Top: Krusj
Second Photo: Aintgotime4this
Third Photo: Aintgotime4this
Fourth Photo: Aintgotime4this
Fifth Photo: Aintgotime4this
Sixth Photo: Aintgotime4this
Seventh Photo: Debbie Frusciente
Top Photo: Krusj
Second Photo: Hertica Photo
Third Photo: Hertica Photo
Fourth Photo: Hertica Photo
Fifth Photo: Hertica Photo
Sixth Photo: Hertica Photo
Seventh Photo: Chuck Ely?
Top
Photo:
Many associate Whistlin’ Jackie Wilson with
the familiar 16’s, but this car had a bigger impact on his racing than
anything else possible. This 52 was
the car Jackie Wilson was involved in an accident at Rolling Wheels with
Frank Mears that forever changed his life.
After the initial contact, Jackie’s fuel cell exploded into a ball of
flames, burning Jackie over a tremendous amount of his body before they could
extricate him from the car. While I’m
no expert at all on the situation (I was all of 4 or 5 years old) I do
believe after the recovery, Jackie found God and spent his time spreading the
word of the good lord.
Second Photo: This is the Joe Lawrence #16 built during the Winter of '71-'72, which enjoyed such a successful 1972 season at the hands of Jackie Wilson. It would later become the #152 Limited Sportsman of Jeff Fluery in 1974.
Third:
Here’s a picture that is pure gold, a 1973 photo of Jackie
Wilson with Uncle Art, a member of the Kenny Coon crew known as
"Bull", and two other fellows who are a mystery to me. They are
checking out the front end of the Joe Lawrence #16. The curiosity with this
car is that it was built with a narrowed Ford F-150
Twin-I-Beam front axle. It
was a "Nightmare" which was soon replaced with a traditional beam
axle.
Mr. aintgotime4this
The fourth is a photo of Jackie with
Ralph Moody of Holman/Moody, NASCAR Fame. He had been flown in for the
weekend to help dial in the #16 with some newly-installed suspension
components provided by Holman/Moody.
The fifth is a photo of the #16
built new for the 1973 season. Jackie is at the wheel of the car and Moody is
in the background at the rear window of the car. Some of the crew are in the background with their backs to the camera.
I can identify Pete Jackson,
(tallest,-white T-shirt), Ricky, (gold shirt) and Joey Lawrence,
(shortest,-red T-shirt).
Mr.time4this
The sixth is
Jackie Wilson and
Gerald Chamberlain from 1973, @, I believe, Rolling Wheels.
Aintgotime4this
The seventh was Jackie's first ride in a stock car and was initially (small block Chevy in photo) powered by a turbocharged 300 CI Ford 6 Cyl. truck engine. That turbocharger created a distinctive high-pitched whine which became the motivation for Uncle Art Stuarts to nickname him "Whistlin' Jackie Wilson"
For the sake of accuracy, Jackie was not the first pilot of that coach, nor was the Ford Six its first powerplant, but that's another story.
Aintgotime4this
Additional Comments: