I love to beat the big guys. I raced a 350hp 327 '65 Chevelle in NHRA's A/stock class. In 1966 Chevy had the 427 in the big cars, and installed the '65 Corvette 425hp 396 engine in the Chevelle. Add the Hemi's, and the 427 Fords and winning became more difficult. In the fall of '66 I noted that Chevy dropped the rating of the 327 to 325hp. I got out my sliderule and found that a Malibu, 2dr hdtp with 325hp should run B/stock so I bought one and began to get ready for the next season.
The springs first race and I got some bad news at tech. NHRA said Chevy didn't change the motor, just the rating, and I found myself back in A/S with an extra 125lbs. The good news was, the car was just as quick and fast as the '65 had been, running 3 tenths off the national record. The bad news, the national record holding '66 Biscayne was there. After getting my car dialed in as well as I could, I devised a plan. I asked my wife to make a practice run, and her first run was just a few hundreths slower than mine.
My wife was an attractive blond who I had taught to drive, and taught to race. She made a 4sp sound like an automatic, and for years had dominated the "powerpuff" eliminator. Her concentration made her tough to beat at the tree.
She moved through the class easily and finally came up against the recordholder. The Malibu was unsponsered and free of any decals. I had told my wife that I wanted her to come to the line without her helmet on and stop 2 ft short. The other car was staged, and the starter went over to my wife and first had her put the helmet on. The other driver was now watching her, as she worked her pretty head into the helmet. Then the starter started motioning her forward. Believe me when I say she knew how to stage, but she took her time, all the time the other driver watched. Those who race know that the time between lights is .5secs. When the tree came down, she dropped the clutch when the last yellow lit, and she got away without a foul. However, the other driver, so sure that he had an easy win, was slow on the lights, waiting until he saw a solid green. He never caught her although he ran 2.5 tenths quicker.
I remember seeing him wiping the tears from his eyes as he loaded his car to go.
The springs first race and I got some bad news at tech. NHRA said Chevy didn't change the motor, just the rating, and I found myself back in A/S with an extra 125lbs. The good news was, the car was just as quick and fast as the '65 had been, running 3 tenths off the national record. The bad news, the national record holding '66 Biscayne was there. After getting my car dialed in as well as I could, I devised a plan. I asked my wife to make a practice run, and her first run was just a few hundreths slower than mine.
My wife was an attractive blond who I had taught to drive, and taught to race. She made a 4sp sound like an automatic, and for years had dominated the "powerpuff" eliminator. Her concentration made her tough to beat at the tree.
She moved through the class easily and finally came up against the recordholder. The Malibu was unsponsered and free of any decals. I had told my wife that I wanted her to come to the line without her helmet on and stop 2 ft short. The other car was staged, and the starter went over to my wife and first had her put the helmet on. The other driver was now watching her, as she worked her pretty head into the helmet. Then the starter started motioning her forward. Believe me when I say she knew how to stage, but she took her time, all the time the other driver watched. Those who race know that the time between lights is .5secs. When the tree came down, she dropped the clutch when the last yellow lit, and she got away without a foul. However, the other driver, so sure that he had an easy win, was slow on the lights, waiting until he saw a solid green. He never caught her although he ran 2.5 tenths quicker.
I remember seeing him wiping the tears from his eyes as he loaded his car to go.
Last edited:
