NASCAR questions

[boss429kiwi]

Once again sorry for the ignorant questions  

I have tried to source the answers to the below questions, with no luck, or the information is confusing.

1. Why did Dodge drop the Daytona in 1970, to have Plymouth introduce the Superbird for 1970. If the Daytona was such a success in 1969, why did they stop in 1970?
2. In 1970 Ford only had to make 500 Boss 429's to homoligate for 1970 NASCAR, but the superbird had the make 1 for every dealer?
3. I believe Creative Industries made the Daytona? Who made the Superbird?, Plymouth themselves?

Thanks
Gary

[learical1]

#1.  NASCAR, at that time, allowed a particular body to be run for 3 years.  So, a 1969 Charger (including the 500 and Daytona) could run in 1969, 1970 and 1971.  rule changes for 1971 made the limited production aero cars sorta uncompetitive (every body else could run a 366 or 429 CID engine, aero cars were limited to 305 CID.)

#2.  Different rules for bodies and engines.  Engines were 500 (and technically, the 1969 Boss 429 Mustang means the 1970 B-9 wasn't necessary for NASCAR) and bodies were 1 for every 2 dealerships.  [side note:  NASCAR decided that not enough B-9 Mustangs had been built in February, 1969, so the Ford's had to run 427 tunnel port engines for the first few races of the 1969 season.  Ford was so ticked off that the Talladegas were labeled "Torino Cobras" instead of Talladega until the Boss 429 became eligible, at the same race the Spoiler II first became legal to run.  Cale Y. beat everybody in the Wood Brothers #21 Spoiler II with the B-9.]

#3.  Yes, Plymouth built the 'Birds themselves.

[Aero426]

Once the Daytona was declared legal to race, it was technically set to run the full three year cycle like any other car.  So there was no need to continue production.   It was released almost late enough to be a 1970 model, but Dodge snuck it in as a 1969 to avoid having to build more cars

I assume the because they built enough Boss 429 engines in 1969, that the 1970 production was not necessary to satisfy the racing rules.  

Creative Industries could not handle the added production needs of the Superbird, so it was done in house at Chrysler.  Creative certainly contributed to the Plymouth as a supplier.  

[69_500]

What no mention of how it was Dodge that was lobbying to get the number increased from 500 units to the 1 for every 2 dealerships?

[Aero426]

What no mention of how it was Dodge that was lobbying to get the number increased from 500 units to the 1 for every 2 dealerships?

I had not heard that, but once the Daytonas were built, I could see Dodge wanting to make it harder for others to build a competing car.   One other thing was that Ronny Householder, the boss of Chrysler racing was not really a fan of the special bodied cars.

[nascarxx29]

I found a old article that mentioned nascar requirements for special cars http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,77274.msg867878.html#msg867878

[A383Wing]

I thought I read that Petty wanted a wing car but he could not have a Charger Daytona because he was under contract with Plymouth....so they built the 'Bird because of that?

maybe I'm wrong....

[Aero426]

Remember that in December of 1968, when Petty Enterprises announced they were going to Ford,  the Daytona concept was little more than a sketch drawn on a cocktail napkin by John Pointer.    The Charger 500 had not yet raced and been deemed  inadequate.   I can believe that Richard may have wanted to race a Charger, but the Daytona really had nothing to do with it.  

At the time, Richard was not the boss of Petty Enterprises.  He was an employee.  Poppa Lee was the boss.  Lee understood there was a lot of money flowing from Chrysler to Nichels Engineering.  In turn, Nichels provided everything from complete stock cars to parts over the counter.    If it was Chrysler and circuit raced, one way or another it went through Nichels.    Lee wanted that contract.   Trouble was, that Chrysler boss of racing Ronny Householder was good friends with Ray Nichels.  So good, that Ronny had helped Ray get the deal in 1963 - they went way back into the 1940's.    By leaving for Ford, Lee knew that Chrysler would do just about anything to get them back, and the car building and parts deal would be on the table.  It was the leverage he needed, and he got it.   The Superbird was just icing on the cake.    

[Mikesmoparperformance]

I thought I read that Petty wanted a wing car but he could not have a Charger Daytona because he was under contract with Plymouth....so they built the 'Bird because of that?

maybe I'm wrong....

I was one of the reason they built a superbird they wanted  Petty to come back!