Powers Welding / King Custom Machine # 51 Sprinter

mayor31 · 11/8/08, 1:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rpracing1

My wifes uncle is Bill Powers, who along with Bill King ,co-owned the King/Powers #51 Sprinter back in the late 70's thru the mid 80's. I was just looking for any old good stories, who drove for them, were they successful, type of cars, where the ran, kind of equipment, etc. on their team. It is kind of tough getting information out of Bill sometimes. Thanks in advance for all of your info.

My grandparents lived right behind Bill King and the race shop in Evansville Bill was a very nice guy. My uncle keeped his latemodel at my grandparents house and bill would come over or papaw would send us back to bills shop to pick stuff up. Bill also owned Kngs machine shop and I think now lives in flordia. He employed my grandfather after he retired to help keep the shop clean (just to give him something to do and talk racing with each other).

racephoto1 · 11/8/08, 5:04 PM

Two memories I really remember of that car. In the early days of WOO it was wing optional. It was up to the track. Kokomo wingless, Ferkel , no nerf bars to save weight.Him and Buckwheat get together ,and Buckwheat skies it. Goes as high as the light poles. Looks like its all over for Gates, it was coming down cage first. At the last moment it lands wheels down.Gates breaks his leg. He gets a cast on it. A couple of days later he breaks it of with a hammer, and makes one out of leather he ties on. One tough SOB.

Another time at Terre Haute,Levitt guts the motor going into 1. I mean he gutted it, pieces of crankshaft, with rods still attached laying on the track. It was one fast car, spectacular with Eddie on the cushion.

Rpracing1 · 11/8/08, 5:34 PM

Wow!!!!!!
That is the kind of stories I am interested in hearing......Thanks for the info.

dalemo · 11/9/08, 2:09 PM

I've heard that story about the Ferkel deal many times from Gates, dont believe hes forgiven him yet! if I can figure out how to post pics I have some of the car being restored, can someone tell me how, Thanks

fifthwheel · 11/10/08, 9:13 AM

If my memory doesn't fail me, I think that was in a fast car dash. I thought at the time those guys were really going at it hard for probably $50

groove grabber · 11/10/08, 10:40 AM

My Father, Cliff Cockrum drove the 51 car at Paragon on his last race before retirement. Rich Vogler had been driving the car at the time. I remember the photos of the baby blue and white/King Machine car. I have a newspaper clipping showing dad, hooking a rut and standing the car straight in the air, nose to the sky, I'll see if I cant locate it.

Shane Cockrum

11/8/08, 5:04 PM	#12 Re: Powers Welding / King Custom Machine # 51 Sprinter
racephoto1 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4,253	Two memories I really remember of that car. In the early days of WOO it was wing optional. It was up to the track. Kokomo wingless, Ferkel , no nerf bars to save weight.Him and Buckwheat get together ,and Buckwheat skies it. Goes as high as the light poles. Looks like its all over for Gates, it was coming down cage first. At the last moment it lands wheels down.Gates breaks his leg. He gets a cast on it. A couple of days later he breaks it of with a hammer, and makes one out of leather he ties on. One tough SOB. Another time at Terre Haute,Levitt guts the motor going into 1. I mean he gutted it, pieces of crankshaft, with rods still attached laying on the track. It was one fast car, spectacular with Eddie on the cushion.

11/8/08, 5:34 PM	#13 Re: Powers Welding / King Custom Machine # 51 Sprinter
Rpracing1 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4,291	Wow!!!!!! That is the kind of stories I am interested in hearing......Thanks for the info.

11/9/08, 2:09 PM	#14 Re: Powers Welding / King Custom Machine # 51 Sprinter
dalemo Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 111	I've heard that story about the Ferkel deal many times from Gates, dont believe hes forgiven him yet! if I can figure out how to post pics I have some of the car being restored, can someone tell me how, Thanks

11/10/08, 9:13 AM	#15 Re: Powers Welding / King Custom Machine # 51 Sprinter
fifthwheel Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 24	If my memory doesn't fail me, I think that was in a fast car dash. I thought at the time those guys were really going at it hard for probably $50

11/10/08, 10:40 AM	#16 Re: Powers Welding / King Custom Machine # 51 Sprinter
groove grabber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 358	My Father, Cliff Cockrum drove the 51 car at Paragon on his last race before retirement. Rich Vogler had been driving the car at the time. I remember the photos of the baby blue and white/King Machine car. I have a newspaper clipping showing dad, hooking a rut and standing the car straight in the air, nose to the sky, I'll see if I cant locate it. Shane Cockrum