Talladega or Bust: On the ground at the largest-ever gathering of winged warriors
By Hemmings Staff
- Apr 16, 2020
This incredible shot captures the group in Turn 3 at Talladega Superspeedway. According to Holgar Kurschner, inclement weather in the forecast and an upcoming work week kept some participants from coming out to the track. That didn’t stop the majority, though.
Fifty years ago, a war was being waged upon the high banks of NASCAR's fastest tracks. "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday," was the mantra of the day, but something much larger was at stake: pure manufacturer dominance. Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company squared off in what would become known as the Aero Wars.
It was Ford that fired the first salvo, with the introduction of the 1968 Torino fastback. Dodge countered with the redesigned Charger, which it believed would be slippery enough through the air to battle the Torino, but refinement was needed to make the Mopar competitive. In June 1968, Dodge debuted the Charger 500, which featured a flush grille and a fastback-style rear window instead of the standard Charger's flying buttresses.
By the end of the 1968 season, John Holman had developed a counterpunch for Ford, adding longer Mercury Cyclone front fenders to the Ford Torino, mounting the grille flush, and dropping the body 1 inch on the frame to create the Torino Talladega. The Ford was faster than the Charger 500 on superspeedways, and Dodge engineers calculated that an additional 5 mph of top speed would be needed.
Gaining this could be accomplished two ways: Find another 85 horsepower in the 426 Hemi, or reduce drag on the Charger 500 by 15 percent. The latter solution proved quicker and more cost effective, so the Charger 500 gained a wedge-shaped nose, a basket-handle rear wing, and other revisions to become the Dodge Charger Daytona, revealed to the media in April 1969. High-speed testing began three months later, and the Daytona made its competition debut in September, at Talladega.
The Daytona (and its cousin, the Plymouth Superbird) proved competitive on the track, but the alterations that reduced drag (ultimately, by 20 percent) made them a hard sell in dealerships. Today, however, the winged warriors from Mother Mopar command a hefty price tag, due to their limited production numbers and historical significance. If you're lucky enough to own one of them, you not only made a solid investment decision, but also bought a ticket to one of the most unique events in the hobby.
Tim and Pam Wellborn may be the best-known muscle car collectors in the hobby today. They're regulars at some of the largest collector-car auctions, and are the proprietors of the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum in Alexander City, Alabama, home to some of the rarest and most sought-after muscle cars in existence. The museum hosts several car events throughout the year, but the pinnacle of these is the Aero Warriors Reunion, held every five years. The 2019 event, October 10-13, marked the 50th anniversary of the Dodge Charger Daytona, and its rival, the Ford Torino Talladega, and what transpired was truly unforgettable.
Luckily for us, some members of the Hemmings Nation were there to take in all the festivities. You may remember a Bright Green Metallic '69 Daytona featured in the June 2018 issue of HMM, #178. Owner Sam Ballard and restorer Holgar Kurschner (the latter the owner of Supercar Restorations in Wellsville, New York) made the two-day trek with the car down to Georgia, where things kicked off at Atlanta Motor Speedway with some celebratory laps.
In case you missed it, we've gathered some highlights of the event below.
The highlight of Friday afternoon was the reveal of the #42 Dodge Charger Daytona, driven by famed country music singer Marty Robbins.
Pictured are the Superbirds of Ramo Stott (#7) and Richard Petty. It's clear the Wellborns have good taste in lawn ornaments.
A pair of Plymouth Superbirds take flight on the front stretch of Atlanta Motor Speedway. With the 50th Reunion of the Aero Warriors in the books, anticipation is already building for the next event, in 2024. For more information about the 2019 event, visit wellbornmusclecarmuseum.com/ aero-reunion.
A pair of Plymouth Superbirds take flight on the front stretch of Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Race day at Talladega! Aero Warrior Reunion participants got an early start Sunday morning, as the final stop was Talladega Superspeedway. Not only were the Aero Warriors celebrating 50 years, but so, too, was the track that was hosting its 100th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race.
While Chrysler Corporation vehicles made up the majority of the Reunion, Ford Torinos and Mercury Cyclones were well represented. The Bill France "signature" Torino Talladega stood out among the rest: One of nine Talladega prototypes, the car was given to NASCAR Founder Bill France Sr. for use at the 1969 Daytona Speedweeks. The car still bears the signatures of every driver who participated in the Daytona 500, 24 Hours of Daytona, and the famed motorcycle races.
Tim Walker's recreation of Bobby Allison's Dodge Daytona drew quite a crowd this year. Allison drove the original car for Mario Rossi in the 1969 and 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series.
Reunited and it feels so good: Truly a nostalgic moment, the legendary machines that were the instruments of war line up to prepare for some laps around the track just before the NASCAR race.
Dale Mathews enjoying time behind the wheel of his 1970 Lemon Twist Superbird. Its fresh restoration was carried out by Mopar gurus Hodge Restorations in Inman, South Carolina, and the work was finished just in time for the Reunion.
As if Atlanta Motor Speedway wasn't enough, the next day saw the Aero Reunion meet at Tim and Pam's Russwood Estate. Guests were treated to photo opportunities and a Q&A session with the Alabama Gang's Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, and Red Farmer.
The flagship of the Wellborn collection is the K&K Insurance-sponsored 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona driven by Bobby Isaac. This car not only helped capture the NASCAR Grand National Championship in 1970, but also broke numerous speed records at Bonneville in 1971.
It was 1970 all over again as the Bobby Isaac #71 Dodge Charger Daytona overtakes one of the most recognizable vehicles in NASCAR racing history, Richard Petty's 1970 Plymouth Superbird.
The rain eventually came and postponed the second half of the NASCAR race. The Aero Warriors toughed it out to enjoy the last time many would see each other until the next Reunion, in 2024. Pictured here are the #98 Torino Talladega in LeeRoy Yarbrough livery with the #7 Dodge Charger Daytona of Jack McCoy.
There was no shortage of Aero Warriors on pit road. Torinos, Cyclones, Superbirds, Daytonas, and Charger 500s were all represented. It's been confirmed that the 50th Reunion was the largest gathering of aero cars to date.
It wouldn't be a memorable weekend without something going wrong, right? After hitting the track for some pace laps, Sam Ballard and Holgar Kurschner noticed their Daytona's right front tires were experiencing considerable wear. So much so, that they found it unsafe to make the two-hour journey to the Wellborn Musclecar Museum in Alabama. Fortunately, Holgar called our friends at Summit Racing for a pair of new tires and had them installed at a local shop.
Birds of a feather, park together: Four Superbirds nesting beautifully in downtown Alexander City.
SOURCE: HEMMINGS