Tire Tests Were Bad Luck for Burton-Robinson Construction Co. Drivers Pardue & Thomas

When Ned Jarrett stepped out of cars owned by Charles ( Red ) Robinson, Jimmy Pardue stepped in to drive the Burton-Robinson Construction Company Plymouths for the 1964 season.

Late in 1964, Jimmy was killed in a tire test at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

29 year old Larry Thomas of Liberty/Thomasville, NC drove three races for the Burton-Robinson Plymouth team ending the 1964 season and was presumed to be the team's driver in 1965.

Unfortunately, while traveling to the Atlanta racetrack in January 1965 to observe a tire test, Thomas, driving his brand new 1965 Plymouth ( he'd had it less than a week ), rear ended another vehicle at high speed on I-75 near Tifton, Georgia at 5:30 a.m. and was killed. The other driver described it as like being hit by a bolt of lightning.

Following the deaths of Pardue and Thomas, Burton-Robinson Construction never again fielded a car. In just two seasons of competition - 1963 & 1964 - the cars of Red Robinson earned 9 wins ( all by Jarrett ) and 49 top-5 finishes in 104 outings. Robinson was a gifted car owner who spotted great talent and left our sport too soon following the deaths of two drivers.

Jimmy Pardue in 1964 in Red Robinson's #54 Burton-Robinson Construction Plymouth.

Larry Thomas rolls his Dodge at Jacksonville in 1964 before joining Red Robinson's team replacing Jimmy Pardue.

Link below to newspaper story detailing the Larry Thomas wreck :

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k2IsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VM0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3217,3466403&hl=en

Note : the link takes you to the Associated Press story in the Spartanburg paper. If you scroll to page 8, column 3 in that paper you'll find an in-depth story by the paper's Jim Foster describing the reactions of Bud Moore, Cotton Owens and others. Foster would go on to become head of PR for Dodge Motorsports before being hired by Bill France, Senior. Foster worked as Vice President, Marketing & Communications for NASCAR as well as President of Daytona Speedway.

Dave...nice write up.

B&R did field/sponsor some other cars (not currently) before and after '63/'64, but nothing on the Grand National level. One of those drivers (Danny Collins) was also killed on his personal time in the '70s. Also, Robinson never went by "Red" that anyone in either family remembers...he went by Bob.

Some other drivers were:

Tommy Irwin

Bill Dennis

Lennie Pond

Danny Collins

Billy "The Kid" Ingle

Cars:

Buddy

Thanks, Buddy. Didn't realize Tommy Irwin drove for B&R until I saw the photo from the Jack Walker collection you'd posted recently. My education continues.

Larry Thomas rolls his Dodge at Jacksonville in 1964 before joining Red Robinson's team replacing Jimmy Pardue.

I NOTICED THE #6 ON UPSIDE DOWN RACE CAR DRIVEN BY LARRY THOMAS #16 Wade Younts OWNED 62'DODGE RACE CAR.

THE #6 LOOKS LIKE THE DAVID PEARSON #6 ON COTTON OWEN BUILT DODGE RACE CARS.

IS THERE AN Wade Younts/COTTON OWEN (DODGE) CONNECTION?

IS THERE AN Wade Younts/COTTON OWEN (DODGE}/PETTY ENTERPRISES (PLYMOUTH) CONNECTION AFTER THEY LOAN JOE WEATHERLY/BUD MOORE RACE CARS TO WIN THE 1963 NASCAR CHAMPIONSHIP?

AFTER THE DEATHS OF JOE WEATHERLY/BILLY WADE, DID BUD MOORE SOLD/LOAN/GAVE HIS MERCURY RACE CARS TO Wade Younts, AS AN FAVOR FOR HELPING WINNING THE 1963 NASCAR CHAMPIONSHIP.

1964 Jacksonville 200

http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1964_Jacksonville_200/W

NASCAR Grand National race number 3 of 62
Sunday, December 1, 1963 at Speedway Park, Jacksonville, FL
200 laps* on a .500 mile dirt track (100.0 miles)

Time of race: 1:43:00
Average Speed: 58.252 mph
Pole Speed: 70.921 mph Cautions: 5 for 24 laps
Margin of Victory: 2 laps +
Attendance: 5,000
Lead changes: n/a

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 15 34 Wendell Scott Wendell Scott '62 Chevrolet 202 1,000 running 27
2 14 87 Buck Baker Buck Baker '63 Pontiac 200 600 running 0
3 1 47 Jack Smith Archie Smith '62 Plymouth 199 400 running 20
4 18 68 Ed Livingston Ed Livingston '62 Ford 195 300 running 0
5 2 42 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises '63 Plymouth 193 275 running 103
6 17 86 Neil Castles Buck Baker '62 Chrysler 190 240 running 0
7 5 11 Ned Jarrett Burton-Robinson (Charles Robinson) '63 Ford 183 200 wheel bolts 52
8 20 78 Buddy Arrington Buddy Arrington '63 Dodge 182 175 running 0
9 19 92 Johnny Allen Ray Osborne '63 Ford 179 150 running 0
10 4 5 Billy Wade Cotton Owens '63 Dodge 163 140 differential 0
11 21 05 Possum Jones Possum Jones '61 Pontiac 156 130 running 0
12 10 32 Tiny Lund Dave Kent '63 Ford 124 120 differential 0
13 7 20 Jack Anderson Jack Anderson '63 Ford 121 110 radiator 0
14 22 61 Joe Weatherly Sherman Utsman '62 Ford 120 300 running 0
15 16 9 Roy Tyner Roy Tyner '62 Chevrolet 99 85 axle 0
16 9 6 David Pearson Cotton Owens '63 Dodge 70 75 oil pan 0
17 6 03 G.C. Spencer G.C. Spencer '62 Chevrolet 60 65 differential 0
18 13 16 Larry Thomas Wade Younts '62 Dodge 60 60 crash 0
19 3 90 Jimmy Lee Capps Speedy Spiers '63 Plymouth 50 50 crash 0
20 11 39 LeeRoy Yarbrough E.A. McQuaig '62 Pontiac 23 50 axle 0
21 12 62 Curtis Crider Curtis Crider '63 Ford 8 50 engine 0
22 8 2 Jimmy Pardue Cliff Stewart '63 Pontiac Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 15 34 Wendell Scott Wendell Scott '62 Chevrolet 202 1,000 running 27
2 14 87 Buck Baker Buck Baker '63 Pontiac 200 600 running 0
3 1 47 Jack Smith Archie Smith '62 Plymouth 199 400 running 20
4 18 68 Ed Livingston Ed Livingston '62 Ford 195 300 running 0
5 2 42 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises '63 Plymouth 193 275 running 103
6 17 86 Neil Castles Buck Baker '62 Chrysler 190 240 running 0
7 5 11 Ned Jarrett Burton-Robinson (Charles Robinson) '63 Ford 183 200 wheel bolts 52
8 20 78 Buddy Arrington Buddy Arrington '63 Dodge 182 175 running 0
9 19 92 Johnny Allen Ray Osborne '63 Ford 179 150 running 0
10 4 5 Billy Wade Cotton Owens '63 Dodge 163 140 differential 0
11 21 05 Possum Jones Possum Jones '61 Pontiac 156 130 running 0
12 10 32 Tiny Lund Dave Kent '63 Ford 124 120 differential 0
13 7 20 Jack Anderson Jack Anderson '63 Ford 121 110 radiator 0
14 22 61 Joe Weatherly Sherman Utsman '62 Ford 120 300 running 0
15 16 9 Roy Tyner Roy Tyner '62 Chevrolet 99 85 axle 0
16 9 6 David Pearson Cotton Owens '63 Dodge 70 75 oil pan 0
17 6 03 G.C. Spencer G.C. Spencer '62 Chevrolet 60 65 differential 0
18 13 16 Larry Thomas Wade Younts '62 Dodge 60 60 crash 0
19 3 90 Jimmy Lee Capps Speedy Spiers '63 Plymouth 50 50 crash 0
20 11 39 LeeRoy Yarbrough E.A. McQuaig '62 Pontiac 23 50 axle 0
21 12 62 Curtis Crider Curtis Crider '63 Ford 8 50 engine 0
22 8 2 Jimmy Pardue Cliff Stewart '63 Pontiac 6 50 axle 0

Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.USA

I remember hearing the news of both Jimmy Pardue and Larry Thomas' deaths. I had "known" both of the drivers because I always tried to hang around the Mopar drivers and did so when not hanging around Richard. Both Jimmy and Larry were fine men, in my opinion, and I remember Jimmy as being the quiet racer.

If you recall, Jimmy died after going through the guardrail and out of the track at Charlotte in September, 1964. Just a few weeks later was the National 400 at that track. I was parked in the infield in turns three and four when, on the last lap while leading Lorenzen, Richard blew a right front tire and slammed that guardrail really hard. After the race, we were in the garage area talking with Richard when on of the NASCAR officials walked up and told him that he hit in almost the exact spot Jimmy had gone through the rail and that the track had reinforced the rail all through the turn three-four area. The official speculated that had not the reinforcement been done, it would have been Richard going out of the track. Of course, you never know what strange set of circumstances causes things to happen on this earth, but I've always remembered that conversation.

Burton-Robinson was a first class operation. If you ever get the chance, watch the first 10 laps of the 1964 Daytona 500 and watch for that red number 54.

DON'T KNOW IF WAS THE DAVID PEARSON HALL OF FAME VIDEO OR COTTON OWENS HALL OF FAME VIDEO.
BOTH OF THEM GAVE REASONS WHY DAVID PEARSON LEFT COTTON OWENS DODGE AND TO WENT HOLMAN/MOODY FORD.
THE MAIN REASON IS THAT COTTON OWENS BUILT HIS DODGE RACE CARS LIKE AN HEAVY DUTY TANK.
HEAVY DUTY CONSTRUCTED RACE CAR = HEAVY WEIGHT = SLOWER SPEED.
COTTON OWENS DIDN'T WANT HIS DRIVERS HURT REAL BAD OR KILLED BECAUSED HE BUILT AN LIGHTER CONSTRUCTED BUT FASTER RACE CAR.

DAVID PEARSON WANTED AN FASTER AND LIGHTER RACE CAR SO HE QUIT COTTON OWENS DODGE AND WENT TO HOLMAN/MOODY FORD.

Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.USA

DIDN'T BUD MOORE HAVE MORE THAN THE WRECKED #8 AND #1 MERCURY RACE CARS?

HOW ABOUT #16 MERCURY OR ANY OTHER BACK--UP MERCURY RACE CARS?

THERE WAS AN RACE DRIVER WHO CLAIMED THAT HE BOUGHT THE BILLY WADE WRECKED RACE CAR, FIXED IT UP AND RACED IT?

Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.USA

When Earnhardt had his bad crash at Pocono in Bud's Thunderbird, Don Naman called me to see if he could get the wrecked beyond repair car to display at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum in Talladega. There was no hesitation whatsoever in Bud's quick reply to me of "NO."

Very interesting and revealing photo, Perry. Thanks for sharing.

DAVE,

DIDN'T SOMEONE COUPLE YEARS AGO FOUND DALE SR. #15 WRECK RACE CAR IN THE BARN AND IS FIXING IT UP TO RUN ON THE VINTAGE RACE CAR CIRCUIT ?

HOW ABOUT THE WRECK RICHARD PETTY "OUTLAW" PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA DRAG RACE CAR THAT IN BOOK HAS IT BURIED UNDERGROUND. HEARD SOMEONE IS FIXING THAT UP FOR TO RUN ON THE VINTAGE RACE CAR CIRCUIT ?
RICHARD PETTY HAD TWO PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA DRAG RACE CARS.
THE WRECKED "OUTLAW" THAT KILLED THE YOUNG BOY, INJURED LOT OF RACE FANS.

#1 DRAG CAR : (43 OUTLAWED) 43/JR DRAG RACE CAR:
00. PETTY NO "OUTLAWED" ON DOOR 43/JR DRAG CAR
01. RICHARD PETTY NO "OUTLAWED" ON DOOR 43/JR
02. RICHARD PETTY WRECK "OUTLAWED" 43/JR DRAG CAR IN PETTY WOODS
03. RICHARD PETTY "OUTLAWED" 43/JR DRAG CAR
04. RICHARD PETTY "OUTLAWED" 43/JR DRAG CAR
05. PETTY "OUTLAWED" 43/JR DRAG RACE CAR
06. PETTY OUTLAWED 43-JR DRAG CAR CRUSH-UP
07 CRUSH PLYMOUTH DRAG CAR
08. PETTY OUTLAWED 43-JR DRAG CAR GARAGE DUMP

#2 DRAG CAR : (43 JR.) DRAG RACE CAR:
09. PETTY 43JR DRAG RACE CAR
010. BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL DRAGWAY PETTY 43 JR

The Petty Junkyard
http://www.superbirdclub.com/pettyjunk.html

http://selvedgeyard.com/2011/11/17/1965-the-year-richard-petty-the-...

http://www.superbirdclub.com/WhatsNew.html

Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.USA