Why Smokey Yunick Is Not In the NASCAR HOF

aunty dive

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... he wrote about France Sr. ... During our first meeting, I decided he wouldn’t make a pimple on a real mechanic’s ass. And I doubt he left singing the praises of me.”

Also from Yunick, about Brian and his sister: “The son and daughter of Bill Jr., I don’t know them. I’ve heard the daughter (Lesa France Kennedy) is sharp and the son is an a**hole. My boy Sam went to high school with Brian, and he seconded his a**hole rating.”

This may be the deepest cut: “My father wrote that Bill Jr. wasn’t smart enough to pour piss out of a boot if there were instructions on the heel,” Trish said. “Those things are hard to ignore. No question about it, the die was cast a long time ago.”

http://autoweek.com/article/nascar/case-smokey-yunick
 
Very interesting. A President who will fine someone for a comment the same week he changes the policy in question has skin way too thin to swallow his pride and do the right thing.
 
Smokey Yunick doesn't need a NASCAR HOF acknowledgement for credibility in the racing community (and probably wouldn't have cared!).

to those of you who have never heard of smokey, do a little research. he's one of the people that's influence made this sport explode in popularity when it did.
 
Bring France may be a sharp tack but he comes off as the village idiot. It seems like NASCAR has succeeded in spite of the France's not because of them
 
If only he had won a championship somewhere throughout his career or even the Daytona 500, he'd probably be a lock.
Even without that he should be in. 40 Cup wins, 49 Buschfinitywide wins, and 5 runner-up finishes in the Cup points would be enough I think.

But yeah, I get the joke. :p
 
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Won the big race in 1960.
 
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Smokey Yunick Twin Turbo Indy Chevy built for his 72-74 stock block Indy run. Only stock block turbo to qualify in that period. Received Indy engineering award in 73.
205 cubic inch, reverse rotation, 180 degree flat plane crank. Made up to 1300 hp on the Yunick dynamometer.
 
Awesome pics.

Seriously, for any of you who aren't too familiar with Smokey, I encourage you to do some reading, you won't be disappointed. The man was an engineering genius and his mechanical skills were second to none. He was also a pretty colorful/entertaining guy
 
He was anywhere between a horses asz to a genius. It's according to who you asked. :booya:
 
Aunty, thanks for this thread and these posts, great history and fun to read. Yunick was unique for sure.

I personally think you would have to have been about pure crazy to drive the Capsule Car. Talk about a driver in harms way, good lord.
You're welcome. As someone who really wishes Indy Car racing was still about innovative engineering and technology, looking backward is about all that's left.

Johns and Carter were brave men. Maybe too brave.
 
Smokey was one of my heros and just reading his column is STOCK CAR magazine added 2 hp to my motor and knocked 1 second of my lap times.
He is way above the nhof.
Great post Larry........ I have to agree...... Smokey was so far ahead of the morons who vote who is in the Nascar Hall of Fame that it's not even funny....... I'm sure Brian still has a hard-on for the relationship Smokey and his grandad had...... and the voters are in his pocket........ as you mentioned...... he was in a league of his own..... it actually should be the Smokey Yunick Hall of Fame because he IS above the NHOF..........
 
Smokey was one of my heros and just reading his column is STOCK CAR magazine added 2 hp to my motor and knocked 1 second of my lap times.
He is way above the nhof.

Not being picky but didn't Smokey write for Circle Track Magazine? I don't remember him writing for SCR Magazine. It's been too long ago. :(
 
15/16 Chevelle for Daytona.

Two-1966-Chevelles.jpg

Not being picky but didn't Smokey write for Circle Track Magazine? I don't remember him writing for SCR Magazine. It's been too long ago. :(
Not being picky but didn't Smokey write for Circle Track Magazine? I don't remember him writing for SCR Magazine. It's been too long ago. :(


YES you are correct, I had subscriptions to both and my memory failed me.
 
YES you are correct, I had subscriptions to both and my memory failed me.[/QUOTE]

Me too. I had my bedroom decorated with the center pictures from SCR. I think I might still have all of those somewhere. Magazines too. I couldn't wait too read them when they came in the mail!
 
I probably still have them in a box downstairs, couldn't dump them just in case…..

Of course I also have Hot Rods from the 60 too.
And of course Playboy but that is a different story.
 
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