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CC Speedway's #11


1QUIK6

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Wondering about Corpus Christi's #11 -Monty Nichols. Posted some questions on a previous thread with no response. Wondering if this kid was as good as I remember him to be. In 1979 he was at CC speedway running against Slick Yoeman, Rick Rapp, James Mikulencak, Billy Hardcastle & many others. Anyone know if he ever raced against Freddy Fryar? Would've loved to seen that race. Once heard that in order to join TIDA that you had to be voted into the club, by the drivers, & that he was turned down from joining that organization, wondering how true that was? I remember back in 1991 Nichols won the CC Speedway championship & was boo'd by the crowd, maybe because he had just beaten the 6-time champ Bruce Beddoe? Anyone know where he raced after the 1979 season?

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Wondering about Corpus Christi's #11 -Monty Nichols. Posted some questions on a previous thread with no response. Wondering if this kid was as good as I remember him to be. In 1979 he was at CC speedway running against Slick Yoeman, Rick Rapp, James Mikulencak, Billy Hardcastle & many others. Anyone know if he ever raced against Freddy Fryar? Would've loved to seen that race. Once heard that in order to join TIDA that you had to be voted into the club, by the drivers, & that he was turned down from joining that organization, wondering how true that was? I remember back in 1991 Nichols won the CC Speedway championship & was boo'd by the crowd, maybe because he had just beaten the 6-time champ Bruce Beddoe? Anyone know where he raced after the 1979 season?

I do remember Monty Nichols back in the late 70's. I remember driving from Victoria every Saturday night just to see him, that was my dads driver. Like I said in another post, thats all my dad talks about was Monty. He tells me stories that you wouldn't believe, racing with all the drivers you mentioned above. I dont know if he was well liked their in CC, but we sure enjoyed watching him. As for Freddy Fryar, I do remember him coming down one Saturday night to race, but Monty wasn't there. Why not? don't know. IN all respect to what Freddy has accomplished, in my OPINION I dont think Freddy would of beaten him. I do remember going back the following year but Monty wasnt there. As for that picture you posted in another thread of the Miller car, I remember seeing him race that year also and was indeed track champion. I also remember seeing him at Shady Oak speedway in Goliad say 1994 95 96 some where around those years but he didn't race every Saturday. The races we went to and he didn't show up, was a boring night. But I do have lots of memories of Monty, lots.

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Anyone know if he ever raced against Freddy Fryar?

 

Yes, there were several races they were both in. And while Nichols won a couple of them, Fryar would usually come out on top. ( I am talking everywhere, not just Corpus).

 

 

Once heard that in order to join TIDA that you had to be voted into the club, by the drivers, & that he was turned down from joining that organization, wondering how true that was?

 

That is not true. I have never heard of Neil Upchurch turning down a driver in any of his organizations.

And take notice that Nichols stuff was sold in the early 80's or so, and he did not race much, if at all, the rest of the decade. TIDA was not formed for the late models until about 1988 or so.

 

Neil can enlighten us more on that one.

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Yes, there were several races they were both in. And while Nichols won a couple of them, Fryar would usually come out on top. ( I am talking everywhere, not just Corpus).

Wondering which tracks?

 

I have never heard of Neil Upchurch turning down a driver in any of his organizations.

Didn't know it was up to him, I thought it was the club drivers decision. Maybe Neil can elaborate.

 

Anyone know if 1979 was his first year racing in the super stocks?

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I'm not sure if he ever ran Freddy Fryar, I know when we were going every Saturday night Monty was there. So I'm not sure if the two ever raced, at least not in 1979 that I know of. Txtom says they did race, but I would like to know when and where. As far as joining the TIDA'S, I heard from a friend of mine who is real good friends with Charlie Heflin who ran in the TIDA'S, and he told me they didnt want Monty in the Club, I dont know how true that was but thats just what I heard.

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It is hard to pin down specific dates.

If you are specifically referring to Corpus, Fryar did not run there much in those early days. He was getting appearance money to race San Antonio and Austin. Corpus would not match the offer. And we know all

that, as he stayed at the shop I worked out of Friday nights, to run the next day in San Antonio.

 

Here are the race results from a race in San Antonio.

And no, I don't remember what happened to Nichols.

post-21-1210487390_thumb.jpg

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It is hard to pin down specific dates.

If you are specifically referring to Corpus, Fryar did not run there much in those early days. He was getting appearance money to race San Antonio and Austin. Corpus would not match the offer. And we know all

that, as he stayed at the shop I worked out of Friday nights, to run the next day in San Antonio.

 

Here are the race results from a race in San Antonio.

And no, I don't remember what happened to Nichols.

Did Nichols have a problem in the feature that night? I see he finished that race behind Prince Charmin, after both had better heat race finishes.

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Was that the same night that Monty Nichols broke the SA Speedway track record twice? I do remember that night- because of his aggressiveness, he was black flagged early in the race. That could be the only other reason for such a poor finishing other than a wreck or problems with the car.

 

Still waiting for response from Neil on TIDA.

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No, Fryar was fast time this night in 1978.

Freddy qualified at a 19.76, followed by Jimmy Finger at a 20.125, and Nichols at a 20.155.

 

I am guessing that you are thinking of a night in early 1979 when Nichols went a 19.393 to set the record.

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Maybe someone can fill in- In 1978 was Monty a rookie in the super stock division & was Freddy Fryar there (racing) the night Monty broke the SA speedway track record in 1979? txtom- Have any other results from 1979 or later between the two?

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Nichols ran twice at San Antonio in 1978.

Here is how it went.

 

The first time he went there is already posted.

 

The next time was July 22, 1978. He did set fast time at a 19.998, about 3 to 5 tenths off what Fryar had been qualifying at to that point. And no, Fryar was not present this weekend. Nichols went on to finish 4th in the dash, 2nd in the heat, and 7th in the feature. You can see why he finished down the pack by looking at these pictures.

Nichols wreck Start at photo #4, and go to about #12 or 13.

A little too much aggression by Nichols very early in the feature caused this one. Sorry, but that is the way it happened.

 

Nichole did not run there again until 1979. This was in the red, white and blue car. He set the track record early in the season, and 1. I don't remember Fryar there that night, and 2. I have no further recollection of results that year or beyond, except his aggressive driving got him into his fair share of skirmishes and he had trouble with fellow racers because of it.

But Fryar won about every time he ran there in 1979. But remember, he did not run weekly.

Fryar missed about 1/5 of the races in 1978 and still won the championship.

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It's been kinda fun sitting back and just watching this post.....

 

but, then just had a question I couldn't resist anymore for the original poster....what is the obsession with MN's results against FF? From almost 30 years ago.....

 

Freddy Fryar won over 750 races in a long career, track championships all over the Southeast, and is included in a group of legends with names like Dick Trickle, Red Farmer, the Allison's for that era.........

 

and as Nick has posted many times....when the Beaumont Flyer pulled thru the pit gate, the general concensus was that it was a race for 2nd place that night.

 

Sorry.....couldn't resist.

 

Billy

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"Obsession" wrong word. Lets try "Curious". Back in the days I saw MN run against the so called Best drivers in CC Texas. There's no need to let U know who would come out on top. In 1979 a message at the track came over the loud speaker system stating that MN would be in SA racing the next week against the top drivers there. Well figuring that SA would definitely have Fryar show up to provide a challenge for this HOTSHOT kid from Corpus we traveled to see the race. Well, Fryar didn't show up that night. Monty broke the track record twice & was black flagged (for aggressiveness) during the race. So excuse me for wanting to know, how this HOTSHOT youngster compared against this GREAT seasoned veteran on other nights.

 

ps. With a name like "FryarFan", your talking about my obsession with MN? :huh:

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"Obsession" wrong word. Lets try "Curious". Back in the days I saw MN run against the so called Best drivers in CC Texas. There's no need to let U know who would come out on top. In 1979 a message at the track came over the loud speaker system stating that MN would be in SA racing the next week against the top drivers there. Well figuring that SA would definitely have Fryar show up to provide a challenge for this HOTSHOT kid from Corpus we traveled to see the race. Well, Fryar didn't show up that night. Monty broke the track record twice & was black flagged (for aggressiveness) during the race. So excuse me for wanting to know, how this HOTSHOT youngster compared against this GREAT seasoned veteran on other nights.

 

ps. With a name like "FryarFan", your talking about my obsession with MN? :huh:

I second that response by 1Quik6. In 1979 he was hell on wheels, and I'm sure Freddy had the chance to race him at one point, I mean come on when you hear about a kid terrorizing the field every week dont you think he would have wanted a piece of him. Nichols probably had a car just as fast as Freddy's that year and I don't think Freddy would of taken that chance getting beat by a kid. Think about it, if Fryar had over 750 wins at tracks all over do you think he would have taken a chance against a kid, HELL NO that would have been a total embarrassment if he would have gotten beat. I just don't think he would have beaten Nichols that year. (Thats my opinion) And I'm sure there are few others out there who agree with me.

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Freddy Fryar won the 1979 Snowball Derby. The drivers in that race included Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Jody Ridley ,Dick Trickle, Butch Lindley, Bobby Allison, Red Farmer and David Pearson. Yeah i am sure that in 79 Freddy was scared to race Monty Nichols. LMAO !!!!!

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I don't have a dog in this fight, and don't want one. But, to suggest that Freddy Fryar was "afraid of the competition" anytime in those days, is hard for me to comprehend. I first saw Freddy at our local track, Meyer Spdwy/Houston, a 1/2 mile paved oval, in '69. That was the first year of NASCAR santioned Late Model Sportsman events at Meyer Spdwy, and Freddy entered about 1/3 of the races that year, and won every feature race he ran. At that time, Freddy was located in/raced out of Baton Rouge, LA. Continuing to be "undefeated" running a partial schedule, Freddy was finally beaten in a feature by a kid name Larry Schild in '71, but continued to compete, and a little later that year was out ran in another feature by Vaughn Brune. Never, ever, was I, or anyone else I knew, under the impression that Freddy Fryar was "afraid" of any local "hotshot". And, besides Larry Schild and Vaughn Brune, at Meyer Spdwy/Houston, Freddy had to compete against the likes of Jerry Schild, Phil Cronin, Tony Bettenhausen, Ronnie Chumley, Tony Barcelona, Joe Plowman, H B Bailey, and Corpus Christi's Terry Labonte, along with other occasional out of towners like Ray Putnam, Joe Holley, and Jay Gonzales. And, that's weekly events.

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Freddy Afraid? Of what Monty Jr.? Please give me a break. Freddy Fryar has raced the top dogs all up and down the Gulf Coast. And a few up the East end. If you make it through Tampa and Mobile with a couple of souveiners, you are getting it done. Scared of Monty Louis Nichols II, sheee-it, they might ought to be scared of his wife Tammy. Tammy Windam (Nichols) might have a pistol in her purse.

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[edited out by Nick Holt, 5/21/08]

With all these race fans on these forums I was just hoping someone could produce some results on races between the two but it seems that they only raced in 1978. In 1979 it was MN's year in CC Speedway prior to 1978 he was the man in the "Hobby's?" class. I've been to numerous tracks in the Gulf Coast Region & watched many TIDA, ROMCO,USRA & other races. Many times it was follow the leader or hope that someone would make a mistake to see a pass. Kinda miss the speed, along with the craftiness, & aggressiveness that Monty displayed in a race car.

 

L8TR

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I remember in 1991 at CCspeedway a week before the TIDA's were gonna be there the announcer that night said there was a Late Model car here to show the fans just how fast these cars were. Mike Denman comes out in his black 88 and about ten seconds later Monty Nichols comes out in his SUPER STOCK CAR. He follows Mike Denman around for about five laps and then Denman nails it coming out of turn 2. Of course Denman pulls away from him going down the back stretch, but what's AMAZING was that Nichols was pushing him in turns 3 and 4. For about 4 or 5 laps Nichols was pushing his car in the turns, I remember looking around and saying how in the hell is that possible. That's a LATE MODEL being pushed around by a SUPER STOCK. WOW! Now All I have to say is that what if Nichols was driving a LATE MODEL car in the TIDA's what do you think he would have done? I know everybody who was there that night remembers this because I know I do. Monty Nichols the best to come out of CCSpeedway. I wanna here from Monty himself why he quit racing. I have more stories if yall wanna here them, just hope nobody gets upset about them.

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Best from CC, lets see,

 

Slick Yomens, Billy Hardcastle, Dub & Jarrett Rollins, The Flannagans, James and Lawrence Micklechek, Bruce Beddoe, Joey Heinaman, Bruce Sanders,... theres a bunch. This is just a few. Monty always raced hard and was always fast. I think he was very good but if you asked Monty himself I bet he would vote for a certain purple car with a #70 on the door as the best to come from CC. There was also a bright red #44 that did pretty well too.

 

JMO but the Rapper was the best.

Mel

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