If you have reached this page from the index page, cool...but it's really just a subset of "Photos From the Collection of Mike Hanlon".  If you haven't seen the rest of the collection, do yourself a favor and take a look.  Byron

9 April 2002

I have been stunned at the amount of information we've received about this race.  I was originally unable to identify one of these cars which was, it turns out, the runner-up car in this race, so I asked if anyone knew.  Little did I suspect that the original participants would be replying to my questions.  So...here's what we have so far.  Thanks to everyone involved, I have found this fascinating!  Byron

1967 B&M Speed Shop at Indy, Bill Lindner of Rochester, NY.  (6/30/01) I just received an email which made me realize that this is the "CC Ryder" car.  The car also held the NHRA CC/GS record in 1968.  The car, in it's current street trim, is also for sale here on Gasser Madness!

Okay...I was reminded that the two cars running for the Trophy Run (class final) both had the "T" sticker, so this was the runner-up car for '67.

6 July 2001: Well...we finally have the story on this car from Bill Lindner thanks to "Sam" (sorry, don't know his last name)  Here it is:

This very nice strong running car was runner up to the CC/G winner @ the 1967 Nationals/Indy. I believe the owner/driver was Sam Gellner, which if my memory hasn't failed me was a good friend and co-worker of the Mr. Gasket Empire Wizard, Joe Hrudka.
And here is the story of the last "pair" in CC/GS. 1967.
Sam Gellner blew an engine on the second last pass to the class finals. (but won)   Sam & Joe Hrudka bought a complete engine from another competitor and put that engine in the car for the last round. I believe Ron Hassel (known as MR. FOUR SPEED) also wrenched that engine into the car.  This took them approx. 45 minutes. Mr. Gasket in person got NHRA to delay the trophy run, so there would be a pair for the "Trophy Run."
Sam cut a great light and was out two lengths on me. Then fate struck, Sam lost a blower belt and yours truly cleanly won.
Immediately afterwards during NHRA winner certification, Mr. Gasket was providing all kinds of body dimensions to the NHRA Tech guys. But in the final measurements, my car was certified with proper wheelbase, door position etc. & correct weight to cubic inch displacement. Good racing story.
Bill Lindner
1967, 1968, 1969 NHRA National Champion CC/GS

P.S. Lost to Tom Shinholster/Lehman in 1970 because my Joe Hunt Vertex magneto wouldn't advance the timing. Another story!

Thank you Sam and Bill.

Okay, it's now the 8th of April 2002

Dear Sirs, I would like to start out by telling you that your web site is just fantastic, thanks for allowing to go back to that very special time. My name is Mike Lehet and I would like to clarify the story about who Bill Linder raced for the final at Indy in 1967. The car was owned by Dennis Fermancek, it was built by a fellow named Dave Meal, it was originally a C/Gasser, Sam Gellner did all the engine work. Joe and Tom Hrudka that summer were running the 33 Willys panel truck, this car was also built by Dave Meal, the Hrudka's sold the car before the Indy Nationals, but kept the de-stroked/supercharged engine and still were entered to race at Indy. Dennis Fermancek raced his car at Dragway 42 in West Salem and two weeks before Indy spun bearings and at that point we were not going to race the car. Enter Joe Hrudka, Joe suggested to Dennis to put his engine in the 40 Willys, and have Sam Gellner drive it because he was licensed by NHRA. We worked all week and installed the engine at Sam's house in Parma. At Indy we struggled early on and had found that lint from a rag in the blower scoop had clogged the jets, after that this car was flying big time. A funny thing also happened that same week at Indy, we changed the rear end and how this came about I couldn't tell you but it wound up in the trunk of the race cars, Sam was making his last qualifying run, did a little bit of a wheelie the trunk opens and out comes the rear end, Buster Couch seeing runs up to Sam and tells him he just lost his rear end and Sam just says thats okay I think I got another one. ( TRUE STORY). In the semi-finals we blew the clutch, it wiped everything out, even broke the input shaft to the trans, we were not going to make the run until Bill Linder came by and kind of laughed and said he would try to get us more time to fix the car. Joe and Sam were fuming about the comment and said lets do it, Joe went around and was able to get all the parts we needed. Bill Linder almost died when he seen us in the staging lanes. And you were right in saying Sam left on him! But what no one noticed was the blower belt was damaged in the run before and thats what cost us the race. Thank you, Mike Lehet

No Mike...Thank you!  Byron

Mike also identified the last picture on this page as Dennis Fermanchek's Willy at the 67 Nationals, too.