I got news from "the other" Oly Dodge. One of Ray Elder's former Charger is freshly back from its restoration and was brought by owner Doug Schultz to the Monetrey Historics this August. Elder raced this very Dodge in the early 1970s and won his second Riverside, the 400 International on June 18, 1972, in it.
Continue reading "1973 Ray Elder Dodge Charger back on its wheels" »
At an age at which most elderly citizens do not dare to drive anything but a Golf Kart, Hershel McGriff, now 81 years old, is back at it for real. His son and crew chief Hershel Jr. has prepped their 2003 DEI Chevrolet to the max and they had been training some for the coming Salute The Troops 125!
What a thrill to see another 115" MoPar racecar come back to life! This former USAC Charger is based on a Nichels chassis and could have even been bodied as a Superbird, when it first hit the track. You can see more pictures of this Nichels Charger by clicking here.
Continue reading "#14 USAC Dodge Charger is getting restored" »
Thanks to Randy Ayers Modeling Forum's member Sundance, we just received this great picture of Doug and Hershel McGriff before their 1976 Le Mans start, found in a vintage issue of SCR magazine. I suspect that is was taken at Bridal Veil, just before Dick Pierson trucked it cross country to Sealand for its shipment to Le Mans. Judging by the title, I'd guess that the article relates to his DNF in the race. However, one question still remains: where is the original Oly Express Charger these days?
François Breton, one of our biggest fans and also the one with the most vintage Le Mans knowledge, just sent us this picture of the Ray Elder Olympia sponsored Dodge. Judging by the surrounding trees, it must have been parked near some Winston West track. Judging by the right hand side location of the fuel filler, it must be near Riverside.
This is really one for the experts! Now, y'all know that Hershel drove mostly Mopars, like the West Virginia Almost Heaven Charger when he teamed up with Richard Petty. Judging from the picture that François Breton, an Oly fan from France, dugg out on the web, Hershel also raced a Ford at the famous Florida track. Which race was it and what year? Whoever gets it right first, wins a 2008 Oly Express team shirt!
Mike Sproule, chief instructor at Okanagan Racing Experience, sent us two great pictures of NASCAR Dodge Chargers in action on the Vancouver track. Here you see his dad, canadian racing legend Larry Sproule, in a Petty built Dodge. The one below is Ray Elder in the famous other Olympia Charger.
Continue reading "More Coke Bottle Chargers of the Northwest" »
We always have a good laugh when we fire up our HEMI in the pits for the first time of the race week-end. People are just not prepared for the level of noise that it makes! Then comes the moment when we go flat out in front of the grandstands and that HEMI bellows in anger. Despite the fact that our top speed is as fast as any other car in the CER Cup, the sound is what fans like the most. So here is for you to discover how our exhaust system looks like!
Today was sure a day to remember for Team Oly Express as Hershel McGriff came back to the Le Mans track. After racing the Charger here in 1976 and one of Billy Hagan's Camaro's in 1982, Hershel, alongside with wife Sherrie, daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Tex Powell (yes, THE Tex Powell), came to France, 25 years after his last 24 hours drive.
Our Charger keeps getting the fans attention. One of them, Italy's Oscar Morisini, has chosen the Oly Express as a subject for his latest artistic inspiration. As you can read on Virtual Car dot It, the Charger was the crowd's favourite at Monza. The painting will be soon shown at the famous Lugazzo Motoring Art Gallery in Brescia.
Recent Comments