Yes, as you will see, this is properly placed in the General Studebaker-specific Discussion Group. If you enjoy reading about Studebaker's national drag racing conquests in Ted Harbit's NHRA classes during the 1960s, you'll hopefully find this interesting....
It all started today (Thursday, September 9, 2010) when my snail mail arrived. Therein was the October 2010 Cars & Parts, which we now know is the next-to-the-last issue. You wouldn't know it to read this issue; it is bright and upbeat, and contains many interesting articles and features.
Among the features was a 5-page article on a gorgeous 1950 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Coupe (2-door hardtop) owned by Bill Ehrsam of Sylvania, Ohio. The article says Bill, "...is no stranger to 1950 Oldsmobiles. He bought his first one as a kid, has always owned at least one, and currently owns 40[!] of them, which just has to be a record among the Olds fraternity."
So far, so good.
The second paragraph describing Bill's infatuation with 1950 Oldsmobiles is the following. I quote directly and entirely; no editing:
"He drag-raced '50 Oldsmobiles and won many trophies, until he faced off with a 1951 Studebaker. After losing to the Studebaker, he bought a 1951 Studebaker himself and won the NHRA Nationals in Indiana four times and then won the NHRA Nationals in California, beating a 1950 Olds driven by Keith Berg."
As the topic title says, "WHOA! Not so fast, there, Dr. Oldsmobile." I suspected some, ahem, "enhancement" in that paragraph, because I knew full well he could not have won the NHRA National Drags with a 1951 Studebaker four times during the period in question, roughly 1960-1971, when 1951 Commanders dominated classes M/S, K/S, and L/S. (The same 1951 Commanders ran in those classes; the class name just got changed around during that time.)
I reasoned that:
1. Ted Harbit and The Chicken Hawk were the combo that initially beat Bill Ehrsam in 1962, and
2. Ted went on to win the class 8 times in the next 11 years, and
3. In two of the three years (1963, 1965, 1971) that Ted did not win his class, I knew he lost to Oldsmobiles at least twice.
Therefore, it was not possible that Mr. Ehrsam won the class four times with a Studebaker.
Having figured all this out, I called Ted for a long conversation. The upshot of that conversation with Ted this afternoon was this:
1. Driving a 1950 Oldsmobile 88, Bill Ehrsam lost the 1962 Championship Race race to Ted Harbit and The Chicken Hawk; Ted's first "Nationals" win.
2. The 1962 loss apparently inspired Bill to buy and build a 1951 Commander (good).
3. Bill Ehrsam did return with his own '51 Commander in 1963 and beat Ted in the Championship Race, winning the class once. However, he was disqualified as illegal in the mandatory tear-down as Class Champion, so no person is recorded as having won the Class in 1963. Ted's runner-up status in the 1963 Championship Race remained just that, runner-up, with the winner having been disqualified.
4. Ted lost the Championship Race again in 1965 and 1971, but it was to an Oldsmobile 88 both years, not to another Studebaker.
5. The Commander-dominated HP/LB weight class was eliminated after the 1971 race.
6. Ted alone ran "up" one class for 1972 and beat a 283 Chevy station wagon (1958 or 1959, as he recalls), despite being placed at a distinct HP/LB disadvantge with no handicap.
7. The lowest HP/LB class in 1972 was eliminated following the 1972 National Drags, so 1951 Commanders were no longer competitive and did not appear in the lowest HP/LB NHRA class after Ted's 1972 swan song.
8. Given "all the above," Bill Ehrsam won one NHRA National Championship in class (1963). I don't see how he could have won four times, as the article states.
Finally, Bill would have won the NHRA Winternationals in California, beating Studebaker's #1 nemesis, Keith Berg's 1950 Oldsmobile. The annual "grandaddy" NHRA National Championship Drag Race has only been held in five states in the event's history: Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Indiana. So the article was in error, saying that Bill had won "The Nationals" in California, because "The Nationals" have never been held there.
However, it is good to note that Bill Ehrsam's 1951 Commander did beat Keith Berg's 1950 Olds 88. Keith had the fastest early Olds 88 in the country...but because he was out west, he and Ted Harbit never did battle, as Ted remembers. [Edit: See update below from Ted.] Ted acknowledges Keith having the fastest Olds 88 in class, so it would have been a white-knuckle race had Keith's Olds and The Chicken Hawk ever squared off during the 1960's heyday of stock car drag racing.
It's good that Bill Ehrsam and his 1951 Commander were up to the task of taking on Keith Berg, and were able to make the trip to the Winternationals.
So now, when you read the October 2010 Cars & Parts, don't scratch your head. You already know "the rest of the story." BP
It all started today (Thursday, September 9, 2010) when my snail mail arrived. Therein was the October 2010 Cars & Parts, which we now know is the next-to-the-last issue. You wouldn't know it to read this issue; it is bright and upbeat, and contains many interesting articles and features.
Among the features was a 5-page article on a gorgeous 1950 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Coupe (2-door hardtop) owned by Bill Ehrsam of Sylvania, Ohio. The article says Bill, "...is no stranger to 1950 Oldsmobiles. He bought his first one as a kid, has always owned at least one, and currently owns 40[!] of them, which just has to be a record among the Olds fraternity."
So far, so good.
The second paragraph describing Bill's infatuation with 1950 Oldsmobiles is the following. I quote directly and entirely; no editing:
"He drag-raced '50 Oldsmobiles and won many trophies, until he faced off with a 1951 Studebaker. After losing to the Studebaker, he bought a 1951 Studebaker himself and won the NHRA Nationals in Indiana four times and then won the NHRA Nationals in California, beating a 1950 Olds driven by Keith Berg."
As the topic title says, "WHOA! Not so fast, there, Dr. Oldsmobile." I suspected some, ahem, "enhancement" in that paragraph, because I knew full well he could not have won the NHRA National Drags with a 1951 Studebaker four times during the period in question, roughly 1960-1971, when 1951 Commanders dominated classes M/S, K/S, and L/S. (The same 1951 Commanders ran in those classes; the class name just got changed around during that time.)
I reasoned that:
1. Ted Harbit and The Chicken Hawk were the combo that initially beat Bill Ehrsam in 1962, and
2. Ted went on to win the class 8 times in the next 11 years, and
3. In two of the three years (1963, 1965, 1971) that Ted did not win his class, I knew he lost to Oldsmobiles at least twice.
Therefore, it was not possible that Mr. Ehrsam won the class four times with a Studebaker.
Having figured all this out, I called Ted for a long conversation. The upshot of that conversation with Ted this afternoon was this:
1. Driving a 1950 Oldsmobile 88, Bill Ehrsam lost the 1962 Championship Race race to Ted Harbit and The Chicken Hawk; Ted's first "Nationals" win.
2. The 1962 loss apparently inspired Bill to buy and build a 1951 Commander (good).
3. Bill Ehrsam did return with his own '51 Commander in 1963 and beat Ted in the Championship Race, winning the class once. However, he was disqualified as illegal in the mandatory tear-down as Class Champion, so no person is recorded as having won the Class in 1963. Ted's runner-up status in the 1963 Championship Race remained just that, runner-up, with the winner having been disqualified.
4. Ted lost the Championship Race again in 1965 and 1971, but it was to an Oldsmobile 88 both years, not to another Studebaker.
5. The Commander-dominated HP/LB weight class was eliminated after the 1971 race.
6. Ted alone ran "up" one class for 1972 and beat a 283 Chevy station wagon (1958 or 1959, as he recalls), despite being placed at a distinct HP/LB disadvantge with no handicap.
7. The lowest HP/LB class in 1972 was eliminated following the 1972 National Drags, so 1951 Commanders were no longer competitive and did not appear in the lowest HP/LB NHRA class after Ted's 1972 swan song.
8. Given "all the above," Bill Ehrsam won one NHRA National Championship in class (1963). I don't see how he could have won four times, as the article states.
Finally, Bill would have won the NHRA Winternationals in California, beating Studebaker's #1 nemesis, Keith Berg's 1950 Oldsmobile. The annual "grandaddy" NHRA National Championship Drag Race has only been held in five states in the event's history: Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Indiana. So the article was in error, saying that Bill had won "The Nationals" in California, because "The Nationals" have never been held there.
However, it is good to note that Bill Ehrsam's 1951 Commander did beat Keith Berg's 1950 Olds 88. Keith had the fastest early Olds 88 in the country...but because he was out west, he and Ted Harbit never did battle, as Ted remembers. [Edit: See update below from Ted.] Ted acknowledges Keith having the fastest Olds 88 in class, so it would have been a white-knuckle race had Keith's Olds and The Chicken Hawk ever squared off during the 1960's heyday of stock car drag racing.
It's good that Bill Ehrsam and his 1951 Commander were up to the task of taking on Keith Berg, and were able to make the trip to the Winternationals.
So now, when you read the October 2010 Cars & Parts, don't scratch your head. You already know "the rest of the story." BP
101st Airborne Div. 326 Engineers Ft Campbell Ky.
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