The 1977 season was crazy, we jumped in, with the best racing knowledge we had, stumbled across an equalizer, rotating weight is king. The fall and winter changed our approach to everything. We embraced an engineer’s direction more than ever, mechanically our car was strong, the discovery of the wheels/ tires made us back up, we chased information to confirm what we saw, in the early 1970’s McLaren Racing had developed a theorem that built a rotating weight to static weight equivalency. This theorem stated every pound of rotating weight is equivalent to the force needed to move 10 pounds of static weight. Using this theorem, the 80lbs of rotating would be equivalent to 800lbs of static weight. We back engineered the whole car, we knew the 230 crankshaft was 12 lbs. lighter, the L88 flywheel surfaced is 14.2 lbs., the stock flywheel was 46.2 lbs., 32lbs lighter, OEM pressure plate and clutch was 55, the Schiefer 10.25 aluminum pressure plate and clutch plate was 21.6, 33.4 lb. lighter. Rules mandated drum brakes on drum cars, the 1978 GM A-Body cars came with aluminum brake drums, 8 lbs. lighter, 32 lbs. total. The total rotating reduction over OEM 250 cu in with steel wheels / recaps was 189.4 a static mass reduction equivalency of 1894 lbs. The original curb weight of the Chevy II 230 cu in 3 speed weight was 2540 lbs. We started the 1977 season weighing 2480 lbs. with a 150 lb. driver. We finish the season 2400 lbs. total. Our goal for 1978 was to cut 200 lbs. from the car, pressure plate, brake drums, Futura Aluminum bumpers, removed hood and deck lids reinforcement, brought the car down to 2250 lbs. with driver for 1978. Early into the 1978 season we had a Mason Dixon race, really cold not many cars the dude promoting the race came to us and told us he advertised $500 to win but there was no crowd, said the $500 could be divided equal or winner take all, I told them I came to get the $500, the 8 car piped up I will crash you before that happens. I looked at the promoter and said looks like winner takes all, and you spell Mark with a k when you make out the check. We drew for position, the 8 got the pole and I drew dead last with a number of his buddies in between us. He told me you’ll never get past me I’m faster than I was last year, I told him, so you think we slept through the off season. My future father-in-law kept jawing at the 8 he was rattled at best by the start. He told him I would pass him on lap 8. As the 25 race started, I had a few pushing the point, 513 chick was all over the track the 32 car kept over driving the corner to bang me in the quarter, I dodged the 513 as she turned sideways coming off 2, the 32 was focused on my deck ran right into her the first caution flew. I started 9th in line, the 8 jumped the start from the pole, I shot to the outside and passed 5 cars, two got together and we were under caution again. This time I lined up 3rd the 8 drug down the start waited to the last minute, powered up caught the 11 asleep. I jumped to the inside and out powered him down the back stretch, I took 2nd ran down the 8, another caution on lap 7, I knew he was going to try to drag me down on the start, as we reached the line I powered up and pushed him all the way to the green flag before he powered up, I jumped the start but didn’t and he over drove 1 by then I was gone, he pulled in to the pits. Needless to say, they spelled Mark with a k that day and that was race one of 1978. Later on, I asked the 8 why he pulled in, he said when I pushed him all the way to the flag, he thought he blew up or killed a clutch, so he pulled in.
As the 1978 season started a new racer showed up, great car, 1965 Nova, whispers all around, everybody seemed to know who he was. I was told by the Cooper Bros I would never win again. Heat races were good we lined up for the feature I started close to the 12 car about the 3rd or 4th lap I was right with him, I could tell he wasn’t a rookie, we got to the 32 car the 12 jack him up out of the corner I shot by caught the 17 and passed him for the win. I pulled in and up on the trailer as always after the feature, as I was unbuckling, a dude jumped up on the trailer reached in the window and grabbed me, the only weapon I had was a fire extinguisher I put it on his nose and told him get down, by then a crowd of my boys was there. As I got out, he was losing his mind saying I wrecked him, then out of the blue this big dude walked up and said to the guy I jacked you up, you were in the way, and that’s that. By then the 32’s dad was there and told him it wasn’t the 7 but the 12 car that took him out. As everything settled down the big dude reached out his hand and said I am Jon Thorne from Valdosta, good win we will talk again next week. The car was Walt Bazemore’s I recall, good car, seasoned driver, I loved beating Jon more than anything. Jon and I spoke often, as my racing career matured, I came to understand the relationship Jon and I had more and more. Jon and Walt always played on the edge of the rules, with money and resources I never had. To this day racers from our area talk about me out running Jon Thorne, 20 other racers in the division but Jon was the man I beat. Jon and Walt went on a mission not to wreck me like the other yee-haws but to race for the win. Jon would say we worked on our front-end alignment, seems like the caster really helps, or the toe lets me turn better, fishing for the answer. Rumors about the Deuces engine ran rampant, Jon and Walt reached out to Dickie Ferry after being told that Dickie built/designed the combination the engine and in fact ordered the cam we ran. Jon learned I had ties to a Grand National team, we discussed his history at length, from drag racing, to road racing, to NASCAR racing, you sometimes just have to wonder, what the hey is this dude doing running 25 lab features against me every Saturday night. Racing Jon Thorne made me realize that money can buy certain things, experience can give you a definite edge, but experience can also block innovation, if everybody has the same thing driving talent has to carry you to the win. I told Jon that we ran the 230 cu in engine, his reaction was golden, we know exactly what you’re running we talked at length to your engine builder. Rumor was going round that Walt was building 2 jet Rochester intakes, one of the Baker County Rumor consortia told my brother-in-law that Jon was running a 2-jet carb. I could protest or ask Walt to build me one I chose the latter. Walt built me an intake and carb, still have it in my barn. The next week Jon and I both won our heat races, Jon got inside pole, I was outside, at that point I had won 3 features and finished 2nd to Jon twice. We lined up on the front stretch and the announcer declared a visual protest from the Live Oak Mafia saying I was running a 2-bbl. carb. The only folks that knew about the 2 bbl. were Jon and Walt. The flagman opened the hood I pulled the breather and they saw the monojet, the crowd loved it. I put the breather back on, walked over to Jon’s car, he was setting on his door in dismay, I told him that everybody knows that the CFM of the 2-jet carb Walt was using had the same CFM as the best monojet, just not many knew there was a high output monojet, I went and got back in the car. We got number 4 that night. Jon and I had a brief conversation that night he said we will figure out what you are doing, he indicated their team had more experience, I told Jon that night it’s not what you and Walt know, that what we have discovered is outside your train of thought, you see it, but it doesn’t click. Albert the track owner was having issues, a new track had opened split the field doubled the purse. 7 races into the season the writing was on the wall, the natives were getting restless, everyday folks were looking for the answer, we had insurance adjusters we delt with snooping, had a racing deputy from Lake City asking locals troopers to find out what we were doing, one leaked they as collective was going to protest the engine, we decide to get ready the plan was to protest the protestors. The rule was simple $100 for complete engine, $75 for bore/stoke $25 for inspector/ $75 if legal to rebuild, if illegal no money/points for the night, one week suspension, $100 fine paid on return to track. Driver had 10 minutes from checkered flag to declare in writing with money to protest. I carried a card with the protest written for complete engines for the 55,17,8,27,33,12, Dad had the cash. As we got ready for week 8, we expected a full moon night, I was intentionally spun twice in the heat race, started on the tail in the feature, dodged the idiots took the lead on lap 20 after the 12 spun the 55 car taking out the 27 all 3 were sent to the tail. The car seemed to spin on power up more than usual, on the start I realized the clutch was slipping I knew I was done, On the green I waited until the 17 pushed me out on the straight, the clutch would take hold I knew Jon was coming as a caution came out with two to go, me, 17, Jon, 27, 55 were all together, I drug the field down 17 pushed me to the flag the clutch caught I powered up, Jon jumped on the outside of the 17 as we went under the white flag, I had maybe a car length on the two, as I went into the forth turn the 17 pushed me out on the straight trying to spin me I turned right blocking Jon as attempted to beat me to the flag we slammed doors as we took the flag. I won Jon was 2nd, 17 was 3rd. I pulled to the bottom and had to be pushed into the pits with no clutch. Jon asked me what the hell was that I told him no clutch all the 17 had to do was pass me but he wanted to crash me, and I wanted to win. The plan to protest me was put off because Jon had violated two of the Live Oak Mafia. The next weekend I married my first EX wife, so no racing. I was leading the points by 100 points, going into the 10th week, Jon won my off week and came ready for bear for the 10th week and won his heat race. The new clutch put us back on track, I finished 2nd to Jon. The 55 won the second race. I was told in the drivers meeting that get ready to tear down that the collective had got money from everybody to tear me down. I told dad to get ready, after the race it was going down. On the green flag the 55 spun Jon, me and the 8 was right in the middle we all 4 went to the rear again, by the time we got clear the 27 was a straightaway away, the 27 won, I was 2nd, Jon was 3rd. I got to the pits went straight to the pit stewards’ pole, we waited for the Mafia to show up, after the 10 minutes no pit steward, no drivers, dad headed across track no sooner than he crossed, Doug and the collective started hassling, I told Wally Ferry what I was going to do but dad had my money Wally handed me a fist full of $100 bills. Doug took their money, I handed him my protest sheet for 6 cars and $600, I wanted to see complete engines on the 55,17,27,8,33,12. By then the collective realized what I was doing, they sent a back marker over to make the protest but stood together like a bunch of chickens in a coop. The 33 car driver hollered Mark protested everybody. My buddy Art told me Jon shot out the back gate soon as the race was over, as fast as he could get loaded. About then Albert Waters came on the speaker and that he had Sunday school at 9 am and the last thing he was going to do was tear engines and fight with racers all night, he said we all missed the 10-minute protest window to go home and cool down! See everybody next week. Doug handed the cash back and said next week folks. The 11th week was strange we got there waited for practice once the cars all got there, Albert came down and said boys this is it for this season, he appreciated the racers and if he got everything worked out, he would see us next season. Dickie won the Late Model Points, I won the Thunder car points, never got the Trophy or the check. Racing with Jon Thorne was an experience, sometimes folks are bought in your life that change your importance in the story without changing the storyline, I am almost positive I would have won 9 races anyhow, but I outran a legend in 5 of them and that somehow adds value to the words in that part of the story.