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Msg ID: 2758335 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:Lenny Swider
1/6/2023 12:25:51 PM

We all know the story of Syracuse 1980, when Gary Balough and Kenny Weld showed up with the Batmobile and proceed to dust the field. What doesn't get mentioned much were the small hand full of teams that decide to take their cars are alter them to try and compete against the 112. Here are some before and after pictures of those cars. Please jump in if you know any stories or were part of any of these teams. NOTE: There was one car there that week that goes under the radar. It's the #3 of Statewide driven by Jimmy Horton. That car came to the track with an aero package. Here we go!

 


 

 

 

Merv Treichler: Before

 





AFTER:




FRANK COZZE: BEFORE

AFTER:





GEOFF BODINE: BEFORE


AFTER:




KENNY BRIGHTBILL: BEFORE

 



AFTER: 









BUZZIE REUTIMANN: BEFORE


AFTER: 
























 



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Msg ID: 2758336 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980 Jimmy Horton    
Author:Lenny Swider
1/6/2023 12:46:40 PM

Reply to: 2758335














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Msg ID: 2758337 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980 Jimmy Horton    
Author:JHLong
1/6/2023 1:05:00 PM

Reply to: 2758336

I was there Lenny and I was AMAZED at seeing the transformation the crews did to many cars virtually overnight...some down right ugly...others were rather well done..JMNSHO



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Msg ID: 2758338 The 112, a game changer    
Author:Pee Wee Fan
1/6/2023 1:13:02 PM

Reply to: 2758337

Lenny- Thank you for posting some great photos of the hot rods that were altered in an attempt to compete with Gary's 112, apparently with little success as it turned out.  The 112 not only left its mark on Syracuse but changed the modified racing game forever.  Scott Ely



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Msg ID: 2758352 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980 Jimmy Horton    
Author:Frank A Jr.
1/6/2023 4:18:32 PM

Reply to: 2758336

With all the detail on the #3, I'd say it showed up like that to the track. Could they really get that much detail done in such a short amount of time?



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Msg ID: 2758340 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:Opperman4x
1/6/2023 1:32:54 PM

Reply to: 2758335

Wish I had a truck load of sheet metal for sale that weekend.



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Msg ID: 2758353 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:Frank A Jr.
1/6/2023 4:20:12 PM

Reply to: 2758335

Thanks for posting. Very interesting.



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Msg ID: 2758373 Jimmy Horton car    
Author:Rick Shive
1/7/2023 8:29:38 AM

Reply to: 2758353

Horton's Statewide 3 showed up looking like that, no transformation at the track. His car was designed to cut through the air, not using it for downforce. Glenn Smith shook it down at Bridgeport the week before. I always marveled at how Brightbill's additional sheet metal was perfectly lettered just like the original. This was before the days of carrying spare bodies with you. Turns out his lettering guy, Paige Davidheiser, happened to be there with his paint box, lettered it in a barn.



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Msg ID: 2758376 Jimmy Horton car    
Author:John Mc
1/7/2023 9:03:29 AM

Reply to: 2758373
Wondered the same thing. All of the cars that were modified were either painted or lettered or both...overnight! Must've put in some long hours!


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Msg ID: 2758378 Jimmy Horton car    
Author:Frank A Jr.
1/7/2023 10:10:56 AM

Reply to: 2758373

Thanks for confirming Rick!
I too had the same thoughts as you and John regarding the transformation.



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Msg ID: 2758387 Billy Pauch question     
Author:Lenny Swider
1/7/2023 12:27:20 PM

Reply to: 2758378
Did Billy run against the Batmobile?


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Msg ID: 2758388 Howie Cronce question     
Author:Lenny Swider
1/7/2023 12:30:54 PM

Reply to: 2758387
Howie, did you run against the Batmobile?


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Msg ID: 2758799 Howie Cronce question     
Author:Howie Cronce
1/12/2023 8:20:42 PM

Reply to: 2758388

No we did not qualify that year...JB was trying some new motor tech as they disallowed our head setup from 1977 that was fast..We never got the motor to run good enough to be near the front so we loaded up and went home...We never went there just to get in the show...The previous year I ran Rios r10 , qualified 18th and ran 6 laps and had a fire under the hood..that ended that run...HtH



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Msg ID: 2758420 Billy Pauch ANSWER     
Author:Rick Shive
1/7/2023 8:05:26 PM

Reply to: 2758387

It looks like Billy wasn't racing there in 1980.



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Msg ID: 2758428 Billy Pauch ANSWER     
Author:Lenny Swider
1/7/2023 11:05:21 PM

Reply to: 2758420
Hi Rick, I was thinking it was probably a little too early in his career to be there yet.


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Msg ID: 2758448 Billy Pauch ANSWER     
Author:3-Wide
1/8/2023 10:47:27 AM

Reply to: 2758428

I think Billy was driving the #121 that year and maybe they weren't fielding a car for Syracuse in 1980?  (Not sure.)

Here's one from R. Scott that was labeled Syracuse 1979.

Billy Pauch at Syracuse - 1979 - R. Scott photo/provided to The Vault by R. Scott.



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Msg ID: 2758454 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:3-Wide
1/8/2023 11:01:25 AM

Reply to: 2758335

Here's one from the Vault that fits into the discussion:

http://www.3widespicturevault.com/80spisc&vitals/c03.12.06_099_BOD_SYR_0080_1.htm



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Msg ID: 2758469 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:Lenny Swider
1/8/2023 2:11:09 PM

Reply to: 2758454
Nice Joe! Of those few cars that made the body alterations, I think this 99 did the best job. I think this one looks better than its original body.


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Msg ID: 2758568 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:redfred
1/9/2023 6:28:15 PM

Reply to: 2758469

I remember being there and being told that the officials said the cars had to be lettered and presentable. I can remember who it was but I remember someone saying they needed to find Bill Neimic so he could letter the car over night. I'm sure Bill was in good shape to do a lettering job. 



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Msg ID: 2758593 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980    
Author:bobby711
1/10/2023 12:02:03 AM

Reply to: 2758568

I was only able to find the top 3 for the 1980 race. Gary Balough 1st, Buzzie Reutimann 2nd, Frank Cozze 3rd. I think Merv finished 5th.  



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Msg ID: 2758594 Before and after..... Syracuse 1980 Results    
Author:rchanna
1/10/2023 12:30:52 AM

Reply to: 2758593

Here is a link to the results. Ken Brenn, Jr was the first "traditional" modified across the line In 5th.

https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/1980_Schaefer_International_200



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