We Share a Few Nuggets of Smokey’s Wisdom
Over the span of a 50-year career in the high-performance and racing industry, I’ve had the good fortune to meet and come to know some highly experienced racers and engine builders, particularly Smokey Yunick. I’ve also had an opportunity to respond to the tech questions and problems a range of readers and enthusiasts. This has caused my brain bucket to be chockfull of learning that came from those much more experienced and knowledgeable than I was back then. One particular area that emerged early on was a fundamental need of racers and enthusiasts who were seeking the best engine part’s combinations to address specific objectives. Too often, it frequently seemed the bigger-is-better approach failed to achieve the desired results, and instead lead to increased costs and time to reach their goals.
I realize this magazine has over time, and again most recently, made reference to our collective friend Smokey, and we’ll share some more of his wisdom here. No, he didn’t have all the answers, but over the years, he developed a well-honed knack for looking for solutions to racing and engineering problems, often from a perspective that eluded most of us mortals. In time, I came to realize he had a particular skill for sorting out solutions to problems, using a part of his mind that was quite different from the mainstream thought process. And he had an incredible ability to remember solutions from the past and relate them to the present. That last part was especially tricky.
This story is from the June 2017 edition of Circle Track.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2017 edition of Circle Track.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Race Products
The VESTA15 helmet is certified to Snell SA2015 standards and incorporates contemporary design with modern production techniques to achieve a balance between light weight and affordability.
Racing Around
Regional News, Industry Updates & Items of Interest From Around the Country
Ready or Not— Duane Carter Enters the Indy 500
“duane, I’ve Already Pulled Your Qualifying Number”
Modern Dirt Brake Choices and Use
Forward-looking Information for Modern Dirt Racing
Next Generation
We take a look at mbe’s new clean-sheet cylinder head design for big block modified racing.
Fuel Burn Off Trade-Off
Why Your Handling Does Not Change.
From Conventional to Bump Setup
How We Helped a Local Team Convert.
Asking for Sponsorship— DOs and DON'Ts
7 tips for selling yourself and your race team to potential sponsors.
Explaining The Dirt Four-Link
Learning How To Make Smart Changes.
Longhorn Chassis Jumps Into The Modified Game
The Dominant Late-Model Chassis Builder Took Everything It Learned Racing Supers and Applied It to Its Brand-New Dirtmodified Chassis.