63 Z06 Thompson/Yenko Gulf Oil Race Car
11-28-2008, 09:50 PM
#1
Drifting
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07
63 Z06 Thompson/Yenko Gulf Oil Race Car
to be auctioned at Mecum Auction, Kissimmee, FL on January 24, 2009.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe
Thompson/Yenko Gulf Oil Race Car
Cool car!!
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...60&entryRow=70
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe
Thompson/Yenko Gulf Oil Race Car
Cool car!!
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...60&entryRow=70
11-28-2008, 10:05 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
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A great historic Corvette. Not to rain on any Corvette parade, but I think this is the same car that took it in the shorts from Bob Johnson in his Cobra at the infamous race at Lake Garnett, KS in 1963. This was a pivotal race for Shelby, as it ended the era of Corvette dominance in A/P. Here is the link:
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettarticle1.jpg
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettarticle2.jpg
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettarticle1.jpg
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettarticle2.jpg
Last edited by Dan Hampton; 11-28-2008 at 10:47 PM.
11-29-2008, 04:48 AM
#4
Team Owner
Man does that bring back some memories. That was the year of the riots. Garnett ran from 58 to 64. There was more trouble in 64 so that was the end. Few years later go karts were there but that was the end of the big iron. Ponca City, Lake Afton, we had some great racing in the midwest back in the day.
11-29-2008, 09:22 AM
#5
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Yes, the Pizza Man is mine. I did buy it from Dana Mecum (it was in his private collection) post auction at Elkhart Lake in 2000. It has been going through a mild restoration since then. Nothing drastic but it needed a hard top, Weber 45mm DCOEs and manifold, correct headers, and period lettering. I really haven't been in any big hurry but it will be done and will be shipped to Bowling Green at some point this spring. After five long years I was able to secure the seven National Title certificates from the Britt family. Earl Britt, who campaigned the car, died in '85. I have been dealing with his son, Sam. The car has a lot of great stories associated with it. The car reflects, to me, the golden age of drag racing, where an individual with limited capital and a lot of know how could compete with the best of them.
91DRM:
You are dead on regarding the riots. I think they had to call in the National Guard. Some pretty crazy times. Were you there at that race?
91DRM:
You are dead on regarding the riots. I think they had to call in the National Guard. Some pretty crazy times. Were you there at that race?
11-29-2008, 01:26 PM
#6
Team Owner
No but I wish, for the race not the riot. 
Buddy of mine brought home a brass fire hose nozzle as a souvenir.
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettkcs.htm
Buddy of mine brought home a brass fire hose nozzle as a souvenir.http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettkcs.htm
Last edited by 91DRM; 11-29-2008 at 01:30 PM.
11-30-2008, 05:10 AM
#7
That Yenko/Gulf Oil Z06 is a great car but I don't think it was 1963 SCCA A/Production National Champion as they state in the Mecum ad.
The web sites I checked claim the Cobra was the 1963 SCCA A/Production National Champion.
Dick Thompson was the 1962 A/Production National Champion in a 1962 Yenko/Gulf Oil Corvette
Maybe he was the 1963 A/P Regional Champion?
I tried to seach it but didn't find a list of SCCA 1963 A/P Regional Champions
Corvette dominance was not in A/P it was in B/P until 1964
The web sites I checked claim the Cobra was the 1963 SCCA A/Production National Champion.
Dick Thompson was the 1962 A/Production National Champion in a 1962 Yenko/Gulf Oil Corvette
Maybe he was the 1963 A/P Regional Champion?
I tried to seach it but didn't find a list of SCCA 1963 A/P Regional Champions
Corvette dominance was not in A/P it was in B/P until 1964
11-30-2008, 09:10 AM
#8
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Joe:
That is a good observation. The last time the Corvette was A/P Champ was '62; after that, the Cobras dominated that field. Bob Johnson won that title in '63 and Ed Leslie, in his Cobra, did it in '64. Also, the Shelby Mustang gave the Corvette fits in B/P, as well.
That is a good observation. The last time the Corvette was A/P Champ was '62; after that, the Cobras dominated that field. Bob Johnson won that title in '63 and Ed Leslie, in his Cobra, did it in '64. Also, the Shelby Mustang gave the Corvette fits in B/P, as well.
11-30-2008, 11:34 AM
#9
I collect Yenko stuff and it is hard to follow who won what because SCCA changed rules almost year to year.
B/P was the real home for the Corvette but when the 327 came out in 62 they could not let it run agaist the B/P 283 Corvettes so the 62 ran A/P. Dick Thompson won B/P in 61 and Don Yenko won it in 62 and 63.
Dick Thompson won A/P in 1962 and ran the 1963 Z06 in A/P and the GS in C/M.
1963 Don Yenko built a special light weight 57 Corvette that was very fast and ran in B/P but was competitve with the A/P cars including the Cobra and the Z06.
If you look at this link posted above, you see Don in his 57 running with the 2 A/P Gulf OIL Z06s, behind 3 Cobras but in front of some.
Don was the only B/P Corvette in the 1965 SCCA runoffs agaist 10 Shelby 350 GTs, 3 Tigers, 2 Jags
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettarticle1.jpg
B/P was the real home for the Corvette but when the 327 came out in 62 they could not let it run agaist the B/P 283 Corvettes so the 62 ran A/P. Dick Thompson won B/P in 61 and Don Yenko won it in 62 and 63.
Dick Thompson won A/P in 1962 and ran the 1963 Z06 in A/P and the GS in C/M.
1963 Don Yenko built a special light weight 57 Corvette that was very fast and ran in B/P but was competitve with the A/P cars including the Cobra and the Z06.
If you look at this link posted above, you see Don in his 57 running with the 2 A/P Gulf OIL Z06s, behind 3 Cobras but in front of some.
Don was the only B/P Corvette in the 1965 SCCA runoffs agaist 10 Shelby 350 GTs, 3 Tigers, 2 Jags
http://www.chuckbrandt.com/lakegarnettarticle1.jpg
Last edited by joe58; 11-30-2008 at 11:38 AM.
12-01-2008, 12:43 PM
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Man does that bring back some memories. That was the year of the riots. Garnett ran from 58 to 64. There was more trouble in 64 so that was the end. Few years later go karts were there but that was the end of the big iron. Ponca City, Lake Afton, we had some great racing in the midwest back in the day.
Lake Afton and Ponca were the last two "water barrel" temp courses sanctioned by SCCA. It was fun working those events, especially when a car hit the barrels and you got soaked with old nasty/rusty water.
Ponca had the infamous "Million Dollar Tree" at turn 1. You can guess why it was named. The farm house at turn 3 was interesting to work. The tennant didn't like the races and one year when a car went through the barrels and ended up in his front yard, he came out with a shotgun and confiscated the car, till the sherrif showed up.
I was working turn 1 at Lake Afton one year when a Formula V went through the runnoff out onto the highway infront of civilian traffic, and rolled into the far ditch. The guy in the car on the highway was a bit surprised since he didn't know about the race and had never seen a FV before.
12-01-2008, 01:32 PM
#11
Team Owner
If nothing else there a couple of real nice C1s and a sprinkling of big-block C2s at this auction....I may go since its right down the street (and I have never been to one). I'll leave the checkbook at home though !
