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Baby Grand History
The Baby Grand Stockcar was conceived in the Fall of 1992 by Tom & Linda
Cravens of Marshfield, Missouri. After attending a Winston Cup race at
Talladega, they became fascinated with
the neon paint jobs, the impressive pitroad line-up, the smell of racing fuel in
the air, and the speed and excitement of it
all.
They decided to build a racecar less intimidating than 725 HP and 193 MPH,
and as safe as possible. As they began their project, they saw so much
enthusiasm for the idea from vendors, that they decided to pursue the project as a business, rather than a hobby.
After two years of design work, experimentation, and testing, their
prototyping was finished, and they were ready for production. In 1995, the
factory was built, along with frame jigs, molds for the
fiberglass bodies, and all the additional fixtures needed for rapid
production.
In 1996 they began selling Baby Grand Stockcars to the public. The first
season of racing was held in the midwest with a total of 23 races being held. The car also became SCCA approved for road
racing events in the summer of 1996.
In only twelve months, twenty two states had new Baby Grand Distributorships
set up and operating. In
the spring of 1997, Baby Grands ventured into Canada, rolling into
Calgary for a full season of sanctioned events.
To date, more than 300 Baby Grand racecars have been produced and they compete
nationwide both on oval tracks and road courses. The car is versatile,
dependable, well built, and proven in competition. For more information
and specifications, click here.
2004 brought a relocation for the manufacturing of Baby Grand from Missouri to Bowling Green,
Kentucky. In addition, several
improvements were made to the cars including:
1. New Bodies - the cars now look up to date and the improved bodies
also feature replaceable noses and tails for quick, cheap repairs. The new
style also have removable dash and windshield to provide access to work on the
engine without removing the body, and an escape hatch in the roof for safety.
2. New Tires and Wheels - the new tires from Hoosier are $20 cheaper
per tire which lowers the cost to compete in a Baby Grand. The new wheels
from Aero are lighter for less unsprung weight, and are $5 less than the old
style.
3. New Headers - The new headers are coated to lower underhood
temperatures, and provide a standard 2 1/4" collector outlet so any standard
muffler shop can add mufflers cheaply.
4. Water Cooled Cylinders - New Baby Grands now come with custom made billet
aluminum water cooled cylinders. This new system improves the cooling of
the Yamaha motor, allowing Baby Grands to run cool indefinitely, even on the
hottest days.
5. New Swaybar System - A new High Performance late model style swaybar
system has been designed which provides improved handling and also a new tuning
technique for racers to adjust.
In 2005, there were several events with more than 20 cars - much improved from only 3 years ago. New dealers
have also been established in several states and even Europe. The sport is
growing and you can be a part of the excitement - Baby Grands has new roller and
complete car packages ready for delivery.
The future is bright for Baby Grand racing. Come join the fun!
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