| Photo ID # | c12.12.06_099_BOD_LAN_0070_1 |
| Car #: | #99 |
| Driver (s) : | Geoff Bodine |
| Location: | Langhorne, PA |
| Date: | October 10th, 1970 |
| Photographer: | Ronnie Guinther |
| Photo provided by: | Ronnie Guinther |
| Comments: | Ronnie
has done it again. At first, its just a picture of a very young Geoff Bodine, some 10+ years before he would win the Daytona 500. But if you look a little closer, you see what looks like a very confident Geoff Bodine, relaxing... checking out his glasses or whatever... while another driver (Charlie J?) is checking out his car! Almost like if Geoff is saying..."Go ahead, check it out... it doesn't matter... You guys can verify this, but I was told that this car had some type of a trick International Scout front clip/front suspension. The other great thing about this photo is that it truly shoes the colors used on this Valiant. The combo of the white, gun metal grey and whatever shade of blue that is really made for a cool looking ride. In addition, because the dark colors on the body were on the rear of the car, it gave the car a strong, balanced look as it went down the straightaway with Geoff sitting way in the back, reaching forward for the steering wheel. The silver rims, and the little Valiant wings sticking up on the rear deck made it all the more cooler. |
| Visitor's Comments | To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here | |
| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 12/12/06 | 3Wide | Thanks for sharing another great photo Ronnie. Is that the same shade of blue that you used on your #33 Sedan? Looks pretty darn close! |
| 12/12/06 | Dave Blake | The stripe on the car was gold...not grey...But I agree..Geoff's Valiant was a really cool looking car! |
| 12/13/06 | ANDY HORNE | I remember being woke up late one night in the early 70's to go Chuck
Ancelo's house to see some guy from New York who blew an engine during practice at Trenton
Speedway. When we got there I saw this pretty blue #99 in Chuck's garage. He and 'BIG B' where yanking the engine out. I was only 10 or 11 at the time. That guy was Geoff Bodine. I don't remember much about that night but it lives long in my father's mind. He new who he was at the time. This hotshot driver who he swore would "make it some day" made an impression on everyone. Confident was an understatement. Thanks for the great memory!! -- THANK YOU ANDY HORNE |
| 12/13/06 | 3Wide | Andy's comment above reminded me that the guy who had told me about the
trick International Scout front end was "Big B". He told me about the time
that Andy is referring to above. Geoff really needed a local place to work on the
car. For those of you who may not know, "Big B" was Barry Schenck, the owner of the great looking blue #A cars driven in the 70's - 90's by Chuck Ancello, Rich Varone, Larry Kline, Tom Hager, Newt Hartman, Randy Wolfe, Rick Holden, Al Michalchuk, Danny Klockner, Billy Schenck.. and a few others. |
| 12/13/06 | Ronnie Guinther | Hi Joe, I'm quite certain that the big guy checking out the front end of the 99 is Kenny Brightbill. Ronnie |
| 12/13/06 | 3-Wide | Yea Ronnie... I can see that it could be him now that you mentioned it. Absolutely priceless shot Ronnie. Like I said, you have the eye for this stuff! |
| 12/20/06 | DALE WELTY | Although the front end of this car may have been pretty trick I believe the rear set up was also of an independant suspension design which would have been light-years ahead of everyone else at the time. Perhaps that is why geoff is hanging out near the back.....to keep too many prying eyes from looking under there! This car was also one of the first to incorporate power steering. A lot of people probably didn't realize Geoff had a degree in engineering. |
| 02/04/07 | John | Correct. This is the man who brought power steering to Nascar. |
|