Dale Moody and Sam Jones became partners after a competitor issued them a “challenge”, so to say, at an event in Alton, Illinois. The first big win for the successful Moody & Jones C/GS team was the 1961 World
Series of Drag Racing in Cordova, IL. They thought they would not be fast enough to compete at the U.S. Nationals as they were still getting
the 1937 C/GS Chevrolet coupe “dialed in”. It turns out that their
winning time was actually faster than what the U.S. Nationals C/GS champion ran.
After
the win at the World Series of Drag Racing, the next national challenge would be the 1962 U.S. Nationals. The 1962 U.S. Nationals would see nothing but dominance from the blown 327 and B&M hydro. The gold ’37 Chevy would go on to win the C/GS class title and also a win in street eliminator. They won the two titles, all the while setting national records with E.T. and M.P.H
The year 1963 would see nothing but the same results from Sam and Dale. Throughout
the year as they raced they couldn’t be beaten. They continued their domination
by repeating as class champion in C/GS and were runner up in junior eliminator.
Moody & Jones took the ’37 Chevy to Cordova, IL
and picked up another World Series of Drag Racing victory. The Moody & Jones
C/GS ’37 Chevy was undefeated in its class in 1963. The 11.99 E.T. record
was the first time a C/GS car was in the 11’s with the 12.6 lbs./cu. in. rule according to Don Montgomery’s Supercharge
Gas Coupes book.
Moody & Jones
would again see the C/GS class title going home with them in 1964 as well. They
competed at the World Finals in Tulsa, OK in 1965 and shortly
afterward the ’37 Chevy was retired. The car was sold around 1967/68. The
early ‘70’s would see Moody & Jones team with another fellow racer, Wally Dougherty, and compete in the Modified
Production class with a 1969 Firebird. After local success and a brief national
record, the car was sold.
The early ‘70’s
would see Moody & Jones team with another fellow racer, Wally Dougherty, and compete in the Modified Production class
with a 1969 Firebird. After local success and a brief national record, the car
was sold.
Sam Jones went on to start
Jones Engineering where he and his son Jeff, have evolved into having a premier engine and cylinder head program and have
built many engines with great results. They have specialized in the midget and
sprint car engines. Sam and Jeff have built engines for the likes of Jeff Gordon,
Tony Stewart, Steve Kinser, and Doug Kalitta to name a few. Their engines have
tallied 24 National Championships and numerous track victories.
Dale Moody also went on to be
one of the most respected mechanics in the area. He also became heavily involved with truck pulling. He had a
great amount of success with his trucks competing at the state levels and also took home a state pulling championship trophy.
Sam Jones was able to purchase
the 1937 Chevrolet that he and Dale Moody had raced from a local individual in 2004.
After a complete restoration the car is again equipped with a blown injected small block Chevrolet power plant. Sam enjoys showing the car at local car shows as well as some of the bigger venues
he has been invited to be a participant. Sam was honored with the distinction
of being selected as one of the “Golden 50” at the 50th anniversary of the US Nationals where he had
the car on display. In 2005, Sam and the ’37 participated in the Memory
Lane at the Holley Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Ky. In 2006 the car was again on display
on the concourse at Indianapolis for the “Gathering of Gassers” display
at the US Nationals.
The following is a list of their
accomplishments while they campaigned the ’37 Chevy Coupe:
1961 Won World Series of Drag Racing Title
Quad City
Dragway, Cordova, IL 11.88 @ 120 mph
1962 Points Winner – Modified
Division
Sturgis Drag Strip, Sturgis, KY
NHRA US
Nationals ET Record Holder C/GS
NHRA US Nationals MPH Record Holder C/GS
NHRA US Nationals Class
Champion C/GS
NHRA US Nationals Street Eliminator Champion
1963 Undefeated in C/GS Class
NHRA Middle Eliminator
Champion, Points Meet
May,1963 11.52 @ 119.68 mph
NHRA US Nationals C/GS
Class Champion
11.70 @ 117.80 mph
NHRA US Nationals Junior
Eliminator Runner-up
11.90 @ 117.95 mph
NHRA Record Holder during
US Nationals
Won World Series of
Drag Racing Title
Quad City
Dragway, Cordova, IL
1964 NHRA US Nationals Class Champion C/GS
2004 NHRA “Golden Fifty” Display Participant
US Nationals, Indianapolis, IN
2005 Holley Hot Rod Reunion
Memory Lane Participant
2006 NHRA “Gathering of Gassers” Display Participant
US Nationals, Indianapolis, IN
