My name is Phil Lea and this is my tribute to Jim Headrick and Cotton Perry
of the Perry-Headrick Racing Team "POCKET ROCKET", NHRA H/MP 2352
 

James "Cotton" Perry
driving the PERRY - HEADRICK "POCKET ROCKET"



Here's the true "Dynamic Duo" that this website pays tribute to:
Cotton Perry (left) and the late Jim Headrick

 

MORE PHOTOS and VIDEOS WANTED of the PERRY-HEADRICK H/MP Cars!

 

Please send information, stories, pictures, etc... to me by clicking the link below:                    



Video of Cotton Perry in the 1978 Sportsnationals/Sportsman Nationals Modified Eliminator Finals



Video of Cotton Perry in the 1978 Sportsnationals Modified Eliminator Quarter-Finals



A great YouTube Home Video of Drag City 1977 with some shots of Jim and Cotton's car as well lots of other great memories.


 


 


This was the first Perry Headrick H/MP 6-cylinder drag car.
(Did you know that Gary Isbell built this car and was the first to cause a sensation with "that 6-cylinder"?)
Jim and/or Cotton bought it from him and the rest, so they say, is HISTORY!

(photo courtesy of Wayne Holland)


(photo courtesy of Wayne Holland)


I think this is a cool picture.
(Cotton is running against Gary Isbell, who built both cars.)

(photo courtesy of Wayne Holland)

 


Cotton Perry in the Perry-Headrick & Fitzsimmons H/MP car
(Charlie Lee's old SS Chevy II car and the 2nd Perry-Headrick H/MP car)

vs:
Paul Mercure
(in his '67 E/MP? CheckMate Camaro)
circa 1975 - Check out the Wheelstand!

(photo courtesy of Wayne Holland)

I have some slides somewhere that I took of the hardtop from the side and showed to Jim.
The car was starting to flex so much when it left the line that there was a gap
at the top of the rubber seal where the door glass meets the back glass.
 


 


This was the 3rd NHRA H/MP 2352 car

 


Cotton wins the 1979 NHRA GATORNATIONALS in Modified Eliminator


Cotton at Indianapolis Raceway Park (Indy)

 


A scan of my old 1978 Super Stock magazine
with Cotton on the cover and the quote:
"RACEFLASH
COTTON PERRY WINS SUPER
STOCK ELIMINATOR AT THE
NHRA GATORS!!!"

(The only problem is, they pictured the H/MP car!)

Cotton came within a cat-whisker of winning two classes that day.

 

 


This 1973 Hot Rod has "6-cylinder hop-ups", BUT.....
I had to put JUNGLE PAM on here!


Perry, Perry & Headrick - 1977

Junior Perry worked hard on their cars and it was good to see him get some recognition.



Here's a rare site.
The "Pocket Rocket" and the white car together at one event in Blaney SC 1979


Jim Headrick standing behind the Pocket Rocket at the Blaney '79 event

 

 


The night I met Jim Headrick and Cotton Perry, some of us were warming at a barrel fire at the Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip on cold Saturday night in March, 1976. Harold Williams (who ran Brainerd) introduced me to Jim. We chatted a bit and I asked him where else they raced. He said they went to points meets all over the Southeast. I told him I would like to go to one with them sometime, if they had the room. An hour or so later, Jim walked up to me and asked if I wanted to go to Bradenton Florida. I asked "When?" and he said "As soon as this race is over." I had ridden down with a friend, so I said "Sure!"  As soon as the race was over that night, after Midnight, we piled in their 4-door hauler and headed South. It was Jim, Cotton, Junior (Cotton's brother) and me. Jim and Cotton got in the back and went to sleep right away. I sat up and talked with Junior while he drove. Then Cotton took a turn and I talked to him. Then, it was my turn. I didn't last long as I had no one to talk to and I had no sleep. After a bit I was about to nod off and I told them. They teased me about it, but Junior relieved me. Anyway, we arrived in Bradenton around daylight Sunday morning, raced all day, won the race and stopped at a steak house. Junior said: "When we win, the car buys dinner!" After we had eaten I ran for the drivers seat so I could drive first and sleep when it got dark. Cotton and Jr. drove back that night. We got back to Jim's house early that morning and Jim let me borrow his wife's black Chevy (1972?) Impala to drive all the way back to Benton from Ringgold. I got home, took a shower, drove to my record store, TAPE CITY, in Athens, worked all day, drove back to Benton and my mom followed me back to Jim's so I could drop off Jim's car. Glad I was 23 years old. (I didn't have his number and I'm lucky that I remembered how to get back to his house.)

The only time I was around Cotton was traveling to and from races. We weren't close, but Jim and I clicked. (He got me my first deer rifle and I still have it.)

I went to some other points races with them that year. Once several people went and I rode and slept up in the race car up on the hauler. Not comfortable at all, BUT, It was great!! (I told Cotton I had more miles in his car than he did!) lol

I loved talking with Jim on those long drives. (Jim rarely drove.)

I would also visit Jim at home often and we would to runs to machine shops, gun stores and more. We went to Hueytown Alabama a few times and I got to see some NASCAR engines on the DYNO. He started building a 302 small block for me. I was building an E/MP '68 Camaro. He said he wanted to shut-up those who said he could only make a 6-cylinder run. I found 2 small journal short blocks with steel cranks and we took them to Hueytown. (This was long before he started "Race Engine Design".) I never finished the Camaro, but put the engine in an altered car and ran "Econo-Altered" AHRA class at a national event in Bristol. Qualified with a 9.80/137, but lost in the first round.

Jim told me that they had to replace the crankshafts around 30 runs as they would crack due to the high RPMs and the shock the cranks absorbed as a result. I told him I thought it should last because it had 7 rod bearings, but he said it was a cast crank and no one made a forged crank for them. He would buy engines out of UPS trucks to get cranks. I suggested harmonic balancers, but he said it would sling them apart. I asked about aluminum rods to absorb the shock, but he said the bulky aluminum caps wouldn't clear the block or oil pan, but he was going to try to make them fit. He spent hours grinding the block to clear the thicker aluminum rods. He even had to "dimple" the oil pan so the thicker rod caps would clear it. After he did that they could then run a crank full season instead of 6 or 8 runs.

They were only running Weber side-drafts carburetors when I started traveling with them. I told Jim that they were losing $1,000 every time they won a big race. He asked "How?" and I told him they were missing out on contingency money by not running Holleys and an Edelbrock carb. Jim said that Edelbrock didn't make an intake for that engine. As luck would have it, Jay Hacker of Hacker Sign in Athens TN gave me VIP passes to the Bristol Nationals that year and got to go up in the VIP box in the tower. I looked around and there stood Vic Edelbrock. I explained the situation to him and asked if he would he pay contingency money if they fabricated an intake with an Edelbrock logo on it. He said he would, as long as we ran his decal. Well, Jim (the magician) fabricated an intake out of aluminum for two 4-barrels and even laid in an "EDELBROCK" logo he cut out of an old aluminum intake. He put two Holley carbs on, tuned them in and the car got faster.
 
That garnered them $1,000 ($500 ea) more at every big NHRA event they won.

It felt good to have contributed a little to the team.

I remember someone put bb's down the carbs at one points race, but luckily they didn't blow up the motor. (They didn't know it until they tore the engine down and found them embedded in the top of the pistons.) They thought they knew who it was, but couldn't prove anything. After that they started covering the carbs between rounds.

The last points meet of the season was in central Florida. Cotton had run well until someone forgot to put the radiator cap back on after a cool-down. On the "other end" water sprayed out, it spun the tires and he got beat. That put him in a tie for the points championship and they were going to have to run the other guy after the whole race was over. We had to sit on that hot asphalt all day. It was really draining. (Especially after driving all night.) Cotton won the race and the Perry-Headrick team was NHRA points champions for their division.

That was a GREAT YEAR!

I remember how NHRA screwed with them. Each time they won, NHRA got the "pencil" out and changed their (index?) time.  NHRA made Modified Production like "dial-in" and I thought it sucked. Used to...... if your national record was a 10:00 for your class and you ran someone who's national record was a 9:00, you got a 1 second head start and whomever got there first...... WON! But, the NHRA had to monkey with stuff and changed the rules. They started the "index" times system that may not have anything to do with the national record. If you won, they penalized you by lowering your "index". If you got to the finish line first, but ran a time that was faster than your index, you lost. (I still hate dial-in/bracket racing.)


 
 

From: Wondrnurs7@aol.com <Wondrnurs7@aol.com>
Subject: pocket rocket
To: Phil Lea
Date: Sunday, December 20, 2009, 7:17 PM

The first time I saw the Pocket Rocket was at Bowling Green, Ky. It was at the Sports Nationals. Not sure if it was the finals or not. After what sounded like a 10,000 rpm launch, Cotton stood the car on the bumper. It bounced as he hit 2nd and the car came way up again. When he hit third it was in the air again and drifting toward the wall. Meanwhile the car he was racing was Larry Kopp's Corvette. When the tree came down the Corvette squatted and roared off the line like a missle. Cotton held off the Vette and won. The place went wild and I was an instant fan of Cotton Perry. NHRA dismantled Modified a year or so later and things were never the same. I have often wondered what happened to Perry and that wild little Chevy2. Let me in on it if you know.

Thanks
Mike Dean

--------------------------

(My reply)

Hi Mike, 

Cotton still lives in Ringgold GA.  
The last I saw him he owned RINGGOLD SERVICE CENTER there. 
And, his son drove a dirt track car. 
His partner in the Chevy II, Jim Headrick, died and I don't know what happened to the drag car. 
You were very observant as Jim told me once that he did have Cotton coming off the line at 10,000 at one race!  

Jim was brilliant. Before a round he would often tell Cotton the RPM to leave at as well as what RPM to shift at. 
The Sportsman Nationals were my favorite races of all time. Top Fuel Altered's ruled! 
I've not been to a drag race since the 80s. "Pinks" was pretty good when it came on the scene as it reminded me of early racing, but they lost me the first time I saw one guy hook up his car well and they said he "ran too fast".  
I hate "dial-in", "bracket racing" or whatever they're calling it now.  

Thanks for sharing your great memory. 

Phil Lea

http://www.drwebman.com/perry_headrick/


perry & hendrick
Friday, April 3, 2009 12:25 PM
From: "Ringgold Service" <ringgoldservice@gmail.com>
To: Phil Lea drwebman @ yahoo.com

I was wondering if you could help me out. There was a race against Cotton Perry and Terry Kelly at the Fall Nationals. Which Terry had won and lost Cotton the Grace Cup Championship. I wonder how many readers know they had gone to Oranage County Raceway in Ca. And the only change made to the car was installing new V.P racing fuel Bought from Gene Berg. His first pass was 6 + tenths under. My understanding Hendrick and Mr. Berg had the old fuel analyzed,
it had paint thinner in it. How would paint thinner get in fresh fuel???? My understanding was it rained 2 days before the race day and they had an open trailer.


Cotton PerrySaturday,
March 14, 2009 11:41 AM
From: "ShadeTreeDesigns@aol.com" <ShadeTreeDesigns@aol.com>
To: drwebman @ yahoo.com

I am building a web site for Cotton's repair shop in Ringgold.
He has asked me to include some info on his race career.
Your web site has a lot of info on him.
May I use some of your info on his page?

Thanks
Dennis


Cotton Perry & Jim HeadrickThursday,
October 16, 2008 5:37 PM
From: "engineracing" <engineracing@terra.com.br>
To: Phil Lea

PHIL LEA,

Hi Phil, do you remember me ? Here is Dan from BRASIL. Some time ago I’ve got received from you an Article talking about the “DYNAMIC DUO” Cotton & Jim, but I was looking for that and did not find it anymore, as I think I lost that Article ! Would you send it back again to me ? Moreover, do you have some other articles about these guys ? I want to let you know that I follow in looking for every thing about Cotton Perry & Jim Headrick, mainly about that Chevy Six cylinder 301” Race engine built by Jim and bolted into that Wonderful ’66 Chevy Nova Drag Car H/MP ! Get back an e-mail to me and let me know any news about you and these guys !

Talk to me soon,

Danilo M. de Carvalho

Engine Builder

Brasil – s. America


 

 


 

Here are some postings I've found online:


http://www.nhra.org/50th/news/index.html?story=402 

Perry just misses first two-class win

Reprinted from the May 12, 1978 issue of National DRAGSTER

NHRA CAJUN NATIONALS -- Cotton Perry, the man who won Super Stock and was the semifinalist in Modified at the Gatornationals just six weeks ago, came a little bit closer to accomplishing unprecedented drag racing double as he won Modified Eliminator and finished in the runner-up spot in Super Stock.

Cotton piloted the H/MP '66 Chevy II to a steady series of high 10-second clockings, as he waded his way through six rounds of Modified eliminations, beating Paul Mercure's E/MP '67 Chevy Camaro in the final, 10.87, 120.32 mph to a losing 10.23, 131.38 for Mercure.

It was the fourth runner-up finish for Mercure in five previous final round appearances, with his only victory to date coming at the 1974 Sportsnationals.

Last year's Cajun Nationals runner-up, Steve Bagwell, made it all the way to the Super Stock winner's circle this time by scoring a win over Perry in a wild, double break-out finish. Bagwell, behind the wheel of his SS/BA '65 Dodge, ran a 10.16, 128.20 mph on a 10.17 Index to score the win as Perry's SS/L '66 Chevy II broke out by a bunch, hitting an 11.48 on his own dial-under of 11.54. The losing speed for Perry was 115.23 mph.

For Bagwell, it was a great thrill indeed to win his first ever national event, but it might have been even a more exciting moment for Perry, who would go on to win the Modified final, thus just missing the distinction of being the first man to win two eliminator titles in one event.


A Poole 11-06-2004 08:51 PM 

Originally Posted by Christopher

Christopher,i just noticed that you're from Ringold,Ga.Do you remember Cotton Perry/Jim Headricks of Pocket Rocket fame? :confused:


http://whowon.com/RF_Results.asp?TrackID=490&StoryID=151389 

Cleveland Speedway
Friday, May 20, 2005
“Ringgold Kid” to returns to racing at Cleveland Speedway Saturday night

by Steve Hixson
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- This Saturday night under the lights of the famed Cleveland (TN) Speedway dirt track, the familiar red #P4 will again take to the track, as the 1999 Southern All-Star National Champion Jamie Perry, of Ringgold, GA, makes his return to racing after a three year hiatus from the sport. The "Ringgold Kid", as it seems has been busy with his own kid, that being his four year old son Dylan, has grown quite interested in the family racing business. "He kept asking questions about pictures of the racecars and of the racecars in the shop, so that's lead us back into it." stated Perry from the family's business/garage, the Ringgold Service Center outside of downtown Ringgold. The entire championship crew has resurfaced for the return including car owner Cotton Perry and crew chief Alan Stroupes.


http://www.nhra.org/50th/news/index.html?story=386 

Reprinted from the March 26, 1976 issue of National DRAGSTER 
NHRA GATORNATIONALS -- 

First-time success stories in the Sportsman ranks included that of Doug Dye (Competition), Cotton Perry (Modified), Anthony Cieri (Super Stock) and Tom Reider (Stock). It was exceptionally sweet victories for these four individuals that added further drama to an already "on the edge of your seat" event. But after all, isn't that what championship drag racing is all about?


http://georgiadragracing.com/photos/gdrphoto/GDR-00327.html 

Owner - Cotton Perry 
Make - 1966 Chevy II 
Class - Modified Production 
Driver - Cotton Perry 
Track - Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip 
Event

Photographer - Photos by Wayne Holland 
Year - 1981 
Comment - David, I noticed that modified racer, Cotton Perry, was listed as an inductee in the NHRA SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION HALL OF FAME in 1992 on the Georgia Drag Racing web site. 

(See Hall of Fame. -- JD)

Here are three pictures I took of him at his home track, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip. The first two pictures were taken about 1975. This 1963 Chevy II Nova was his first car. The third picture is of the H/MP 1966 Chevy II, which he won the NHRA MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP with in 1981. 

Cotton Perry, from Ringold, GA., drove a bread truck route during the week. Perry teamed up with engine builder, Jim Headrick, to run one of the dominating cars in NHRA MODIFIED class. The Chevy II was powered by a 301 CU. IN. straight 6 CYL. engine with a Doug Nash 5-speed transmission. The car ran mid 6'S in the 1/8 MI. and mid 10'S in the 1/4 MI. 

His biggest win was the US NATIONALS. Cotton also drove the SS/L Chevy II of Jim Danuels to a win in the 1978 GATORNATIONALS. -- Wayne Holland 


http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=68500 

A red-light by Cotton Perry in the third round was a gift, because Buddy, again, had clutch problems, and wouldn’t have been able to run with Cotton who was driving Brian Browell’s F/D. Buddy’s first three runs netted him a best of 7.78, while Glidden went in the low 7.60’s on his first, three runs of eliminations.


http://www.cranecams.com/?show=newsLetters&no=93&PHPSESSID=b0087ef3c5969795307fb210e7142d82

Newsletter Issues 
Issue 64 August 29, 2003 
Uncle Cam’s Crane Racers That Made History ~~ This Week: All Those Who Helped! ~~

There have been literally thousands of loyal Crane racers who have been significant winners through the years. This week marks the end of our “Uncle Cam’s Racers…” column. In the weeks to come, we will showcase a specific product in this space, either a brand-new product or we will revisit an important product. Here are a few racers we felt deserved recognition as having contributed to the growth of Crane Cams as the industry’s largest performance cam company. They include: David Smith, Ollie Olsen, Harvey Collins, Bob Hamke, Rod Perry, Rags Carter, Gary Balough, Arlen Vanke, Ron Hassel, Roger Vinci, Bo Laws, Joe Lunati, Virgil Cates, Glen Blakley, John Reed, Hubert Platt, Bill Jenkins, Frank Iaconio, Glen Self, Joe Williamson, Cotton Perry, Pete Shadinger, Charlie Seabrook, Bob Riffle, Bob Lambeck, Ken Veney, Dale Armstrong, Dick Weinle, Jerry Ault, Pat Dakin, Ralph Ridgeway, Dale Pulde, Dave Boertman, Hoss Ellington, Junior Johnson, Bob Rahilly, and many, many others! 


ThrashTruck,

Because of government regulations you find different HP and torque numbers for each of these engines for different years. For example, the 292s were supposedly 170 HP engines up through 1970-71. But in 1972-73, through the rest of the decade the 292 became a 115-120 net HP engine. Given the design of the head and the compression ratio the latter numbers are probably far more accurate.

In the book John M mentioned there is a racing duo (Jim Headrick & Cotton Perry) that built a 292 that puts out over 650 real HP. And I don't believe that engine ran on nitrous. That's way unrealistic for a street engine but it shows you the awesome potential for a low rpm, high torque truck motor. 

If you want the most power for your $$$ get the 350. It can easily and inexpensively be built to put out a very reliable 350-400 HP as a hot street engine (the 292 can't). The 350 will always spank a 292, when hopped up with similar performance mods (hot cam, polished/ported heads, valves, ignition, intake, headers, etc.).

When it comes to power production, cubic inches matter (with engines of similar technology). The 350 not only has 58 more cubic inches than the 292, but also has larger valves, a bigger bore, shorter stroke, shorter & lighter crank, and MUCH better and more efficient head design (especially on the intake). The 292s head can be modified with lump ports for better breathing but the cost of the head alone from a professional (such as Sissells, at 1500-1800+) approaches the cost of a complete street/strip 350 such as this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7984270975&category=33615&sspagename=WDVW 

But the real issue is that if you want a street/strip 292, then a 350 won't do! 

-magic mike- 


Edwards & Young Racing

http://members.aol.com/bear317c/family.htm 



Cotton Perry ran a 301 c.i. straight-six in H/MP

 Update on Cotton Perry
4/23/01

Hi,

I was doing a search for Cotton Perry and came across this site: http://member.aol.com/bear317c/family.htm

I traveled with Cotton and (Jim) Headrick for a season in '76. (We did the South Eastern circuit.) I gave Jim the ideas: 1) to use aluminum rods to make the crank last longer than 6 runs. 2) Fabricate an "Edelbrock" manifold and use Holley's to get $500 each in contingency money.

Jim was killed a few years ago in a traffic accident. (He could really make that 6 cylinder fly.)

I haven't talked with Cotton in years.

I've attached a pic of Cotton off the cover of May 1978 "Super Stock & Drag Illustrated"


Perry-Headrick H/MP National Record Holding Chevy II

Take care.

Phil Lea

We thank Phil for the pic and sharing his memories of good times past. May Jim Rest in Peace...


1978 SPORTSnationals

PC W: Ken Veney R/U: Kenny Cook
COMP W: John Lingenfelter R/U: Bobby Cross (disqualified)
MOD W: Cotton Perry R/U: Pete Smith
SS W: Bobby Warren R/U: Bob Harrison
STK W: S.E. Buchanan R/U: Bobby Blankenship

1976 SPORTSnationals
PC W: Dale Armstrong R/U: Wilfred Boutilier
COMP W: Raymond Martin R/U: Art Carlton
MOD W: Tony Christian R/U: Cotton Perry
SS W: Jack Mullins R/U: Steve Bagwell
STK W: Tom Reider R/U: Buck Jednak

http://www.pattersonracing.com/history.htm 

At the U.S. Nationals in 1978, Allan fell in love with a Super Stock L '66 Chevy II. The car had already been driven by Cotton Perry to a national event win that year. A recognizable Patterson Racing tradition emerged with the purchase of that Chevrolet. Because his family and crew insisted on a lower maintenance exterior than their shiny black Corvette, the Chevy II came back from the paint shop GM stock beige. 


NITROFREAK! Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Retirement Village
Age: 54
Posts: 1,833 
Gender: Male 

Christopher,someone posted last time his name came up that he was doing some roundtrack stuff with his son.His car owner,Jim Headrick passed away but I think Cotton is still kickin.Thanks anyway,Poole


Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual

 

This manual covers 194, 215, 230, 250, 292 passenger car and truck engines. Everything the engine builder needs to rebuild the Chevy for power on the street, strip or other racing applications.

However you plan your modification, from mild to wild, you will find thought-provoking insider information that will help you achieve your horsepower goals.

Finally, learn about the team that made the 292 CID such a terror on the drag strip that the sanctioning body finally did away with the class!

Table of contents:
Development history | Planning your project | Block identification and selection | Machining operations | Oiling system modifications | Crankshaft and timing gears | Rods, pistons, and bearings | Gaskets, sealing, and hardware | Camshaft design and recommendations | The cylinder head: key element of a Super Six | The hybrid cylinder head: a step beyond | Fuel, exhaust and manifolding | Ignition: lighting the fire of power | Supercharging: when enough isn't enough | Turbocharging: a different route | What about nitrous oxide | Resource guide.

About the author:
Leo Santucci has been building and racing six-cylinder Chevrolets for the past 30 years. He has researched everything written on sixes during that time. You will benefit from his interviews with many six-cylinder stars including Glen Self, Cotton Perry and the late Kay Sissell, Jim Headrick and "California Bill" Fisher.

tigpro 
Active BB Member 
Member # 2137 

Rate Member posted 10-05-2005 07:53 PM 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cotton perry lives in ringold georgia and last i heard he was driving a comp eliminator dragster for a guy named bryan brawell from canada. i don't know if you will get any good stuff from him because jim headrick built his engines. I used to hang out with him when i was a kid just to see the awsome wheelstands his car did,i wish i could find the old pocket rocket nova, i would buy it just for the sake of having it.last i heard of that car, it was painted black and sat behind cottons gas station heard it sold for 3500 bucks! it is a shame that the perry and headrick nova is not still around today,that car was a true wonder on the strip best i can recall it went 5.80s in the 8th 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 27 | From: smyrna tn. | Registered: Oct 2005 


Inline Six 
Bulletin Board Only Member 
Member # 2031 

Rate Member posted 07-09-2005 10:40 AM 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello y'all here inliners...

From reading the Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual Book from Leo Santucci, I have seen he talked about some Inline Six Cylinder Engine Builders, but I've not heard about Cotton Perry anymore, therefore I'd like to know how can I contact him ? Does anyone know if He's still in Business or his Company's name ? E-mail address or telephone number ? Any input would be very appreciated ! Keep us inline, fellows...

Thank you,
INLINE SIX 
Brasil - South America 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 1 | From: Brasil - South America | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged | 


God of Grace Forum -> What was your first car?... I bought a '74 Nova with an inline six that was built by Cotton Perry next. It sounded like a Cessna, but at the drag strip, it outran the new Trans Am turbos ... 


Vintage Brainerd Photos/Cotton PerryHome > Drag Racing Photos > Brainerd Optimist Dragstrip > Vintage Brainerd ... Cotton Perry. One of My favorite cars to ever go down the track at Brainerd.


zekebend
Registered User
Posts: 404
(4/27/06 10:51 am)
Reply another dragstrip memory
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
talking about alamo made me think of a dragstrip back home in glencoe alabama that was called green valley dragway. I used to go to the races with a family friend named Sonny Ray, a former S/S champion and father in law of David Rampy, winner of over 60+ national events. I was 14 at the time. There was a man named Mr. Billy Parker who had a corvette gasser for sale and a guy wanted to buy it, but wanted to drive it before he bought it. Mr Parker told the guy if he had cash he could drive it, because if he crashed it, he owned it. He showed him the cash and I helped to push the car to the line. After the guy strapped in and Mr. Parker talked to him he reminded him, "You crash it, you own it, remember that" .As we got ready to watch the pass, Cotton Perry, who owned and drove the wicked 6 cylinder Chevy Nova "Honest Charlies Pocket Rocket" joined us on the line and stood beside me and said, "this guys fixin to bust his a--.Well the lite turned green and off the vette went and when he hit 3rd gear it started to walking and then he lost it. The vette went into a series of barrell rolls and finally stopped down track with fiberglass scattered everywhere. When we all got to the car, the first words out of Mr.Parkers mouth were, "it's yours now, pay up". To this day I always wonder what the guys family said when he came home and told them he bought a drag car and they ran outside to see it and saw what was left of a car


Posted by Alan Roehrich on 04-11-2006 07:45 AM:

Greg,

I dearly love the inline six Greg. Cotton Perry used to run the old Pocket Rocket H/MP Chevy II around here. The old six has always been a favorite of mine. There were a couple of other nice strong six cylinder cars around here as well.


Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual

About the author:
Leo Santucci has been building and racing six-cylinder Chevrolets for the past 30 years. He has researched everything written on sixes during that time. You will benefit from his interviews with many six-cylinder stars including Glen Self, Cotton Perry and the late Kay Sissell, Jim Headrick and "California Bill" Fisher.


http://www.pattersonracing.com/history.htm

"............ The Pattersons started out as grass roots racers:  local Midwest AHRA drag strips, late Saturday nights, all day Sunday, and sometimes Wednesday nights.  Allan worked a forty-hour week in the aircraft industry, tuned the race cars in the garage on week nights, and raced all weekend.  He drove a '55 Chevy to AHRA Super Stock World Championships in 1971 and '73.   Other racers had started asking Allan to build their engines -- he seemed to have quite a handle on the secrets of drag racing.  All through the seventies, Alan's engine-building business in the garage behind his house continued to grow. In 1977, Allan began racing at NHRA sanctioned drag races in the Modified Eliminator categorywith a 1962 Corvette.  But without any substantial success at the national level, and with such a high maintenance race car, the Pattersons were forced to make a change. At the U.S. Nationals in 1978, Allan fell in love with a Super Stock L '66 Chevy II.   The car had already been driven by Cotton Perry to a national event win that year. ...."


Click HERE to see a cool tribute to the "Pocket Rocket" on the 12bolt website.


Click HERE for a nice feature in the Chattanooga Times Free Press


Click HERE for a feature by Competition Plus.



I like this picture that I created of the PERRY HEADRICK POCKET ROCKET with a photo program.


 





 

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Want your own www.YOURNAME.com Domain name?
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Click to visit: www.DrWebman.com


 



 




1950 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 2-door Sedan for sale by owner $29,999

Frame-off Restoration

www.1950Chevrolet.com

 

 



My 91-year-young Dad's Super Nice 1984 Monte Carlo
350 Crate Motor, Factory Air, Automatic, PS, PDB, PDL, Tilt Wheel, Holley, Headers, Flowmasters, Bench Seat, Column Shift

www.1984MonteCarlo.com

 


 

 

 

 

My old '66 SS Chevelle was in that pic somewhere

Sorry, it's SOLD

 



 

Want your own Website?
Want your own www.YOURNAME.com Domain name?
No Skills? * No Idea of How? * NO PROBLEM !!!

Click to visit: www.DrWebman.com






My Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic
Only 8,000 miles, Rare original yellow & white paint, wide white-walls


 



 


 



 

Phil's LINKS below!


 




 


      
 

 


 



 

 

 



Mr. MacPooch American Plastic Bricks

 

that features toys from my childhood 

www.MyLostToys.com

  


Check out my tribute to Cleveland TN 
www.PhotosOfCleveland.com

 


John Bean 
1951-1984
(the REAL, the one, the only true Leroy Mercer)

www.LeroyMercerCD.com

Click HERE to see my Tribute To the REAL Leroy Mercer


 

www.TroopTrain.com

My website that chronicles the WW-II Troop Train wreck near Jellico TN on July 6, 1944


 


 

 

 


 

 


 



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Jim Headrick, Cotton Perry, NHRA World Record Holder, National Hot Rod Association, Perry-Headrick, Perry Headrick
NRRA 2352, H/MP, 292 Chevrolet inline 6-cylinder, Fitzsimmons, Pocket Rocket, Phil Lea, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip,
Points winner, NHRA National Event Winner, IHRA, Jim Headrick, Cotton Perry, NHRA World Record Holder, National Hot Rod Association,
NRRA 2352, H/MP, 292 Chevrolet inline 6-cylinder, Fitzsimmons, Pocket Rocket, Phil Lea, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip,
Points winner, NHRA National Event Winner, IHRA, Jim Headrick, Cotton Perry, NHRA World Record Holder, National Hot Rod Association,
NRRA 2352, H/MP, 292 Chevrolet inline 6-cylinder, Fitzsimmons, Pocket Rocket, Phil Lea, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip,
Points winner, NHRA National Event Winner, IHRA, Jim Headrick, Cotton Perry, NHRA World Record Holder, National Hot Rod Association,
NRRA 2352, H/MP, 292 Chevrolet inline 6-cylinder, Fitzsimmons, Pocket Rocket, Phil Lea, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip, National Hot Rod Association, Perry-Headrick, Perry Headrick
Points winner, NHRA National Event Winner, IHRA, Jim Headrick, Cotton Perry, NHRA World Record Holder, National Hot Rod Association,
NRRA 2352, H/MP, 292 Chevrolet inline 6-cylinder, Fitzsimmons, Pocket Rocket, Phil Lea, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip,
Points winner, NHRA National Event Winner, IHRA, National Hot Rod Association, Perry-Headrick, Perry Headrick