May Day Springnats 1990

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Fri Dec 13, 13 3:23 pm

Just found these rare shots of your truly, never seen them before......enjoy the rest boys......warning, this is funny car free footage!!!!!!!

2.35>

14.00>...beat my arch rival..Pete White...and a perfect scenario of someone backing off to not go under the index, and the other car driving straight past

Les

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Fri Dec 13, 13 5:51 pm

Well my fave after your cuda lez

was the big ole buick gs pre tubbed days i reckon,

whats with all the bollax holding the cars straight in the bleach box

second watchin footage off drag racing is not far off watching paint dry there is just no feeling off the speed and raw powers that these cars are all about,,

Did you take that mtr at the end off the 2nd clip les,

no disrespect intended re footage,

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Fri Dec 13, 13 6:55 pm

Yes, Paul Mitchell that was with the white GS Buick, who sadly died recently I heard, heart attack........amazing torque from those motors!!!, ..he bought my 14x32's when I broke the car up, paid £100 for them with about 3>4 smokies left on them so he could set the car up.

Holding the motors seemed to be the thing in those days....don't know why?, never needed it on mine, if you know how to do a burnout properly its not necessary is it.

Yes watching the racing is definately not the same as watching a film.....and yes the Firebird lifted as to not break out and I drove past him to get the win...I ran 11.23 at 118...pete ran 11.37 at 101..that mph says it all doesn't it.

Used to race with Pete in Street Class when we first started back in the 80's, friendly guy.

Those times I ran were on a bog standard but balanced 440-SP bottom end with stock valve size 906 heads only change was a little .650 cam

which probably didn't do its job properly with only 10.2:1static CR.....I never thought that I went that fast with that set up, the Hauser 2.14 heads I put on later got it to 10.71 on motor.....and with a some squirt 9.96.

Les

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Fri Dec 13, 13 7:32 pm

That fat arsed GS will be back on the 1/4 next year piloted by Paul's son Anthony.

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Fri Dec 13, 13 7:36 pm

Thats real nice, carrying on in his Dads footsteps

Les

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Fri Dec 13, 13 8:45 pm

yes he was a very decent guy the buick looks tuff as Bananarama! tubbed,

db · Post by db » Fri Dec 13, 13 10:59 pm

Great stuff Les

A skilled win over the Firebird there!

Mick · Post by **Mick** » Sat Dec 14, 13 12:10 am

Very cool Les, good footage and great racing by you.
That B1 in the mopar menace sounded nice.
Mick

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Sat Dec 14, 13 10:43 am

Thanks for posting Les.
Ended up watching racing all evening !

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Sat Dec 14, 13 11:52 am

cheers guys...yeah I think Pete lifted too early, and the other guy in the pop ran quicker but petered out a bit at the top end, and thats exactly where that old 440 of mine really came on strong and kept pulling hard thanks to that camshaft.

Considering I was way off the 10.90 index..I was a bit lucky to win and that the competition wasn't a bit tougher!!....11.2's wouldn't cut it nowadays....you would have to run 10.94's all day long with PB 60's to win I reckon.

And yes Mopar Menace sounded strong Mick, but if you look at the chassis reaction on that car it could've done with some looking at, not quite right somewhere.

Les

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Sun Dec 15, 13 10:21 pm

Les.
A massive thank you from Anthony ( Paul Mitchell's son )
I sent him the link you posted and he has been searching for years for footage of the GS in its " post tubbed" guise.
He was over the moon to say the least.
I said I would pass it on to you.

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Sun Dec 15, 13 10:42 pm

Cheers....I bet he was as pleased to see some unseen footage as I was !!!..

Les

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Sun Dec 15, 13 10:52 pm

Les Szabo wrote:Cheers....I bet he was as pleased to see some unseen footage as I was !!!..

Les

Very much so !!!
Thanks again Les.