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SUPER STOCK NATIONALS
(Part 2)
By Chris Martin. DRO file photos by Tim Marshall and
Terry Pringle
After a hit like the inaugural Super Stock Nationals at York U.S. 30,
the racing world was understandably chomping at the bit to see what
the magazinoids could come up with for an encore. Things had developed
over the fall of 1965 that a new drag strip was being built in Center
Moriches, L.I., New York and it would be known as New York National
Speedway. From the blueprints, it could be seen that New York National
would rank right up there with the super tracks of the day like Indianapolis
Raceway Park. It sported a three-story permanent tower, seating for
in excess of 10,000 fans and acres of pit space.
Super Stock and New York management got together and decided that the
champagne bottle that would set off the new facility would be the second
annual Super Stock Nationals on August 5-7, 1966.
The format for the second race would not vary too much from the previous
event, with one notable exception. On all three days, class competition
would be run in the Unlimited Class, 2,000-lb. fuel, 2,400-pound fuel,
2,700-lb. fuel, and 2,700-pound and 3,000-pound gas. Then on Sunday
evening, these class winners, runner-up, low e.t. and top speed would
be run in an overall Mr. Super Eliminator competition.
The odds-on favorites at this race were three drivers of the innovative
and all-conquering 1966 Mercury Comet team: "Dyno Don" Nicholson's Eliminator
1, "Fast Eddie" Schartman's Roy Steffey Enterprises entry, and Jack
Chrisman's blown, nitro-burning Comet GT-1 roadster (photo).
At the time, this trio had 90 percent of the other Funny Cars covered
by almost a half-second in elapsed time, and in Chrisman's case by nearly
15-20-mph. At the high-biting New York track, a lot was expected of
them and they did set all the performance standards.
Both drivers had run in the 8.4-second time bracket, and understandably
dominated the 2,000-lb. fuel class. On Friday, Schartman's 8.58, 166.66
beat a wheelstanding Nicholson in the final, and then won Saturday when
the slower Kenz & Leslie '66 Comet's 9.62 fell far behind the Ohio driver's
8.62. On Sunday, Nicholson met Schartmnan in the final and won the quickest
side-by-side race of the day, 8.42 to 8.54.
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