11 days

[maestri fan 1]

Chuck Steuer 11x Mod
Brian Schwarz 11 charger and spt

[DriveitinDeep]

Sam Lapiro LM in the 90's

[unowho243]

Dave Xavier drove the 11x Charger for a while

[broz]

Going out on a limb here...
Didn't Ray Hendrick run the #11 and if so, I'm thinking he ran on the "Island" at some point

[Fat Albert]

Yes, Ray Hendrick did race at least once at Islip. It was the night before the big Trenton race, I'm guessing it was 1966 or '67. He finished second that night. He started in the rear and took the lead with about two laps to go, only to be re-passed by "Gentleman" Jim Hendrickson. I only remember this particular race because it was one of the greatest Modified races I've ever witnessed and the excitement of seeing the Flying 11 at Islip was just unbelievable. I do believe that Ray won the next day at Trenton, but that was nothing unusual. He was the King of Trenton, just like Dutch Hoag was the King of Langhorne.

They called him Mr. Modified
http://www.vintagemodifieds.com/ray_hendrick/

[Wheel Racing]

JP Gallagher-Street Stock #11
Cynical Poet BB #11

[Tracy87BB]

I don't know if anyone else can answer this or if the poet himself would have to respond, but was his Legends car also 11? And who says he's cynical? LOL

[Jones44]

I thought it was 56? Or has it been that long since we've seen legends that my memory is that fuzzy? LOL

[originalpoet]

Wow, Jones, you have a good memory...the Legends was 56, then renumbered 45 when the Skunk drove it...

[originalpoet]

Almost forgot, Frank Saladino, #11 Modified, Freeport, Islip, Riverhead, the guy who took me to my first "Bigtime" race, the 1973 Spring Sizzler at Stafford...dont remember who won though, maybe Fred Desaro ?

[originalpoet]

Frank is a master at stretching a buck...the original reason for running #11 was he figured it was easy to paint...he qualified countless times at Freeport on Charlie J's throw-away tires...and if you're really up on your Freeport history from the 70's, there was an extra $100 in the purse for the first small block car over the finish line, which of course Frank won every week because he had the only small block...(a little off topic, but still related to my favorite number, 11).

[Imperialblues]

Yeah, but after Charlie J. harpooned the 1st turn wall, Frank started taking the $100 again.
Also, Al "AJ" Drescher Charger #11 at Freeport

[DAN D.]

SO FRANK SALADINO WAS THE FIRST RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING SMALL BLOCKS TO THE TRACK IN THAT ERA? ah i see was this the motor ?? i have attached ? below
ALSO I FOUND OUT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH JUST NOW THAT THE # 11 WAS ALREADY BEING USED BY NONE OTHER THAN GEORGE WAGNER SO FRANK USED THE # 00 AND TOOK A BREAK FROM RACING AND WHEN HE CAME BACK CHUCKY HAD THE #11 ALREADY ..

[originalpoet]

Hey Dan, I dont know about that engine picture you posted, the first car had a mustang (1964?) body... the second car had a vega body... the "other" guy in the picture with Frank took me to my first big time race... those are the two jokers responsible for my "addiction"... I think I might have pictures in my archives of the original car being built at the school...

Ok Dan, went through the archives, dug up a few pics... first one is an article from Newsday about the first school car... if you look real close you will see a young "Poet"... second one is a heat race win, fairly sure it's at Freeport...(around 74 or 75?)

[art11758]

The engine picture appears to be a 1965 or so SBC. Between the front oil fill, the left side alternator mount, top tank radiator, and the center dump exhaust manifolds, it dates itself fairly well. Single reservoir master and no power brake booster are a good indicator as well.