Back in 1988-1989, I had a contract to handle public relations for Indian Head Industries and its NASCAR Busch Series sponsorship of former NASCAR Late Model Sportsman National Champion (1975 & 1976), L.D. Ottinger of Newport, Tennessee. The primary sponsor for IHI on the Ottinger car was the firm's Detroit Gasket brand with an assist from MGM Brakes . Some of our trucker members like Johnny Mallonee and Leon Philips might be familiar with MGM Brakes. 
Gasket competition in NASCAR racing was fierce. Although McCord was at the time the "Official Gasket of NASCAR" - through our efforts, most of the teams on the Cup and Busch circuit ran our Detroit Gasket products.
McCord Gaskets itself had one time dabbled in car sponsorship, with Ken Ragan, father of current Cup driver, David Ragan carrying McCord Gaskets colors on his own father's car, as well as the ride owned by Roger Hamby.
Fel-Pro Gaskets, another player in the stock car game, back in 1990 was sponsoring Tom Jones. No, not Tom Jones the singer or the subject of the bawdy 1960s movie. This Tom Jones wheeled the #90 Thunderbird on the ASA stock car circuit.
Sometimes it didn't matter how good your product was. If there was substantial cash involved, most chicken farmers around Ingle Hollow and Ronda, NC would choose the cash payout over loyalty.
One thing I never told Detroit Gasket President, Ron Parker was that my racing hero, Ray Hendrick and his good friend, Bobby Allison once tooled around in race cars with NO gaskets. That's right, I said NO engine gaskets.
Back in 1973, the sealant company, Permatex, long known for its sponsorship of the Permatex 300 at Daytona contracted with "Mr. Modified" Hendrick of Richmond to test out a Pinto Modified with no gaskets. At the same time, "Alabama Gang" member Allison of Hueytown was contracted to turn the wheel of a gasketless 1968 Chevelle Late Model Sportsman.
Don't believe me? Well, here are the photos to prove it. We don't need no stinkin' gaskets!
The following year, on April 13, 1974, RR member, Russ Thompson captured the gasket-less Permatex Ray Hendrick Pinto Modified show car coming through the tunnel at the Nashville Fairgrounds as part of the promotion around the Permatex 200 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race there.
Ironically, Ray Hendrick himself made his first (and possibly only) appearance at Nashville that same day, wheeling the Tant/Mitchell "Flying 11" Chevelle. The 45 year old Richmonder posted a 2nd-place finish in his initial Nashville outing - with gaskets, I "assume" in his Jack Tant powerplant.
Russ Thompson
This Bobby Allison Permatex ad touting Lock-Nut and Gel Gasket ran in 1973:
In November 1974, this Popular Mechanics ad shows Permatex also used motorcycles without gaskets to promote the Gel Gasket and Lock-nut products:
As you can see at the bottom of the ad, Permatex was headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida. Over the years, Bill France was pretty adept at not only getting automotive sponsors involved at Daytona, but getting companies headquartered in Florida involved. That long list includes such outfits as Hawaiian Tropic, etc.
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
