I would really like to know

[garrell patterson]

What was the first land speed car you ran, at where, and top mph?

It wasn't a landspeed event, but I once ran 50 laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway, eventually working my way up to 172 mph and I don't even remember it at all. My brother was with me and i have a dvd converted over from a vhs tape of each lap.

Garrell Patterson

[Seldom Seen Slim]

whoa -- 50 laps?  That sounds more like a race than it does a school or even a track day.  How'd you get the privilege of turning so many passes by the start/finish?  What were you driving that went 172.   I assume that was a peak speed - not a lap speed, right?   Whatever, tell me more - or tell us all.

[garrell patterson]

It was a drivers school, I had already driven 20 laps a few months earlier. The name of the school was Speedtech Inc. and was owned by Randy Baker the youngest son of multiple Nascar champion Buck Baker and younger brother Buddy Baker. All of his cars he purchased from Nascar Winston Cup teams. I forgot to tell you that I owned a full fledged Winston Cup car with a Nascar engine, not a detuned show car engine. it was a 1992 Pontiac that was raced by Kyle Petty and was pristine. It still had the fuel cell, belts and fire extinguisher system, oh yeah it was sponsered and full decaled by Mellow Yellow. I never got it on a track but it sounded great when cranked early on saturday morning, even my male neighbors loved to listen to it. I sold it on ebay sight unseen to a man in Kansas City for pretty good money. It was for sale last year in Hemmings, Idon't remember the price.

Garrell

[ronnieroadster]

My first on track experience was with my 1932 Henry Ford Deuce roadster running what else a flathead Ford. The 1950 239 cube V-8 motor with three deuces turned all of 85 MPH in 15 seconds at Conn Dragway that little motor would leave rubber in all four gears. Still have the car and that little motor is now in Laura's Deuce coupe with a blower on it.
 Ronnieroadster

[Freud]

WOW !! That's a rare car. A flatty with a 4 speed.

It probably wasn't in the '60's.

FREUD

[Stan Back]

Doc, he's talking 3 forward and 1 reverse.

[garrell patterson]

More details Slim as you asked about my laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway. The motors were full house Winston(Sprint Cup now) motors, i would run 10 laps and come in and review my lap times and discuss the lines I was running. There was no lead car and passing was allowed only coming out of the turns, i don't why this was. The 172 mph was my fastest speed down the straight ways, not sure what my average was but I think around 155 mph. My greatest claim to automobile fame was a few years after my wife and i married her older brother who owned a Dodge/Plymouth dealership built a 1969 Plymouth drag car for me to drive. I ran D-modified production and with an intake and carb. change F stock. the speed would not have been very fast, the car ran low 11 second 1/4 mile times so top speed maybe 110 to 115 mph. I had been racing about every car I had owned prior to that, straight axle corvette, 63 corvette, 65 ss impala, 57 chevy. I take that statement back about my greatest claim to automotive fame, without a dought it was being fortunate enough to set a class record in Oct. at Maxton. It was just a production truck record and not a big deal to you that run speciality and modified cars but when I had been in a wheelchiar for three years until Dec. of last year and at one point could not sit up, see, read, make conversation and was not expected to get any better. I honestly owe my recovery to God, my wife and my love of cars.

Happy New Year, Garrell

[ronnieroadster]

 Stan Back you got that wrong it had four gears forward one reverse {now its five forward one reverse}. In the sixties I was pedaling my two wheeled bicycle street racing it every chance I got. But in 73 I started street racing in my Deuce roadster.
 Ronnieroadster