Car Number: 9
Owner: Keith Vrabec
Make/Model/Year: 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix
Motor: 428 cid Pontiac Ram Air V
Hometown: Tiger, Ga.
Car’s Background: This car is the original that Roy Tyner Tyner drove in NASCAR Grand National series in 1969 and 70. It also ran one race in 1972 with Fred Drake at Trenton.
I bought the car in 1992 and had it restored in 2010. It has been restored to 1969 livery, and features a correct Pontiac Ram Air V (5) race engine.
I have all been a collector and restorer of Pontiacs, especially Grand Prixs for many years, but I never expected to own a competition car. After showing this car when restored, it’s certainly piqued my interest in other racing cars of the 60s and 70s.
Stock Car Classics provides me an opportunity to gently exercise my car for others to be able to experience the sights and sounds of an early NASCAR grand national car.
Driver’s Background: The ABC Wide World of Sports was one of my favorite shows growing up, especially when they featured automobile racing.
My initial interest was Indy cars and drivers such as Foyt, Andretti and the Unsers. Once in a while, you saw stock car race, and these were even more interesting because the cars were familiar.
I was hooked to NASCAR after watching the altercation between the Allisons and Cale Yarborough. Being a Pontiac enthusiast, I always follow the Pontiac drivers.
Driver’s Occupation and Hobbies: Cars, fixing cars, race cars, fixing race cars, and cats. I don’t fix the cats, though…
Favorite SCC Track and Why: The next one I drive!