George Holbrook owns this Chevelle... way too cool!
So, who did he get to autograph it?
George Holbrook's story
This is my story, and I'm sticking to it. Starting
in 1959, my parents along with me and my sister drove 3 days in a '56 Mercury,
to watch the first Daytona 500. At the time I was 8 years old and the best
that I can remember is that we sat on the front row in the Keech section.
Along with getting sunburned and sandblasted, we still didn't know who won
when we left. In 1960 we returned to the track and watched the races from
the infield. Needless to say, that was the last time for that experience.
In 1961 this would be the first time that I recognized Smokey. As soon as
I saw the black and gold #22 of Fireball Roberts I knew that these were
my guys. Everything looked good until late in the race, then the car blew
up, reportedly from the lack of oil. From then on I started following those
two guys. In 1962 back in Daytona once again my favorite was the #22, which
was the winner this time. I watched every move as I saw Smokey lift the
hood on the car and add 2 quarts of oil. It worked, the #22 Pontiac won
the race. As Smokey said later, "I knew it, I did it, and we won".
I believe the car is in the museum at Talledega. 1963 to 1966 were boring
years for me because it was either Ford or Dodge that won everything. I
know that Smokey was around and had a lot to do with the development of
the mystery big block. Then in 1967 that all changed, because Smokey was
back and everybody knew it, when Curtis Turner put the 1966 Chevelle on
the pole. Now, how good could it be? I'm 16 and have nothing on my mind
but fast cars, and along comes Smokey with a Chevy that beats them all.
The hum was that if Smokey can keep his Chevelle together, it would be a
long day for the Ford and Dodge boys. It just wasn't meant to be, as in
the first 100 laps the Chevelle went up in a puff of smoke along with my
hopes. A new day brought new hopes for the Sunday race. This time the car
did last and Turner did lead some laps. But on lap 143 it was all over.
Bad as it might seem, this car and Smokey had become my idols, not some
baseball or football player. I was so interested in this, that when my family
would eat breakfast at Murphy's department store, next to Smokey's garage,
I would slip over to Smokey's garage, where he would promptly ask or tell
me to leave, but that didn't keep me from looking through the fence at his
operation. I can remember two '66 Chevelles sitting in the back of the shop;
and saying to myself: that is going to be my first car. Guess what, by the
summer of 1968 my dream came true. I bought a 1966 SS Chevelle as my first
car. As a young driver I soon wrecked the car many times, and finally blew
it up. Since then I have owned several '66 Chevelles and eventually sold
them, but this black and gold, or sometimes called the Pole Cat, is as close
as I will ever get to my childhood dreams of the race world. I have had
the pleasure of talking to Smokey 4 or 5 times, but knowing how busy he
is, I never ever tried to be a pest. He has been gracious enough to autograph
my car in 1998 and 1999, and I would have in 2000 except for his illness.
My plans are to be back in Daytona next year, and call on Smokey to thank
him for the memories. I would just like to see him make a pace lap around
the speedway in the black and gold car before he leaves us.
George Holbrook
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