Just got off the phone with Dick Smith, who happens to be fighting a nasty cold...
1967 SCCA/ARRC when he won A/P. He was running 3.31 gears he thinks on a 27" tire (and yes, the engine was screaming--this was for all the marbles for the season--confirming ecp's comments). Interestingly, they were Firestones he bought from Mr. Jones because Goodyear wouldn't sell him the latest stuff they had. They were treaded tires--no slicks were available to the SCCA guys in those classes back then. As he pulled into the winner's circle, the announcement came out that he was officially clocked at 198.47. The announcer, thinks he was named Roy, made the comment about how fast that "barn door" was moving. He was given an official certificate signed by Bill France which is framed and hanging on the wall at his ranch. Invited me to get a pic of it in the future for posting here.
He explained that the Daytona setup in those days, as has been previously mentioned here, used the long back straight--no chicane as in later years. He said everyone was hitting very high speeds that day, and that he recalls the chicane being put in years later because of the high speeds being hit.He said the car was like a brick from 170mph on--didn't want to handle at all.
A few years ago, he recalls being at a SAAC function (might've been the Vegas SAI opening), and somebody from Ford was talking just before his time to talk. Couldn't recall who he was, but the guy looked over at Dick and told him he was sorry but that he was going to have to burst his bubble about the 198 clocking. Went on to say that Ford's own clocks had him at 201mph. Dick said the official 198 speed and France's signature are "fast" enough for him.
Nice guy that he is--I had to agree to be a waxer for a day with my car and join him and some others for a car show/fund raiser for a local church in a few days. So JM--you owe me for the waxing I'm gonna have to do.
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