Craig Brown & Murray Smith: 1955 Chevrolet

Craig Brown 1955 Chevrolet

[Photo by: Ralph Smith]

Craig started racing his 1955 Chevrolet in 1995. On its third half pass it rolled five times. It was rebuilt over the next three years by Craig, Kevin Gubb and Murray Smith, and treated to a new fibreglass body. Since that inauspicious start Craig has gone on to many wins including three Nationals titles and three points series.

Although the team now competes in Top Doorslammer, Craig still holds the national BB/TS record with a 7.355 pass.

Murray Smith is sharing the driving of Craig's 1955 Chevrolet. Murray has won the Nationals twice, once when competing in Super Stock and more recently the 2008 Nationals Top Doorslammer title.

The Brown & Smith team won the inaugural IHRA Top Doorslammer Championship in 2011/12 and repeated it the following 2012/13 season.

Class Top Doorslammer
Body Fibreglass 1955 Chevrolet
Engine 580 cubic inch B/B Chev. Dart 14 degree Big Chief heads
Supercharger Littlefield 14/71 high helix retro
Fuel Injection Enderle Buzzardcatcher with nitro barrel valve
Ignition MSD 20 amp magneto
Clutch Crower triple plate alloy
Gearbox Lenco 3 speed
Differential 9" Ford. 4.56 gears. Strange gear carrier
Front Suspension Custom struts with adjustable Koni inserts
Rear Suspension Four link with Koni adjustable shocks
Chassis Mild Steel and Chrome Moly by Graeme Berry
Wheels Front 15 x 4 Centerline. Rear 16 x 14 Centerline
Tyres Mickey Thompson 265 x 15. Mickey Thompson 34.5 x 17 x 16
Brakes Willwood disks
Paint Southern Motor Painters
Major Sponsor Papakura Engine Specialists, Ray White Real Estate, Gubb's Pump and Well Services, Waitomo Petroleum, Southern Motor Painters
Best times 6.88 secs. 203.28 mph