b07.12.05__K3_KAT_EWS_0070_1.jpg (79193 bytes)

Photo ID # b07.12.05__K3_KAT_EWS_0070_1
Car #: #K3
Driver (s) : Les Katona
Location: East Windsor
Date: 1970's
Photographer: Bob Pajauis
Photo provided by: Rob Simmons
Comments: Probably my favorite Les Katona car of all time.  This car looked very clean and sat very level.  At a time when many were still running mostly salvage yard parts in the sportsman ranks, I think Les was starting to use quite a bit of ingenuity in his creations.... and that ingenuity made him hard to beat during the early to mid 70's in the Sportsman class at both EWS and Flemington.

Les is still getting it done at Lawrence Engineering in Trenton, along with daughter Gloria and son in law Carmen Scarpati.  Stop by and say hello to them the next time you need some parts for your race car or give them and/or even Mike McKinney Roger Laureno a call at 609-396-0280 for all your racing needs.

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Comment:

09/1405 Bill Hanna My God, look how classic this car is. Just clean lines, basic engineering and a real beauty to look at. You could really see a driver operate the controls when the cars were this open. Oh how GOOD those days were.
02/11/07 BOBBY FIORELLO THE CAR ALWAYS LOOKED GOOD CAUSE THIS WAS MY JOB,, PAINTING, WASHING, WAXING,, EVERY WEEK.  I ALWAYS ADMIRED BARRY "BIG B's" CARS, HOW HE KEPT THEM UP SO I TRiED TO DO THE SAME.  THE GOOD OLD DAYS...
10.17.13 JACK HELGET

This pic had to be taken after July 1 1974 MY BIRTHDAY  you  had to be 18 years old back then to race.  I am driving  car #75 on the inside in the picture above.  It was my graduation present.

It was a good car.  The third time out at East Windsor, I finished 3rd to Eddy Mumford who won and Fred Dealaman finished 2nd.  After that I wrecked pretty much every time I was on the track.

One night at EWS I was towed in by the trash truck 3 times and never made the feature. Was not a good time at the Helget house hold that  week.

At the end of the year my dad put his big block in this car and we went to Reading for the four 25's.  Back then you did time trial for qualifying, that was it.  No consi.  24 cars started each feature race. We timed 27th fast time so we did not get in till the third feature, however we finished that race and it put my dad on the pole in the 4th 25.  Well he took of and by the 7th lap, he had a full straight away lead, but then he started slowing  - He had lost his brakes. A brake drum broke. He did manage to finish 5th which was still a big deal for us.

Thanks for letting me tell a little history of that car. THANK YOU JACK HELGET

     
     
     

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