RE: [Chrysler300] Yunick on Kiekhaefer

["Owen Grigg" <ram300@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Actually back in that era Yunick was mostly crew chief rather than a driver,
he was regarded as one of the best mechanics around. He was crew chief for
the great Fireball Roberts in '59 who drove BOTH Chevrolet and Pontiac and
normally had the number 22 on his car out of his respect for one of the
greatest drivers of all time Red Byron.
I would suggest that Yunick's(and probably others)comments were from
jealousy. Kiekhaefer was so thorough and successful with many resources. He
was responsible for many Chrysler product improvements, heads, manifolds,
tires, wider rims, paper air cleaners. He tailored each car to each
different track, if parts failed he didn't simply replace the part, he sent
them off to his research department to find out why.
I truly believe that if Kiekhaefer had been serious about NASCAR after '56
those "hot Pontiacs" may have been warm at best!

My 2c worth.

Owen           

-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of christopher beilby
Sent: Wednesday, 4 October 2006 12:14 a.m.
To: ram300@xxxxxxxxxx; wgraefen@xxxxxxx; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] Yunick on Kiekhaefer

Question re mention of Yunick and Chev? - about 1957 didn't Smokey Yunick 
drive Pontiacs, and about this time Pontiac was regarded (seemingly by many 
motor scribes/punters) as likely the hottest street stock car as against the

300C ( the 300C being the end of the Mercury 'Mr K' 300 race story?)

This may have been Pontiac were smarter than Chrysler re prepping 
(cheating?) their roadtest cars - those over in the US offer comment if you 
know/wish - Royal Pontiac became notorious in the 60s for their non stock 
'stock' road test cars.

I know little about Mr (Mercury Outboards) K, but it seems likely as a 
'reasonable guess?', he and Smokey must have exchanged a few poorly 
chosen/received words or some fender paint at some earlier time, and 
seemingly Mr Yunick was not too impressed by whatever subsequent/final 
discussion they may have had re this incident - that is my guess, that how 
these 'toilet games' often begin - when one tries to be smarter than one 
should !?
Smokey went on to become a real US race hero/driver, whilst Mr K I think did

OK out of his outboards?! Chrysler and racing 300s - no story/fairytale 
there, apart from one spectacular 'private entry' result at Bonneville, with

a twin blown 300F?!

Great to hear Lawton went so well - pity it a bit hard to drive a 300 there 
from Australia, never mind what the gas bill would be there and return - I 
look forward to the shots going on site.

Christopher in Oz where the nation looks like it facing it's near 2nd driest

year in (whiteman) history


>From: "Owen Grigg" <ram300@xxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'Wayne Graefen'" <wgraefen@xxxxxxx>,"'Intl 300'" 
><Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] Yunick on Kiekhaefer
>Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 09:26:53 +1300
>
>I would say this......... it's the only time that Chrysler was BEHIND
>Chevrolet back then!
>
>Owen
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
>Behalf Of Wayne Graefen
>Sent: Tuesday, 3 October 2006 9:11 a.m.
>To: Intl 300
>Subject: [Chrysler300] Yunick on Kiekhaefer
>
>I was researching on Carl Kiekhaefer and ran into this out-of-context quote
>from Smokey Yunick.   I'd be curious what the full context is if anyone 
>ever
>runs into it!
>
>Wayne
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>----
>
>
>   On Carl Kiekhaefer:
>   "For years we had a picture of Kiekhaefer framed on the toilet seat in 
>my
>garage."
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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