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S& AUTOWEEK

By Jeff Scott be created, or duplicated. In the- informed Ford representatives at
NEW YORK, Sept. 23 - A < case at Talladega, the collective Talladega of the information he had
totally new dimension in ( conditions were bumps in the gathered.
automobile racing, known to NASA < corners to create amp fit ude, high With this development, plus the
space physicians as the “Pogo : speed and the track angle provided excessive tire wear at the rough
Phenomenon,” was discovered the excessive G forces and the track, Ford elected to back the
during high speed practice for the frequency resulted*from the spring PDA boycott,
Sept. 14 NASCAR Grand National ; rates. Wright said smoothing the rough
500-mile race at Talladega, Ala. and The phenomenon was first and bumpy? areas of the track
was recognized when Charlie reported by Bobby Isaac during tire would eliminate the problem since
Glotzbach complained of testing and testing of the new all three conditions must exist in
temporary blindness and confusion. Dodge Daytona in August. the correct ratio to produce the
Shortly after Glotzbach made his During practice, Glotzbach pogo effect.
problems known, it was discovered pulled into his pits and complained Long term effects on the drivers,
other GN drivers were suffering to his crew he did not know where if' any, will be studied, possibly by
from physical discomforts after and he was going on the track and that NASA medical personnel
during high speed laps, often he could not see. He said he seemed According to Wright, astronauts
exceeding 200mph on the straights to go blind for a few seconds when were only exposed to the pogc
of the new 2.66-mile Talladega he was going through certain effect for short periods of time
oval. bumpy turns and that he had providing little information. Bui
t off tile-challenges of Peter Gethin and
The discovery of the pogo effect
sp heat races at Hockenheim-the first .is noted as a major contributing trouble focusing. He told his crew some NASCAR drivers have beer
exposed to the condition for up tc
he could only restore his vision by"
t Germany., ' (John W. Kelly photo)
factor of Ford backing the boycott looking back and forth quickly. six seconds a lap. Yarbrough has
of members of the Professional Wright spoke with astronaut recorded more than 800 laps on the
D7-A ,Drivers Assn. (PDA). A Tom Stafford about the symptoms track with many at speed.
The physical complaints of and Stafford confirmed Wright’s Following the Sept. 14 race
Glotzbach were first recognized by opinion of the pogo effect. Stafford Richard Brickhouse, the winner
Bill Wright, an aerospace engineer then said, “If I were those.guys, 1 complained of chest pains although,
disappointment with 18 cars with Chrysler. White had worked wouldn’t try to race tomorrow.” racing speeds were well below the
entered, 13 showing up and 12 \ with NASA in the development of> Following confirmation, Wright faster qualifying speeds.
starting with six of these ■ ‘ engines for the Gemini space
competitive. project and during that period,
In the F/5000 events, Taylor astronauts had suffered similar
dominated, but he didn’t go effects during testing. They
without opposition. In the first complained of temporary loss of
I54ap heat, Peter Getliin, in a sight chest pains, nausea and loss
McLaren M10A, either ran in front of consciousness. In the Gemini
of or on the tail of the TS5-Chevy project the problem was traced to a
until the 13th lap when he broke a combination of low frequency and
rocker arm. a high amplitude type of cyclic
Gethin didn’t seem to have it in vibration under high G forces and
the second heat and Mike was blamed on pulsations from the
Hailwood, Lola TT42-Chevy driver, engine coming through the space
took over hounding at Taylor’s capsule.
heels.
In the overall standings, COMPLAINTS
Hailwood followed Taylor with two In checking with other NASCAR
seco nd-place finishes and Ulf drivers, Wright found various
Norind er, Lola-Chevy, third, with a unique physical discomfort
fifth and a third finish.. complaints voiced by all the GN
drivers except three-Richard Petty,
OKs Fihpwf M Yarborough. The complaints
David Pearson and Cale
included chest pains, nausea, and in
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Monsanto some cases shortness of breath after
Co.’s new fireproof cloth., Durette, very fast laps.
has been officially approved by the So far the pogo effect, as
Sports Car Club of America. reported by the NASCAR drivers,
The fabric, second to receive has occurred only at Talladega.
approval from the organization, will According to Wright, three
not burn or lose its strength after conditions-the correct frequency, Dan Gurney, and hostess Vicki Hollaway, display the sign which will adorn a
several minutes in a 1200-degree amplitude and G forces-must exist new franchise network of retail centers, Dan Gurney s Checkpoint America.^
flame. before the pogo phenomenon can (Jack Scagnetti photo)- ?
. ' , ... „ kJ.® J3?
Action Team Gurney if Checkpoint

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 -- A Checkpoint America are ih
franchise network of retail centers Honda- one at Fort LaudcrdaJ|
for high quality performance w h e r e the compa n v h a 5
products and specialized service headquarters, and the oilier al,
work is being launched by Dan Daytona Beach n e a r t h |
Gurney, it was announced here superspeedway. |
today. “Florida is not what you call:a:
Called Dan Gurney’s Checkpoint hotbed of expensive foreigm cuf
America, the new business, venture owners,” Lyon commented, “But
will start in Florida arid expand to despite that fact, we have