(1971)
(1971)
The R.J. Reynolds Company and it's Winston cigarette brand becomes involved with NASCAR, and the top level Grand National Division name is changed to Winston Cup.
In the Modified ranks, Brazil lets the fans and his fellow drivers know he is ready and willing with a new division track record of 14.06 on opening day. It becomes the only modified record on the season. Brazil comes back on July second to notch another four-way competition sweep
Don Hickman of Modesto, Dan Reed, and Ron Strmiska of Manteca all contribute to new track records in the Early Model action for the year, with Strmiska's 16.25 on September seventeenth, turning out to be the best. On August twentieth, Strmiska wins the first of his current thirty feature victories.
In Modified action on the season, Brazil pounds out a total of fifteen fast times, nine feature wins, eighteen main top five finishes, and eighteen total wins to take his fourth season crown, becoming the only driver in history at that time with four titles. Other top star makers of the season include Fred Hunt, Joe Rushton, Mike Andreetta and Dennis Hicks.
Don Hickman grabs six fast times on the year in
the Early Model ranks, while Marvin Padgett of Stockton picks up a division all time
record of five dash wins in a row. Reed scores seven feature victories and twelve total
wins, but a steady showing and fourteen main top five runs by Larry Angel of Stockton
gives him the season crown. Al Abdullah of Stockton, and Strmiska are also in the thick of
the battles for the year
(1972)
The Winston racing banner spreads to the west coast this season to encompass the west coast Grand National cars and they now race as the Winston West Division.
Ron Lyon of Modesto, who will go on to a total of nine track records, scores his career first with a record on April sixteenth. A month later on May twentieth., Dan Reed establishes a new standard at 16.151 This is the final record for the Early Model Division history.
Tony Queirolo becomes the first Modified driver to break into the 13 second time banner, but Brazil goes him one better on May twelfth., by blasting a 13.896 The record is also the final all time mark for this division
On April sixteenth., 'Hard Charging', Harry Belletto notches the first of his current 57 feature victories and shortly thereafter, on Jane twenty-third, Tim Gillit picks up the first of his 24 feature wins. On September fifteenth, Phil Tilbury of Escalon shows in the records for the first time with a heat win.
Extra distance races this season included a 150 lap event in Early Model on August fourth that was won by Dan Reed, and an 150 lap Modified program on
