Checking in from Phoenix, Arizona, USA

[Doug Rudy]

Hard to introduce myself without going overboard! Anyway, Trans-Am Series fan going back to late 60's. Crewed for Warren Tope until summer of 70. Capacity: "gopher" mostly. After I got some money together I built a Mustang vintage race car and ran it in various events for about five active years. Still have the car and my comp license and am ready to race. Currently no plans to race it unless I get the car up to the mid-west (of the US) this summer where there are some great tracks and vintage events.
So, that is it for now. Will be lurking here. If anyone is visiting Phoenix, drop me a line.
Doug

[Steve Holmes]

Hi there Doug, welcome to The Roaring Season! Its really great to have you here. I'm very excited to learn you crewed for Warren Tope in the Trans-Am. Was this the car you crewed on in 1969 and '70: http://www.historictransam.com/Drivers/DrewAlcazar.html

I believe Warren switched to an ex-Bud Moore '70 Mustang from about 1971, but that would have been after your time with him I guess? Anyway, would love to hear any stories you'd like to share about your time in the Trans-Am.

Also, would really love to hear more about your vintage racing Mustang. Can you provide more details? Got any photos?

[Kiwiboss]

Hi Doug, great to have here on RR, please post any info you have from your years with Warren Tope, i also know Gus that owns to old Tope 71 Mustang TA car, that car is something very different. Also some of us would like to hear about your current Vintage racing.

For everyone else here on RR Doug has a very cool 70 Mustang vintage race car.

Dale Mathers

[Steve Holmes]

Doug, Dale has just emailed me a photo of your '70 Mustang race car. Its a fantastic looking car! It appears to be painted up the same as Warren Tope's ex-Bud Moore run, George Follmer raced '70 car? Very nice!

[Doug Rudy]

Hi Steve,
Yup the car that Drew has is the car that I worked on with Warren. Drew and I had a nice talk one day at a race that he sponsored at Phoenix International Raceway. It was an SCCA race and he also provided a great lunch to the drivers and crews at the event. Sit down and white table cloths and everything!
One way I know from seeing Drew's car is that I was the guy that cut out the panel that is under the passenger seat. And it is still the same. There were a lot of other things that I did on that car too. Such as cutting out all the door "guts" as well as crewing during the early career years of Warren's racing, mostly at Waterford Hills, Mid-Ohio, Blackhawk Farms, Road America and other tracks where the tow wasn't more than a day away. And the less than artistic number on the side of Drew's car, I did several of those at Warren's kitchen table...I am sure that what is on the car is not what I did....but the style is correct from the early days.

My car is a "tribute" car. Never ran any Trans-Am events and didn't start racing vintage until about ten years ago. It is painted similar to Warren's Red-White and Blue car but not exactly the same as my painter, a "stylin" Italian guy (Paul Rossi) thought the original livery, which was as close to Warren's as I could get, was too boring!

BTW, the Red-White and Blue car was Warren's Bud Moore car that Rich Rodeck found and he painted the car back to the original Bud Moore yellow. It was/is a pretty significant car. So nobody has the 70 model in a Red White and Blue livery. Warren's dad, Don, liked the idea and so here we are. Don used to show up in pretty fancy clothes when he showed up...fly in, fly out and we, as crew, never talked with him much! That may have changed as Warren worked his way up to more important races but back in my time we were pretty local. And young and having a great time!
Yup, Gus still has what I call the "big body" Mustang. It is Red-White and Blue. As was Warren's Pantera.
Later
Doug

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks again Doug. Just out of interest, why did you cut out the panel beneath the passenger seat? Was it to help reduce weight?
Warren really raced some cool looking cars. The ex-Bud Moore '70 Mustang was a very special car, as you've said. But I also love Warrens big body Mustang, just because its so different.

Did he also do a little stock car racing?

It'd be neat to start a thread dedicated to his race cars on here.

[Doug Rudy]

Hi Steve,
Cutting the seat frame support was to reduce the weight. Redistribution of weight was a big deal for us. We would cut, cut, cut. And then we would it put it back where we wanted it. Someday I will tell you about how we filled the rear bumper with lead. Funny story.
Yes, Warren did do a few NASCAR events. This was after I left Michigan so I don't know anything about his NASCAR efforts firsthand.
As far as starting a thread here. I am very sure that I am not the right guy to do that. I will contribute if something gets going but my involvement with Warren was early in his career and there are many who worked with him much more knowledgable than me. How early? Well, in 1967 I raced a VW at a gymkhana on a now defunct go-kart track in Traverse City, Michigan. He had a 67 Mustang. We were in different classes of course. I flipped onto the driver's door, a nice slow roll where i had time to, not only stick my left arm out the driver's window, but to pull it back in before "landing"!
Doug

[Doug Rudy]

Back in Arizona after spending a lot of time in Michigan. Haven't accessed this site in months. Thought I would just ask if anyone reading this will be in Coronado ( San Diego CA) this weekend. If so, I would like to meet you and say hello. I will be with Jim Lange, a former racer and Shelby GT 350 owner. My cell is 602-741-8963.
Doug

[Kiwiboss]

Just done Monterey last month Doug so no Coronado for me this year!! but let us know how it went.

I've been once about 3 years ago, amazing venue out on the Navy base.

cheers Dale M