Car people: Yunick's been disqualified

I’m three days late, and I don’t know if anyone else cares, but “The Best Damn Garage in Town” is closed. Smokey Yunick is dead.

Smokey Yunick – 1923-2001

His epitaph could read “The rules don’t say I can’t!” Who else would run an engine backwards to get more traction, or do any of the other crazy stuff he did?

He was a tough old bastard, wasn’t he? Actually, I thought he was already dead… oh well…

That 7/8ths-scale Chevelle was brilliant! Damn thing was barely recognizable once he was done with it. And a premonition of NASCAR cars to come. My brother subscribed to Popular Science so I read “Ask Smokey” every month.

A man ahead of his time.