BUICK With a BITE: Pop Kennedy and the '66 GS meet CAR CRAFT

The May 1966 issue of Car Craft Magazine featured a road test of the new '66 Gran Sport. The GS was in its first full year and word was spreading like wildfire (almost said Wildcat) about the hot new ride from the folks in Flint. The editors were very impressed with 401 V8 and the refined new styling and they thought the car was a screamer- the headline called it "Buick With a Bang."

They were so impressed. in fact,  that they decided to talk to the premier Buick drag racers to get their take on how to set the GS up for optimal performance in NHRA D-Stock racing class. Their first choice? None other than our own Pop Kennedy. The fun begins om page 62. Here is their introduction exactly as they published it:

"This month we decided to see what the pros were doing with this moving machine, so we contacted Lennie (Pop) Kennedy of Reynolds Buick in West Covina, Calif., for the answers. Kennedy has really brought Buick into the racing limelight since he started racing them in 1955. Having three national championships to his credit, it was only natural to have him and co-racer Jim Lane show us how to get the most and still remain in NHRA D/SA Class."

Pop told them exactly how he sets up a GS for drag racing (which just happened to be our car, of course) and we won't reprint it here, because it's all right below for your enjoyment on pages 62 and 63. While you're at it, read the whole article and step back into the days when Pop Kennedy struck terror into the heart of many racers when his Buick rumbled up to the staging light.

(Thanks to John Reynolds for the copy of Car Craft)