Ray Lamm's photo of car owner Al Rudd's #90 Truxmore Chevy driven by son Ricky Rudd in 1979 NASCAR race.
A photo is worth a thousand words, so what is the story with this photo??
Enjoyed looking at Ray Lamm's auto racing photos very much!!!
I know Ray's original photo post said this was a Richmond photo, but it is definitely the 1979 Bristol night race. That's the old B.I.R. wall signage.
I'd say that looks like it "could" be a Ford Granada body on the #90 Ricky Rudd / Truxmore/ Junie Donlavey entry. I know George Jefferson ran a Granada (had been a Merc Cougar) for his brother Harry Jefferson in Winston West at that time before Derrike Cope started driving for him. Was the Granada legal in Cup? The race results say Ford, but maybe it is an Al Rudd Chevy Monte Carlo painted in Junie's livery.
And I believe the #72 on the outside is the L.G. DeWitt / Joe Millikan car. Race results say Chevy, but it sure looks like the Olds 442 LG used to run to me.
Now, which of you real car folks knows the real answers?
Interesting side note to this race:
David Pearson who hadn't driven at Bristol in 8 years started the #2 Osterlund car in place of spring 1979 Bristol winner, Dale Earnhardt who had broken both collarbones in a crash at the 2nd Pocono race.
However, Pearson (who'd win the Southern 500 at Darlington in the #2 Osterlund car) couldn't go the 500 lap Bristol distance. He was relieved by Lennie Pond. Photographer David Allio has a great photo in his archives of Pond and Pearson getting ready to make the driver exchange in the Osterlund car on pit road at this link: ( See photo posted August 1, 2012 marked Bristol 1979 @ NASCAR)
http://www.racingphotoarchives.com/classic/
Even with the driver exchange, the Pond/Pearson tandem in the injured Earnhardt's car finished 7th, two positions ahead of Rudd in the #90, but 1 spot behind 6th finishing Millikan in the LG DeWitt #72.
dave, the #90 car at bristol is a monte carlo i have a lineup from the richmond race and it listed a monte carlo also.looked at my postcards in 1979 and cars front and side look like the one her.
Don't you just love chrome bumpers
OK, you may argue among yourselves, but according to Racing Reference it is as follows:
3/11/79 Richmond Chevy
4/01/79 Bristol Ford
8/25/79 Bristol Ford
9/9/79 Richmond Ford
Personally, I don't care. I just loved Ricky Rudd. But there it is for what's it's worth.
Just to keep stirring the pot, here's a front and side shot of a street 1979 Ford Granada to compare with the #90 in the photo:
The #90 may indeed be a Monte Carlo as y'all say, but it sure appears to have a Ford Granada grill that looks identical to the street version above.
And I definitely say Racing Reference and Ultimate Racing History are both wrong calling the LG DeWitt/Joe Millikan #72 car next to Ricky a Chevy. I say it is an Oldsmobile 442 like LG ran a number of places in 1979.
Then, again, here's a street 1977 Monte Carlo front end/grill:
Definitely not a 1979 or 1978 Monte carlo grill or front end as pictured below:
front fenders give it away, to high of a crown for a ford. outside car is definatly an Olds
Ok Im gonna stir the pot a little-- The 90 is a chevy style body , look at the narrow windows behind driver and the block out for those big ole 4 headlights they came with-- the other is a no brainer olds wonder if the templates fit them cars as close as they do today -- that wall sure looks like bristol but I only tried to dodge the walls.not read them
Johnny is absolutely correct, it is a Monte Carlo for sure.
Here are the 2 cars they ran in 1979. The picture in question is for sure a 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo. 
I can give another example of makes being wrong- Racing-Reference claims Buddy Baker drove a Hoss Ellington Oldsmobile in the 1981 Firecracker 400. However- this picture, taken by my brother will dispute that.
Y'all have convinced me that the #90 is a Monte Carlo..
So, now we know the car models posted on Racing Reference and Ultimate Racing History (where ever they obtained them) are wrong for both the Rudd / Donlavey #90 car and the Millikan / DeWitt #72 car (that is an Olds not a Chevy beside Ricky, agreed?) for the 1979 Volunteer 500 at Bristol.
Wonder how many other cars are wrong from that race and whether NASCAR records were that screwed up or if the errors are originating somewhere else?
Easy to see the Monte Carlo contours in this shot. I bought a1973 Monte Carlo new... best handling car I ever drove.
Sure looks like a Buick Regal. Wonder if Willam Horrell had anything to do with the fabrication?
I know on my end, Greg Fielden's book has Baker's car as an Olds as well. If I were a betting man, I'd say MUCH of racing-reference's data comes verbatim from his books.
I won't take that bet.
Although synonymous with Ford, Junie Donlavey also fielded #90 Chevys several times between 1957-1960 for Richmond's Runt Harris and Emanuel " Golden Greek " Zervakis.
Here's Zervakis ( a noted modified racer, promoter of Southside Speedway, builder of winning Late Model Sportsman cars, Harry Gant chassis consultant and owner of Stock Car Products ) in a #90 Donlavey 1957 Chevy at Darlington.
Junie probably bought the Rudd owned car for some races in early 79', changed the number, sponsor, and updated the front clip. I'll bet the car was wrecked sometime after this, and the Torino/Thunderbird, what ever it was was used the rest of the season.
But one thing puzzles me.....if this is the spring race in March.....why was it ran at night? Rain delay? Or could this possibly be the summer race and racing reference got the dates wrong???
theres that famous sticker from the past shining proud.. One other thing about the photo of the 57 --it looks to be lax,not without but not enough bars visible in the car. what you say Dave
Cody, it's the night Volunteer 500 in August 1979. Earnhardt was injured at 2nd Pocono and Pearson with relief from Lennie Pond drove his #2 Osterlund car in this race.
Didn't you love those Air Lift decals? hadn't thought about the bars, but you're sure right on thta count, Johnny. That same car was also run as a convertible.
Here's my 1973 Monte Carlo on November 3, 1973!
Jay,
It has been my experience that the references give the wrong car make / model on many occasions. And you are correct the Ellington car at Daytona in '81 was not Olds it was a Buick Regal.
Dave, what I was saying was...according to racing reference (which it could be wrong) was that the Chevy was driven in the MARCH Bristol race. And what do you mean about the Osterland car? Did you put a picture up?
Thanks.
Cody, just follow this earlier post I made and click on the link to David Allio's photo ( which I can't post) and follow the date instruction in my earlier post.
Reply by Dave Fulton on Sunday
Interesting side note to this race:
David Pearson who hadn't driven at Bristol in 8 years started the #2 Osterlund car in place of spring 1979 Bristol winner, Dale Earnhardt who had broken both collarbones in a crash at the 2nd Pocono race.
However, Pearson (who'd win the Southern 500 at Darlington in the #2 Osterlund car) couldn't go the 500 lap Bristol distance. He was relieved by Lennie Pond. Photographer David Allio has a great photo in his archives of Pond and Pearson getting ready to make the driver exchange in the Osterlund car on pit road at this link: ( See photo posted August 1, 2012 marked Bristol 1979 @ NASCAR)
http://www.racingphotoarchives.com/classic/2012/08/01/bristol-1979-nascar-7/
http://www.racingphotoarchives.com/classic/
Even with the driver exchange, the Pond/Pearson tandem in the injured Earnhardt's car finished 7th, two positions ahead of Rudd in the #90, but 1 spot behind 6th finishing Millikan in the LG DeWitt #72.
Here ya go, Cody - Lennie Pond ready to relieve David Pearson in #2 Osterlund Chevy at Bristol, TN 1979 August Volunteer 500 night race. Pearson had replaced injured rookie, Dale Earnhardt
Photo by David Allio
Here ya go, Cody - Lennie Pond ready to relieve David Pearson in #2 Osterlund Chevy at Bristol, TN 1979 August Volunteer 500 night race. Pearson had replaced injured rookie, Dale Earnhardt
Photo by David Allio
Dave, you got me to thinking and that's hard to do. I wonder if this is the same Monte Carlo built by E.Zervatkis for Lennie Pond around 1976. Lennie ran the Monte Carlo built by Zervatkis at Martinsville with experimental brakes and they failed during the race. The car ran super until they failed though. I do agree, THAT is a Monte Carlo in Ray's picture.
Don Evans
Interesting thought.
