The Corvair Late Model - Auto Racing Memories

Mitch G. · 05-21-2009, 01:12 PM

I was looking for this photo to post on Big West, when Ray Flannigan passed away, but couldn't find it till now. So from a 1973 Lakeside Speedway program, the featured team was the Flanagan, Cuminnings, Turner team and the cool Chevy Corvair Late Model. The photo was not well captioned, but I know that's Ray Flanagan on the far left, maybe Chuck Flanagan next, and I don't know the other two guys, maybe Russ Cuminnings and Dick Turner ? I wrote times and results in this program, Don Wilson won the late model main in Rudy Proctor's #66, Cuminnings was 3rd. Joe James Jr. had late model quick time 13:41. As for the CARC coupes, Jack Graham was quick in Pachello's #19 at 13:13, main event finish: Bob Herring won, Butch Wallace 2nd, Terry Danials 3rd, Blu Plemmons 4th. Hey Chris Ertler, Jim Moore timed in with a 13:57, 9th quick out of 27 coupes that night, 15 late models on hand.

lakeside #29 · 05-21-2009, 06:32 PM

The Flanagan Corvair was really a neat car. If I remember it was blue and white. Russ Cummings was a pretty fair hand driving it. I'm sure it must have bugged the the Englewood guys that came to Lakeside to have to run against a lightweight like the little Corviar. They had a weight limit at Englewood, Lakeside didn't.

The Flanagan brothers were dyed in the wool Chevy guys going back to the Chevy 6 banger modifieds they ran. Ray was a great driver, he drove the wheels off midgets and sprint cars. Chuck was a pretty good driver as well. Jim was a good mechanic, he totally understood stovebolt 6's.

Mitch, thanks for the shout out about #93, we just missed the dash that night. While Jim was driving he put the car in the dash several times. I think our best time when he was driving was the high 13:30's to mid 13:40's.
Thanks again.

Chris Ertler

superstroke · 05-22-2009, 07:54 AM

Was this car a mid engine? I can remember the Flanagans loading the spare tires, gasoline, tools etc., into the Corvair and driving it home. Sounds crazy, but they lived across the parking lot from Lakesides Speedway. This car was ahead of its time, and could flat put it to you.

Rick Losh

Mitch G. · 05-22-2009, 07:56 AM

Rick, according to the feature in the program, the car was "rear engined", for the first year they ran it, then they put the engine up front. This is what was reported in the program.

lakeside #29 · 05-22-2009, 03:17 PM

At the time of this photo the little Corvair had the engine up front. It was a smallblock, but I don't know what cubic inch. It would really get with it. Look at the size of the Goodyears they ran. My guess is that they're 15" wide. We ran them the next year, they were the best tire we ever ran.

Chris Ertler

VintageBuzz · 05-22-2009, 03:34 PM

Herb Renz (Ft. Collins, CO) ran a clean little V-8 front-engine Corvair at Intermountain Speedway in Cheyenne, WY back in the late 60's / early '70s. Does any out there have photos of "Horrible Herbie's" #54 Corvair? ~VB

Olen McGuire · 05-26-2009, 02:45 PM

(Photo by J. L. McGuire)
“I took this snap-shot of Dwight Hoelscher’s Corvair Late Model battling Dale Curtis in Windy Winholz’s #101 during a heat race at Englewood Speedway in 1977. The late ‘60’sCorvair bodied racer featured the engine in the front and the driver’s seat in the middle of where the backseat would normally be. It seems to me that Joe Lehman drove this car for a few weeks later in the season. Dig that crazy “cheese grater” in the back window.”---Jerry Lee

Jerry Lee · 05-24-2010, 12:25 PM

(J.L. McGuire collection) Here’s an action shot of the Flanagan’s Corvair Late Model at Lakeside Speedway.

parrot · 05-24-2010, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olen McGuire

(Photo by J. L. McGuire)
“I took this snap-shot of Dwight Hoelscher’s Corvair Late Model battling Dale Curtis in Windy Winholz’s #101 during a heat race at Englewood Speedway in 1977. The late ‘60’sCorvair bodied racer featured the engine in the front and the driver’s seat in the middle of where the backseat would normally be. It seems to me that Joe Lehman drove this car for a few weeks later in the season. Dig that crazy “cheese grater” in the back window.”---Jerry Lee

Always wondered if there was a connection between that purple/lavender #101 of Windy Winholz' and a like colored & numbered '34 coupe at Lakeside during the fifties. Anyone out there who goes back that far remember? Maybe just one of those odd coincidences.

vintagemodman · 05-25-2010, 09:55 PM

Fuzzy Fassbender had a cool looking modified in 1964 and 65

05-22-2009, 07:54 AM	#3
superstroke Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Thornton, Colorado Age: 67 Posts: 503	Re: The Corvair Late Model Was this car a mid engine? I can remember the Flanagans loading the spare tires, gasoline, tools etc., into the Corvair and driving it home. Sounds crazy, but they lived across the parking lot from Lakesides Speedway. This car was ahead of its time, and could flat put it to you. Rick Losh

05-22-2009, 07:56 AM	#4
Mitch G. Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Age: 60 Posts: 1,106	Re: The Corvair Late Model Rick, according to the feature in the program, the car was "rear engined", for the first year they ran it, then they put the engine up front. This is what was reported in the program.

05-26-2009, 02:45 PM	#7
Olen McGuire Old Senior Genius Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Alabama Age: 87 Posts: 518	Re: The Corvair Late Model (Photo by J. L. McGuire) “I took this snap-shot of Dwight Hoelscher’s Corvair Late Model battling Dale Curtis in Windy Winholz’s #101 during a heat race at Englewood Speedway in 1977. The late ‘60’sCorvair bodied racer featured the engine in the front and the driver’s seat in the middle of where the backseat would normally be. It seems to me that Joe Lehman drove this car for a few weeks later in the season. Dig that crazy “cheese grater” in the back window.”---Jerry Lee

05-24-2010, 12:25 PM	#8
Jerry Lee Resident Rocker Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Golden, CO. Posts: 821	Re: The Corvair Late Model (J.L. McGuire collection) Here’s an action shot of the Flanagan’s Corvair Late Model at Lakeside Speedway. Last edited by Jerry Lee; 06-17-2010 at 10:55 AM.

05-21-2009, 01:12 PM	#1
Mitch G. Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Age: 60 Posts: 1,106	The Corvair Late Model I was looking for this photo to post on Big West, when Ray Flannigan passed away, but couldn't find it till now. So from a 1973 Lakeside Speedway program, the featured team was the Flanagan, Cuminnings, Turner team and the cool Chevy Corvair Late Model. The photo was not well captioned, but I know that's Ray Flanagan on the far left, maybe Chuck Flanagan next, and I don't know the other two guys, maybe Russ Cuminnings and Dick Turner ? I wrote times and results in this program, Don Wilson won the late model main in Rudy Proctor's #66, Cuminnings was 3rd. Joe James Jr. had late model quick time 13:41. As for the CARC coupes, Jack Graham was quick in Pachello's #19 at 13:13, main event finish: Bob Herring won, Butch Wallace 2nd, Terry Danials 3rd, Blu Plemmons 4th. Hey Chris Ertler, Jim Moore timed in with a 13:57, 9th quick out of 27 coupes that night, 15 late models on hand.

05-21-2009, 06:32 PM	#2
lakeside #29 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wheat Ridge, Colo Age: 72 Posts: 445	Re: The Corvair Late Model The Flanagan Corvair was really a neat car. If I remember it was blue and white. Russ Cummings was a pretty fair hand driving it. I'm sure it must have bugged the the Englewood guys that came to Lakeside to have to run against a lightweight like the little Corviar. They had a weight limit at Englewood, Lakeside didn't. The Flanagan brothers were dyed in the wool Chevy guys going back to the Chevy 6 banger modifieds they ran. Ray was a great driver, he drove the wheels off midgets and sprint cars. Chuck was a pretty good driver as well. Jim was a good mechanic, he totally understood stovebolt 6's. Mitch, thanks for the shout out about #93, we just missed the dash that night. While Jim was driving he put the car in the dash several times. I think our best time when he was driving was the high 13:30's to mid 13:40's. Thanks again. Chris Ertler

05-22-2009, 03:17 PM	#5
lakeside #29 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wheat Ridge, Colo Age: 72 Posts: 445	Re: The Corvair Late Model At the time of this photo the little Corvair had the engine up front. It was a smallblock, but I don't know what cubic inch. It would really get with it. Look at the size of the Goodyears they ran. My guess is that they're 15" wide. We ran them the next year, they were the best tire we ever ran. Chris Ertler

05-22-2009, 03:34 PM	#6
VintageBuzz Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northern Utah Age: 69 Posts: 269	Re: The Corvair Late Model Herb Renz (Ft. Collins, CO) ran a clean little V-8 front-engine Corvair at Intermountain Speedway in Cheyenne, WY back in the late 60's / early '70s. Does any out there have photos of "Horrible Herbie's" #54 Corvair? ~VB

05-25-2010, 09:55 PM	#10
vintagemodman Rookie Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Milwaukee, WI. Age: 67 Posts: 17	Re: The Corvair Late Model Fuzzy Fassbender had a cool looking modified in 1964 and 65 Attached Thumbnails