| 5013
EDIT THIS!
|
Auto Imagery
Photog Web |
Bob Pickett (M) from
Granada Hills, California
USA
(Comp Nr/Finish:
716 ) |
1976 - Category: FUELFC, Type: FN, Class: AA/FC, Div: 7 |
| "US Marines" Owned by Mickey Thompson & Bob Pickett
from
Long Beach, California
USA
| Crew Chief: Harlan Fagan |
| '75 Pontiac Grand Am by
Jaime Sarte |
Powered by Supercharged Nitro 484 Keith Black Hemi with
2 speed manual transmission |
| 1/4 Mile ET: |
6.120 at Green Valley TX 4/03/76 |
1/4 Mile MPH: |
240.37 at AHRA Madison IL 4/10/76 |
| 1000 FT ET: |
Unknown at Unknown |
1000 FT MPH: |
Unknown at Unknown |
| 1/8 Mile ET: |
Unknown at Unknown |
1/8 Mile MPH: |
Unknown at Unknown |
|
|
Entry's 1976 Performance Ratings (0 to 100) based on comparison to average ET/MPH:
|
|
1/4 Mile Rating: ET 86.45,
MPH 97.29 |
Entry is 0.93578 times average ET and 1.09239 times average MPH |
|
1000 FT Rating: ET 00.00,
MPH 00.00 |
Entry is 0.00000 times average ET and 0.00000 times average MPH |
| 1/8 Mile Rating:
ET 00.00,
MPH 00.00 |
Entry is 0.00000 times average ET and 0.00000 times average MPH |
|
| 1976 Records: |
1/4 Mile: 5.964 ET, 241.53 MPH |
1000 Ft. 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH |
1/8 Mile: 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH |
| 1976 Average: |
1/4 Mile: 6.540 ET, 220.04 MPH |
1000 Ft. 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH |
1/8 Mile: 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH |
| 1976 Minimum: |
1/4 Mile: 7.116 ET, 202.23 MPH |
1000 Ft. 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH |
1/8 Mile: 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH |
|
|
No Racer Website |
Video Link |
Web Search
|
Web Image Search
|
Web Video Search
|
|
Notes: Bob Pickett debuted Mickey Thompson's newly painted Grand Am at the Nitro Bowl at Fremont. The car was still unlettered for the race. The team had trouble getting the car to "stick" as Pickett smoked the tires in all three of his runs. He won his first race, where his 8.56/148.27 beat Raymond Beadle's even more smoked in 10.40 in the "Blue Max." A second-round 8.32 lost to Norm Wilcox's 6.51 in the "Hawaiian," and a 7.09 in his last race lost to Gary Burgin's 6.63. The team skipped both the AHRA Winternationals and the NHRA Winter Classic, but they were at Pomona for the NHRA Winternationals, where a 6.301/187.50 qualified #10. But an opening-round 6.655/209.79 lost to Tripp Shumake's 6.411/210.77. Shortly after that (February 21), he was at OCIR for its East/West meet. Six cars were competing, each to make three runs. In Pickett's first race, his 6.38/214.28 beat Ed McCulloch's 6.48/232. The Grand Am broke in the second race and lost to Don Prudhomme. He won his third race easily as his opponent, Tommy Ivo, crossed the centerline. At the NHRA Gatornationals, Bob's 6.521/230.17 qualified #11, and in the first round, his 6.57/225.00 beat Beadle, who smoked the tires to a 6.69/228.42 (see linked video). A second-round 6.65/221.13 beat Tom Hoover's 6.74/220.04, but tire smoke did him in in the semifinals, where his 7.09/193.96 lost to Shirl Greer's 6.50/206.42. In 1976, Green Valley Raceway track owner Bill Heilscher held a series of eight-car AA/FC shows called the 200 MPH Funny Car Championships. The third 200 MPH FC Championship was held on Saturday and Sunday, April 3/4. This event differed from the February and March events, as more than eight booked-in cars appeared, so Saturday was deemed a day of qualifying for an eight-car field on Sunday. On Saturday, Jim Liberman led the field with a 6.04, followed by Hoover at a 6.08 and Pickett at a 6.12, with Top Speed at 231 mph. The rest of the field included Gene Snow, Tom Hoover, Mike Burkhart, Gordon Mineo, and Tripp Shumake. Alternates included Tom Ivo, Al Vanderwoude, and Prock, among others. On Sunday, Liberman (who beat Snow and Shumake) met Hoover (who stopped Mineo and Pickett). In that final, Liberman won with a 5.964/234.98 to Hoover's 5.999/230.76. Pickett ran 235.60 in the first and second rounds for Top Speed. This made Liberman the third FC under 6.00 and Hoover the fourth. Bob's next stop was at Kansas City for the AHRA Show-Me Nationals. He qualified #1 at 6.40/240.37 (Top Speed). The 240 may not have been totally legit, but Bob ran 230/235 several times during the year. Pickett lasted until round two before his 6.47 lost to eventual winner Gene Snow's 6.31. The following weekend, he was at Irwindale for the Coca-Cola Championships. It was supposed to be a 32-car show, but only 30 cars showed. All were to make two runs, with the two lowest ET cars meeting in the final. A 6.62/196.50 beat Bryan Raines in the first race, and he ran a decent 6.38/225.56 in the second race, but he lost to Gary Densham's 6.31/202. His times were not good enough to advance into the final. Early in May, he stopped off at Portland for the Oregon Open. It was an eight-car field, and his 6.40 qualified second to Prudhomme's 6.20. He improved to 6.26/225.56 in the opening round over John Collins' 6.49/202. Unfortunately, he fouled to McCulloch in the semifinal. The next day (May 9), Bob was in Seattle for the NHRA Division Six opener. It was a sixteen-car field, and his 6.56/215.82 qualified #5. An easy 6.89/209.30 beat Nick Harmon in the first round. He was a tad late in round two, and his 6.46/223.32 lost to eventual winner Prudhomme's 6.52/216. The M/T car was at St. Louis for the AHRA Springnationals in the first week of June. He qualified #5 for the eight-car show, setting up a first-round meeting with low qualifier Tom McEwen. Bob's 6.60/191.82 lost to McEwen's 6.33/221. The following week, Pickett was at Columbus for the NHRA Springnationals. A 6.500/226.70 qualified #5. His 6.485/229.00 in the first round beat Larry Arnold's 6.506/196.07. Prudhomme stopped him again in round two; the "Snake's" 6.378/206.42 dropped his 6.411/222.22. Bob qualified #15 at Englishtown at 6.598/206.89. He lost a close one to Dodger Glenn in round one, 6.837/213 to 6.879/217. He was the first alternate at Indy at 6.295/220.04 but was the fifth qualifier at Seattle at 6.269/199.55. Tom McEwen upset him in round one, 6.40/213.27 to 6.41/229.00. Bob qualified #3 at the World Finals at 6.214/233.76. He beat McEwen in round one, 6.195/233.16 to 6.698/158.73. In round two, he beat Tom Hoover, 6.248/234.37 to 6.429/228.42. Don Prudhomme nipped him in the semis with a 6.251/220.04 to 6.326/230.17 decision. Green Valley info from Bret Kepner. |
|
Submitted by Draglist Archives, Last updated on Sunday, June 1, 2025, 12:07:33 PM by
Ron Howard.
Approved by Super Crew. |
|
Rankings updated: 06/04/25 09:02:37 pm EDT
