Thu, 26 Jun 2008, 05:52 PM "We're In It For The Money!"

By Bob Frey Photo copyright 2008 Auto Imagery, Inc.

Wolkwitz brothers

Before Pro Stock was a class, the hottest, top of the line cars in the sportsman ranks were the classic hemi cars from Mopar. The 1968 Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Darts were crowd favorites everywhere they went and some of the sport's biggest names were behind the wheel of these early muscle cars. Ronnie Sox, "Dandy" Dick Landy, Herb McCandless, Jack Werst and many more (really too numerous to mention) took to the track, and when they did, it almost seemed like every other car was relegated to second place both on the track and in the pits. They looked good, they ran well, they were very fast and they had factory support. Plus, if the price was right, you could buy one from your neighborhood Mopar dealer. What more could a drag racing fan want? Today, forty years after the heyday of the hemi cars, they're back, and possibly bigger and better than ever. The Mopar Hemi Challenge has become a regular part of the U.S. Nationals and the event has become so popular that it is now contested at tracks all over the country. And everywhere they go, the hemi cars draw a big crowd and they put on a tremendous show and it seems their numbers are growing every year. At the recent Lucas Oil Super Nationals in Englishtown, New Jersey, there were several of these cars in action but only one pit area had a pair of them that were being driven by two brothers.

Bob and Gary Wolkwitz

The Wolkwitz brothers, Gary and Bob, are hard workers who also enjoy playing in the fast lane. Bob, the elder of the two at sixty-four years old, drives the Barracuda while younger brother, Gary, handles the Dodge Dart. Bob is a commodities trader while Gary deals in precious metals, and that includes things like gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Both of them have been in their chosen professions for over forty years and both have been involved with drag racing even longer. "I raced at Englishtown the first day it opened," Bob said. "I used to race a 1959 Chevrolet with a 348 cubic inch engine. It ran about sixteen seconds and we used to think that was pretty fast. I won about fifty class and eliminator trophies with it and I had a lot of fun." After that, Bob raced a variety of cars including a '55 Chevy in Super Gas, an S-10 pickup in Competition Eliminator and a Super Comp dragster called the "Super Trader." For his part, sixty-two year old Gary drove, uh, nothing before his hemi ride. "I know, it isn't exactly an entry level car," Gary said. "In fact, when I went to Doug Foley's Drag Racing School to get my license, I have to admit that it was a little intimidating. I got out of the car after my first pass and Doug said that I looked a little shy behind the wheel. I just said, yes, yes I was." Gary said that before he got behind the wheel of the Dart his job at the track was as a "tire kicker" for the team. "And I have to admit that I was pretty good at it."

Gary Wolkwitz

Gary's car has been in the family for about four years. "Bob drove it before I got my license and we took it to Gainesville back in 2005 and won Best Appearing Car and the class trophy with it the first time out." The car was built by Ray Barton and has a chassis by Ken Keir with the paint and body work performed by Bucky Hess. "Bucky's son came to me with some ideas and drawings and I just got confused so I told him to do what he wants with it," Gary said. "I think he did a pretty good job, don't you?" The car is beautiful and it runs well. "I'd like to get it in the 8.60's and be able to run with the other guys in this class. These aren't inexpensive cars to build and run but they are a kick to drive, but we're really in it for the money." Yeah, right. Brother Bob got his car recently after a search led him to former Competition Eliminator standout Joe Pigford in Texas. "After I started driving Bob had to have his own car. That's the way big brothers are," Gary said with a smile and a glance at Bob. Bob got the car and then sent it to Ken Keir, the Barton family and the Kohrs Brothers who did a lot of the work on it. "I'm really happy with it," Bob said. "I've been 8.60 with it and right now it's really going straight and that's important for these cars. I did a big wheelstand today and that's when they're a handful. They make so much power but they are a real joy to drive." Both brothers admit to enjoying all the attention the cars get at the races. "No matter where you go the fans just absolutely love these cars. They like everything about them and we enjoy talking to them about the cars." They also enjoy talking with the other teams, owners and drivers who compete in the SS/AH class. "It's a very close fraternity and we all like to talk about the cars. We also like to have the best one out there and that's what we want to do with our cars." Since Gary got his license the Wolkwitz brothers have had several opportunities to line up against each other. "We did it last year at Maple Grove and we ran the exact same elapsed times," Gary said. "I don't remember who got there first, but it was fun." Strange, but brother Bob remembered who got the win light!!

Bob vs. Gary

As good as the bothers are, and as fast as their cars are, there may be another brother in the mix very soon and he could be the quickest and fastest of the bunch. "My twin brother, Dave, doesn't really like the hemi cars but he loves drag racing," Gary said. "He's building a BB/A car right now. Those things are really tough to get running well but he's determined to do it." It won't be the first time the boys have raced in Comp or in the BB/A class. "We had a Willys that ran in that class a while ago but it was really hard to run, to get it to be consistent, it broke things and was very frustrating." Other than that it was a real joy, too, right Gary?

Bob and Gary Wolkwitz are two examples of what makes drag racing so special. They are very successful businessmen who could do anything they like in their leisure time and they choose to go drag racing. And when most people are thinking about retiring, the brothers are thinking about ways to make their hemi cars go even quicker and faster. "We're very fortunate to be able to do this and we absolutely love it," Gary said. "We haven't won much but we're having a ball." After all, isn't that the important thing? Well, that and the money.