If you were to see a ’72 Plymouth Barracuda and a ’73 Duster in the pits, one with “Ronald Lyles” spelled out on the side and another with “Motown Missile”, you would probably think that you have stepped into the 1970’s. This display was actually the result of the Don Carlton Memorial and Nostalgia Pro Stock Race at Wilkesboro Dragway located in North Wilkesboro, NC. 

The images of the past made their appearance pair after pair, Bob Glidden versus Jerry Eckman while Warren Johnson ran against Dave Shafer. Although these were re-creation cars with completely different drivers, the memories of these heroes that once made these race cars larger than life continue to race on. 

Jeff Rudisill and Tyrone Graham have made it their mission to relive their childhood memories by bringing Nostalgia Pro Stock to the southeast. 

On the way home from the Cordova World Series in Cordova, Illinois, Jeff and Tyrone decided to take on the challenge to bring history to several tracks in North Carolina. Wilkesboro Dragway had a similar thought and made it possible for this reunion of historic proportions. 

As a Pro Stock fan from a young age, sitting on the bank of Hudson Dragway watching his heroes, Rudisill knew that racing Pro Stock was his dream. He is now living his dream and racing his own re-creation of the 1986 Bill Orndorff owned Camaro to bring back the memories of these famous race vehicles.

 “It puts a smile on people’s faces when they see something that they haven’t seen in 20-30 years, or sometimes more”, Rudisill said.  “That way when people say that they miss the good ole days, they don’t have to miss them now because they’re back”. 

Not only did the event feature originals and re-creations of the most iconic Pro Stockers in the world but also their drivers. Names such as Roy Hill, Terry Adams, and Jerry Eckman were out in support of this event. The event brought in a total of twelve renowned drivers from every era of Pro Stock in what Rudisill calls the biggest nostalgia Pro Stock event to date. 

“Bill Orndorff and Jerry Eckman have become some of our biggest supporters”, Rudisill said. 

“There has been probably 10-12 people that have come up to us wanting to do this. We already have tracks coming to us wanting to have a match race.” 

Rudisill and the Nostalgia Pro Stock class will make their appearance again this October at Farmington Dragway (Farmington, NC) as the class continues to grow.