Tag Archives: Ford

Wayne Gapp – The last race?

In the summer of 1977 the AHRA (American Hot Rod Association) held the AHRA Grand Nationals at Dragway 42.

As far as I can tell this is the last drag racing event that my Dad won.

AHRA Grandnationals 2
Wayne Gapp returned to the driver’s seat of the Gapp & Roush Pinto at the Grand Nationals and pulled off an upset win over the Team Jenkins Monza and driver Larry Lombardo. Gapp hit an 8.92, 153.32 while the quicker-runner Lombardo fell to broken drivetrain not far off the line.

AHRA Grandnationals 5
Wayne Gapp (leaning against his Pinto) chats with Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins prior to the opening round of Pro Stock. Larry Lombardo was the pace-setter with the “Grump’s” Monza at a sizzling 8.71, 160.42 mph clip, but it was Gapp who ended up in the winner’s circle.

Gapp & Roush Pinto in 1976 – Todd Wingerter Collection

Reed Koeppe (see here)has sent me a quite a few images of Gapp & Roush vehicles over the last few days.

These images are part of the Todd Wingerter collection. I find Mr. Wingerter’s images pretty compelling because (a) the shots are well-framed and (b) they appear to have been taken using Kodachrome. Kodachrome film gives a certain ‘look’ to the images that are taken with it. See here. Basically there’s a richness to the color in the image.

Again, I don’t know if that is the case here but it sure looks like it.

Check out this shot of the 1976 Ford Pinto:

1976 Pinto Drag NHRA

Is THIS a Gapp and Roush Maverick?

Saw the first picture below on the Nostalgia Pro Stock group on Facebook. The original image comes from Reed Koeppe, Drag Racing historian.

I find the topic to be interesting as I don’t know the location of many of my father’s vehicles.

The 69 Mustang body is in the hands of Daryl Huffman. The Cougar has vanished. The Comet Cyclone was scrapped.

Brett Hajek has a vehicle but some things on it just look wrong (bumpers, windows). My Dad thinks it’s a match racing car they built. The 4 door Maverick is gone and Roush had a clone put together but it’s not finished. The 1972 Pinto was sold to Glidden. I’ve seen a Glidden Pinto sold recently but don’t know if that car is a rebuilt version of the ’72 original or not.

The Super Stock Mustang is in Roush’s hands.

That leaves the 1973, 76 and 77 Pinto’s and the Maverick’s.

I know that the ‘Red’ Maverick was sold to Jim Halloran but lost it from there. Never knew what happened to the ‘Blue’ Maverick.

I would love to get my hands on the Red Maverick.

Anyway…

The question is: Could this…
SafariScreenSnapz014

…be this?
Maverick.png

…or this?
GappRoush1972Dragway42psmatchracephotobyToddWingerter 2.jpg

It would be cool if it was…