Maryland Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame
A tribute to the racers that have brought us countless memories over the past half century of Maryland stock car racing.
Reprint of Article Titled "Pit Talk" by Melissa Slayton (date written unknown)
Many men have spent thousands of dollars on building and financing race cars. One of the most well-known stock car builders is Roy Clifford (Tiny) Slayton. Tiny Slayton's achievements from NASCAR and his contributions to NASCAR are highly commendable.
Talented racers have brought many victories to Tiny Slayton's cars. Feature racers driiving his cars include Reds Fowler, Walt Martin, Ed Leslie, Jim Findley, Johnny Roberts, Ray Fanning, Joe Westerman, Johnny Meeker, Lennie Pond, Bill Dennis, Ray Hendrick, Tommy Ellis, Al Grinnan, Ted Hairfield and Joe Thurman. In the 1950's, Jim Findley, who also raced the Grand National Division at Daytona, brought many short track victories to Slayton's cars. In addition, in 1959 the Slayton team was runner up in NASCAR (Modifieds) with the help of a talented racer named Johnny Roberts. For the next three years, Roberts and the Slayton Team dominated the NASCAR MOdified Division. In the 1960's, Ray Fanning brought thiety-nine feature wins in one season, including three straight victories at Beltsville, to the Slayton Team. At the same time, the Slayton All-Star Team included Bill Dennis, Ray Hendrick, Lennie Pond, Tommy Ellis. Al Grinnan, Ted Hairfield and Joe Westerman. This team added fifteen seconds and three thirds to the record. Furthermore, Bill Dennis won the first Carling 100 for Late Model Division atTrenton. In summary,the Slayton teams had more than five hundred feature victories in the NASCAR Modified and Late Model Divisions.
Tiny Slayton's car ideas and designs contributed highly to his success. For modified racing, in the early 1960's, Slayton used 1936 and 1937 Fords containing V-8 flathead Ford engines. However, due to lack of enough horespower, Slayton switched to V-8 overhead engines. Consequently, the cars had larger motors, more horsepower and fuel injection. In order to produce more horsepower, a fuel combination of alcohol and nitro was used to produce a more rapid and powerful combustion. In the 1960's and the 1970's, during late model racing, Slayton used 1955 to 1957 Chevrolets with V-8 350 to 454 engines. To make these engines more powerful, Slayton used a process called stroking. In this process, crankshafts were hand groung to produce different strokes to the pistons. Consequently, the cars were more powerful coming out of turns and on straight aways. In addition, Slayton hand ground camshafts to open valves either slower or quicker depending on track size. Along with adjusting engines, Slayton hand made headers on the exhaust to be of equal size. As a result, the cars had more and better performance. Furthermore, pistons were hand bored to produce more cubic inches and more power. Slaton, also, adjusted frames to his own specifications. Instead of having suspension mountings in fron of the wheels, they were placed directly above the wheels. Consequently, the cars had better control.
Tiny Slayton's ideas are evident in present day NASCAR racing. While it is true that mechanics are much more technical today, the basic ideas are still the same. Along with equally sized headers, engines are still stroked asnd bored. Also, suspension mountings are located above the front wheels. In other words, Tiny Slayton's ingenuities of yesteryear are today common knowledge.
With all things considered, Tiny Slayton was a man who helped build the foundation for present day NASCAR racing. His victories and contributions will never be forgotten or wasted.
There will be more to follow on this legendary Baltimore car owner-mechanic.
