Comments for Vintage Nitro

Comment on Bill Shirey “The Professor” funny car | Detroit Dragway by Mark Shirey

Mark Shirey — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:18:39 +0000

I’m Bill Shirey’s son. Though I was very young, I remember the student (Barracuda)
very well. As for where the name came from, your half right, he was working at the dealership that sponsered the car and the High performance club he started. The name came from my Mother in a friendly argument acussing him as thinking he was the smartest. Also, the picture of the professor, my Mother drew, I still have his orginal racing helment with the Professor pict. on the side that he took all the way with him to NASCAR. I remember this stuff very vividly because soon after or during, they were not so friendly torwards one another.

Comment on Bill Shirey “The Professor” funny car | Detroit Dragway by Jim Altemose

Jim Altemose — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:46:34 +0000

Rick,
Your comment is very interesting. I wonder if there’s any chance the dealership’s sales records still exist somewhere.
I have a 65 Belvedere Street Wedge cars that I’m always
looking for info on. I got it several years ago and was told it was
raced by Bill Shirey as “The Professor”, but I have no concrete
evidence of this. I’ve seen pictures of “The Professor”, and the roll
cage and such look the same, and it was delivered to the same
dealership that Shirey took deliveries to, but other than that I
haven’t been able to dig anything up or contact Bill Shirey or his
family. I contacted a Shirey in PA who races Max Wedge nostalgia
classes, but they’re unrelated. It’s originally a 426 Street Wedge 4
speed blue car. It now has a 383.

I’d certainly be interested if anyone has info or pictures of Bill
Shirey and “The Professor”.
- Jim

Comment on The Banshee Firebird at the 1968 Autorama by Bob Corcoran

Bob Corcoran — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:11:44 +0000

“The Banshee” Funny car

Frank Holcomb

Ham Park

John Slicker

( and maybe more )

Frank Holcomb drove that car as did Ham if I recall correctly.

I have contacted Frank to maybe get him to chime in with more information.

Comment on Tom’s Nasty Torker: 1960 Ford Galaxie by Steven Fraley

Steven Fraley — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:52:40 +0000

I remember this car racing at Motor City Dragway. I have a nice picture of TNT posted on the winterwaterwonderland.com site. It’s a great memory lane for the Michigan dragstrips closed and operating.

Comment on The Buckpasser: B/G Willys Coupe by david tinney

david tinney — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:05:18 +0000

the 41 willys was powered with a 426 hemi 727 trans. ran 10.20s/ 130.mph. right on national record at the time.most fun i had in 55 years of racing. dave tinney

Comment on Old-Skool Willys Gasser | 1967 Detroit Autorama by Paul (Goot) Gutleber

Paul (Goot) Gutleber — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:48:49 +0000

I was in that club also in the early 60 , at the time the mother of her 2 boys David and Ed Sawicki started the club to keep the kids off the street racing and went to the strips to race, We were also friends with United auto on gratiot by 13 mi rd and they helped sponcer our club
I hope to hear back from you guys so we can keep this going ,,,,Also remember the reliability runs we went on they started at dark at noterdame HS

Comment on Stone, Woods and Cook at Detroit Dragway by Rick Murphy

Rick Murphy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:21:05 +0000

I’m looking for info or images of a VW drag car from the 60′s called the Sour Kraut. It ran around the Detroit Windsor area. in 69 or 70.

Comment on The Dennett Brothers B/G Chevelle Psycho by Fred Dennett

Fred Dennett — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:44:36 +0000

Our car, back in the day… nice

Comment on The Prussian, Steffey and Rupp Top Fuel Dragster by Tom Bonner

Tom Bonner — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:14:21 +0000

That is an amazing story. Could you send me a photo?

Comment on The Prussian, Steffey and Rupp Top Fuel Dragster by Kevin L. Wood

Kevin L. Wood — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:43:20 +0000

I just found the 1965 Bristol Tennessee Hot Rod Association top fuel winners trophy of Maynard Rupp. I was doing a clean-out of an old property and it was in pieces in an old garage. I put it back together and it looks great. I cannot believe that someone would leave behind a piece of history as such.