• CENTRAL KANSAS CORVETTE ASSOCIATION •
VINTAGE PHOTOS & VIDEOS
More StingRat!
Denise and I paid a visit to Rod Givens on August 31, 2024 to say howdy and check on the progress of "StingRat II" which is currently under construction at his shop.
Rod dug out this old newspaper clipping of the original StingRat, Clarence 'Clay' Bontrager and other members of the CKCA gang getting ready for the upcoming Salt City Rod & Custom Auto Show at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The caption reads:
AMONG THOSE who will be showing cars at the Salt City Rod and Custom Auto Show April 8 and 9 are, from left, Larry Wharton, owner of the pickup pictured; Bill Barron, owner of the boat; Jim Shafer, chairman of the show [and former CKCA President]; Clarence Bontrager, owner of the Corvette; and Norm Bomer. See story, page 3."
Thank you, Rod!
– Photos contributed by CKCA members Gerald & Denise Haughton
Rod dug out this old newspaper clipping of the original StingRat, Clarence 'Clay' Bontrager and other members of the CKCA gang getting ready for the upcoming Salt City Rod & Custom Auto Show at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The caption reads:
AMONG THOSE who will be showing cars at the Salt City Rod and Custom Auto Show April 8 and 9 are, from left, Larry Wharton, owner of the pickup pictured; Bill Barron, owner of the boat; Jim Shafer, chairman of the show [and former CKCA President]; Clarence Bontrager, owner of the Corvette; and Norm Bomer. See story, page 3."
Thank you, Rod!
– Photos contributed by CKCA members Gerald & Denise Haughton
StingRat!
NOTE: Click on images for larger version
These vintage 8x10 photos of the legendary StingRat Corvette were loaned to the club at the 'Downtown Hutch Cars & Coffee at DCI Park' event on August 3, 2024 by Mr. Rod Givens so that I could scan them for our website. Thanks Rod!
Rod, along with CKCA members Clarence "Clay" Bontrager and Dean Bontrager, was heavily involved with building and campaigning the infamous "StingRat" Corvette that was so successfully raced by Clarence back in the day. Rod is seen in several of the photos.
On behalf of the Central Kansas Corvette Association: Thanks again, Rod. You rock!
– GH, 08/15/2024
Rod, along with CKCA members Clarence "Clay" Bontrager and Dean Bontrager, was heavily involved with building and campaigning the infamous "StingRat" Corvette that was so successfully raced by Clarence back in the day. Rod is seen in several of the photos.
On behalf of the Central Kansas Corvette Association: Thanks again, Rod. You rock!
– GH, 08/15/2024
• Clarence Bontrager, Dean Bontrager & the infamous StingRat •
CKCA members Clarence Bontrager, left, and Dean Bontrager, right, posing with the autocross trophies they won – FTD and First in Class - Modified A – competing in at the 1976 NCCC Convention in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Corvette on the trailer? The legendary StingRat!
Photos contributed via email by Stuart Bontrager on August 1, 2024, along with this note:
Hi there,
My dad was Dean Bontrager and he was involved in the StingRat car along with Clarence Bontrager back in the 70's. I just saw the great videos you posted here on the site recently and just wanted to say thank you! Those were really cool to see. I'm wondering if you have any others or any event results that you might be able to share from any events the StingRat was in. This car is legendary in our family and there isn't much info out there on the web available about it.
Thanks for keeping this history alive!
Stuart
Thank YOU, Stuart!!!
Photos contributed via email by Stuart Bontrager on August 1, 2024, along with this note:
Hi there,
My dad was Dean Bontrager and he was involved in the StingRat car along with Clarence Bontrager back in the 70's. I just saw the great videos you posted here on the site recently and just wanted to say thank you! Those were really cool to see. I'm wondering if you have any others or any event results that you might be able to share from any events the StingRat was in. This car is legendary in our family and there isn't much info out there on the web available about it.
Thanks for keeping this history alive!
Stuart
Thank YOU, Stuart!!!
• Who's in the car? •
We're looking for help identifying the couple sitting in the car in this vintage photograph, which was loaned to the club by CKCA member Jim Bechler at the membership meeting on Monday, April 8th, 2024.
The other folks in the photo are, from left to right: Duane* and Karen Ukens, Fred Johnson* (kneeling), Wes Heinlein* (standing next to driver door), Jim Bechler*, Clark Miller*, Rick* and Bev Smiley*, and Doug Rice (in wheelchair).
*Fun fact: There are seven former CKCA presidents seen in this pic!
I'm told the photo was taken in the Sunflower Bldg. at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, circa 1992-1993.
Any additional information regarding this photo is appreciated. A zoomable version of this photo can be found on the CKCA Facebook page HERE.
The other folks in the photo are, from left to right: Duane* and Karen Ukens, Fred Johnson* (kneeling), Wes Heinlein* (standing next to driver door), Jim Bechler*, Clark Miller*, Rick* and Bev Smiley*, and Doug Rice (in wheelchair).
*Fun fact: There are seven former CKCA presidents seen in this pic!
I'm told the photo was taken in the Sunflower Bldg. at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, circa 1992-1993.
Any additional information regarding this photo is appreciated. A zoomable version of this photo can be found on the CKCA Facebook page HERE.
– GH, 04/11/2024
From left to right: Duane and Karen Ukens, Fred Johnson (kneeling), Wes Heinlein (standing next to driver door), Jim Bechler, Clark Miller, Rick and Bev Smiley, and Doug Rice (in wheelchair).
• Vintage Racing Video •
Webmaster note: The vintage videos below were contributed to our club in digital format by CKCA members Randy & Susan Puls in March 2024 - thank you! At the time of this writing, I don't have any additional information on the identity of the people or Corvettes seen in the videos, or who shot the videos. I'll post up more information if it becomes available.
– GH, 03/31/2024
EDIT: These videos were apparently taken and provided to our club by former NCCC West Region Governor Frank Wietharn from Topeka, KS. I reached out to Mr. Wietharn on 08/08/2024 via private message on the Corvette Forum (he goes by the screen name Racin Time), asking for any additional information he may be able to provide regarding these videos, but to date have not received a reply.
– GH, 08/15/2024
– GH, 03/31/2024
EDIT: These videos were apparently taken and provided to our club by former NCCC West Region Governor Frank Wietharn from Topeka, KS. I reached out to Mr. Wietharn on 08/08/2024 via private message on the Corvette Forum (he goes by the screen name Racin Time), asking for any additional information he may be able to provide regarding these videos, but to date have not received a reply.
– GH, 08/15/2024
Mr. Wietharn's avatar pic on the Corvette Forum
NOTE: The title captions shown below each video were copied verbatim from each video file
1980 Autocross WR Championship, Yoder, Mud, StingRat, TCCFB
1978 Autocross, Air Capital, Yoder
1978 West Sectional Autocross, Yoder, StingRat, WAFB, NCCCFB
1978 West Sectional, Pits, Yoder, StingRat, WAFB, NCCCFB
1978 Autocross, CKCA, Salina, StingRat, WAFB, NCCCFB
1978 Autocross, Drags, Sectional, StingRat
Page last updated: 07/27/2025
© Central Kansas Corvette Association
Hutchinson, KS
© Central Kansas Corvette Association
Hutchinson, KS
