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1978 Daytona 500 - Ferrel Harris Dodge from Petersen Museum Archives
He saved the day for Mopar with his 2nd place finish, otherwise it would have been a 1 - 3 FoMoCo sweep. I was there all 5 days that the track was open for practice/qualifying/racing and the race was a real letdown after the winged Mopars had showed so much promise during the week. The smart $$ was on Gurney's #42 Petty crewed Superbird to win but he had to come in on the first lap for brake work and never could make up the 11 laps he lost. I still blame the Petty crew for not double checking the brakes before rolling the car to the line.From the Petersen Museum archives: 1970 Riverside- Roger McCluskey
Started 23rd and finished 9th - the only Mopar to finish in the top 10. This was the team car to the #5 of Neil Bonnett, owned by Jim Stacy.1978 Daytona 500 - Ferrel Harris Dodge from Petersen Museum Archives
It'll take me a while to read through it all but I did look at the letter on the Proposed Riverside test. I never heard that Chrysler tested an automatic trans, The only car I ever saw racing on that track with an auto trans was Jack McCoy. He had mangled his arm badly years before in a modified-jalopy race and always had trouble with the constant shifting needed in a 500 mile road race. The trans only lasted about 35 laps and he went back to a stickshift for the next Riverside race.NEW link added to Woodward Garage info from the Bill Wright archive -
http://www.billwrightdocumentarchive.com/TableOfContents.htm
Late 60s wing cars, trans am and drag cars that the Woodward Garage worked on.
Nice pic of the Woodward Garage SuperBird doing laps at the Huntsville Airport testing a 727 trans for road course use.
Guess who was driving??
NEW link added to Woodward Garage info from the Bill Wright archive -
http://www.billwrightdocumentarchive.com/TableOfContents.htm
Late 60s wing cars, trans am and drag cars that the Woodward Garage worked on.
Nice pic of the Woodward Garage SuperBird doing laps at the Huntsville Airport testing a 727 trans for road course use.
Guess who was driving??
IIRC, by that time Baker was driving a Ford so it was thumbs down from me. I think Dave Marcis was also up there in the #71 Dodge.Oh, Richard won the race after starting 13th. and qualifying in the 180 mph bracket.
He ran that speed all day and passed Baker for the win with a handful of laps left.
Buddy had slowed to 178... !!!
Yes, Buddy was in a Ford. I don't remember where Marcis finished up...IIRC, by that time Baker was driving a Ford so it was thumbs down from me. I think Dave Marcis was also up there in the #71 Dodge.
Marcis ended up 3rd (I just looked it up). Man, that was over 40 years ago but I vaguely remember sitting around the apt pool with my radio and sweating it as Baker led the most laps, by far, and I had several $10 bets with my Chebbie and Ford loving buddies at work that a Mopar would win .Yes, Buddy was in a Ford. I don't remember where Marcis finished up...
In 1975 the STP Dodge and K&K Dodge, due to their combined wins and high finishes, won the very last Manufacturers Championship for Dodge.
One of the goal set by Daimler in 2001 was to win another Manufactures Cup. One reason why they had 10 cars out there that dwindled over time
down to Penske's team in 2012. Well at least Brad got one for himself!