Mini Stock Racing - 1970's & Beyond

[Jerry Lee]

Another fun type of auto racing to witness during the '70's was Mini Stock racing. I'm unsure when or where running these economy sized cars started, but here in Colorado this division seemed to make it's first appearance at both Englewood and Lakeside Speedways in the early '70's.

Running 4-cylinder Fiats, Volvos, VWs, Datsuns, Toyotas, Cortinas and other small cars became a popular sport, and I imagine a lot of fun to race. I'm only guessing that with the '70's energy crisis, some thought that this would be the new wave of affordable racing.

The sport seemed to last at some area tracks through the '80's and '90's as well. I remember watching a full field of almost all Ford Pintos run at Beacon Hill Speedway in Pueblo CO. in the early '90's.

Any history, memories, pics or input you could add to this thread about this type of racing (from any region) would be great. Meanwhile, here's a look back at some Denver area Mini Stock racing from the early 1970's.....


(J.L. McGuire collection) Mini Stocks line up for the start of a great night of racing at
Englewood Speedway in 1974.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Ed Gates wheels his Dodge Colt around the Lakeside oval
during the early '70's.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Bob Folken #4 leads the way at Lakeside in 1974 in his Datsun
Mini Stock.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Bill Heitkamps's lil' Fiat from 1974.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Jerry Jolly #7 leads Chris Dice #5 around the Lakeside oval during
1974 action. Anyone know what size tires these guys were running??

[Jerry Lee]

(J.L. McGuire collection) George Hite #9, the 1974 Colorado Mini Stock Association champion,
battles with Ben Weber #1/2 around the Englewood oval.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Nick Webber #88 in a '57 Volvo battles Don Hagen #19x
in a '70 Datsun during 1972 Mini Stock action at Englewood.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Bob Folken from 1974.




(Rick Losh collection) Nick Losasso's Mini Stock from 1977. This car was lettered
up by none other than Rick "Superstroke" Losh.




(Photo by Jerry Lee McGuire) This Mini Stock flip happened during 1977 action in
front of the old Englewood Speedway back chute sign. The guy grabbing the fire
extinguisher because of the spilled fuel is smoking a cigarette!

[Jerry Lee]

(Mike Bremkamp collection) Another Mini Stock soars down the Englewood back chute
in the late '70's.




(Photo by Jerry Lee McGuire) Here's one of the Pinto Mini Stocks from the Colorado Springs/Pueblo
area running the Second Creek Raceway in 1996.

[83x]

That was my cousin's mini upside down. This is what it looked
like in better days.

[rapid30]

Here are a couple of shots from a 1976 Mile Hi Racing Mag.

[webby]

I remember there was a couple of VW bugs that used to dominate that division. Who were those guys?

[rapid30]

Jay Stewart and Bud Whitfield were wicked fast at Lakeside in the Bugs.
rapid30

[webby]

Originally Posted by rapid30

Jay Stewart and Bud Whitfield were wicked fast at Lakeside in the Bugs.
rapid30

Yep those sound right. Thanks rapid!

[Jerry Lee]

(J.L. McGuire collection) According to a 1972 Englewood Speedway program, this was
the very first appearance of a Mini Stock at the track. The car came out for a few exhibition
laps during intermission one Saturday to promote the new division which would start running
on Wednesday nights at Englewood that season. Larry Arduser drove this Datsun that year,
and Don Hagen wheeled it in later years.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Ken Rice spins his little Cortina around the Lakeside oval in 1975.




(J.L. McGuire collection) George Hite #9 battles a couple of VWs at Lakeside in 1975.




(Photo by Bruce Thompson) Anyone know who drove this Villa Mazda #21 Mini Stock??
Bruce Thompson snapped this pic in 1974, but the car doesn't appear in the MS listings for that
year. Must have been one of the fast ones though, as the car is seen in the trophy dash line up
in the first photo of this thread.

[Terry Von Tilius]

My Dad was the Service Manager at Thoroughbred Datsun at the time when that #42 Datsun 510 was built. He helped build that one. I think Brad Bradford painted it. I got to see it when it was being put together. Man... a long time ago. I was 11 years old. I sat in it after it got stripped and the doors welded shut, no seat. Neat stuff for a kid.

My brother John and Roger Bowe built a Mini Stock a couple of years later. A Toyota Corolla. They both worked on it and took turns driving.

Nice memory, thank you!