TAD nick names

Rod Phelps---The Buzzard, from the mid '70's

 

chassisbuilder

Joe Monden from the mid 70's - Fuelish Pleasure aa/da

 

Hey Kev, I am probably one of a very few that got that one!!!

 

LOL, you must have seen the FOX 13 news!!!!!

"Who are you racing? we have another team coming in to race against us.....in fact hes a local racer!" LMMFAO...Sorry Aaron I had to! nuttin but love brother...but it was damn funny....

KB

 

Bobby Taylor- The Pedaler

 

From the Northwest:

Larry Klinger - The Rattler
Kenny Sitko - Arctic Traveler
Paula Gage - Custom Machine
Wayne Vanouck - the Sorcerer

 

Yes I have I rented a shop at Bill Simpsons Gasoline Alley for many years along with many other racers such as Dale Armstrong Billy Williams, And have seen both Jack Cambra and George Cambra do the tearing of quarters. Very impressive!

 

A couple more from the Northwest:

Chuck Hendrickson - Rain City Racing
Randy Jensen - Crazy Red

 

current nicknames

Paul Fishburn "Nightmare"
Steve Federlin 'Impatience"

 

Thomas, Oswald & Kattelman?????
John Davis (Heads crew chief)?????
I don't remember if the cars had nick names or not. If they did I don't remember I should there from my area.

Bob Kraemer

 

Well Rod Phelps had "the Buzzard", but didn't someone have an alky digger called the Vulture?
Art Gallant had a small-block car, I believe in the Pro Comp era, not sure of any nickname. Both Veney and Armstrong had dragsters for awhile in the '70s. Veney had the 351 Cleveland car, Dale the Donovan. Remember when they teamed up on that little A/FD that Dale won Pomona '74 with? Even for a dragster, it was unusually low, looked like Dale was laing down in it. Sure do miss the Pro Comp days...

 

blue thunder is by jerry caminito and what about the udder nonsense car? Wasn't that that fanning family?

 

Maybe it was Tony Vulturo with the vulture? not certain. The lay down car Dale won Pomona with was a big block chevy injected on fuel. Ken Cox was the builder who also built Veney's funny car which was in the other lane. Also Big block chevy powered. Afterward a Ken Cox car was the one to have. They were very low slung and quite compact. Frank Manzos cars of that era were Ken Cox built, Then Bob Jinkens started building Manzos cars.Then when Manzo couldnt wait a season and a half for Jinkens artwork he had McKinny cars. Veneys 351 cleveland car was built to fit a loophole in the weight break rule for smallblocks. Was actually a canted valve head not a wedge. Veney eventually went to a late model KB car AA/DA which I believe he sold to Art Gallant when Veney went fuel FC racing. Art did a powerstand off the starting line at the summernationals about a year after he had the car and bent it pretty bad when it came down. I never saw that particular car again. Back in the golden era of pro comp I dont recall people arguing alot.

 

Hey Wood, seems like you're also a big Pro Comp era fan. The Cox cars were cool. Any idea when he stopped building and what he's up to now?

 

Small Block

Dale Hall's - nick name?
Wayne "Insane" Celko

 

Pro Comp days- Ken Veney's dragster

Woodchip, I couldn't resist jumping in on Veneys Dragster. The car he ran with the 351 Ford in was actually an S&W car built in 1974 for John Speelman and myself just in time to debut at the Summer Nationals which was the first in a series of "Chicken Choker" dragsters so named by Berserko Bob.
At the end of the 1976 season, we sold the car to Ken so that we could pursue running a Top Fuel car in 1977. Ken ran the car until he decided to change to campaign his Fuel Funny car. The only difference was that we came back to compete in blown alchol and Ken continued until he retired as the very sucessful crew chief for Darrell Gwynn Racing's T/F entry.
The really amazing thing is how many of the Div 1 TAD racers are still out there competing in Div 1. Teams like the Horner Brothers, Kenny Winward, Mike Kosky, Tom Jones/Karen Benkovich, Arthur Gallant, Rich McPhillips, Rich /Cliff Bozzelli, Ron Still (still has his car). Actually enough cars to fill an 8 car qualifing field with 30+year vets!
Len Cottrell
"Chicken Chokers" TAD

 

Hi Len

didn't mean to imply that Cox had anything to do with Veney's 351 car. To be honest I had no idea who built it or your history behind it. As far as the veterans of division one still competing its hard to retire from being together with such a group who will pitch in and help each other and be welcomed in each and every pit space. The camaraderie is unequaled. From what I understand there are some divisions where you just don't go into another competitors pit area. You coming back in 06 or what? I cant wait for the season to start!

Terry and me used to call wayne "da general". also wayne had a tiny rubber smurf that was attached in the drivers cockpit. although we never called him a smurf. I can remember when we were on the starting line very early in Waynes career and he got a starting line advantage/win and Terry practically leaped up off the ground and yelled "Holy sh** the Polack left on somebody!! .....Guess ya hadda be there.......and know crew chief Terrys personality.

 

Last I heard- Ken Cox was still machining trinkets in his shop- SPE brake stuff etc. Talk about the quiet professor- anybody ever hear him say anything in a "raised" tone of voice?? I loved my Ken Cox bb/fc in the 70's- I remember his Vega body mold sitting out back of his shop for years----

 

"Chicken Chokers" 2006

Am working on getting some fresh funds to compete in 2006. Have one potential in the works. Will also need at least one very experienced team member to help with the engine work at the races. Must be familiar with maintaining an alcohol engine.
Hoping to see everyone again in 2006.
Len Cottrell