Doing the Matheny run tomorrow, so here's Wall Wednesday's a day early.

Jim Hendrickson in the Ferrante X-3

This car was my childhood. We moved to New Hyde Park (where the Ferrante body shop was and still is) in 1969 when I was 2 months old. My father raced at Freeport Speedway and befriended the Ferrante's. I actually remember my father carrying me (I didn't like to walk) into their shop reguarly and watching Tony Sr and Bob Punzi building the x3 Vega in the back bay of the shop. I watched it win MANY races and at different tracks including Turkey Derby and the last Modified race at Freeport Speedway. Besides my father, Jim Hedrickson was my Racing GOD. I also remember driving to Wall from Long Island with Jim in his Cadillac. On the way home afterwards, I would sit in the back seat just kind of staring at Jim driving home saying to myself...OMG I'm driving home with Jim Hendrickson. 

In I believe 2008 (or 9), with the help of Kevin Eyres amongst others I got to drive that car in an early Turkey Derby practice and raced it in the "vintage" race that year. That was probably the COOLEST thing I have done in racing. It's an honor today to call the Ferrante's my 2nd family and Tony Jr my best friend. As a bonus I get to call Bob Punzi my Father-in law, who still comes to help me at my shop.

I'm sure many on this board have similiar stories and memories, but for me this IS, WAS and STILL IS what racing is ALL ABOUT.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to EVERYONE here on this board and their families!

Thanks Kenny. If you don't know, Stosh is Kenny Matlach. Kenny has many wins in many classes at Wall Stadium, Riverhead, and Bethel and now is a Riverhead modified owner...yes, he's nuts!

I share that same thrill, getting to drive the X-3. Wow, but for Kenny he was so close to the whole Ferrante/Hendrickson deal, I can only imagine what it meant to him. BTW, I just found out our buddy Tony JR. is not a JR. !!!!  LOL

I never met Kenny, but I'll add that his cars are always some of the best looking cars to ever run the high banks at Wall Stadium!

The #12 driven by Gil Hearne in the 1st and second pictures is a former Jim Hendrickson Pinto.  

Joe, no we never met but looking forward to doing so in the near future. I look forward to reading all the posts on a daily basis. I don't personally know most of them, but there are some real good people on here. Thank you for the compliment on my cars. I try to take a lot of pride in my equipment. 

Kevin, thank you also and as far as becoming a car owner...perhaps I'll start a new post on my opinion of ownership.

Those Big Block headers really make those cars look mean...