InsideCompRacing.com Feature: Raymond Martin K/AA
By: Bob Unkefer
Photo courtesy Robert Grice, Xtreme Photography
<img border="0" src="http://insidetopalcohol.com/martinnp.jpg" width="400" height="206" align="left">For the past 38 years Raymond Martin has had an on again, off again affair with NHRA drag racing. During that span he has captured Divisional wins and championships while competing with some of the legends of the sport. Raymond has also captured wins on the National event level, sending some of the best in the business packing in the process. But there have also been years when he’s stepped out of the picture completely. And anyone that’s ever been bitten by the addiction known as drag racing knows it’s tough to stay away.
Over the years this soft-spoken Texan has battled the “addiction” by taking home the Division 4 Modified championship (1971) racing against the likes of Lee Shepherd, Carroll Caudle and Mike Edwards in a small block powered Gremlin. By 1974 a small block powered Vega had found its way into Raymond’s race stable, and another Division championship trophy found it’s way to the mantle, this time for the Pro Stock title. Pro Stock in the 70’s was contested on the division level also, and running in the south central “Good Guys” division was always tough. Race weekends would see a line up that included the likes of local racers Lee Shepherd, Ritchie Zul, Herb McCandless, and Don Grotheer to name a few. And if that list wasn’t tough enough, just remember that many of the “touring” Pro Stock racers were known to pull through the gate as well.
By 1976 Raymond had returned to the Comp eliminator battles, claiming his third division championship. In 1977 Raymond won the biggest of them all, capturing the Comp title at Indy. But winning the “Big One” seemed to finally satisfy the competitive urges, as Raymond sold his entire race operation after that season and walked away from the sport. It wasn’t until 1984 when he got a call from Harvey Cox up in Waco that he got back into racing driving Harvey’s C/ED.
Raymond once again claimed the division Comp title in 1989, and in 1998 he drove his F/ED to his yet his fifth division crown. Afterwards he once again sold his racecar to concentrate on building and developing one of the new Pro Stock Trucks. Raymond’s truck showed great promise in the early stages of the category, but was it’s life was short lived when the fast paced demands for the rapidly growing PST category caused Raymond to once again step away from the sport.
Currently afflicted again with the “addiction”, Raymond Martin is now campaigning one of the more unique vehicles in the Comp category. A 1932 Bantam bodied K/AA powered by a 260 c.i. Four-cylinder that was several years in the development process. The block comes from the shop of Chuck Nuyton, but only after a couple of years of collaboration, discussion and planning. Based on one of Chuck’s billet Pro-Mod style blocks, the program was set into the CNC machine to whittle out only half of the typical power plant. While the block was being carved at Nuyton’s shop, the need to get rolling on the chassis was next. Discussions with several different known chassis shops left Raymond wondering if what he wanted was do-able, but after talking it over with Jerry Herndon, the trip to Herndon Fabrication in south Texas was made to get fabrication of the chassis under way. Jerry Herndon has a reputation as thinking mans fabricator, and what Raymond had in mind (and needed) was a functional, yet extremely lightweight chassis.
With engine and chassis now under control. Raymond started fabricating the additional components need for his latest ride. The intake system is literally a hand-fabricated assembly, as is the full floater rear axle assembly, with every component for the car being monitored during construction for weight. Marv Ripes was contacted for one of his converters, Jimmie Arabie was tapped for a lightweight powerglide and Dennis Faerman in the Engine Shop helped with final engine assembly. Once completed, Raymond’s new ride weighed in at a flyweight 1250 lbs. with Raymond in the drivers seat.
The radical hot rod made it’s debut at the opening Lucas Oil D-4 event in Houston in 2004, but after making just a handful of laps, Raymond found himself upside down and up against the wall after a qualifying lap. The problem was eventually diagnosed as a weight balance problem, stemming from the way the engine was mounted. The engine had been positioned as if a V-8 was sitting between the rails (sitting at a “V” style angle to the chassis) rather than straight up and down as if a conventional four-cylinder engine. Fabrication of some new mounts (and repair to the banged up racecar) repositioned the engine in a more conventional up-and-down location. Weeks later Raymond found himself in the winners circle of the Summit Racing Nationals in Atlanta after defeating comp stalwart Larry Pritchett in the finals for his first national event win in ten years, evening his scorecard at 5-5 in national event final rounds.
With help for the 2006 season coming from PurePower Filters and Lubricants, and assistance from wife Linda, Richie Rosen and Larry Osteen, Raymond has debuted well for the 2006 season. Qualifying 8th at the recent record setting division meet at No Problem Raceway, Raymond appears to be poised for yet another championship season. This most certainly will be a car to keep your eyes on this year.
And you can bet Raymond’s biggest supporter will be rooting him on as well this season, as his 93 year old mother has been his biggest fan for these past 38 years, way to go Mom!
By: Bob Unkefer
Photo courtesy Robert Grice, Xtreme Photography
<img border="0" src="http://insidetopalcohol.com/martinnp.jpg" width="400" height="206" align="left">For the past 38 years Raymond Martin has had an on again, off again affair with NHRA drag racing. During that span he has captured Divisional wins and championships while competing with some of the legends of the sport. Raymond has also captured wins on the National event level, sending some of the best in the business packing in the process. But there have also been years when he’s stepped out of the picture completely. And anyone that’s ever been bitten by the addiction known as drag racing knows it’s tough to stay away.
Over the years this soft-spoken Texan has battled the “addiction” by taking home the Division 4 Modified championship (1971) racing against the likes of Lee Shepherd, Carroll Caudle and Mike Edwards in a small block powered Gremlin. By 1974 a small block powered Vega had found its way into Raymond’s race stable, and another Division championship trophy found it’s way to the mantle, this time for the Pro Stock title. Pro Stock in the 70’s was contested on the division level also, and running in the south central “Good Guys” division was always tough. Race weekends would see a line up that included the likes of local racers Lee Shepherd, Ritchie Zul, Herb McCandless, and Don Grotheer to name a few. And if that list wasn’t tough enough, just remember that many of the “touring” Pro Stock racers were known to pull through the gate as well.
By 1976 Raymond had returned to the Comp eliminator battles, claiming his third division championship. In 1977 Raymond won the biggest of them all, capturing the Comp title at Indy. But winning the “Big One” seemed to finally satisfy the competitive urges, as Raymond sold his entire race operation after that season and walked away from the sport. It wasn’t until 1984 when he got a call from Harvey Cox up in Waco that he got back into racing driving Harvey’s C/ED.
Raymond once again claimed the division Comp title in 1989, and in 1998 he drove his F/ED to his yet his fifth division crown. Afterwards he once again sold his racecar to concentrate on building and developing one of the new Pro Stock Trucks. Raymond’s truck showed great promise in the early stages of the category, but was it’s life was short lived when the fast paced demands for the rapidly growing PST category caused Raymond to once again step away from the sport.
Currently afflicted again with the “addiction”, Raymond Martin is now campaigning one of the more unique vehicles in the Comp category. A 1932 Bantam bodied K/AA powered by a 260 c.i. Four-cylinder that was several years in the development process. The block comes from the shop of Chuck Nuyton, but only after a couple of years of collaboration, discussion and planning. Based on one of Chuck’s billet Pro-Mod style blocks, the program was set into the CNC machine to whittle out only half of the typical power plant. While the block was being carved at Nuyton’s shop, the need to get rolling on the chassis was next. Discussions with several different known chassis shops left Raymond wondering if what he wanted was do-able, but after talking it over with Jerry Herndon, the trip to Herndon Fabrication in south Texas was made to get fabrication of the chassis under way. Jerry Herndon has a reputation as thinking mans fabricator, and what Raymond had in mind (and needed) was a functional, yet extremely lightweight chassis.
With engine and chassis now under control. Raymond started fabricating the additional components need for his latest ride. The intake system is literally a hand-fabricated assembly, as is the full floater rear axle assembly, with every component for the car being monitored during construction for weight. Marv Ripes was contacted for one of his converters, Jimmie Arabie was tapped for a lightweight powerglide and Dennis Faerman in the Engine Shop helped with final engine assembly. Once completed, Raymond’s new ride weighed in at a flyweight 1250 lbs. with Raymond in the drivers seat.
The radical hot rod made it’s debut at the opening Lucas Oil D-4 event in Houston in 2004, but after making just a handful of laps, Raymond found himself upside down and up against the wall after a qualifying lap. The problem was eventually diagnosed as a weight balance problem, stemming from the way the engine was mounted. The engine had been positioned as if a V-8 was sitting between the rails (sitting at a “V” style angle to the chassis) rather than straight up and down as if a conventional four-cylinder engine. Fabrication of some new mounts (and repair to the banged up racecar) repositioned the engine in a more conventional up-and-down location. Weeks later Raymond found himself in the winners circle of the Summit Racing Nationals in Atlanta after defeating comp stalwart Larry Pritchett in the finals for his first national event win in ten years, evening his scorecard at 5-5 in national event final rounds.
With help for the 2006 season coming from PurePower Filters and Lubricants, and assistance from wife Linda, Richie Rosen and Larry Osteen, Raymond has debuted well for the 2006 season. Qualifying 8th at the recent record setting division meet at No Problem Raceway, Raymond appears to be poised for yet another championship season. This most certainly will be a car to keep your eyes on this year.
And you can bet Raymond’s biggest supporter will be rooting him on as well this season, as his 93 year old mother has been his biggest fan for these past 38 years, way to go Mom!
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