In the early 1970s, the newly formed NHRA Pro Stock class had one undisputed king: Ronnie Sox and the big-block Hemi-powered Plymouth team. They dominated the 1970 and 1971 seasons, leaving competitors from Ford and Chevrolet searching for answers.

One of those competitors, a brilliant engine builder from Pennsylvania, decided that trying to beat the Hemis at their own game was a losing battle. He needed a completely different weapon.

Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins’ Radical Idea

That builder was the legendary Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins. Instead of trying to build a bigger, more powerful big-block, Jenkins looked to the future. As narrator Andy Wood explains, “Jenkins realized the muscle car era was ending and this was going to be the way of the future.”

He abandoned the traditional heavy chassis and developed a new formula: a lightweight, small-block engine stuffed into the compact, aerodynamic body of a 1972 Chevrolet Vega. It was a radical departure from the established order.

An Unlikely Debut

Jenkins arrived at the 1972 Winternationals with his new Vega, a car that was completely unproven and untested. The team struggled with the new chassis, and after a difficult qualifying session, they found themselves in the 17th spot.

But on race day, the magic of Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins came alive. He and his team worked out the bugs, and the little Vega started winning rounds. He made it all the way to the final, where he defeated Don Grotheer, winning the entire event in the car’s very first outing.

The Grump’s Lasting Impact

His victory shocked the drag racing world. As Wood noted, “this proved to be the end of the first big block era in Pro Stock.” Jenkins’ win didn’t just earn him a trophy, it helped rewrite the rulebook for an entire generation of racers.

His lightweight, small-block formula became the standard, paving the way for future legends like Bob Glidden and Lee Shepherd. Wood says at the end of the video, “I will always be a Bill Jenkins fan even though I’m a die-hard Ford Fan. I appreciate what he has done for the sport as an innovator.”