United States Racing Team (1 Viewer)

[PiPPi]

Not sure this is the right part of the forum but anyone remember the United States Racing Team? I lived a few years in the US starting in the very early 70's and talked my parents into driving to Capitol Raceway to see the top FC teams who matchraced between national events (mom really loved the nitro cars). Came to think about this seeing mr. Don Schumacher being here in person as I also saw the Stardust FC driven by Bobby Rowe back in ´72 when he ran the at the time fastest time ever for a FC with a 6.38 at Capitol Raceway. Small world indeed though I'm not sure how the teams were run back when like if Don Schumacher was at that event or not. I understand Bobby Rowe and Raymond Beadle were driving Stardust cars that year.

The Pro Stock cars and drivers of the United States Racing Team was a real bonus to see. I came to the US from Sweden in 1971 and my only prior education regarding drag racing were subscriptions to Car Craft and Hot Rod Magazine but that was surely enough to get an understanding of the top notch Pro Stockers of the time. Check the scan below (the picture in there taken at the east steps of the US Capitol?), the USRT consisted of some well known racers to say the least and it was like going to heaven seeing these guys live. The date on the back says june 28, 1972, and that is pretty much all I know about the USRT. If anyone has more on that, please feel free to add.

Warning - <rant mode on> I have a picture or two of the Stardust car from that record night somewhere but couldn't find it but a real gem showed up in the search: A home movie I filmed at one of the Super Stock & Drag Illustrated Funny Car Nationals at US 30 in York. Not sure what year but I think it was 1972 as I did not yet have a drivers license. I don't have a projector for that kind of film anymore but will get it converted to DVD to see what is on there. Can't believe I had things in order back then but in the film can there is a type written piece of paper (remember typewriters?) outlining the racers as they appear in the film: Whipple & McGulloch Revellution Cuda, Frank Oglesby Quarterhorse Mustang, Sam Miller, Sopwith Camel Camaro(?), Candies & Hughes Barracuda, Roland Leongs Hawaiian, The Snake, Sien & Lankfords Brand-X Mustang, Larry Valdez "the Mexican Revolution" Camaro, Mike Burkhart, Bill Leavitt, Mart Higginbotham, Mickey Thompsons Pinto (Dale Pulde driving?), Doheny & Fullerton, Tom Hoover, Jungle Jim and a few more. The notes say Don Prudhome went up against Gene Snow in the final and Don won the race. Not sure of the quality as the reel has not been stored under the best of conditions but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.<rant mode off>

Regards
PiPPi
http://HarleyDrags.com

 

[Ken]

It's been so long ago, that my dates may be off a little. But if I remember correctly, the USRT was put together as a match race type deal by some pro stock teams. I remember in 1972 (?) they were booked into E-town for a wednesday night race. It was 3 rounds, chicago style eliminations with the quickest 4 winning cars from the first round racing a semi final and a final round. The remaining cars still came out and ran the full three rounds match race style. I say it was 1972, because the chevy teams were running vega bodies. But it might have been 1973, just can't remember exactly. I'm trying to guess on the year based on the type of cars that were running.

As a side note, the day before the race, Alot of the teams displayed their cars at the Woodbridge mall. The mall was brand new, and at that time, was the biggest mall in NJ. The cars were inside, so you couldn't miss them. Back then, NJ had a stupid law that you had to be at least 18 years old to get into a pit area at any race track in NJ. So I was always relegated to sitting on the Spectator side of the track. It was a real big deal for me to get up close to the cars when they were at the mall. I had no idea what the driver's looked like, so I was asking anyone with a team uniform on if I could have an autograph. Probably the first and only autograph any of the crew guys ever gave out. But I thought it was sooooo cool. I still have the USRT handout somewhere, and I think I have autographs on it from Mike Fons and Wayne Gapp.

Ahhhhhh.... the good old days.

 

[willy]

Wow Par..that is a classic lineup in that pic!!!

Thanks for sharing that.

 

[ctjstr]

Hey Pippi, how's it going. You come up with some of the most obscure stuff...must be those long nights over there eh?

 

[none]

One of the largest crowds ever at New England Dragway was for a wednesday night match race with the United States Racing Team. I have yet to enjoy a pro stock race as much as that one. They had most of the big name racers and went all out to put on a good show.
If memory serves me I think Mike Fons won that night.

 

[DCM]

The races were booked and usually the cars were displayed locally for a day or two before the race.

Qualifying was used to get the fastest of each manufacturer and those were the 4 that raced for the win.

My Dad [Herb] was on that team and won four events in a row, and, as you can see, that was against some pretty stout competition. There were a total of six races in the series that year [1972].