Forum: Racing From The Past (go)
Moderators: Racing From The Past

Laverne Nance was the Ted Halibrand of our region. He did it all!

Growing up I was an Edmunds fan, so much so that was all I would try to relate to the rest of the world as to the perfect supermod.

But...................I had a hard crush, and still do on the early 70's ducktail Nances. As the years go by, I keep running into even more impressive stuff from the little company out of Wichita.

Man what a topic.

I'll start. Many cars pictured here may be built from somewhere else, but the "Nance" signature is still there

Brian,

The classic Nance Super for sure. From the style as you have stated from the body work, but

just as important to his signature look, the bronze #11 paint scheme, dating back to his days with

 Grady Wade behind the wheel.

Ray C

This car looked great in 1970 after the Johnson family from Joplin bought it,had it painted and changed to #88. Jack Belk was very successful in it then.

Rat

Great info Ray, didn't realize Jack's car was the Nance #11.

Ray C

I think David Johnson even traced it to the last driver. I'm having sometimers right now and can't remember who it was. Duvall comes to mind but again it don't sound right. I'm sure it was a Tulsa driver. I think he thought at one time he had tracked it down. But it had square tubing instead of round or vice versa.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

The Johnsons sold the car to some young fellow in Tulsa David Johnson cant remember his name,,, he didnt run it a whole lot ,,he rolled it at Tulsa Speedway,,then he quit and Odeal Anderson bought it from the young guy and ran it some..Then he sold it..Some years later Odeal got another car thinking it might be the same car with some changes made,, but it was not the same car ..They never could find out what happened to the car,, they hit a dead end in trying to find it..But the David still has that WOOD bumber that was on the back of it whan my dad Jack Belk drove it for them...

You said something about other drivers that drove the car,,i think Al lemmons drove the car some after ,my dad was killed in 1971..

Tim

Win as if you are use to it.And lose as if you enjoyed 
it for a change.Its hard to get to the top and alot 
harder to stay there.

That wood bumper was one of the best looking things that I saw on a race car. The only cars that I remember having a wood back bumper are the Frankie Lies 55 and the Johnson 88. did any other cars in this area have wood bumpers?

Ray

Them wood bumpers were a good way to add rear percentage to the car ,,i remember a few down in Joplin that ran them..I think that is were the Johnsons got the idea from..I know my dad did not like to hange wieght on any car he drove unless it was at the very back to add rear %..That Nance car #88 was alittle light for the Tulsa rules,, the bumper was a good way to get it close to the weight limit..It was a good lookin bumper.The Johnsons always had noce lookin cars..Not only did the wood bumper look good it had a purpose..

Them wood bumpers would absorb a hit better than a metal bumper would...And it wasnt easy to get locked up with it hooked to another car.It was pretty low and hard to get under and tall enough to keep you from climbing it ..If you hit it you knew you hit something and it didnt hurt the #88 car when you did hit it.That wood protected the car...I seen some front bumpers and front ends take a beating on the wood ..

Win as if you are use to it.And lose as if you enjoyed 
it for a change.Its hard to get to the top and alot 
harder to stay there.

What was the weight limit at Tulsa and when did they do away with it? I started helping in 1975 and there was no limit

Ray

I know in 1969 it was 1800 or 1850 ,,there was 50 pounds differnce between the weekly races and the 50 lapers they would have at Tulsa and Muskoggee and other pre NCRA Races.I think it was the same in 1970 and 1971 after that i dont know what they changed it to..

Win as if you are use to it.And lose as if you enjoyed 
it for a change.Its hard to get to the top and alot 
harder to stay there.

David Flatt Jr. had a wooden bumper on his orange number 20 in OKC. Had "Giddy Up GO" stencil cut into it, if my memory is correct.

Do you know if there are any pictures of this bumper?

I'm sure there is somewhere, but unfortunatley all of my picures, NCRA yearbooks and old OKC programs were lost years ago. The year would have been 1970. Brian, might you have a picture from your archives of David Flatt Jr and his #20?

Sid