By J.A. Ackley, Feb 16, 2024
Stock cars. Big. Loud. Basic. They can be found at major vintage races as well as on the greens of The Amelia. Sure, these machines may lack the elegance, grace and sophistication of a sports car, but that’s exactly the appeal to those who love them.
“They’re a lot of fun,” says Ricky Sanders, who raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ran Porsches last year in Trans Am. “These cars are 800-plus horsepower, with old-school four-speed transmissions and relatively narrow tires. We have no electronic assists. They’re a blast to drive because you have to manhandle them.”
One of the biggest proponents of vintage stock car racing is Joe Nemechek. The 60-year-old Xfinity Series champion is known for his oval track prowess–he was called Front Row Joe for a reason–but as a team owner, thanks to the driving skills of Le Mans star Ron Fellows, he also recorded NASCAR wins on road courses.
“It lets me keep racing,” Joe says. “I don’t do a whole lot of NASCAR competition stuff anymore. My business is booming as far as building race cars, driver coaching and all kinds of stuff.”
The Historic Stock Car Racing Association sanctions many vintage stock car events. Most of the races run in conjunction with either HSR or SVRA–look for them at big events like HSR’s Mitty, Sebring and Daytona weekends.
“It’s a great way for people to reconnect with their favorite driver,” notes HSCRA leader Chris Evans. “A lot of these cars were raced by the people represented on the livery. Some of the drivers are actually here, too. Bill Elliott sometimes shows up at our events.”
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