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(left to right) Frank V. Bridge, S.E. Knudsen and B.E. Starr with six millionth Pontiac
1956 Pontiac Star Chief Catalina Coupe
Pontiac, Michigan
August 17, 1956

I was driving Frank Bridge, newly appointed Pontiac general sales manager, home from a special meeting held in downtown Detroit in 1956. It was hosted by S.E. "Bunkie" Knudsen and other GM executives. Frank was relating to Jack Jamieson, asst. general sales manager. Here are some of the highlights of that meeting.

• He told Jack that Bunkie was not at all pleased with the styling or drivetrain of the forthcoming 1957 Pontiac.
• Bunkie and Frank had used the tablecloth as a scratch pad and re-designed the side molding. It went from a plain molding to one that resembled a missile or rocket.
• They added tri-power to the new Pontiac Bonneville 2-door hardtop as an option...changed the grille which would have aped the '57 mercury! Other refinements were included, as well.
• Some at the June meeting said that none of this could be accomplished since they would only have three month to do it. Bunkie said "nuts to that.” He knew enough people on the 14th floor who would back him up. They did and dowdy old Pontiac was re-born. Incidentally, it went on to win the 1957 Daytona race.

Note: The driver of the 1957 Pontiac that won the 1957 Daytona 500 was Everett "Cotton" Owens. He was the first driver to ever win in a Pontiac.

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