Ever had a classic car you regretted selling?

Ask seven-time IHRA Rickie Smith about the classic 1974 Maverick that got away. The car drove for team owner Keith Fowler. 

The same 351 cubic inch Ford Maverick that he drove to so many IHRA Super Modified titles subsequently forcing the sanctioning body to cancel the class due to lack of participation turned out to be a special edition Jack Roush car.

Smith said the car wasn’t his to sell, but had he have known the rich history – he might have been inspired to scrape his nickels and dimes together and purchase the ride, if only to store away in his shop. 

Recently Smith was contacted by the new owner of the car who resides in Knoxville, Tennessee. He brims with excitement when discussing the owner’s reported plans to restore the car.

Classic photos from Rickie SmithRacing.com

Smith won so much with the Maverick that it caused the Super Modified class to lose cars and inevitably its existence.

Ask seven-time IHRA Rickie Smith about the classic 1974 Maverick that got away. The car drove for team owner Keith Fowler. 

The same 351 cubic inch Ford Maverick that he drove to so many IHRA Super Modified titles subsequently forcing the sanctioning body to cancel the class due to lack of participation turned out to be a special edition Jack Roush car.

Smith said the car wasn’t his to sell, but had he have known the rich history – he might have been inspired to scrape his nickels and dimes together and purchase the ride, if only to store away in his shop. 

Recently Smith was contacted by the new owner of the car who resides in Knoxville, Tennessee. He brims with excitement when discussing the owner’s reported plans to restore the car.

I would've liked to keep all my cars but I can't afford to keep all this stuff. - Rickie Smith 

“From what I understand it's in pretty good shape,” Smith answered when asked of the car’s condition. “The guy that I was talking to, the guy that's got it -- had a mild stroke or something and he's waiting to get healed up.  He's a Ford guy.” 

Smith, who declined to give the new owner’s name, said the gentleman has also acquired one of the Jack Roush powerplants that resided between the steel fenders.

“He's got that and he's wanting to put it back together just to restore it,” Smith bragged. “He knows Jack Roush and he talked to him years ago and asked him about that car.”   

Interestingly enough, Smith explained the car he thought was purchased from a little old lady near his King, North Carolina home was actually built in the Gapp & Roush shop and was one of five cars destined for their Pro Stock operation.

”The car was prepared by Ford and I went for it because it had unique tubs, quarter-panels and the front steel,” Smith said. “This car was supposed to be a Jack Roush spare but it never made it to them. I was told this story and all I could do is look at the man and say, ‘You’re kidding me.”

The ride down memory lane for Smith was a thought-provoking one, but brought out a large regret.

“I would've liked to keep all my cars but I can't afford to keep all this stuff,” Smith explained when asked if he planned to purchase the car from the gentleman. “I couldn't buy it right now.  I'm sure people think that I've got lots of money and I'll be ok but if people had a clue how I was from month to month.  I always pay my bills but I don't have any extra money to do anything like that.”