Studebaker Nationals and Orphan Car Drag Race 2012

[63larkr1]

[Pat Dilling]

Congratulations Richard, Really great to hear of the great successful event. Might have to see if we can stir some similar interest out West. Will look forward to your Turning Wheels article and possibly use it to inspire others.

Pat

[Chris_Dresbach]

I had a great time going, glad I went!
I may not have had a car to compete with this time, but look out next year!!!

[BobPalma]

Yes, Richard; an event well-executed. Thanks and congratulations. And AFAIK, nobody broke anything, either!

BTW, the event is billed as The Studebaker Nationals and Orphan Car Drag Race, and we had two non-Studebaker participants this year: my friend Larry Kennedy and his 1950 Hudson Super Six coupe hot rod, and a guy with a stock-looking 1952 DeSoto that had originally been a Powermaster [flathead] Six...now a heavily-modifed MoPar 440! It ran in the sevens (in the eighth).

Here's the DeSoto:





Thanks to Richard & Rose Poe for all their work organizing and executing this event. It's a lot of fun. BP

[63larkr1]

Thanks,
No Bob the event is not now and was never the Orphan Car drags. At first we listed and the track had on their schedule a list of the cars that were included. I should know don’t you think? The Hudsons and other independent Orphans are just as welcome as any and all Studebakers and I don’t think anyone enjoys them more than I do and we all love to have them. They are not only welcome but an equal part for sure. I’ve been over this many times and unfortunately the use of the word orphan that I added the second year has caused lots of confusion and some disappointment for people. You would be surprised what people think an orphan is, I get calls about it all the time.
Rose and I started the drags five years ago after working with the Brown County Dragway for about three years before that, even before we moved to Brown County. After talking to some of the Hudson guys at a local cruise night we wanted to include Hudsons and other independent makes. They are great, it is a better event with them here.
So it is the Studebaker Nationals and Orphan Car Drags.
Thanks,
Richard

[DEEPNHOCK]

This event is on my bucket list....

But, this year my car was not ready, and the date is only good for those close by.
With South Bend's SDC International meet coming up, two trips to Indiana are cost prohibitive.
If it had only been scheduled the beginning weekend of the SDC Int'l meet, or the Sunday after.
Then your turnout would have quadrupled.

Looking at the IM schedule, the stars won't line up for that again until the Michiana chapter heals and forgets about the pain of producing an IM.

But wouldn't it be great to set something like this up at every IM
Just rent the track (or pre-arrange it) and hype the Studebaker (and even the orphan aspect)...
Might get a lot of non-SDC people out to play

I'll get up to Brown county when 'The Black Car' gets done...
Maybe next year (at the rate I am going)
Good job!
Jeff

[63larkr1]

Chris,
Glad you made it down. The SDC is in good hands with young guys like you around.
Jeff,
The date was the best I could do. Our race is the same day as the Street Drags so we can have more track time and a rain day if needed on Sunday. It also gives people from out of town travel days. The track rental cost is high as is the liability. We outnumber the other group both in cars and spectators. And we ran out of pit area with our line of cars. The BCD would love to have us once a month.
I’m looking forward to you coming up and we could have used you up against the Desoto!
A few months ago you and I talked about the weekend after the IM and I’m working on that. The BCD is excited about having us that week end but the Road Rockets haven’t come up with a date so we can run together with them. It looks like it will happen with or without them but I’m working on it.
Richard

[beatnik64]

I had a blast, and can't wait till next year... gonna make some changes to the car and see if can't make a better time next year.

Thanks again to you Rich and Rose for putting on this show, this has to be one of the biggest highlights of my car show season.

[studegary]

Bob P. - I don't mean to be critical. I just want to understand what you mean by "...a full-blown MoPar 440...". I didn't expect to see a supercharger/turbocharger, but all that I do see are exhaust headers and perhaps an aftermarket intake manifold.

[Chris_Dresbach]

Thanks again to you Rich and Rose for putting on this show, this has to be one of the biggest highlights of my car show season.

Yes definately, thank you both for putting this together. It was a ton of fun.

[Chris_Dresbach]

Bob P. - I don't mean to be critical. I just want to understand what you mean by "...a full-blown MoPar 440...". I didn't expect to see a supercharger/turbocharger, but all that I do see are exhaust headers and perhaps an aftermarket intake manifold.

If not fully blown call it heavily modified. That car ran away from everything else in the orphan car class.

[studegary]

If not fully blown call it heavily modified. That car ran away from everything else in the orphan car class.

Why do you make the claim that the engine was "heavily modified"? It probably had nearly twice the displacement of the other orphans. That should be enough to have an unfair advantage by itself.

[BobPalma]

Bob P. - I don't mean to be critical. I just want to understand what you mean by "...a full-blown MoPar 440...". I didn't expect to see a supercharger/turbocharger, but all that I do see are exhaust headers and perhaps an aftermarket intake manifold.

OK, by "blown" I did not mean supercharged. I mean the guy had it heavily modified. BP

[63larkr1]

Sandy at Brown County Dragway had stickers made and gave them out to all the participants. Thanks Sandy, nice job.
Maybe if I had my Challenger done the Desoto would have a a race on his hands!
Richard

[BobPalma]

Sandy at Brown County Dragway had stickers made and gave them out to all the participants. Thanks Sandy, nice job.
Maybe if I had my Challenger done the Desoto would have a a race on his hands!
Richard

Uh-oh, Richard; are you gonna let that cat out of the bag?

The Challenger would indeed have given the DeSoto something to think about. Maybe next year!

Woo-hoo! BP