[coverattach=1]Noted car builder to be honored
CAYUGA, ONTARIO (January 14, 2009) - It was a day in the summer of 1958 and Don Garlits was making a guest appearance at Kohler Dragway in Cayuga, Ontario. Because Fred was not old enough to have a license, his dad dropped him off at the gate. Fred was hooked on drag racing. Little did he know that drag racing would eventually become a career.
Throughout his high school and university years, he raced as a hobby with a variety of cars....37 Ford Coupe, 55 Chevy, and 58 Pontiac to name a few. His 1967 Beaumont that was raced at the Niagara Dragstrip, became internationally known as the Canadian Chevelle. While teaching at Cayuga Secondary School, Fred continued his involvement with friends who relied heavily on his automotive and drag racing knowledge and his no-nonsense approach.
But it was in 1976 that he built a 1967 Camaro which became a NHRA legend. He campaigned the car almost every week-end at NHRA Divisional and National events in Canada and the United States from 1976 to 1983. The car was originally built as a modified car and was known for its innovative 4-link suspension, wheel stands and wicked horsepower. In 1982, after teaching at Cayuga Secondary School for 16 years, Fred resigned from his teaching position and established Smith Performance Specialties as a state of the art high performance engine and chassis fabrication business.
In 1986 during a rain out race, Fred approached General Motors personnel about the possibility of their involvement in developing a front to rear wheel drive conversion drag race car. The Big Three automotive manufacturers were now producing front wheel drive passenger cars. The rest is history. The first car built by Fred became the prototype for all front wheel conversion race cars in the National Hot Rod Association. That achievement, beyond any doubt, saved the Super Stock eliminator from extinction. T
That first prototype Cutlass Ciera was featured in the Oldsmobile display booth at SEMA in Las Vegas in 1987.
In cooperation with Robert Stange of Strange Engineering, a front end strut was engineered and designed specifically for all Super Stock drag race cars. It was approved by NHRA in 1987, and to this day, it is the only strut allowable in both NHRA and IHRA Super Stockers.
The partnership with General Motors Oldsmobile and later Pontiac enabled Smith Performance to become a Super Stock mini factory. Endless class wins, National event wins, Best Engineered awards and records achieved by their own cars as well as racers of the Smith Performance Super Stockers put “F. J. Smith” in the forefront internationally. These racers contributed hundreds of points towards Oldsmobile winning the Manufacturer’s Cup for numerous years. World Champions such as Jeff Taylor and Anthony Bertozzi raced Smith Performance cars. The shelves in Fred’s office are loaded with 59 “Wally” trophies won by Fred for overall Eliminators, class wins and Best Engineering awards.
There have been numerous highlights in the family’s drag racing life. One is definitely the family’s recognition at the Car Craft All Star Drag Racing banquet at Indianapolis Hilton in 1992 and the presentation of the first Car Craft Sportsman Chassis Builder of the Year. He eventually won the Car Craft award again in 1993 and the final year of its presentation in 2000 and was nominated every year of the Award’s existence.
It is interesting to note that drag race cars built by SPS in the early 1990s still command a high dollar on the market. “Built by F. J. Smith” carries a tremendous status. And some of these race cars still continue to dominate the Super Stock NHRA and IHRA point series. For many years, Fred sat on the Safety Foundation Institute (based in California) chassis committee and played a significant role in the development of the Spec 25-1 for “door slammers”. It is also gratifying when he is told about racers who couldn’t pass “tech” at national and regional races and were advised by both IHRA and NHRA tech inspectors to “ have a look at one of F.J.’s car and do it his way” and then their car would be approved.
From his first taste of high performance race engines, his high performance small block Chevrolet race motors have been tuned and tweaked to perfection. Racers far and wide rely on his engine dynamometer to give them tried and true facts and figures.
In 1995 the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Series was developed and Fred has continued to play a MAJOR role in its continued success. Because of the significant travelling costs and time constraints, many Stock and Super Stock racers are unable to compete internationally at NHRA and IHRA events. However, this series has allowed these racers to continue their lifelong passion to race with the best Ontario, Quebec, New York and Michigan can offer. Fred has single-handedly increased the sponsorship lists from a meager 4 or 5 in 1995 to over 25 major sponsors including Strange Engineering, Edelbrock, Mr. Gasket, MSD, Comp Cams, TCI, Auto Meter and ATI.
Fred is a fiercely proud Canadian drag racer and has become a mentor to numerous young drag racers. He does not suffer fools gladly and has little patience for couch potato racers. He is highly respected in the international drag racing community. It is extremely difficult for him to find time at races to attend to his own race car because he is continually besieged by customers and potential customers with endless questions and precious advice.
In their office hangs a photo of Fred with Zora Arkus-Duntov (Corvette legend) and Bill Jenkins (Chevy high performance small block). It was taken at the Super Flow Dyno conference held in Colorado Springs in 1991 where these three were keynote speakers. It was affectionately titled “Two and a Half Legends”.
Fred was to have been inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame at a gala event scheduled for February at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto. The Board of Directors have cancelled this event and it is rescheduled for February 2010. However, family and friends of Fred felt this is a lifetime achievement and will hold their own Celebration at the Coach House at Ruthven Park National Historic Site in Cayuga to be held on Sunday, February 22, 2009 as an Open House from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend to extend their congratulations for this wonderful achievement.
CAYUGA, ONTARIO (January 14, 2009) - It was a day in the summer of 1958 and Don Garlits was making a guest appearance at Kohler Dragway in Cayuga, Ontario. Because Fred was not old enough to have a license, his dad dropped him off at the gate. Fred was hooked on drag racing. Little did he know that drag racing would eventually become a career.
Throughout his high school and university years, he raced as a hobby with a variety of cars....37 Ford Coupe, 55 Chevy, and 58 Pontiac to name a few. His 1967 Beaumont that was raced at the Niagara Dragstrip, became internationally known as the Canadian Chevelle. While teaching at Cayuga Secondary School, Fred continued his involvement with friends who relied heavily on his automotive and drag racing knowledge and his no-nonsense approach.
But it was in 1976 that he built a 1967 Camaro which became a NHRA legend. He campaigned the car almost every week-end at NHRA Divisional and National events in Canada and the United States from 1976 to 1983. The car was originally built as a modified car and was known for its innovative 4-link suspension, wheel stands and wicked horsepower. In 1982, after teaching at Cayuga Secondary School for 16 years, Fred resigned from his teaching position and established Smith Performance Specialties as a state of the art high performance engine and chassis fabrication business.
In 1986 during a rain out race, Fred approached General Motors personnel about the possibility of their involvement in developing a front to rear wheel drive conversion drag race car. The Big Three automotive manufacturers were now producing front wheel drive passenger cars. The rest is history. The first car built by Fred became the prototype for all front wheel conversion race cars in the National Hot Rod Association. That achievement, beyond any doubt, saved the Super Stock eliminator from extinction. T
That first prototype Cutlass Ciera was featured in the Oldsmobile display booth at SEMA in Las Vegas in 1987.
In cooperation with Robert Stange of Strange Engineering, a front end strut was engineered and designed specifically for all Super Stock drag race cars. It was approved by NHRA in 1987, and to this day, it is the only strut allowable in both NHRA and IHRA Super Stockers.
The partnership with General Motors Oldsmobile and later Pontiac enabled Smith Performance to become a Super Stock mini factory. Endless class wins, National event wins, Best Engineered awards and records achieved by their own cars as well as racers of the Smith Performance Super Stockers put “F. J. Smith” in the forefront internationally. These racers contributed hundreds of points towards Oldsmobile winning the Manufacturer’s Cup for numerous years. World Champions such as Jeff Taylor and Anthony Bertozzi raced Smith Performance cars. The shelves in Fred’s office are loaded with 59 “Wally” trophies won by Fred for overall Eliminators, class wins and Best Engineering awards.
There have been numerous highlights in the family’s drag racing life. One is definitely the family’s recognition at the Car Craft All Star Drag Racing banquet at Indianapolis Hilton in 1992 and the presentation of the first Car Craft Sportsman Chassis Builder of the Year. He eventually won the Car Craft award again in 1993 and the final year of its presentation in 2000 and was nominated every year of the Award’s existence.
It is interesting to note that drag race cars built by SPS in the early 1990s still command a high dollar on the market. “Built by F. J. Smith” carries a tremendous status. And some of these race cars still continue to dominate the Super Stock NHRA and IHRA point series. For many years, Fred sat on the Safety Foundation Institute (based in California) chassis committee and played a significant role in the development of the Spec 25-1 for “door slammers”. It is also gratifying when he is told about racers who couldn’t pass “tech” at national and regional races and were advised by both IHRA and NHRA tech inspectors to “ have a look at one of F.J.’s car and do it his way” and then their car would be approved.
From his first taste of high performance race engines, his high performance small block Chevrolet race motors have been tuned and tweaked to perfection. Racers far and wide rely on his engine dynamometer to give them tried and true facts and figures.
In 1995 the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Series was developed and Fred has continued to play a MAJOR role in its continued success. Because of the significant travelling costs and time constraints, many Stock and Super Stock racers are unable to compete internationally at NHRA and IHRA events. However, this series has allowed these racers to continue their lifelong passion to race with the best Ontario, Quebec, New York and Michigan can offer. Fred has single-handedly increased the sponsorship lists from a meager 4 or 5 in 1995 to over 25 major sponsors including Strange Engineering, Edelbrock, Mr. Gasket, MSD, Comp Cams, TCI, Auto Meter and ATI.
Fred is a fiercely proud Canadian drag racer and has become a mentor to numerous young drag racers. He does not suffer fools gladly and has little patience for couch potato racers. He is highly respected in the international drag racing community. It is extremely difficult for him to find time at races to attend to his own race car because he is continually besieged by customers and potential customers with endless questions and precious advice.
In their office hangs a photo of Fred with Zora Arkus-Duntov (Corvette legend) and Bill Jenkins (Chevy high performance small block). It was taken at the Super Flow Dyno conference held in Colorado Springs in 1991 where these three were keynote speakers. It was affectionately titled “Two and a Half Legends”.
Fred was to have been inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame at a gala event scheduled for February at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto. The Board of Directors have cancelled this event and it is rescheduled for February 2010. However, family and friends of Fred felt this is a lifetime achievement and will hold their own Celebration at the Coach House at Ruthven Park National Historic Site in Cayuga to be held on Sunday, February 22, 2009 as an Open House from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend to extend their congratulations for this wonderful achievement.
