Mopower Garage

If you were hanging around a drag strip in the early 1970s, you already knew the answer to “Who is going to win Pro Stock?” Chances were good the trophy was going home in the back of a Plymouth or Dodge. For a few glorious years, Mopar owned the class. Sox & Martin, Herb McCandless, Don Carlton, Dick Landy, and Mike Fons did not just show up, they set the pace, rewrote the playbook, and sent GM and Ford scrambling for answers.

So, how did Mopar become so successful so quickly, and why did it decline almost overnight? The short version: engineering, the rulebook, and a little too much winning for NHRA’s comfort.

The Secret Sauce: Hemi + Light Car + Smart People

The 426 Hemi was already a terror in NASCAR and Top Fuel drag racing. Drop it into a lighter A-body Duster, Barracuda, or Dart, and you had a Pro Stock weapon.

• Breathing Room – Huge ports and hemispherical chambers meant the Hemi did not need exotic tricks to make horsepower. It just wanted more carburetor and more RPM.
• Suspension Edge – Chrysler’s torsion-bar front end was adjustable, providing a planted feel and helping to improve those crucial 60-foot times.

The Driver Dream Team

This was not a one-man show. Chrysler had an all-star cast:

• Ronnie Sox – The “Boss” of the 4-speed, lightning shifts, and flawless consistency.
• Buddy Martin – Strategy, organization, and the business brain of the Sox & Martin team.
• Herb McCandless – Cool under pressure, deadly on the line.
• Dick Landy – Part racer, part PR machine, part mad scientist.
• Don Carlton – Mopar’s weapon in R&D and match races.

They were not just racers; they were engine builders, chassis tuners, and test-session junkies. They fed Chrysler’s race engineering team a constant stream of complex data.

The Rulebook Sweet Spot

NHRA’s early Pro Stock rules used a pounds-per-cubic-inch formula. Mopar hit the jackpot:

• 426 cubes in a light A-body fit the math perfectly.
• This meant Mopars were quick out of the hole and strong on the big end, with gearing and clutch setups tailored for each track.

Too Much of a Good Thing

By 1972, the win count was getting ridiculous. Sox & Martin dominated NHRA events, match races, and just about anything with a Christmas tree. Fans loved it… unless they were rooting for Chevy or Ford.

NHRA responded by changing the weight breaks:

• Hemi cars were forced to carry extra pounds compared to similar-displacement rivals.
• This penalty killed their most significant edge, the weight-to-power ratio.
• Chevy and Ford were also catching up with better cylinder heads (Boss 429 “shotgun” Fords, Chevy’s tunnel-port big-blocks), and the class evened out.

Mopar in Pro Stock – Year-by-Year, 1970–1974

Year Highlights Key Drivers NHRA Rule Situation

1970 First year for NHRA Pro Stock. Sox & Martin dominated, winning 4 of 7 NHRA nationals (Sox 3 and McCandless 1). Hemi Cuda, Duster, and Dart combos were nearly unbeatable. Sox & Martin, Dick Landy, Herb McCandless had weight breaks that favored the Hemi in light A-bodies.

1971 Mopar still dominant – Sox won 6 of 8 NHRA nationals. Don Carlton emerged as a serious threat in factory-backed efforts. Sox & Martin, McCandless, Carlton, and Mike Fons were competitive with the same weight rules. However, the competition began developing big-port Chevy & Ford heads.

1972 Carlton won the Gatornationals, but GM and Ford closed the gap. NHRA announced revised pounds-per-cubic-inch rules, which effectively ended Mopar’s dominance.

1973 NHRA weight penalties hit harder. The 426 Hemi cars carried more weight than equivalent Fords/Chevys. The rule change hurt, and teams scrambled to adapt.

1974 Mopar no longer relevant. Chevy and Ford now share or take majority of wins.

The Legacy

Even after the rules shifted, Mopar’s early 1970s Pro Stock run remains legendary. They brought engineering muscle, brilliant drivers, and relentless innovation to the table. And for a few shining seasons, they not only won, but they made it look easy.

It is no wonder Mopar fans still talk about those days like a golden era. Because, truth be told, they were.

Where Are They Now?  The Mopar Legends

• Ronnie Sox – Passed away in 2006, remembered as the best 4-speed driver in drag racing history. Nostalgia Pro Stock racers still study his shifting technique.
• Buddy Martin – Retired from active racing but remained a respected figure in the Mopar community, appearing at events and reunions.
• Herb McCandless – Still active in the Mopar world, known as “Mr. 4-Speed” and a go-to expert for restoration and tech advice.
• Dick Landy – Passed away in 2007; remembered for his signature cigar, his test work for Chrysler, and his ability to combine racing with marketing.
• Don Carlton – Tragically killed in a testing accident in 1977, but remembered for pushing Mopar technology forward in Pro Stock.