The caption reads:
DRIVER OF THE YEAR – Pro Stock sensation Wayne Gapp, second from right, was honored as IHRA’s Driver Of The Year when the International Hot Rod Association held its annual Awards’ Banquet at the Country Club of Bristol Saturday night. Congratulation Gapp, whose famed ‘Taxi’ won four IHRA national events in 1974, are IHRA president Larry Carrier, Mrs. Larry Carrier and Miss IHRA Lisa Johnson. (Staff Photo by John Beach).
The NHRA posted this as the photo of the week!
Pretty cool of them to do that.
Too bad they don’t have a picture from 1975 when WG won the event.
This is NHRA’s recap of the 1975 event here.
I can help with a picture.
FYI. If I were to nitpick the picture that NHRA selected is from 1976. See here for a list of cars and paint schemes by year.
Here’s a entry from the NHRA web site talking about the 1975 U.S. Nationals meet.
See it here.
The ‘awesome’ 4 door maverick strikes again.
One of my favorite racing related items…period. I have one of these that is badly beat up. One of my Mom’s friend had this one and gave it me.
This one comes from Daryl Huffman who did the restoration of the ‘Gate Job’ Comet.
Must be early 1975?
Cool shot of the ‘Color Me Gone’ funny in the background as well.
I had to lighten the image up a little bit to bring out some the detail.
Here’s a promotional flyer put together by Edelbrock.
The ad is as it appears. The creator stretched the ‘Taxi’ to get the effect.
The Gapp related highlights of the ad are the following:
Sanair – GrandNational Molson event
Pro Stock Winner – Wayne Gapp
New Pro Stock ET Record – Wayne Gapp
Popular Hot Rod meet at US-131
Pro Stock Winner – Wayne Gapp
Pro Stock Top Qualifier – Wayne Gapp
From Hot Rod, November 1975
“They all laughed when Gapp & Roush first fielded this 4-door Maverick, but not anymore. Wayne Gapp drove it to his third straight NHRA Pro Stock title of the season after qualifying with a 8.85 for third sport, beating Lamar Walden, Reid Whisnant, Lee Edwards, Low Qualifier Wally Booth and Richie Zul’s fantastic big-block Camaro on the final, 8.83 to 8.95.”
