Racing History Minute - May 18, 1963

At the risk of infringing on the excellent recollections of Chase and his Petty history, I'm going to post the history minute from Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, VA, for this date 50 years ago.

Sixteen cars would enter the 300 lap/112.5 mile race on the .375 mile dirt track. The race would be caution free and from the records available to me, every lap was led by the same driver. But let's look a little closer.

Petty Engineering, between Richard Petty and Jim Pashal, had won six of the seven races leading up to this race, with Jim Paschal actually winning the last short track race prior to this one (Rebel 300 at Darlington between the two races), When practice got underway at Old Dominion, Richard noted that the number 41 Plymouth Jim was driving was negotiating the dirt track better than the number 43 which Richard would normally drive. As Richard was fighting Joe Weatherly for the 1963 Championship, Richard elected to take over the number 41, relegating Jim to the number 43. Paschal was "irked"as he had every right to be, but he was not competing for the Championship and that had to be considered.

Richard put the number 41 on the pole in qualifying and Jim Paschal put the 43 right beside him. An all Petty Engineering front row. On the drop of the green, Richard and 41 were gone. By the end of the event, Richard had a lap lead over second place finisher Ned Jarrettand two laps over Paschal in the second Petty entry.

Top five finishers were:

1. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $1,000.00

2. Ned Jarrett, Burton-Robinson Ford, winning $600.00

3. Jim Paschal, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $400.00

4. Larry Thomas, Wade Younts Dodge, winning $300.00

5. Elmo Langley, Woodfield Ford, winning $275.00

Sixth through tenth,in order, were Nace Mattingly, Fred Harb, Curtis Crider, Joe Weatherly and Larry Manning. Roy Mayne was 11th, Worth McMillian 12th,
Wendell Scott 13th, Herman Beam 14th, Jimmy Pardue 15th and Johnny Allen 16th.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

Here is the link to the blog entry I posted on this day a year ago. I didn't have much more to add though Jerry Bushmire did help me with a photo and article.

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-18-this-day-in-petty-history.html

Thanks, Tim

Quick side note. Jarrett was racing at the "home" track of his car owner/sponsor - Charles "Red" Robinson and Burton & Robinson Concrete Construction of Fairfax/Manassas, Va. Ned would post eight 1963 wins for Red.

One correction... Old Dominion was asphalt, not dirt in 1963.

Dave, thank you for your addition and correction to this post. My reference source indicates that track was dirt at the time of this race but knowing you have personal memories of the track and events there, I bow to your memories. That is why it is so important to have your participation in these History Minutes. I was hoping to compile an entire year of historic racing memories readily accessible here on RacersReunion and I want it to be as historically correct as possible.

Again, thank you, and please continue to make corrections anytime you find me in error.

Mr. Gore lengthened and paved the place right after he bought the then "Longview Speedway" in 1952. Richard's 1963 Grand National pole speed of 71.58 mph on a .375-mile track is pretty good confirmation it was paved.

What you are doing is awesome Tim, and much appreciated. I, for one, have already learned so many "new" things from these posts and the follow-ups.

Thanks for the kind words, Dave. I'm having a lot of fun doing these "Minutes". What you and Chase add to the posts is what really makes it worth something.

Bump to a Virginia ghost track memory

Old Dominion Speedway - end of an era

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-state-of-nova/post/old-dominion-speedway-in-manassas-last-race-track-in-northern-va-shuts-er-down/2012/11/29/f2c9dce2-39a2-11e2-b01f-5f55b193f58f_blog.html?utm_term=.6a3b8ea00f25