Smokey Yunick

[Gary Lewis]

I thought y'all might enjoy this read: On his 100th birthday, the legend of NASCAR’s greatest cheater

I think I have, or at least had, this book. Fascinating read.

[85lebaront2]

Smokey didn't cheat, he just looked for loopholes. A.J. Foyt was another, his theory was "cheat neat".

[Rembrant]

Great read. I know the guy by name only as I'm not a big Nascar fan, but anybody that has been involved in Car Culture from back in the 70's knows his name.

Interesting side note...early in the story Max Blachowski is mentioned and linked to. He's the guy that modified and hopped up the 390 GT Mustang and 440 Dodge Charger for the movie Bullit in 1968. I know everybody knows that movie, or at least the car chase IN that movie, but most people don't know the guy that built those cars for all of the stunts they had to do;).

[Gary Lewis]

Great read. I know the guy by name only as I'm not a big Nascar fan, but anybody that has been involved in Car Culture from back in the 70's knows his name.

Interesting side note...early in the story Max Blachowski is mentioned and linked to. He's the guy that modified and hopped up the 390 GT Mustang and 440 Dodge Charger for the movie Bullit in 1968. I know everybody knows that movie, or at least the car chase IN that movie, but most people don't know the guy that built those cars for all of the stunts they had to do;).

Bill - I agree, he wasn't a cheater. He just knew how to read a rule book and find a way to do things that weren't technically wrong. Like a fuel line 10' long and 2" in diameter.

You are right, Cory. That read on Max Balchowsky is a must. Or maybe I should say Old Yeller II as much of the article is about it.

I've read a lot about Max and the Old Yellers over the years but have never seen one of them race. However, Max's abilities were legendary and he was hired by Hollywood to keep a bunch of vehicles for several movies in good shape. So we've seen his handywork many times but just didn't know it.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - I agree, he wasn't a cheater. He just knew how to read a rule book and find a way to do things that weren't technically wrong. Like a fuel line 10' long and 2" in diameter.

You are right, Cory. That read on Max Balchowsky is a must. Or maybe I should say Old Yeller II as much of the article is about it.

I've read a lot about Max and the Old Yellers over the years but have never seen one of them race. However, Max's abilities were legendary and he was hired by Hollywood to keep a bunch of vehicles for several movies in good shape. So we've seen his handywork many times but just didn't know it.

Gary, first, any independent racer is going to look for the unfair advantage, like I believe it was Dale Earnhardt's team that took one of Nascar's loop holes when the restrictor plates first started. They figured out a 305 ci engine would make more power than a 350 ci with the restrictor plates. Now there is both a minimum and maximum displacement.

A while back, before my first wife passed away, I wanted to build a car for SCCA B-Sedan class I think it was. In reading the rules, I found that the 1987 Plymouth Turismo Matt had owned, literally slid sideways through the loopholes (a) compression ratio, allowed 1 point over stock, car had the same engine as an Omni GLH, 110 hp NA 2.2L engine 10:1 compression. (b) engine air intake, at the carburetor or factory location, factory location is behind the headlights on the right front. © ground effects, air dams, spoilers, allowed if factory provided, car is the Omni/Horizon 2dr hatchback and has a chin spoiler, small rear spoiler on the hatch, and ground effects. (d) wheels can be increased 1" in size, stock were 14" with 60 profile tires.

Since the front valence us molded rubber with a big steel bumper bar in the middle, the bottom would push back at speed, so it would need some reinforcement (read closed off at the bottom with sheet metal), how much ram effect would that give into the Holley/Weber 2 barrel?

[ratdude747]

Gary, first, any independent racer is going to look for the unfair advantage, like I believe it was Dale Earnhardt's team that took one of Nascar's loop holes when the restrictor plates first started. They figured out a 305 ci engine would make more power than a 350 ci with the restrictor plates. Now there is both a minimum and maximum displacement.

A while back, before my first wife passed away, I wanted to build a car for SCCA B-Sedan class I think it was. In reading the rules, I found that the 1987 Plymouth Turismo Matt had owned, literally slid sideways through the loopholes (a) compression ratio, allowed 1 point over stock, car had the same engine as an Omni GLH, 110 hp NA 2.2L engine 10:1 compression. (b) engine air intake, at the carburetor or factory location, factory location is behind the headlights on the right front. © ground effects, air dams, spoilers, allowed if factory provided, car is the Omni/Horizon 2dr hatchback and has a chin spoiler, small rear spoiler on the hatch, and ground effects. (d) wheels can be increased 1" in size, stock were 14" with 60 profile tires.

Since the front valence us molded rubber with a big steel bumper bar in the middle, the bottom would push back at speed, so it would need some reinforcement (read closed off at the bottom with sheet metal), how much ram effect would that give into the Holley/Weber 2 barrel?

Or another example of finding way to game the rules, there's the 1994 Mercedes pushrod V8 that won the 1994 Indy 500:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_500I_engine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penske_PC-23

The trick was that while most of the racing season was under CART rules, the Indy 500 was still under USAC rules, which had a loophole for pushrod engines ("stock blocks") that allowed for running higher boost pressures than the DOHC V6's that were the norm at the time for Indy racing. This controversy is part of what eventually led to the CART/Indy car split later in the decade. And likely the last time a pushrod V8 will ever have a Mercedes badge on it!

[Whisler]

Or another example of finding way to game the rules, there's the 1994 Mercedes pushrod V8 that won the 1994 Indy 500:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_500I_engine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penske_PC-23

The trick was that while most of the racing season was under CART rules, the Indy 500 was still under USAC rules, which had a loophole for pushrod engines ("stock blocks") that allowed for running higher boost pressures than the DOHC V6's that were the norm at the time for Indy racing. This controversy is part of what eventually led to the CART/Indy car split later in the decade. And likely the last time a pushrod V8 will ever have a Mercedes badge on it!

Back in 1968, I worked in the Valvoline garage at Indy, mixing fuel and dispensing oil to those that were sponsored by Valvoline. Many of the drivers wanted their fuel spiked with nitromethane for qualifying since they only had to run 4 laps to qualify. Dan Gurney was running 2 Ford engines at that time, one OHC and one pushrod and qualified both. On race day he asked me to mix 15% nitro for the pushrod engine but demanded that I tell no one. Perfectly legal, but no one could expect to run nitro for 500 miles and keep an engine together. If I remember correctly, his cars finished 2 (OHC) and 3 (pushrod) and to this day I have no idea what his builder did to that pushrod engine to not only keep it together but finish 3rd on 15% nitro.

[Gary Lewis]

Back in 1968, I worked in the Valvoline garage at Indy, mixing fuel and dispensing oil to those that were sponsored by Valvoline. Many of the drivers wanted their fuel spiked with nitromethane for qualifying since they only had to run 4 laps to qualify. Dan Gurney was running 2 Ford engines at that time, one OHC and one pushrod and qualified both. On race day he asked me to mix 15% nitro for the pushrod engine but demanded that I tell no one. Perfectly legal, but no one could expect to run nitro for 500 miles and keep an engine together. If I remember correctly, his cars finished 2 (OHC) and 3 (pushrod) and to this day I have no idea what his builder did to that pushrod engine to not only keep it together but finish 3rd on 15% nitro.

Larry - Interesting story. I'd not heard of that engine, but do remember that there was controversy re that race. Now I know why.

Whisler - That is a really cool one! You actually got to talk to Dan Gurney and mixed his fuel. Wow! I didn't realize that they mixed some nitro into the fuel for qualifying.

[Whisler]

Larry - Interesting story. I'd not heard of that engine, but do remember that there was controversy re that race. Now I know why.

Whisler - That is a really cool one! You actually got to talk to Dan Gurney and mixed his fuel. Wow! I didn't realize that they mixed some nitro into the fuel for qualifying.

I even had lunch with Dan Gurney; nice guy but quiet. One of his crew members got in a fight in a bar in Indy with his team jacket on. Gurney fired him for disgracing the team.

Saw some interesting stuff at Indy. One guy trying to qualify a Chevy V-8 ran 50% nitro. He didn't stay together. Should have used a Ford. Lol!!

[351FUN]

I even had lunch with Dan Gurney; nice guy but quiet. One of his crew members got in a fight in a bar in Indy with his team jacket on. Gurney fired him for disgracing the team.

Saw some interesting stuff at Indy. One guy trying to qualify a Chevy V-8 ran 50% nitro. He didn't stay together. Should have used a Ford. Lol!!

The best automotive cheat I ever saw was the European celica team in 1995.

When everything was apart it looked like a regulation restrictor plate, but when tightened down it opened a 5mm gap all around which could be as much as a 50 hp gain in a 300hp limited class.