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Copyright 2005 |
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Copyright 2005 |
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Ray Nichel's resume stands up with the best in American racing. Midgets, Indy cars, and Stock cars, Ray Nichels and those who toiled with him at Nichels Engineering in Highland and Griffith, Indiana built some of the fastest race cars to grace the American racing landscape for over 40 years. Along with his wins at Daytona in 1957, 1963, 1964, and 1966, Nichels Engineering cars also won at tracks such as Rockingham, Talladega, Michigan, and Milwaukee. His cars scored three National Stock Car Championships in 1961, 1962, and 1967. The list of the people who drove for him is phenomenal . . . Bobby Isaac, A.J. Foyt, Paul Goldsmith, Joe Leonard, Rodger Ward, Johnnie Parsons, Ted Horn, Mike O'Halloran, Don White, Pat O'Connor, Paul Russo, Tony Bettenhausen, Sr., Mario Andretti, Roger Penske, Charlie Glotzbach, Bobby Unser, Glenn Roberts, Joe Weatherly, Marvin Panch, Sam McQuagg, Larry Frank, Banjo Matthews, Cotton Owens, Darel Dieringer, Junior Johnson, LeeRoy Yarbrough, Len Sutton, Troy Ruttman, Dave Marcis, Richard Brickhouse, David Pearson, and Fred Lorenzen. He was responsible for giving Hall of Famers Bobby Isaac and A. J. Foyt their first "factory" rides with Chrysler and Pontiac respectively. His associations with car owners is equally remarkable: Cotton Owens, Roger Penske, Bud Moore, and Richard Childress . . . to name a few. Ray's business accomplishments are just as numerous: Director of Racing for Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors, Chief Mechanic for Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Head of Chrysler Corporation Racing Division and one of the founders of G & N Aircraft.
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