HOW GREAT WAS ANDY HAMPTON (A SHORT STORY): I had the opportunity to talk with ARCA Series Champion Frank Frank James Kimmel Sr. this past weekend. He and I traded stories about the past and he told one about 5-Time Fairgrounds Motor Speedway Champion Andy Hampton and it goes like this: Back in the mid 60’s, FMS Promoter and General Manager Milt Hartlauf had a hell of situation on his hands. Seems Bobby Watson was stinking up his Late Model Division pretty bad… I mean spanking the field every Saturday night. Mr. Hartlauf even tried guarantying Watson a bonus to win if he agreed to start from the pole position, one lap down to the field. Sure enough, without the benefit of a Caution Flag, Bobby rounded the track, diced through the traffic and won the race. Well, the speedway had a Modified Division during the same time period and Bill Kimmel (Sr.), like Watson, was pretty much stinking up that show as well. The Modifieds were older model cars and could interchange engine makes within vehicles (Ford engines in Chevys, Chevy engines in Fords) where as the New & Late Models had to have same make engines and chassis with a bonus paid if the body style was three years and newer models. Some of the Modified cars had nicknames on them as well, like “Wild Child”, “Half Breed” and Kimmel’s car was named “Honcho”. So, Kimmel makes Hartlauf an offer to whip Watson with “Honcho”, a 1956 Ford with a small block Chevy engine in it., but he needed to get a good set of cylinder heads and an intake. Mr. Hartlauf responded ny saying if “Honcho” could beat Watson’s car, he’d re-pay Kimmel for his heads and intake investment. Kimmel rounds up the needed parts and personally puts the engine together. Most of the good running Late Models were running big block engines, but Bill had a small 327 in”Honcho”. The big blocks were only turning about 4,500 RPM and weighed close to 3,500 pounds or more., but Kimmel dropped a roller cam and lifters in “Honcho” which only weighed 2,900 pounds and he could crank it up to 7,500 RPM. Now there’s another snag. The feature race events typically mixed the Modified cars with the New & Late model Divison cars. Kimmel was running good in the point standings in the New & Late Model Division wheeling his 1967 Fairlane, So Kimmel needed a driver since he couldn’t drive both cars in the same race. Enter Andy Hampton. Hampton is somewhat a chubby fella (about 300 pounds) somewhat like Kimmel in build but somewhat heavier, so a little weight distribution had to take place, but they got the car ready. The big night finally arrives and Watson wins his heat race. Hampton wins his heat race driving “Honcho”. They race together for the first time in the 15-lap semi-feature race and Watson wins it, Hampton runs second. But to the crowd’s surprise, Hampton pulls alongside Watson as he gets the Checkered Flag for the Victory Lap, … when to everyone’s surprise… he extends his hand out the window of the car holding the outer ring and one spoke of THE STEERING WHEEL! Yes! Andy Hampton had driven most of the race with only the two remaining spokes of the steering wheel attached to the steering column! The field is totally inverted and Watson and Hampton, the two fastest qualifiers started dead last. Green Flag drops and they’re off. They’re sweeping past Baird, past Wathen, then past Norris and Sommerville and then they finally get to the front. Surprisingly, Hampton draws away from Watson and wins the feature race with a repaired steering wheel. Mr. Hartlauf did in fact spring the loot for the cylinder heads and intake (as promised to Kimmel) and the crowd was treated to a great race. I’d like to thank Bill Kimmel for verifying the details of this story and the photo of Bill Kimmel Sr. and “Honcho” is from the Kimmel Family Collection.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 01:50:39 +0000
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