Monday, October 31, 2022

I found the Ebay Motors sponsored Ford Ranger, and the NHRA champion ship winning gasser Corvette I posted a couple of weeks ago

 


 ---------- Original Message ---------- From: PAUL LASNER To: "jbohjkl@yahoo.com" Date: 08/06/2023 6:20 PM PDT Subject: Rick Lasner's 58 corvette 

 Hello....I received a posting describing the 58 corvette previously owned by my brother, Rick Lasner. I know every inch of that car. I raced with my brother, including in 1969 at the NHRA Nationals and often at Niagra in Buffalo among other tracks. The first time the car was raced was at Canadaigua Speedway in Canandaigua New York on a 1\4 mile strip that was 1\2 dirt (part of the dirt circular track). Nasty. The car was stock. The car never had a roll bar until we arrived at the track in Indiainapolis and were told we had to add one to comply. we cut the hole and welded it up on then spot. There is (was) a deep gouge in the fiberglass on the bottom right rear quarter where the follow car I was driving slipped off the push bar as we approached staging at the Nationals. I believe those runs were the last time the car ever raced. There are a few errors in your posting. The car was never a gasser. I believe we mostly raced in C Gas. When raced the motor was never a 302. Jess Halen Engines in Rochester NY built the last motor, the one we raced at the Nationals and my recollection is that it was a bored 327. Also, we didn't win any races at the 1969 Nationals. No trophies. The injectors had just been installed and we couldn't get them properly jetted. the car kept breaking up at high RPM's. We came home with nothing....but it was fun. Paul Lasner


On Monday, August 7, 2023 at 12:28:33 PM PDT, PAUL LASNER wrote: 

A couple corrections and a bit more information in the interest of getting the history correct: Throughout most of the car's history on the track it was in a modified production class (B/MP?) if memory serves. Its transition to (C/G?) happened in about1968 when the tubular axel, the new Halen-built engine and the Hillborn injectors were added. In this configuration the car did not see much time on the track prior to The Nationals. I was incorrect in stating that the car had no rollbar prior to the 1969 Nationals. I think I was confused by the photo in your piece. The original rollbar was a more simple affair than what is on it now. Originally, it was U-shaped with no brace behind the driver. It did not meet NHRA regs and we had to add the bracing. I hope this helps. Paul


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