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SECORD MOTORSPORTS
"Racing Memories Continued"
~ 1978 thru 1988 ~

In 1978 a new Brother-in-law (Dave Carpenter) joined my racing endeavors and agreed to help me out. He made me a deal I coundn't refuse. Being a 1960's drag racer and engine builder, he would build the engines and I would build the cars. He left on a 6 month West Pac trip over seas in the fall of 1977 and while he was away he designed (on paper) the engine we would run. For the new division we had to be no more than 325 CI and Dave designed a 324.5 based off a 307 Chevy. Ed Hale, our local engine builder and machine shop owner, thought he was crazy!! Dave would prove them all wrong........
The start of the 1978 season brought the new improved Limited Stock Division back. This time it would be a regular division with points and a track champion as soon as the car count grew which didn't take to long! My time was now shared with serving on the board of directors of the ECSCRA, promoting the new division and racing.
	~ 1978 ~ This was the first car I fielded for the Limited Stock division and money was tight but I found a way. Someone (don't remember who but thank you) gave me a complete 67 Chevelle frame, John Dineen gave me a 72 Chevelle body, George Esau sold me a Baldwin Engineering cage he had behind his shop for $50 and I started buiding the car. We missed the the first 6-8 races in 1978 but it was worth it, the car really worked.
~ 1979 ~ This year proved to be a terrific year for us and we won 7 main events, several trophy dash's, some heat races and won the Championship for the Limited Stocks. Competition was really strong and Jerry Gay literally pushed me all the way. In this picture, thats Jerry's "Fire Chicken" right next to me. Oh what fun we had!
	~ 1980 ~ Competition got even stronger and our "Chicken Chaser" gave us a good run, but not enough to keep up with Jerry Gay who went on to win the Championship this year. The hightlight came one night durning the the line up for the trophy dash when after being introduced, Jerry and I switched cars. He had turned fast time and I was second, right next to him on the back row. To the delight of everyone I beat him that night in his own car!! The crowd loved it and Jerry and I had a good laugh.
~ 1981 ~ Alot of changes started taking place in 1981.... I was in my first year as president of the ECSCRA and I was still trying to drive and compete. I soon found out quickly you can't do both. My driving suffered and so did my spare time for working on my car. To add to this, Dave's job moved him to Las Vegas and althou he would still be building the engines, my Crew Chief and best buddy was no longer here. Thanks to my young crew of Darrin, Gary, Bud and the one senior member, Jim, we finished the season, but sure missed "Uncle Dave"
~ 1982 thru 1984 ~ "Darrin takes over the driving duties"
1981 proved to be more then I could handle with serving as President of the racing assocoation and trying to drive at the same time. I had been re-elected to my second term as president for the 1982 season so it was time to turn over the driving to my oldest son Darrin. He turned 16 in November of 1981 and with the start of the 1982 season he was the youngest driver to ever race at Cajon Speedway. He had been around racing since he was four years old and had been my only pit crew at times thru the years so building cars, working on engines and driving seemed to just come natural to him. With help from Uncle Dave building the engines via long distance and lots of help from his high school friends and ofcourse Dad, he put together some awesome cars.
The Limited Stock division was once again being eliminated for another new division called Street Stocks, but Darrin choose to build a Super Stock for his first car and started the 1982 season with one terrific looking car, but a bit unusual . Due to his size and age he was nicknamed ------ " THE KID " ------ (This name stuck with him through out his racing and is still known as "The Kid" to this day)
	~ 1982 ~ His first car was a 1974 Pinto from the doors back with a Camaro front nose. It was unique to say the least and a real stand out. His first year was a true learning experience and he did quite well. He was even runner up for Best Appearing Car his first year. At the end of the season we towed to Las Vegas's Craig Road Speedway for the annual open comp. This turned out to be the last year Craig Road would be open and because of the respect he gained from the other drivers he was invited to participate in another open comp they called "The Last Go Round" only one month later. Here he did win Best Appearing car out of 100 cars that showed up and came in 7th over all. It was both exciting and sad at the same time but one event we will never forget.
~ 1983 ~ This season started with a car that was built by Dad, Darrin and a bunch of teenage friends. It was still the Pinto/Camaro combination but this time the main body was all handmade of aluminum. The hood and nose piece was the only thing not shaped and formed by hand on this car. His car building and pit crew now were referred to as "KIDD Enterprises"(The name KIDD Enterprises came from his nickname and an extra D added for Dad )
	~ 1984 ~ This would be the last car Darrin would build and drive and it proved to be the one he was most proud of. For the first time it was completely built by him from the ground up! He designed it himself and molded the entire body from aluminum. Even the chassis and set-up was all his own design. It was the first complete "KIDD Enterprise" car.
Althou Darrin did not field another car he did stay active helping other drivers build and setup their cars. Some of them included Sue Fitzgibbons, Rod Hildebrand, Maurice Ortega and ofcourse his little brother Eddie, but thats another chapter and we haven't got there yet.
~ 1985 ~ At Bakersfield with the car Darrin built for Rod Hildebrand
Here is Darrin doing some adjustments to the 262 car. To the right is Eddie watching his brother and taking it all in. This was his first time in the pits and alot different then just helping out in the garage at home.
	Eddie taking a break and trying to stay out of the way. No one that day would think that in a few short years he would be the next Secord to climb into a race car and open yet another chapter of Secord racing!
~ 1986 thru 1988 ~
	Saturday nights still found me at the track working in one capacity or another. I spent alot of time on the fire crew and track crew plus the starters stand as both assistent starter and head starter. Besides, I had to hang aound, there was a new divison of race cars on the horizon that would be a less expensive type of car and would prove to open a whole new door for Secord Racing.
~ Other Odd Jobs ~
In 1986 Jerry Gay had been blacked flagged and set down for a week for rough driving and he needed a driver to keep up the car points! I stepped into the "Stinky Pink" car for one night and to his and his pit crews surprise "I won that race for him!" Hey, what are friends for...even including a friend that was the starter that black flaged him!! I show no favoritisim and he was no exception *lol*
	To cap off my racing career at the end of 1992 I was asked to drive a Pony Stock for Kitty Hartsuyker because she would be gone and wanted to keep up her car points . It was a tuff one for me because I also had to race against Eddie that night. Well as you can see, I won this one too! Oh by the way, Eddie came in second..... As I always say "Old age and treachery can overcome youth and skill!" More about Eddie in the next chapter, "Pony's to Pro-4's"
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