The drivers and associated crew of this Toyota Corolla had no idea what model year it was originally. Reading the number of dents and layers of paint like tree rings might set the car’s age at hundreds of years old, but they estimated a more realistic late-seventies vintage. These guys bought and brought their Corolla to race after hearing the Friday night mayhem from work next to the Petaluma Speedway. Rather than fight, they figured why not go racing? When co-workers Darian Valestrini, Sam McCloud, and Jason Weaver spotted this former mini-stock Corolla on a local lawn with a for sale sign on it, they knew they had found their race car.
600 bucks later the three-driver crew had themselves a ready-to-race runner complete with roll cage and seat! The crew figured they could run the rear-driver at local mini-stock events and the occasional Enduro – even though the Enduro race field is dominated by very full-size American rides instead of the usual mini-stock Ford Pintos and related compacts. Not only did they make it through 110 well-battered laps and triumph over mechanical issues at the Memorial Day Weekend Enduro race at Petaluma Speedway, they took 12th place overall against some heavies out on the dirt. The Corolla and crew came away from the race with a couple more dents, but had lived on to run another day.
What a lovely car. It’s certainly a 3rd-gen Corolla, but the exact year could be determined via the VIN with the help of some Corolla-Dorks.
…not that it matters.
I see a daily-driven 2nd gen Corolla regularly as of late– in my climate, old Japanese cars are rarer than hens’ teeth, so it’s a big damn deal, and it’s got a Toyoglide!
That’s assuming you can still find a vin on it somewhere hahaha
Epic.
I had 2 of these cars and miss them every time I see one. A bit of trivia most people aren’t aware that the 2tc engine used in this car was actually a Hemi, albeit a 98 cubic inch Hemi, but one just the same. The Japanese version made a little over 100 hp stock and was available with a 5 speed transmission, the American version arrived sporting only 70 hp and came sans 5th gear for the first few years according to a Hot Rod Magazine article of the time.