So I was workig on a Ferrari today....

[notacarlo]

At Laguna Seca for the races. I look up and one of our guys is introducing me to Vic Eddelbrock Jr. We spoke shortly. I had my BPG shirt on and he started talking about Smokey Yunick.

I was without words.

All the Stories about Smokey are true. He was a genius and NO ONE knew what the hell he was doing. He was a pioneer and a fast gentleman.

I am humbled by the company I am fortunate to keep.


Even our crew chief knew him. Said there were a couple of races Where they had to ask what the hell was going on because there was no way that the cars he worked could go so fast.


If you get a cance, google Smokey Yunick and absorb some history. Unreal.

 

[no-nos]

wow, cool story, it just so happens that my engine block is a 4.1 special production early stage 1 block from buick. i got that engine block from a friend of smokey Yunick. i picked it up in north carolina, and i was like who is this smokey guy, but after some searching , your right the guy was a genius

 

[TR Custom Parts]

I believe Smokey was working on hydrogen powered cars MANY years ago. Now GM is working on them now, what took so long?????

I was always a fan of the man, the #13 66 Chevelle he had in NASCAR was a work of art for the day.

Smokey Yunick - The Third Turn

 

[INEEDAGN]

I REALLY enjoy reading anything to do with smokey yunick. I have his power secrets book and plan to get his autobiography someday, but damn its expensive, it's called "the best damn garage in town".

I would sell my soul to own one of his old cars, just to look it over and try to find all the little tricks he did.

 

[notacarlo]

His 7/8 scale Camaro was there. Neat stuff. I need to pick up some of his books.

 

[turbofish38]

All the Stories about Smokey are true. He was a genius and NO ONE knew what the hell he was doing. He was a pioneer and a fast gentleman.

The way this is worded you describe him like he is Autistic or a Savant.

Nothing against Smokey or Edelbrock but you know a lot of those stories are just good ol BS. The first thing I did when I moved down here 45 minutes from his shop was go and check it out. Man was I disappointed. Than I started hanging around with a lot of the locals and one after another a lot of my bubbles were popped right in front of me. Now ask your self if a lot of those stories were true than why wasn't Smokey a bizzillionaire or why did he drop out from the scene? I'm thinking he was just an average Joe. If he couldn't cheat than he couldn't compete. Here you have a sport(NASCAR) and he just drops out of sight after a couple of years. Compared to a name like, say for example Junior Johnson who after he didn't want to drive any more started up his own team and went at it for another 20 years before retiring, Smoke sounds like a quiter. Hot Air motors running on Hydrogen? Some of his other failures. If they had worked he would have made billions. What happened there? Yep I never idolized the man. He was smart and knew just about as much as you and I would learn from reading a book but most of his mystique was just from being in the right place at the right time IMO.

While you are google'n check out Carroll Shelby. Same story. All you hear is good or the percieved good. Search real deep for the dirt and you'll see what I mean about Old Legends.