Page 4 - lw3312
P. 4
PRESS
Continued from page 49
Dan doesn't overlook the importance of psy-
chology in racing. "When we first started run-
ning the backwards motor we always kept it
covered up," he says. "When somebody would
ask the guys on the crew about it they would
just tell them, 'We don't know anything. We just
CUSTOM FABRICATION OR wash the car and play catch with the Frisbee."'
When he first started using the flex plate in
place of a clutch it was engaged with an air
COMPLETE ROLLING CHASSIS! cylinder device which made for rather jerky
starts. "A guy asked me about it and I told him
OUR SHOP IS A UNIQUE FACILITY. WE SPECIALIZE IN THOSE HARD TO COMPLETE my clutch was shot. I must have convinced him
SPECIAL FABRICATION JOBS THAT OTHER SHOPS REJECT. MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS because during the race I lapped him about 5
BRING US WRECKED OR OUT DATED RACE CARS AND WE CUSTOM FABRICATE THESE times and afterwards he told me he worried that
CARS BACK TO THE LATEST STATE-OF-THE-ART RACE CARS AT A FRACTION OF THE I wouldn't finish because every time I went by
COST OF A COMPLETELY NEW CAR .......... SAVING YOU MONEYI he smelled burning clutch lining."
Dan agrees in principle with the trend toward
KITS CARS: track tire rules, an unusual attitude for a front
Many shops around the country offer excellent kit chassis that need to be as- runner with the best in equipment. "With harder
sembled. We specialize in this area. Order your kit chassis anywhere in the tires you wouldn't need big, expensive motors
U.S., have it drop shipped to our shop and we will work with you to complete because you couldn't get the power down to the
the car. ground. It would be cheaper and driving and
PERSONALIZED SERVICE: chassis setup ability would be more important,"
he says.
We feel a race car should be tailor fitted to the driver and his particular driving "The way things are now the guy who is
application. For this reason we work with each customer on an individual willing to spend the most dictates what the rest
basis. We encourage our customers to get involved with the construction of the of us have to do. The crowd doesn't care how
car. fast we're going. They just want to see a good
race. We're going way too fast on a flat third
COMPONENT FABRICATION: mile track that wasn't designed for these
We also offer a complete up-dating and custom fabricating service. Bring us sophisticated cars and somebody is going to
your current race car and we will up-date it to current standards. We also fab- get hurt."
These words were unfortunately prophetic
bricate: SEAT MOUNTS, WHEEL WELLS, FUEL CELL MOUNTS, MOTOR PLATES, because a few days later Dan's throttle stuck
PLUS COMPLETE FABRICATING FOR INTERIORS AND ENGINE WELLS, INCLU- open with the nitrous bottle (legal at Saugus)
DING AIR DAMS.
full on. The car hit the wall at over 120 mph,
EXER-DRIVER: spun around 180 degrees still at full throttle and
hit again.
Finally an exercise machine designed It took half an hour to cut Dan out of the car
specifically for race car drivers. Exer- and his left leg, hard on the brake, was
Driver builds and tones the muscles a shattered. The crash totally destroyed the car
driver relies on. Daily work-outs with and cost him the championship which he was
the Exer-Driver can give you tremendous leading at the time. A new car is under con-
confidence in even the most demanding struction and no one who knows Dan Press has
conditions. any doubt that he and the car will be as fast as
RACER NET ................... $129.00 ever.
While doing fiberglass work on his race car in
CALL US TODAY REGARDING OUR COMPLETE FABRICATING FACILITY. preparation for the 1976 season, Dan's eyes
became inflamed and eventually infected. He
got a tetanus shot which caused a severe aller-
gic reaction and left him paralyzed from the
Lance Smith Fabricating 19441 Business Center #132 waist down. "The doctors told me that it was
I Northridge, California 91324 probably permanent and I told them that I was
(213) 993-3896 going racing on April 1st (the first race of the
season)," he remembers. Needless to say Dan
raced on April 1st although he still suffers some
residual effects of the paralysis to this day.
··Your Source For The current injury, complicated by an infec-
Performance CaH S 17-435-7080 tion, hasn't proved to be a deterent to Dan
ED HAMBURGER'S Press making the first race of the season. It did,
HI-PERFORMANCE however, force him back onto the crutches he
PARTS INC. though he was rid of.
1590 CHURCH SC Anyone who has seen Dan Press's black
TOMS RIVER, N. J. #25 Camara in action knows the true meaning
(201) 240-3188
MQN. • FRI. to P.M. of phrase "hooked up." The car goes so fast so
3195 Lyle Rd. effortlessly that it belies the work and ability
involved. Dan Press works as hard as anyone
SEND $3.50 FOR OUR 1981 PERFORMANCE GUIDE COMPLETE CHASSIS & in racing to make it look easy.
ANO PARTS CATALOG - ADD $2.00 FOR DIRECT
CONNECTION AND PRICE LIST. CHASSIS COMPONENTS
HEADERS · Have regular
EQUIPMENT · medical check-ups.
ACING ACCESSORIES · TIRES Amer con ..... Assoc1ot on
WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE
G..
86 STOCK CAR RACING