pork was half of the Charlie Hill-Pork Zartman "Filthy Forty" and part of the S&S Parts Racing Team.

The "Filthy 40" may be the most famous unblown gasser in history. Charlie Hill was the owner, Pork Zartman was the driver, and Larry Roberts was the crew chief. C/G was the class of choice and the S&S Parts Co. our of Falls Church Va., was the sponsor. A combination of superior performance, remarkably ugly and dirty appearance, and the constant presence of numerous characters in the large group, made this car legendary.

PHOTO: The "Filthy 40" seen here in 2007 parked with two others from the S&S Parts Racing team (Dave Hale's '40 and Gene Altizer's A/G Anglia at the Gasser Reunion Thompson Raceway Park.

The car was NHRA National Record Holder in 1962, 1963, and 1964 as well as Eastern Drag News record holder in 1964. It was the  holder of Low E.T and Top Speed for C/G in 1962  and 1963 at the NHRA Nationals. Pork Zartman drove the Willys to the C/G win at the NHRA Nationals in 1963 after a devastating loss in 1962 due to a radiator cap falling off and flooding the engine.  The car was sold to some racers from Wisconsin in 1965.

But how did the name "Filthy 40" come about?  If you haven't figured it out from the picture above, originally the car was painted with a few coats of primer with a White racing stripe down the roof and hood and because the pits at various tracks thru-out the Eastern seaboard where the car mostly ran, weren't paved, Pork never bothered to clean the dirt off just as long as it ran hard and won! 

By 1964 the S&S Racing Team had expanded to 5 cars in the following classes: AG/S (K.S.Pittman), A/G (Gene Altizer), B/G (Fred Bear), C/G (the Hill-Zartman Filthy Forty car), and D/G (Dave Hales). The famous S&S logo with Olmpic Circules on nearly all team cars from this point forward, and is still recognized today.

Pork joins his fellow S&S Parts Racing team mate K.S. Pittman, who recently passed away (see below).... Pork, you'll be missed especially at the Thompson Gasser Meet.

----------------------------------------

NHRA Funny Car Champ, Shirl Greer Passes Away

Shirl Greer, 75, a former NHRA Funny Car champion and IHRA competitor from Kingsport, Tenn., passed away Friday, March 12, 2010.

Greer was hospitalized at the James H Quillen VA Hospital in Johnson City, Tenn., with complications from a previous surgery. He had undergone four surgeries in the last two weeks.

Greer, Warner Robbins, Ga. was the first "real" NHRA World Champ, winning the '74 title with his "Chained Lightning" Mustang after the first season long points chase (as opposed to a single race for the title).

A near catastrophic fire during qualifying for the Finals at Ontario nearly ended his chances, but a total rebuild by Greer and an army of friends got Greer through the 1st round where he secured enough points to capture the championship (and burned the car down again).

A wounded Greer climbed behind the wheel and won his first-round race with Leroy Chadderton, exploding the blower in the process. When Don Prudhomme lost in the second round to Dale Pulde, Greer clinched the season championship.

Greer’s comeback from a devastating fire was voted by National DRAGSTER as the No. 9 Most Memorable Moment in the history of the event. As one of four drivers with a mathematical chance of winning the title, Greer, with help from the teams of Al Hanna and Paul Smith, rebuilt his Mustang Funny Car in a 17-hour marathon.

Greer was a perennial Div 2 contender and won the division F/C title in 76, 77 and 78.

Greer was the first driver to reset the NHRA flopper record in the decade of the 70s with a 7.30 in his "Tension" mini-Charger which erased Danny Ongais' 7.37 mark in M/T's Mustang from 69.

Greer is survived by wife Deborah, and sons Van, Rusty, and Brian.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

KS Pittman Passes

Feb 1, 2010

In the mid 60’s the S&S Racing Team out of Falls Church, Virginia produced some of the most feared gassers in the nation. One of their biggest hitters was K.S. Pittman, who just passed away.

S&S Speed Parts knew getting ink in the hot rod magazines was the only way to sell parts, so they positioned themselves in most of the Gasser classes.

The line-up included Gene Altizer in A/G, Fred Bear in B/G, Charlie Hill and Pork Zartman (Filthy Forty) in C/G, and Dave Hales in D/G and heading the supercharged (A/GS) was none other than K.S. Pittman.

All five of these racers were National Record Holders and three were National Champions.  In 1964 they held the Eastern Drag News records in all 5 classes. At a time when National events were few and far between, S&S racers appeared in 10 class and eliminator final rounds, winning 7 of them.

In 1964, KS Pittman with his trusty Red 1933 Willys coupe hit the strips and became just possibly the most successful A/GS entries ever. It held both ends of every National Record that existed in 1964 (NHRA, AHRA, 1320 Drag News) as well as both ends of the Eastern Drag News Record.  In the fall of 1964 the S&S Team was selected to represent the country at the British Drag Racing Festival in England with KS Pittman at the forefront.

CAPTION: Over the years, KS Pittman drove a number of cars that included this Austin, as well as a Funny Car.

In 1965 Pittman's Willys won the AHRA Winternationals in Phoenix in January and then won the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona in February.  In 1967 produced an all fiberglass, chopped top 1933 Willys AA/GS racer and later a more aerodynamic Opel GT.

A racing legend, K.S Pittman went on to race Drag Boats for several years and won the points championship in his rookie season.

RIP.

 

National Dragster Editor Passes

Dick Wells (1934-2010)

Dick Wells, the first editor of National DRAGSTER and a longtime member of the NHRA Board of Directors, died late Monday night from complications after heart surgery last November. He was 75.

 

A member of both the NHRA board of directors and the NHRA Wally Parks Museum board of directors, SEMA Industry Hall of Famer Wells began his long and storied career in motorsports as National DRAGSTER’s first editor in 1960.

“Dick loved the NHRA and everything about drag racing and the world of performance,” said Dallas Gardner, NHRA chairman of the board. “His passion led him to a lifetime of contribution that, simply put, made things better. His efforts and influence touched everyone. He was a great part of the leadership that saw the sport grow to what it has become today. We will miss him for his participation, but we will miss him more as a friend.”

As the original editor of National DRAGSTER, Wells laid the foundation for what would become drag racing’s most famous publication. He joined the NHRA Board of Directors in 1979 and has been an important force behind the scenes for the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body since then.

“NHRA lost one of its most loyal and trusted advisors and friends in Dick Wells,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. “He was an integral part of NHRA in the early days and has been a guiding force for NHRA ever since. Dick loved NHRA and was an ambassador like no other for the sport. On behalf of his NHRA family, we send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed.”

After his tenure at National DRAGSTER, the hot-rodder from Lincoln, Nebraska, later moved on to editorial positions at Hot Rod and earned the title of executive editor at Motor Trend. As Petersen Publishing Company’s director of special events, Wells produced what many believe to be his greatest contribution to the automotive industry: the first SEMA Show in 1967 at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.

Wells, who also began the Street Rod Nationals and was the first active president of the National Street Rod Association, is credited with the massive street rod movement in the U.S. In 2007, he retired from the position of vice president of corporate projects at SEMA, where he also served as executive director in the 1970s.

He has been honored many times over for contributions to the automotive industry. He was named SEMA Person of the Year in 1977 and was inducted into the SEMA Industry Hall of Fame in 1993. He was presented the International Specialty Car Association (ISCA) Founder’s Award in 1994, the Street Rod Marketing Alliance Industry Recognition Award in 1996, and was among those honored with the NHRA Pioneers Award in 2001. Last year he was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

====================

Bob Tasca Sr. Passes Away

Jan 8, 2010.

The patriarch of the Tasca Family, the creator of both the Ford Thunderbolt, and Cobra Jet Mustang, the man who nearly single handedly brought John Force into the Ford fold, and the man who fostered one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country, Bob Tasca Sr. has died.

Tasca opened his first dealership in East Providence, Rhode Island, at the age of 27 and within a few years he was a regional volume leader providing customer service at a dealer level that had never been experienced before. As legend has it, Lee Iacocca, who was then the sales manager at Ford, personally contacted Tasca and asked that he open up a Lincoln and Mercury store in the same area. The tradition has carried on through the years and through the family, who still run the dealership which is now in an amazing Cranston, Rhode Island, location and lives by the words, "You WILL be satisfied." Reportedly more than 95% of people who buy a car at Tasca, return to buy another in the future, and all of that stems from the work of Sr.

The man was also a hot rodder whose contempt of being beated by Chevrolet at the races and drive to provide customers a product that was capable of being competitive off the showroom floor led him to have dealer mechanics modify a Fairlane with a 406ci motor and take it racing. This car was seen and studied by Ford and they took its model and used it to built the 427ci Thunderbolts.

In 1968, while Ford Mustangs with 390ci engines were having their lunch eaten for them by Camaros, Tasca again pressed dealer machanics into action and began installing 428ci Police Interceptor engines in the cars which he called the Mustang KR8. Ford took this idea and built the mighty Cobra Jet drag and street cars.

All the while the dealership ran the "Mystery" series of Funny Cars piloted by Bill Lawton

...that went from modified door slammers to full on, nitro burning floppers and were highly successful (and always Ford powered). Today, Bob Tasca III carries on the tradition racing his modern nitro funny car on the NHRA trail.

RIP Bob Tasca Sr.

===================

 

Lou Sattelmaier Passes Away

by: John Shapiro

Dec. 31, 2009.

Lou L. Sattelmaier born July 1, 1935, ran one of the most ran one of the most recognizable 1932 Ford Altered coupes and Jet Funny Cars anywhere passed away, Dec 28, 2009.

 

"Lou' owned & operated a Shell gas station on the corners of West 139th street and Triskett (Cleveland Oh.) which he won numorous cleanliness & sales awards," remembers "Bugs" Williams who wrote the book "Remember When - Growing Up in Cleveland During the 50's, "He employed young fellas from the West Park neighborhood that had and showed any kind of mechanical abilities, basic gearheads. This was to include people skills & courtesy towards the public in general".

It was at Lou Sattelmaier's Shell station that the Sattelmaier Brothers of Brunswick Oh. began running one of the most recognizable 1932 Ford altered coupes anywhere, the year was 1957.

Lou bought the deuce  for $400., but kept the rare, all steel, 3 window coupe unchopped!  It’s Green paint scheme with legendary 3 gold strips down the roof line made it not only one most memorable but it's stance was second to none.

But to get that stance the little coupe went through a series of evolution.

In 1968 at Dragway 42 (West Salem, Oh.) with jacked up front end for better weight distribution helped get the power of it’s injected Hemi to the rear wheels, was one of the more sophisticated and sanitary B/Altered coupes in the area. [*Photo: Chuck Gilchrist]

 

Later stages, the body was pushed back for even more traction, which was allowed in standard Altered trim. [*Photo: Chuck Gilchrist]

(FRONT VIEW) In the pits at Dragway 42, with Moon fuel tank placed between the "empty" deuce grill, with 10 spoke wheels up from with no brakes, relieing soley on the rear wheels and parachute, that of course was the classic Altered look of the 60's. The final look, (first picture above) was the most awesome, and was part of their promotional handout with Lou standing next to the car.   His Deuce won numerous trophies and awards including Best Appearing car at the ’73 NHRA U.S. Nationals, besides running in the upper 8’s. [*Photo: Chuck Baad]

 

As a volunteer, Sattelmaier brought his car to countless area schools and warned children about drugs. He was also a special deputy sheriff, a volunteer Naval recruiter and a fixture at the Cleveland Auto Show (new car show) year after year.

Jet Funny Cars

 

 

During the late 70's and early 80's, Lou switched from match racing his '32 Ford Altered, and entered the Jet Funny Car world ...... and campaigned his "Sonic Boom" Jet Funny Car for years....

the familiar Green and Gold/Yellow paint scheme lived on and so will his name!   Thanks Lou for all the memories.

Contributions may be to Hospice of Medina County, 797 N. Court Street, Medina, Oh 44256;  http://www.jetfunnycars.com/

============================

Chuck Finders Passes Away

by: John Shapiro

 

The name Chuck Finders is indelibly etched in Gasser Racing history. He launched his career with Altizer and Kibbler in the late fifties and was involved as either a driver, mechanic, or builder for many of the marquee racing teams of the day that included Junior Thompson; Big John Mazmanian; Stone, Woods and Cook; Hirshfield Automotive; Dave Braskett; Hrudka Bros. of Mr. Gasket; Watson and Casper; Zeller Bros.; Jack “The Bear” Coonrod; Steve Korney; “Big” Wilson; and many more.  Chuck passed away in his apartment Tuesday May 19, 2009.

CAPTION: Chuck at the Gasser Meet, Thompson Raceway Park 2008, sitting next to the just completed Altizer/Finders/Kibler '33 Willys clone. Photo: Bob Wenzelburger.

 

The early 60’s had Chuck running a ’40 Willy’s Olds powered B/Gas car as he learned the ropes steering clear of the likes of K.S. Pittman, Big John Mazmanian, Jr. Thompson and Stone, Woods & Cook, that is, until he could find the right combination to field a competitive car.

Then, in 1962, just weeks before the Winternationals, Chuck built a new car and dove head to toe into the torrid A/Supercharged Gas class.  The unlikely candidate was a ‘35 Willys which had a Hemi engine built courtesy of Hirschfield Automotive and backed by a B&M Hydro trans.

CAPTION: Shows the beautiful "clone" restoration of the "Dark Horse" car circa 2003 and readied in time for the Thompson Gasser Meet.  PHOTO: John Shapiro

 

The car was painted Candy Blue and took the class win with a 10.80/126.76, while Doug Cook in the Stone, Woods & Cook Willys picked up the B/GS and K.S. Pittman bagged C/GS with a 12.10 win.  Unfortunately the car met it’s demise in a towing accident and Chuck remembers shrugging it off, “Ya know it was cheaper to buy a body for $200. back then - then to pay for body work”.

Next, a ‘39 Willys Pickup was procured with a fiberglass front end and for the first time an “illegal” full box tube frame and set up was built in order to run B/GS.  This time he enlisted the help of Dwight Watson and Bob Casper and the car is finished in 2 weeks, just in time for the ‘63 Winternationals, except for the required seat upholstery.

 

But Finders, always the man to rig something at the last minute, took a rag, duck taped it around the seat buckets and spray painted it to imitate the necessary upholstery!

Still wanting to go faster, Chuck sold the car and then partnered with JR. Thompson’s brother Ed, to build another Willy’s which set an A/Gas record and won the Half Moon Bay Gasser Meet with an 11.60/119.20.

 

Chuck then found out that with each win or near miss, comes car and chassis building offers and learns the art of "less weight means more horsepower."  One time he built a complete chassis out of exhaust tubing, “I wasn’t worried about rolling the car, I just wanted to go faster” says Finders. 

Then there was the time while in a rush to finish a car, one that was sponsored by Cal Automotive, "there was, a slight communication with the painter”, as Chuck mumbles under his breath ... “He forgot to paint the sponsors name on the side of the car.  Tex Collins was so pissed he called the cops and repossessed the car.  The funny thing was, the body wound up back in Cleveland, Ohio at Nick Mayers shop where he ran a successful speed shop called Modern Speed & Power Equipment (actually Lorain Oh.at the time) (and later Nick would open a new car dealership on Center Ridge Road, Rocky River, Oh.) 

 

Of course, the car was still be sponsored by Cal Automotive, because we didn't want to take the decal off the car, but that gave us a certain prestege when we drove up to the line and it also got us other chassis building deals", remembers Chuck.

Chuck relates, “By the mid 60’s I remember being at a Long Beach California Gasser Meet and there were 40 cars all lined up in the staging lanes and I looked out and I had built 12 of them.”

 

At that time he was banging out chassis for gasser racers every week and a half.   He knew the set up for small blocks, big blocks, 10% engine set backs, header clearance, firewall clearance - all in his head and most of all he could tune a blower motor and make the whole thing work before the next guy figured out any of the tricks.

(PICTURED) The original "Agitator" Willy's pickup, driven by Chuck Finders in California before being sold to Dayton Ohio racer Paul Day.

 

If a car of his own wasn’t available you probably found him driving someone else’s.  He’s shoed for some of the best that include “The Agitator” ‘40 Willys pick-up (pictured above), Jr. Thompson’s Austin, Mickey Hart’s (Cleveland) ‘33 Willys, Big Wilson’s Austin, the “Spear Chucker” and “Fantasia” which was AA/Fuel Altered.

However, it would be the Stone, Woods & Cook “Dark Horse” Willy’s that would bring him to Cleveland Ohio, for good.

CAPTION:  The '33 Willys "Dark Horse" of Stone, Woods & Cook, with Chuck Finders name under "Cooks", the car ran A/GS.  Photo: Pete Garramone

 

Barely being campaigned for an entire season, this car would be the 3rd car in the two car Stone Woods & Cook stable, the Swindler A & B cars were regulars on the touring circuit, while the Dark Horse '33 Willys was sort of a test 'n tune car that saw limited work but gave Chuck Finders lots of experience and name recognition.

CAPTION:  Formerly the "Dark Horse",  now dubbed The "Traveler" A/GS coupe and billed itself as the quickest and fastest Chevy powered blown gas coupe with a record setting 9.76/147mph at Lions Drag Strip in 1965.

 

Meanwhile, Finders would reunite with Neal Kibler and Bill Altizer repainting the Dark Horse, chopping the top, installing a stroked Chevy engine and renamed it as the “Traveler”.  The car would hit consistent 10.0’s and would run within 5 mph of the Stone Woods and Cook car, something most never did.

Chuck was invited to tour Hawaii and then got invited to tour the SWC A/GS ('40/41 Willys) car from ‘67 & ‘68.   The interesting thing about that tour was it was booked by the Gold Agency who owned or had interest in various drag strips like New York National (Long Island NY), Thompson (Cleveland) , Kansas City, Detroit, Milan (Mich), US 30 Gary Indiana and Great Lakes Dragway (Union Grove Wisc.) there by making those the key tracks during their Midwest & East tours, while Chuck booked deals on his own, sort of "mini tours" as he called them.  "I'd figure out we would be real close to a small track within hundred miles or so and I'll call 'em up and say we're gonna be in your area in a couple of months and we've got a night open do you want us - for 500 hundred bucks.  Naturally they said yes, 'cause they didn't have to pay the booking agent and we'd agree to lay down a couple runs just exhibition and (naturally) run the local gasser favorite (and win)."

 

Chuck continues, "We visited each track across the U.S. twice during the summer. So we were a regular bunch of gypsies doin' 4 match races in 4 days.  We ran some of the most po-dunk tracks in the country, anything for a buck and anything for a show. Also, many of the members of the SWC crew had families in Eastlake, Oh. (East of Cleveland) and we would stop by Mickey Harts Shop on 117th Street to get something fixed.  Eventually, either the liquor or we got on each others nerves, but I got fired and decided to stay in Cleveland where I opened a shop next to Harts.  I knew Ohio was "Gasser" country and by that time I could build chassis, right and left.  And that kept me in liquor money and a little more stable from all the touring.

CAPTION: Chuck's nitro Anglia against Tom Prock's "F-Troop" at Suffolk Raceway, Suffolk Va. in 1969. Photo: Chuck Gilchrist.

 

But the gasser era was soon to be put on the trailer as the newly burgeoning Funny Car was about to be unleashed.  Needless to say, Chucks career after supercharged coupes had it’s ups and downs.

 

In 1969, fully entrenched in Cleveland Ohio, building chassis after chassis, he teamed up with another Cleveland based gasser team, the Hill Brothers from Strongsville (Oh.) and together they decided to have one more "go" at bringing the fans those wild and crazy coupes - but with a twist.  A foursome was developed to become a 4 car Nitro Gasser show to tour the country one last time.

Finders had a blown, nitro belching, chopped Anglia called “Fire Brewed” (pictured above), Tom Prock from Detroit, who would later shoe the highly successful Custom Body Dodge F/Car and who’s son Jim, is now the crew chief for John Forces/Robert Hight F/C team, fielded a ’33 Willy’s called the Prock & Howell  “F-Troop”; Jim “Fireball” Shores from the famed Shores & Hess gasser, was in another fuel Anglia, while the Hill Brothers had the 4th Willys 'Nitro coupe.

The 4 car show booked themselves under the “Outlaw Gasser” name during the summer of 1969.  Needless to say, “the cars were a bit squirrelly,” says Finders, “when we cleared the top end, that is to say, after crossing the lanes a couple of times, back pedaling and basically steering clear of each other and the wall, we usually ran in the mid to upper 8’s …. on fuel !  I can just imagine with today's high tech chassis components under us, we'd be clockin' around the sixes.  I remember Pete Hill saying when he made the switch to Funny Cars after that year and moved to New England, it was like a walk in the park compared with that fuel Willys car.”

CAPTION: Chuck burns the hides piloting Nick Varough's Cougar flopper at the 1972 UHRA Nationals New York National Speedway, Long Island NY.  Photo: Ted Pappacena   www.dragracingimagery.com for more photos of nostalgia drag cars.

 

By the time the 70’s rolled around, the decline of the gas classes had almost hit zero, Chuck figured his name had better earning power and he too, switched to the funny car ranks along with literally hundreds of  others.

 

Finders became a paid shoe by handling the driving chores for Lorain Ohio’s Nick Varough F/C Cougar "Nasty Nick".

CAPTION:  Chuck with the "Nasty Nick" car at Sunset Dragstrip outside of Sharon/Hermitage Pa., the car was sponsored by Nick's  Speed Shop, Lorain Oh. (which was not Nick Varough, but a buddy of his also by the name Nick Mayer) and Bob Cutler Signs, which is still goin' strong in Avon Lake Oh.  Parked next to it is Ken Mott and the Mickey Hart Automotive flopper Cleveland. Photo: Bill Loftus.

 

 

CAPTION:  Chuck also helped drive the Wahlay Brothers (pronounced Wally)  “Warlord” funny car which probably was one of the most beautiful cars to come out of Cleveland's Bobby Nolans paint shop.  The car made match racing a fine art and toured all over the Midwest and East. Finders also drove Bob Larimore’s ’66 Chevelle “Matchmaker” fuel flopper our of Toledo.  Photo: Chuck Baad, Dragway 42.

 

The 70's shot by rather quick for Chuck, he was in and out of more cars than you could keep up with.   If he wasn't campaigning his own car, he'd get a one-time contract to drive somebody elses funny car at an NHRA or AHRA points meet when they needed a win.  Chuck’s most successful year, monetary wise was when he ran the Rollins & Finders ’76 Cuda which he rain on the match race circuit.

 

CAPTION:  The Finders/Rollins car seen here at the Funny Car Championships at New England Dragway, Epping, New Hampshire parked along side Bruce Larsons USA #1 and the Barry Setzer Vega.  Photo: Garry Sansoncie

 

"We made more money with that car on the match race circuit that year, I think around $25,000 and Jr. Rollins (another one of Chuck's Elyria Ohio pals) just wanted to go racing and knew nothing about it other than he wanted his name on the side of the car, kinda one of those ego trips, so I told him it would be $10 grand to sponsor the car, he didn't blink an eye. I heard Don Schmacher's car was for sale, I bought that, it was one of his  "Wonder Bread Cars", the ballons on top were the Wonder Bread logo, I left 'em on there like the Cal Automotive deal, masked them off and painted the White body - Black - everybody loved the paint scheme!"

But, 1977, under a partnership with Ken Thornburg a land developer from the (Elyria) just west of Cleveland (Oh)., would prove to be a major career turning point.  The two fielded a pair of funny cars, “The High Speed Vega” and the “High Speed Monza”.

 

The later, found itself in the finals of the Winston Series at Edgewater Park in Cincinnati (Oh.) against Dale Pulde and yet another time coming close to winning in Beech Bend Dragway in Bowling Gree, KY against Billy Meyer.  Chuck ranked 26th in the Funny Car wars just behind Ed “The Ace” McCulloch and 3rd in the NHRA Division 3 World Championship points considering there were hundreds of funny cars touring the country at that time.

 

CAPTION:  Chucks' "High Speed Monza".  Note the low, slanted trailer design and ramp door.

However, it would be August 27, 1977 that Chuck, now 37 years old, would remember as the turning point in his driving career.  It was at the PRO National Challenge, at Broadway Bob's Great Lakes Dragway in Union Grove, Wisconsin, that his “High Speed Monza” hit the guard rail 3 times, severing his right leg.

Despite a year set back, Finders fielded a AA/Altered that he designed and built in his dreams during his stay at the hospital.

Then at the Springnationals in Newark (Columbus) Ohio, Chuck rode out an oil fire fatally injuring only his Donovan motor, but he says, “I finally saw the hand writing on the wall and decided to call it quits as a driver and concentrate in building chassis.”

He is survived by Mother Josephine Harkins of Bellflower Ca., two sisters Gloria Clemson of Wildomar Ca. and Dona Lively of Lakewood Ca. Chuck was also survived by two sons one step-daughter, and three grand daughters, Chuck Finders Jr. 49 of Tucson Az. Bob Finders 48 of Anaheim Ca. and Carol Johnson-Smith 51 of San Antonio Texas, three grand daughters, Ashley Finders of Tucson Jamie Johnson of San Antonio and Adrienne Bovee of Waco, and Cars too many to number.

A final Memorial organized by Chuck’s family will be held in his Honor at the NHRA Museum in Pomona Sunday June 7th bring your Street Rod or Race car that Chuck Built or Drove and share it with us. Words of remembrance will be at 2:00pm this is a casual street rodder style gathering ‘Nothing Sad” at this final Meet for Chuck. Details will be posted on Chuck Jr’s web site finders-fabrication.com

 

Bruce Bender, founder of the

Cleveland Fiero's Club passes.

May 12, 2009

Bruce J. Bender, beloved husband of Melanie (nee Sholtis). Loving son of the late Alfted J. and Beatrice. Dear brother in law of Maribeth Gretta (John). Uncle of Grant, Jack, and Nicholas. Passed away losing his battle with cancer Tuesday May 12, 2009. Funeral Mass at the St. Angela Merici Catholic Church 20970 Lorain Ave. Friday at 10AM.

Prayers at the funeral home Friday at 9:20AM. Visitation at the WISCHMEIER-BUESCH FUNERAL HOME 3111 BROADVIEW RD. (1 Block from Pearl) THURSDAY 2-4 and 7-9PM. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Angela Merici Church or the Hospice Center of Cleveland Clinic, 6801 Brecksville Rd. #10, Independence, OH 44131. Internment Holy Cross Cemetery.

Bruce was the founding member of the Cleveland Fiero's Car Club and was a very active supporting member of the Northern Ohio Chevelle Club, he had a '67 Convertible as well as a '65 Convertible.   Last winter (2009) (pictured above) is Bruce with his 1st place award at the 2009 Cleveland Autorama.  Bruce was 58.

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Chet Herbert Passes

Drag racing pioneer and innovator Chester “Chet” Herbert died on April 23, 2009.  Herbert, born on March 4, 1928, overcame huge personal challenges and went on to develop some of auto racing’s most significant speed components.

Growing up in Southern California’s early hot rod scene, the teenaged Herbert had a reputation for building and racing fast cars and motorcycles. When he was 20 years old, though, he was stricken with polio and lived the rest of his life in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the chest down.

“My grandmother told me he was so wild about racing, that if he didn’t have polio to slow him down, he probably would have died,” said son Doug Herbert, 41, who followed his father into professional drag racing and runs a Top Fuel dragster formerly sponsored by Snap On.

“When my dad was 12, my grandma bought him a trumpet and hoped he’d learn to play.  But he traded the trumpet for a Cushman motorscooter and it was life in the fast lane ever since.”

Lying in a hospital iron-lung for six months in 1948, Herbert developed ideas for manufacturing racing parts in his head.   When he was released, he developed the first roller camshafts for race cars and was among the first to try nitromethene fuel in a dragster after reading how the German army had used it to power torpedoes during World War II.

Although he never personally raced again, Herbert fielded scores of dragsters, drag motorcycles and land speed-record streamliners for other drivers.  His racing Harley-Davidson, nicknamed “The Beast,” was the fastest quarter-mile dragster in its day, having achieved a then record-shattering 129 mph, faster than any car in 1950.

Herbert also developed the zoomie-type exhaust header, which blew the smoke away from a dragster’s rear tires in order to achieve better traction, helping them break the 200 mph record.

Herbert was one of the first to establish a successful speed shop and parts mail- order business.  According to hot rod historian Greg Sharp of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, Herbert was probably the first racing parts retailer to utilize advertising in national magazines to reach consumers.  His chopped 1932 Ford sedan was a rolling billboard for his business.  He built it with a Hydromatic transmission so he could drive it using hand controls.   It was featured in the March, 1952, issue of Hot Rod Magazine and in 2007, was voted one of the most significant 1932 Ford hot rods in history.

Herbert was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1993.

Herbert is survived by his wife, Leanne; three children: Doug; daughter Heather Herbert-Binetti and daughter Tracey Drage; and his sister Doris, who as editor of Drag News, was also inducted into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1993.  Herbert was preceded in death by his sister, Fay Trout, and by grandsons, Jon and James Herbert.

To overcome the sorrow of his grandsons’ death in 2008, Herbert and son Doug were in the process of building a Bonneville streamliner with which they hoped to achieve 500 MPH, breaking the world speed record for piston-powered, wheel-driven cars.  Son Doug is still determined to accomplish that dream.

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Martin Sefcovic

Well where can I begin to tell you about my father.  My Mother tells me that I was the reason for him to be on the cruisin scene.  Both of them used to come to the car shows and cruisin's that I attended all the time with my '67 Pontiac, that I got in the summer of 1983. So I guess they wanted to know what it was all about, even though they did not have a car. So one year we attended a car show in Newcastle, Pa. you probably know the one, (Back to the 50's) I believe it was the summer of 1995 and he spotted this shinny red 1963 Galaxie XL 500 that was for sale.

Not realizing at the time that he would buy that very car the following year. So after getting it home he then decided he wanted to do different things to make the car look better. Needless to say the car went throught the restoration process a little at a time.  I lent a hand when I could when the car needed some work. I dont want to forget that there were some special friends that gave a helping hand as well and after a couple of years was finished but they rarely ever are as we all know. But the main thing about it is that my Mom and Dad went to shows in other states and further away than I ever did, from Ohio to Pa and Mich plus Indiana and lets not forget Kentucky. My mother will tell you that they met a lot of interesting people and have met some great friends along the way.

My dad was a different person after he got this car. I can remember the big grin he would get while driving that big Red machine. But I have to tell my mother I kept him in check when he wanted to put his foot into that big Red Ford, her famous words I can hear (Marty now please!) and I know what he would say (ya ya I know) and many of his close friends can relate to this, you bet. Those that knew him best know if he had somthing to say even though it may be brief he made his point whether it was serious or funny. Oh yes he could make you laugh. I always knew he would buy a Ford after all he put in 46 yrs at the Cleveland Ford engine plants. He had a soft spot for the '57 T Bird but when he saw the Galaxie that all changed. This year will be a different for me and my mother, a car show for myself from now on will never be the same, somthing will always be missing! Your son Mark ....  Dade you'll will be missed.                                      Martin Sefcovic born October 30, 1938-Deceased  March 10, 2009.

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Cleveland Customizer Passes Away

Freddy Bohacik, known by most as "Freddie the Stripper" because of his successful "Auto Metal Paint Stripping" business in Bedford Ohio.   Fred was also known as "Newbomb Kirk" nicknamed after the Hollywood Knights Movie that he was a fan of .... in fact Fred was in the Cleveland Hollywood Knights Car Club and had a collection of just about everything that he could lay his hands on from the movie.

But above that, he was an ol skool customizer and it's that reputation that the Cleveland Auto-Rama began a memorial Custom Award bearing his name beginning with the 2009 edition of the show.

Letter from his family

Dear Website Readers:   At this time we would like to thank everyonef who attended our fathers' funeral.   We hope everybody who knew him, his stories, his knowledge of many things, will remember him.   He will always have a special place in our hearts.   Your gone but not forgotten!

Thank you all - Jimmy "Chubs", Freddie Jr., Suzy, Madison & Rosie.

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Deist Drag Racing Parchute Maker, dies.

March 10, 2009

Jim Deist, who created some of the first commercially available parachutes for use in drag racing and founded Deist Safety in 1958 to continue that work in other lines of driver safety, died March 9. He was 80.

 

Deist was a founding member of SEMA and helped initiate the Meets SFI Specs program and was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.

Deist received numerous honors because of his contributions to racing safety, including being named Most Valuable Man of the Year at Bonneville in 1981 and the 200-MPH Club's Man of the Year in 1982. He was inducted into the Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame in 1995 and was an honoree at the 1997 NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California.

(Bob Brown photo)

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Gary Weimer Passes Away

by: John Shapiro

The other day a good friend of mine passed away, it was Gary Weimer.   Many of you knew him as the gravely voice behind the microphone wherever he DJ'd, many knew him as the President of the Buckeye Ramblin Rods Car Club (Wooster Oh.), most knew him as the mayor of the Run 'N Roast Car Show.  I knew him as a friend and true buddy.

Gary was one of hot rodding's originals.  Maybe I shouldn't say not just hot rodding, he loved drivin' 'em even more.  He used to tell me, "Hey, drive the wheels off 'em and then just before they fall off, drive some more."

Gary and I hooked up the first time I went to the Run 'N Roast show when it was held at Freedlander Park in Wooster Oh.   He was just one of those friendly guys who welcomes all and you'd walk away feeling like you knew him all your life.

He knows everybody and everybody knows him, which made it good for getting stuff for his rod run.  In fact, many times I'd witness his antics when he'd need a specific door prize or a sponsor, "John, watch this!", then he'd turn on his microphone right in the middle of a song (which I can tell you as an old radio DJ is a mortal sin), he'd look out over the sea of people dressed in hot rod garb, then he'd see his "mark" and say.... "Hey, Bob (so and so from blank auto parts) wake up, we need ya to sponsor this here contest, hurry up and get over here, bring your money!" Well, I can tell you ('cause he did it to me) you either walked up and sponsored the deal or everybody in the whole park knew you were a jerk and a cheap one at that!

Gary was not only the president and one of the founding fathers of the Buckeye Ramblin' Rods, but was president of his own private world as well and would hold court to anyone that he came in contact with - it was easy to talk with him, things just flowed.  But then, I didn't quite know what to do when he called me last fall and said, "John, I'm dieing." What do you say to that?  Not much.  Ya just can't say anything.  Then there's this huge silence and he knows and you know.  And then, you muster up enough brain cells to say something that might change the subject  (as I always would), "Gary, remember the times you'd call me for advice when some irate cruiser would complain about not winning?   What would we say?   "Screw 'em!!  And you'd feel much better?

Gary had a fond love for customs, like I do.  Back in the "day" us kids were influenced by custom cars, then drag racing, then hot rods, so whenever you run into someone who can rattle off 5 famous customizers, you develop a sort of bond.  That's what happened when I met Gary.  When I started my magazine I used to drive down to Wooster every month to drop off a couple hundred mags for him to hand out to his buddies and we'd talk endlessly about custom cars and how he eventually wanted something real cool.   Recently he got it, a 1940 Merc convertible "custom".  He called me and just said, "Hey, I think I found the car I've always wanted!" He finangled a deal and the next time I saw him he was smiling ear to ear.

There were other times we'd talk about car shows, trophies, getting people to have fun, why people go to one show over another, why people still need a dash plaque and ya know all those "unanswered questions!" Well, Gary, as they say you'll be missed and if you read up in heaven, find out from the "big guy" ('cause within a few days you'll know everybody up there), why is it people have to have dash plaques?

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