Dick Brooks 1973 Talladega 500 winner

[MarkJ]

This is the 72 Plymouth that Dick Brooks drove to the victory at the 1973 Talladega 500. I always wanted to build this model but could not find a kit. A couple of months ago I found a 71 Richard Petty build that I  had done 45 years ago, so I decided to repurpose the model into this one. There are several noteworthy things about this car that make it very interesting. It was the only car that Brooks ever won in, in the cup series. It was the last Plymouth to win a cup race. It was the last car that Pete Hamilton drove before he ended his cup career. I got to see this car run in person at the 1972  Texas 500.  Gordon Johncock drove it that day.  Jimmy Crawford and his brother owned this car and he drove it the most  when it ran. He was an Eastern Airlines pilot when he wasn't racing the car. I listened to the broadcast of the 1973 Talladega 500 from a small transistor radio while helping my wife prepare her very first classroom  in the city that Nolan Ryan grew up in. We had just gotten married the May before the race was run in August. I couldn't believe my ears when he ended up winning the race, beating some pretty stiff competition that day. I read that the Crawford brothers had modified the intake manifold to make it work better with the restrictor plate, and that is why he was able to compete with the more highly funded teams. If anybody knows why Mickey Mouse was on the hood please share it. I could not find the reason it was there. One other thing, the reason Brooks name is not on the car is because he only signed on to drive it the Friday before the Sunday race, and I guess they didn't have time to put it on the car.Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MarkJ]

Here is a picture of the real car in the race

 

 

If you want to see how the model came together click on the link below

http://cs.scaleautomag.com/sca/modeling_subjects/f/31/t/129905.aspx

[Dave Van]

Very slick build. Perfect stance and clean build. 

[Dragonhawk1066]

Awesome job, looks great!! Love hearing/reading stories of how things were done back in the earlier days of NASCAR.

[fivesuns]

I love it.  You did a great job!

[yellowsportwagon]

Way nice job Mark.

[DoctorLarry]

Very nice-you guys are detail masters. 

[moparfarmer]

Awsome work and some good history..That must have been the Cotton Owens #6 that Pete Hamilton drove in 1971..It was sponsored by American Brake Bloc..Was dark blue with yellow numbers..

[Bill J]

Mark, another beauty. Who know why Mickey was on the hood? I don't know but he looks good there

[ChrisR]

Awesome!

[Daddyfink]

I like it! The Mickey does make it more interesting and I am also curious about it's place there. Steve Carbone had one on his Front Engine Dragster and they called it the Mickey Mouse car, as in it was rigged up, and I wonder if this is the same sort of meaning. 

 

[MarkJ]

10 hours ago, moparfarmer said:

Awsome work and some good history..That must have been the Cotton Owens #6 that Pete Hamilton drove in 1971..It was sponsored by American Brake Bloc..Was dark blue with yellow numbers..

Actually Wayne, the car Hamilton last drove was this one a year earlier at Atlanta. He had to retire because of a bad back.

[Lunajammer]

This year of Plymouth is easily my all time favorite NASCAR, along with Petty's and others. Excellent redo of a hard to find model. Looks sassy.

 

Edited February 20, 2019 by Lunajammer

[bbowser]

Great looking model and intriguing backstory.  Thanks for sharing.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I always like your builds! This one is another example of your craftsmanship. Great work! Dick Brooks used to have a Honda dealership here in town. It's cool to see a build of one of his cars.

[Belugawrx]

Love seeing this winner...

Well done Mark 

[slusher]

Awesome looking model!!!!!  ?

[MarkJ]

Ok, guys. A guy on another forum found this from a fantasy racing site about the mickey mouse on the hood.

The highlight of Brooks's career came at the Talladega 500 when he drove the Plymouth of Jimmy Crawford to an unexpected victory.  Brooks wasn't even supposed to drive Crawford's Plymouth, but after officials ruled that Crawford did not have enough experience on the big speedway, Brooks took over the ride.  The car was #22 and had Mickey Mouse on the hood.  The story behind Mickey Mouse on the hood was a comment made by Bill France stating that they were a "Mickey Mouse race team", so they put Mickey on the hood.  Brooks would pull off the starting grid in 24th place.  He would work his way to the front and take the lead for the first time on lap 49.   It was an exciting race as there was 64 lead changes.  The most laps in a row any driver lead was nine; all the way up to lap 157 when David Pearson led 12 in succession.  On 44 occasions where a lead change occured, the leader would lead 3 laps or less.  Brooks would take the lead on lap 181 and head the field for the final eight laps to get the win."

[Old Coyote]

Another gorgeous build Mark. Your collection must be stunning to see. Great work sir.

[yellowsportwagon]

1 hour ago, Old Coyote said:

Another gorgeous build Mark. Your collection must be stunning to see. Great work sir.

Really Mark you have a group picture?

[MarkJ]

3 hours ago, yellowsportwagon said:

Really Mark you have a group picture?

No, Tim. But that's something to think about in the future. I might group all my Rex White cars together for a group shot. That might be fun.

[MarkJ]

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I really enjoyed researching and then putting this one together. I was watcning the cup race today and it looks like they might have a package that makes for better racing. Those Mustangs sure look cool . I wonder if there is any plans by revell to issue the new cup Mustangs and Camaros? I know there is know hope for getting a Toyota of any kind.

[Jim N]

Great job Mark.  Really stunning build.

[bigdrag1]

A great piece of history, and a great looking build !!

[MarkJ]

Thanks, Jim and John. I really appreciate it.