DoctorLarry Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 Had the opportunity to travel with a group of MBA students to Hong Kong and Bangkok over spring break and so had some dead time to kill in a few places. I have a dormant couple of Buick projects (73 GS and 76 Century Pace Car) and someone opened a thread on Randy Ayers' site about 78 Buicks. They posted a web site that had racing pictures from several races and I found this one. The driver's name is Jim Thirkette(?) but I thought it was a gorgeous car. Anybody know about him? I read a little and saw a few other pictures, seems he was a west coast regular.
DoctorLarry Posted March 16, 2019 Author Posted March 16, 2019 Maybe Thirkettle, not Thirkette. Hard to read.
MarkJ Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 That's not a 78. Gm went to the smaller intermediates that year. I know because I bought a 78 monte carlo. One of the worst cars I ever owned.
yellowsportwagon Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 On 3/16/2019 at 12:54 PM, MarkJ said: That's not a 78. Gm went to the smaller intermediates that year. I know because I bought a 78 monte carlo. One of the worst cars I ever owned. Expand I think Larry means 78 racing season. And it is one real sharp car!
DoctorLarry Posted March 16, 2019 Author Posted March 16, 2019 Tim is correct. It is a 77 Buick that was being raced in 1978. Evidently there were a few drivers that went the Buick versus Olds Cutlass route. Janet Guthrie evidently was another.
MarkJ Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 They had to keep running these old bodies I guess until 81 when nascar forced them to go to the smaller more boxy gm intermidiates. a lot of people think the Gray Ghost was a 1980 olds but it was really a 77.
james460 Posted March 19, 2019 Posted March 19, 2019 If memory serves me correct A J and Dale, in Osterland colors, ran Buicks at some point.
yellowsportwagon Posted March 19, 2019 Posted March 19, 2019 On 3/19/2019 at 12:30 PM, DoctorLarry said: Yes they did. Expand Notice that Dales car has the formal Monte Carlo roofline. While the 51 car has the standard roofline.
bbowser Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 Did they just stick a Buick nose on a Monte Carlo, or was there a Buick with that formal roof?
yellowsportwagon Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 On 3/22/2019 at 5:50 PM, bbowser said: Did they just stick a Buick nose on a Monte Carlo, or was there a Buick with that formal roof? Expand Century custom had that roof Century Special had the fastback roof
bbowser Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 Wasn't it great, all the variety to be had back then? Now all we get are jellybeans that can't be told apart unless you see the logo
stavanzer Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 Some Info. I saw Jim race at Mesa Marin a couple of times. http://www.everret.com/SAUGUS5THIRKETTLE.html https://www.thefreelibrary.com/IT'S+THE+LAST+CHANCE+FOR+THIRKETTLE+AT+MESA+MARIN.-a0135824798 Jim Thirkettle, won five straight Mesa Marin track championships, from 1979 to 1983, in addition to two track titles at Saugus Speedway. Jim Thirkettle's racing career is legendary on the West Coast. He made his way up the NASCAR ladder and competed on the old Grand National Division, when the top stock car racers visited Ontario and Riverside. http://westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com/about-2016-inductee-jim-thirkettle/ Enjoy.
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