To try to catch the Hemis it seemed that Ford put their big Galaxies on a diet that made the weight loss regime of the drag cars seem like a trip to Baskins-Robbins. Let's just say that from film and photo reference and first hand interviews with friends of mine that you could say they were just a little fragile for close quarters racing. But race they did as the following cars can attest. No one would ever accuse the driver of this Banjo Matthews fielded Galaxie of backing away from any kind of altercation. "He'd fight a circle saw with a cardboard hammer" could only mean one person, the legendary Robert Glen Johnson Jr. Known to his stock car fans as the "Ronda Roadrunner" ol' Junior wheeled this Ford to victory in the "Myers Brother's Memorial" in Winston Salem on the 1/4 mile pavement for his first win after coming back to Ford early in the '64 season. He started on the pole and led every lap to finish a lap ahead of second place Richard Petty. Guess it just goes to show you that handling and a massive "set" can even overcome the mighty Hemi on a short track. He followed up this impressive performance with a win in the next race, making it two in a row at Roanoke Raceway to end the month of August in style. It took him six laps to get to the front from an inside second row starting position and he never looked back. This poppy red and white Ford was the mount of gentle giant "Tiny" Lund, winner of the previous year's Daytona 500 and dirt track driver extrodinare. If there ever was a driver who could get more speed out of a car on dirt or more fun out of a day on earth it would have had to have been Curtis Turner. While Joe Weatherly was crowned the "Clown Prince of Stock Car Racing", ol' Tiny had to be his right hand man.The sight of a naked, angry six foot five inch 250 pound man, that had just had a large trash can full of ice poured over the shower curtain on him, chasing diminutive Cale Yarborough (the pourer to Tiny's pouree) through the grounds of a southern motel, soaked in ice water and bodily harm on his mind, would have had to be a sight that would stay with you for a long time! Just ask the little old lady he almost ran over before he stopped, bowed and said, "Excuse me, ma'am." before tearing off again after Cale at top speed. While the Wood Brothers white and candy apple red Mercuries were arguably the most beatiful stock cars ever built, I think this one gives it a real run for it's money. Built during the time that Ford was experimenting with pearl paints on their race cars, this car was a standout in a field of standouts that included Lorenzen's pearl white fastback and Fireball's beatiful pearl purple Galaxie. While the Woods ran this color scheme through the '66 season. Add driver Marvin Panch, and this '64 with all the body sculpturing that set off the pearls highlights, remains one of my favorite stock cars of all time and one of my favorite builds also.