Ronald Lyles a  friend that most of you would love to have had. We were the best of friends for almost 40 years, I met Ronald’s brother first, we were racing  rival, he drove a 65 Chevy 396 SS white, and I drove a 65 Pontiac Grand Prix 421HO 376hp 4 speed canary yellow, called Bonanza, Ronald drove a 65 Chevy 396 Chevy SS red, We race against each other, many times. From that we became very close friends. Ronald, s brother name was John Lyles (A.K.A MUTT) .He was a dare devil driver . Fast off the line, When the flagman move he move, After teaming up, we bought other cars to race such as 67 427 L88 Chevelle, 55 Chevy 427 L88 call the 1320 challenger, and a 68 Hemi GTX, In those days, every young man wonted or had a muscle car. Every Wednesday Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, folks came from all state to race against us. We only race on the conduit avenue better known as 150th street, near Kennedy airport. Well organized, we would block traffic so that no private cars wouldn't be involved for safety. All races took place after midnight when traffic was very light, Some big names came from as for as South Carolina. Big Willie, the famous street racer from Los Angeles. Came to race us with his famous Hemi superbird that happen in 1971, we was running pro stock the race never happen. Also Rochester New York,they wonted the mutt brothers, the boys from Brooklyn N.Y. many name from N.J. name. Like. Fast Earl Mitchell, Levy Holmes, in his 1968 black knight Camaro, Jessie, and so many more, I cannot remember all of them, they were the good people from Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City. We also had a terrific mechanic his name was Benny Dunham he own an auto shop along with Jessie Johnson better known as J&B Automotive 895 Bedford avenue Brooklyn, N.Y we started a racing club, call the MUTT BROTHERS Ronald Lyles, John Lyles AKA Mutt, Eugene Coard, Benny Dunham, and Jessie Johnson. While testing our cars at West Hampton drag strip on long island, we saw Bryan Higgins the owner of S&K Speed Shop on Long island N.Y. Driving. a 1968 Dodge Dart super stock car, Chrysler only made 50 of them, today that car worth $250.000. He was cruising down the track placing the gears, but running faster than we could possible go, almost a second faster than both of our cars. I walk over to him and ask him is that car was for sale he said yes, And every thing after that is history. We made a collection that night,The next day we took the money to S&K. We ask them to paint the car black, we brought the car to the shop put it on the lift the paint was still wet, Before the paint dried we made our money back and more. The word was that we took the motor out the 68 Hemi GTX and put it in a Dodge Dart, 10-inch tires no traction bars, We ran 327 corvette, 396 Chevelle, hemi GTX, 375 Camaro, and many more. We race that car two to three times a week. That car was undefeated,  never went through the quarter under full power, that what kind of competition we had. However, there were rumors going around that the Dart was tune a few times by Jake King , from the Sox and Martin shop, that is not true the car was never out of Brooklyn. The way the car came from S&K that the ways we race that car, just plugs valve and clutch adjustment. Thank you Bryan  for that very good deal without that Dart we would have not experience all those good racing year. Later as the word, spread the competition got stronger. Super John had a 67 camaro 396 375 Camaro  he wonted to run us but he wanted to win, so he went to Dickie Harrell. Dickie  Harrell rebuilt that car 488 cubic inch super light I.H.R.A car. And thats when the mith  legend race took place. The mith  legend race was called the Quarter Mile Quarter Million Race.

There were many other fast cars in Brooklyn, names like One Way George, George Gavan in his 67 Chevelle, home built but fast, Tab Talbage in his 1970 Don Nicholson mustang, Brooklyn first 9-second car, Cam Rod in his Hubert Platt 1970 maverick, Brooklyn heavy in his 69 motion Camano 427 auto, and he went on to race professionally in pro stock, Clyde  67 396 375 Chevelle, Leroy Scarboro 427 69 camaro, and his partner Shorty. The early races in Brooklyn were Tab Talbage, the first black racer who race at West Hampton Drag Strip, in his 1959 ford in the early  60s Bill Quick 64 409  Chevy,  Big Daddy Shane 62 .406 ford, and later 427.65 Ford, Jessie Wheat 406 61 Ford, and later 65 427 Ford,  Rags 62 Corvette, Billy 62 409 Chevy SS ,Frankie Lamb 64 409 Chevy SS, Foots 63 Chevy SS very fast 327, Big Walt 409 63 Chevy SS automatic very rear in those days, James Smallwood Wilbert Smallwood 69 notch back Sox & Martin Cuda.

One Friday morning I met John Lyles A.K.A. MUTT at the shop, He bought a BSA motor cycle with his winning. He said to Benny and i,  I’am going for a ride to long island I will be back in an hour, about and hour later we got a call saying that he was kill in an accident, and those was our last words together. Ronald and I started a corporation under his name MUTT BROTHERS .We started a Realty Corp. buying and selling properties, we also went into the grocery business, We bought the Sox and Martin 69 cuda, to compete with those fast street cars in Brooklyn, But the street was no longer for us. Ronald Benny and I went racing N.H.R.A. style in 1972. We made the cover of super stock magazine, and in 1972. We went to the world finals where we qualified number 9 in a16 car field, not bad for those street boys from Brooklyn. We learn fast that there were no money in N.H.R.A. racing without sponsorship, while writing this story and watching the O’ Reilly spring National march 2007,  I saw Tom Hammonds beautiful Chevy Cobalt, with no sponsor, it brought back memories, even though many things has change but most of them remain the same. So we decided to go match racing, I did all the bookings. We match race all over the country. We would leave home on Wednesday, and wouldn’t return until Sunday night. The track owners would match us up with the top names like Don Nicholson, Bill Jenkins, Mike Fon, Don Carlton, Roy Hill, Lee Edward, Herb McCandless, Dave Strickler, any many more. We also ran as the Sox and Martin #3 car . We was fortunate enough to have had the pleasure to work with NASCAR  Hendrix motor sport engine builder, Randy Dorton, he was our mechanic / truck driver for two years. We travel all over the United States and Canada,  having loads of fun eating ham biscuit when we loose, and steak when we win. One day while riding in the truck Randy said .I could build a motor that could possibly run faster than a SOX & MARTIN engine,  Randy took a sox and martin hemi short block work on it for two weeks. He cut the piston put it back to gather, Put the engine in the car, went to Epping New Hampshire drag way, to a pro stock meet set the track record, Mike Fon driving the Rod Shop Dodge, came to the line made a pass broke our record. Randy said to Ronald we want that record and we did it. I forget to mention Randy was only 19 at that time. In 1973 we ran 8.93 and back it up with a 8.87 at New York National Drag strip on Long Island N.Y. at a National event that mean we was legal 2982 with a 426 Hemi Motor. We made the first legal 8 second run some one ran 8.94 the Wednesday night before match racing, that racer was Don Nicholson in his pinto. We did it with a 1973 Plymouth Duster. By the way, we were book to match race Don the next week at Capitol Drag Strip in Washington DC,  Don call Betty the track manager and cancel the race. This is a good story about five good people from Brooklyn N.Y. and one young gun from North Carolina, I still have fond memories of our racing days on the conduit, Street racing and match racing N.H.R.A. style. In the last 7 years, I lost three of the boys from Brooklyn, and one from North Carolina. Benny Dunham. Ronald Lyles. Jessie Johnson. And Randy Dorton. Randy Dorton died in a plane crash along with Rick Hendricks brother in 2004. Ronald Lyles, died in 2000 in Pied Mt Hospital in Rockhill South Carolina, Benny Dunham, died in Savannah G.A. Jessie Johnson, died in Bennettsville S.C. Behind all those good men were some very good women, Drucilla, Glinda, Mary, Kat, Cathy Dorton, and my wife Margaret Coard, I am the last man standing, the last of the MUTT BROTHERS racing team. Eugene Coard and much thanks to my son Allen Coard. So you young men watch what you eat, remember Ronald died from diabetes .GET CHECK. . For more info. Check out our web www.ronaldlyles.com/home