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| Photo ID # | J01.31.13_003_SAB_UNK_0082_1 |
| Car #: | #3 |
| Driver (s) : | Freddy Sabatino |
| Location: | not sure... |
| Date: | 1982 |
| Photographer: | Mel Stettler |
| Photo provided by: | Sabatino Racing |
| Comments: |
Comment: The 80's were definitely a transition time for
modified and sportsman stock cars. There were just a handful of coupes still to be
found but surely by 1980, the few that remained were hand me downs in the
sportsman division (maybe with the exception of Jeff Hoelzler's "Hazel"...)
As we got into the early 80's, finding a true Gremlin or Pinto bodied racer
became rare. As the knowledge spread of the importance of downforce, the fabricators tossed the "real bodies" and came up with wedge shaped creations that also relied on inner panels to help with the cars handling. Eventually by the late 80's, wider bodies became the thing as teams realized the wider they went, the more air they could control.... To me, the car above represents that time period between "real factory bodies" and the "wide" bodies. It was a time that those that had the skills and who could take the time, could still show some ingenuity and to me, the cars still had a real "coolness" about them. This really sharp looking early 80's modified driven by Freddy Sabatino at the Nazareth 1 1/2 mile track in 1982 is a good example of that period in time.... Cool ride! |