For 1970, Pro Stock was a fairly straight-forward proposition – 7 pounds per inch, 2750 pound minimum weight, minor use of fiberglass pieces, etc. There were Hemis, Can Am ZL1 Rats, Cammers, and Shotgun Fords, each mixed up to its own specific brew of tricks by its owner. Anyone who had been around the sport for years could see the comparisons between the early FX era and the new Pro Stocks, and spectators could now witness their favorite drivers not playing catch-up or brakelight tag any more, but now running flat out on every run. They loved it.

It would soon change; by 1972, the rules had been changed to try and make other brands competitive with the Hemi, which thrived on the RPM environment that Pro Stock development was then at. Sox had dominated 1970 and 1971, and Bill Jenkins and a small-block Chevy would dominate 1972, followed by a string of legally-advantageous Ford Cleveland, reworked AMC and finally, in 1979, W-series Mopar small-block engines. With RPM levels high enough that canted-wedge engines could now dominate, NHRA went to a flat 500-inch formula in the early 1980s, which is where we are today. 

The photos here came from a variety of sources circa 1970. Now owned by Geoff Stunkard and his quartermilestones.com archive, they represent a picture of how that first year looked. We will show you some Mopars here at MoparMAX, some Chevrolets on our sister site MAXChevy, and a combination of all makes on Drag Racing Online. Stunkard has not yet listed these on his own website, but they are now available exclusively here through Racing Net Source for 16.95 each plus 5.95 shipping per order (any number of photos); see the Racing Net Source Store for more info.

Obviously, the Sox & Martin was traveling in style in 1970; this was a state-of-the-art rig for the era, and carried the cars, tools, and display items for the clinic program. Sox’s new Hemi’cuda is waiting, but dig the 70 ‘cuda convertible next to the truck and the Keystone-wheeled Hemi GTX convertible in the background. This is Pomona’s Winternationals 1970. (Nitro Echoes 4) Image QMP-NE4-PS70-3C