Smoky Yunick

[Subdeacon Joe]

 

 

 

 

[Blackwater 53393]

Smokey didn’t cheat!!  He was very good at dissecting a rule book and pushed the grey areas to the very edges of description. Most of the time, what he did wasn’t illegal until he did it and gained an advantage.  Then NASCAR or USAC would write in a new rule to prohibit whatever it was.

 

His answer to those who questioned his innovations was, “The rules don’t say that I can’t do it, so I did it!” 
 

NASCAR has more “Smokey Yunick Memorial Rules” than you can count!!

 

In later years, until he passed, he and my younger brother became good friends.  

He was an extremely talented and intelligent man who was willing to try new things and he had major influence on what you and I are driving today. Major automotive manufacturers came to him for research and testing on many new products and innovations.

 

By the way, that Chevelle in the first video is NOT a ‘68!! It’s a ‘66!!

 

 

[Duffield, SASS #23454]

Best Damned Garage in Town!

[Subdeacon Joe]

4 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Smokey didn’t cheat!!  He was very good at dissecting a rule book and pushed the grey areas to the very edges of description.

 

Yep.   "That which is not prohibited must be allowed."

[Alpo]

3 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Yep.   "That which is not prohibited must be allowed."

And that's why the shooter's handbook is no longer a six-page pamphlet you can stick in your shirt pocket.

[Subdeacon Joe]

8 minutes ago, Alpo said:

And that's why the shooter's handbook is no longer a six-page pamphlet you can stick in your shirt pocket.

 

I still wonder who carried what and where that caused the clause prohibiting carrying ammunition in the mouth,  nostrils, ears, "or other bodily orifice."

 

Yes....I do wonder.   Not sure if I really want the details,  but yet, I wonder.

[Alpo]

My understanding is that some woman shooter was carrying spare ammo in her cleavage. And the other shooters raised hell, so they made it illegal to carry in the cleavage, and they figured as long as they was making that illegal. Because sure is God made a little green horse apples, somebody would hold it in their mouth, or stick a spare in their nostril.

 

Remember the guy that showed up to shoot classic cowboy. The rules said spurs. He was wearing spurs. On his elbows. His argument was it didn't say where they had to be worn, just that they had to be worn.

 

And that's why the rules now say "worn the way they're supposed to be".

 

Another guy, wearing a watch with a long chain. He had a watch with a long chain. And he would take it out of his side pants pocket to show it to you if you wanted to see it.

[John Kloehr]

In one race, Smoky used one car for tech inspection and another for the race.

 

He moved numbers from one car to the other as needed.

 

I think he figured if the rules said each car needed to be marked with a unique number, and they were always marked with unique numbers, then he did not actually break any rule...

 

But there was still the matter of racing a car which had not passed tech inspection; this requirement was in the rules.

 

But the acid dip was an interesting mod, I read one report where the body panels were visibly rippling when the car was at speed.

[Cypress Sun]

28 minutes ago, Alpo said:

My understanding is that some woman shooter was carrying spare ammo in her cleavage. And the other shooters raised hell, so they made it illegal to carry in the cleavage, and they figured as long as they was making that illegal. Because sure is God made a little green horse apples, somebody would hold it in their mouth, or stick a spare in their nostril.

 

Remember the guy that showed up to shoot classic cowboy. The rules said spurs. He was wearing spurs. On his elbows. His argument was it didn't say where they had to be worn, just that they had to be worn.

 

And that's why the rules now say "worn the way they're supposed to be".

 

Another guy, wearing a watch with a long chain. He had a watch with a long chain. And he would take it out of his side pants pocket to show it to you if you wanted to see it.

 

On one of the stages of a State match, you had to start holding a bottle with both hand while standing about 10' away from the rifle which was shot 1st. Scenario called for shooting 10 rounds, then reload one and shoot a knockdown.

 

Shooter started with both hands on the bottle and while running to the rifle, he took a round out of his belt and stuck it in his mouth so that the bullet end was sticking out of his mouth. Shot the ten, grabbed the one out of his mouth, top loaded the rifle ('73) and continued on with the stage. He did it really well and someone that was in his category protested.

 

Match director, also a black pin RO instructor, ruled that the move was okay as the round had been brought to the line in an approved manner.

[Cypress Sun]

 

Smokey was an "innovator" as were many of the old breed. Junior Johnson comes to mind right off the bat.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

If you ain't cheating...

You aint trying hard enough.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

GAMERS!