'77 Governor's Cup: Superstars and Hot Shoes!

[Jimmy McKinley]

There's more than just Pitts, Porter, and Gregory in this photo from the '77 Governor's Cup The black and blue car is Gary "Hot Shoe" Balough in Pee Wee Griffin's car; the gold-colored Nova seen to the far right is Buck Simmons' #81, the car next to Simmons that you can barely see the rear end of, is Mike McCrary, and the black Camaro on the inside of LeRoy is Billy McGinnis' #111. Let's goooooooo....RRRRRRRRRRRRAAACin'!!!!!

[blue7]

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[carolwicks]

Jim Mc

i dont think you sent the pic right....
carol aka oz

[Jimmy McKinley]

Let's try this again...

See if it works this time...LOLOLOL....

[soupkitchen]

I clearly remember the #49 car running at Sunshine, if it's not the same car it was an almost identical paint scheme. This was about the time Pitts drove one of the Mitton Electric late models. I wish someone would put up some pics of the late models in the late 70's,early 80's, the Mitton cars, Fenton's four, the 12,27,24,75, Scarboroughs 69 etc.

[Jimmy McKinley]

I clearly remember the #49 car running at Sunshine, if it's not the same car it was an almost identical paint scheme. This was about the time Pitts drove one of the Mitton Electric late models. I wish someone would put up some pics of the late models in the late 70's,early 80's, the Mitton cars, Fenton's four, the 12,27,24,75, Scarboroughs 69 etc.

Which 12? Ours was the 12D; Bontrager had the 12R (that'd be the yellow Nova). We had Scarborough, Pletcher, Billy Gill, Wayne Reutimann, Childers, Jimmy Cope, Bryan Wescott, Randy Warren, and many other drivers in our cars over the years there at Tampa and St. Pete. And yes, Pitts' home track was Sunshine; I don't recall him running all that much at Tampa. I don't recall Pitts in one of the Mitton cars, either; I know Pletcher, Cope, and Lee Mitton drove them most years.

Go to Dave's site (http://www.floridastockcars.com) to see some great old Sunshine pics! There's pics of all the cars you mentioned The 27 you mentioned - would that be Kenny Alderman?

[ancrdave]

It was interesting that I went to a race at Birmingham back in '77 or '78 - a 400 lapper run in 90 degree heat on a Sunday afternoon... Ronnie Pitts showed up for this race along with Dick Anderson and a few other FL guys and they ran against the likes of Jack Ingram (Who won the race in his NASCAR-legal Sportsman), John Anderson, Morgan Shepherd, Rusty Wallace, Donnie Allison, Rat Lane and even a guy Utah who was racing a LM AMC Javelin... I took a buncha pictures that day, but I can't find them... DANG IT!!

[Frasson118]

I read a cool profile about Charles "Rat" Lane. He was a true "outlaw" Supermodified racer before switching to LM's in the 80's. At the time of the story, he was the full-time driver of Felix Sabates' motorhome, traveling the Nascar circuit. The guy seemed like one hell of a character.

His business card reads "6 Months Of Vacation, Twice A Year"

[Frasson118]

I can still remeber the date that I first heard of, and saw Neil Bonnett. October 12th, 1974 he pulled into the Trenton Fairgrounds campground with Bobby Allisons rig with a 'Coke Machine' Monte Carlo LM on the ramp truck, and a Camaro Modified on the trailer.

After missing practice and qualifying for both classes, he started last in the Mod consy... at least 30 cars (probably more, but I don't recall), only 2 move to the feature. He won that race, putting him in the 27th row of the Race Of Champions starting 54th out of 55 starters. Charging from the rear, he got all the way to 2nd place before a crash on the back straight took him out.

I knew right then that this was a name I'd hear about again.

Ironically, it was the same day I'd first heard of Harry Gant also. I'll try to find the finishing order from that race. Old time Modified fans will be amazed at all the Legends that were there that day. Possibly the most talented field of Modified racers in history!

[Frasson118]

Race of Champions 1974... look at all the legends!

Possibly the greatest field of Modified racers ever assembled. Many future Nascar stars, and at least 25 or 30 that wound up in a Hall of Fame or two:

And I am also EXTREMELY proud that 8 of these guys made it to our Reunion last February! Unfortunately, several on this list were contacted but unable to attend, and quite a few are no longer with us at all.

Trenton 10/13/74
Modified 200 laps/300 miles -
NASCAR sanction
Finish Start Driver
1. Fred DeSarro #3 (D)
Hope Valley, RI $
Chevrolet Vega
2. Bugs Stevens #15 (MA)
3. Satch Worley #45 ? (VA)
4. Don Diffendorf #21x ? (NY)
5. Ray Hendrick #1 ?(VA) (D)
6. Bob Riley #60 (CT)
7. Jim Shampine #69 (NY) (D)
8. Jerry Cook #38 (NY)
9. Joe Thurman # (NC ?)
10. Don Stives #9 ? (NJ)
11. Gene Bergin # (CT)
12. Jim Winks #21 ?/221 (NY)
13. Brian Ross #4 (NY)
14. Geoff Bodine #99 (NY)
15. Jerry Dostie #70/7 (CT)
16. Lou Lazzaro #4 ? (NY) (D)
17. Cliff Tyler #21 (NY)
18. Don Whalen #05 (NY)
19. Merv Treichler #58 (NY)
20. Wayne Edwards #41 ? (NY)
21. Don LaJoie #53/711 ? (CT)
22. Neil Bonnett #13/12 (AL ?) (D)
23. Buzzie Reutimann #00 (FL)
24. Gary Cornelius #40 (NY)
25. Jim Rudolph #72 (NY)
26. Jim Landry #38 ? (CT ?)
27. Dan McNamara # (NY)
28. (3) Charlie Jarzombek #11 ?/1 (NY) (D)
29. Roger Treichler #74 (NY)
30. Maynard Troyer #6 (NY)
31. (9) Richie Evans #61 (NY) (D)
32. Lloyd Ashby #00 ? (VA ?)
33. Chuck Boos #9 (NY)
34. Bob Pickell # /300 ? (NJ)
35. Gil Hearne # (NJ)
36. (2) Harry Gant #46/45 (NC ?)
37. Dick Tobias #17 ? (PA) (D)
38. Fred Harbach #x90 (NY) (D)
39. Billy Osmun #03/3 ? (NJ)
40. George Kent #26 (NY)
41. Mike DiRoma #98 ?/18 (NJ)
42. Bobby Vee #2 ? (CT)
43. John Bryant #57 ? (VA)
44. Will Cagle #24 (NY)
45. Kevin Keillor # (NY)
46. Bob Potter # (CT)
47. Moose Hewitt #19 (CT)
48. Sonney Seamon #50 ? (NY) (D)
49. Harold Martin # (?)
50. Fred Schultz #4x or T-5 ? (MA)
51. Ron Bouchard #17 ? (MA)
52. Graeme Bolia #15 (NY) (D)
53. (1) Paul Radford #45 (VA)
54. Ernie Marshall #16 ? (NY ?) (D)
55. Greg Sacks #18 ? (NY)


(D) = Deceased

[ronabneysr]

wow 55 cars

man thats lot of cars that was real racing back in them days went to flemington new jersey many times they didn't have no eight inch tires on them cars back when men were men and boys sat in stands ha ha holding them eight inch tires

[34ever1]

Trenton 1974

I was very fortunate to have attended that race in Trenton N.J. and vividly remember Fearless Fred crossing the finish line ahead of Bugsy to get the win.. Trenton was a very unique race track with the right turn dogleg in the backstretch.. I also attended a couple of "Grand National" stock car races there (Sprint Cup). Trenton was a great place to go to a race.. It's to bad so many of the great places are gone .
Ray M.

[BVS40FL]

Forgot about the scorers

See if it works this time...LOLOLOL....

Each team had to provide a scorer to flip the lap cards as their car crossed the finish line each lap. Made it easy for fans to tell who was on the lead lap. They sat them on a platform in the infield that year but later saw them in the front stands with the fans and had a little tv screen with an electronic countdown that the scorers had to write down the number on the counter when their car crossed the line.

[tom77hmstd]

I still have the trophy and a pic of me and Robert in victory lane on my shop wall of the 1977 Gov cup.