Racing History Minute - June 10, 1961

It's another rainy, dreary day in Columbia, SC this morning as I prepare to write this History Minute. Same sort of weather was hovering above the quarter-mile paved track known as Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC, on this date for the race featured in our "Minute" today. . That track still hosts racing every weekend all these many years later,but today we are going to focus on this date in 1961. A total of 22 drivers signed in to compete in the "Myers Brothers Memorial" race which honored two true pioneers of the sport, Billy and Bobby Myers. The Myers name is still well known in the sport with sons Randy Myers and "Chocolate" Myers remaining involved in different aspects of stock car racing. .

Junior Johnson would qualify his Holly Farms Pontiac on the pole with Glen Wood nailing down the second starting position in his Ford. Third starting position went to Jim Reed in a Chevrolet with Rex White putting another Chevrolet on the outside of the second row. Although my records source does not provide lap by lap leaders, I can guess the number on position was contested hotly throughout the event on a tight track like Bowman-Gray. I do know, however, there was only one caution flag for five laps but can only guess that was caused by Maurice Petty's spin which put him 16 laps behind to finish in 13th place.

When the race was over, 12,500 fans who had come out to the track in spite of the threatening skies saw Rex White taking the checkered flag in first place. This would be Rex's fourth win of the season as he sought to defend his 1960 Championship. One note of interest is that Rex became the 11th different winner in 11 consecutive races. That trend of different winners would continue for two more races with Emauel Zervakis winning a week later in Norwood, MA and then Buck Baker on June 23rd in Hartsville, SC. That impresses me for some strange reason.

Top five finishers were:

1. Rex White, White-Clements Chevrolet, winning $900.00

2. Jim Reed, Reed Chevrolet, winning $525.00

3. Junior Johnson, Holly Farms Pontiac, winning $375.00

4. Emauel Zervakis, Monroe Shook Chevrolet, winning $275.00

5. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $250.00

Sixth through tenth were Ned Jarrett, Buck Baker, G.C. Spencer, Jimmy Pardue and Doug Yates. Jim Pashcal would finish 11th, Maurice Petty 13th, Herman Beam 14th, Curtis Crider 15th, Glen Wood 18th, Fred Harb 20th, and Wendell Scott 21st.

I note that Wendell Scott went out on lap 78 due to brakes but Lee Reltzel parked his Ford on lap 36 for the same issue, brakes, and was credited with 22 and last position. One very interesting note I discovered is that Fred Harb had to park his Ford on lap 83 with the official reason showing as "Door". I would love to know the details of that issue.

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

Thanks, Tim. The Bowman Gray fans have turned out rain or shine for many years.

I have saw alot of reasons given for DNF over the years but have never saw anything like "door" before. I also would like to know those details. Only thing I could think of is maybe his car had a push so bad that he kept banging on the door so hard to signal the crew thatit fell off.

11 different winners in 11 races are what I dream of these days, THOSE REALLY WERE THE DAYS!...Wish that streak had started at Pocono yesterday but we know that is not going to happen. SinceNASCAR has made all the cars equalit nowseems as if there are only a very few that can win. Wonderhow that isdefined in the NASCAR dictionary, coincidence, talent, or oxymoron!

Thanks Tim

Race report from Spartanburg Herald Journal

seems funny that nascar can make the entire feild run nose to tail at daytona and talledega but no where else and no one can run with the 48 car at pocono

Fred Harb had to park his Ford on lap 83 with the official reason showing as "Door".

Anyone with 1961 NASCAR STOCK CAR RULE BOOK??
Can't race without chrome push button door handles rule??
Can't race without opened/closing race car doors that needed to bolted shut rule??

1968 was last year of chrome push button door handles on NASCAR STOCK CAR RACES.
1969 had door handle shape metal plates welded or riveted in place of chrome push button door handles on the NASCAR STOCK CARS.

Thank you very much for any information or photos given
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va. USA

Dennis, I wouldn't have guessed that the push button door handles stayed on the Grand National cars through 1968, but a quick glance at Richard Petty Plymouth photos 1964-1968 confirms they all have door handles as you say. That nasty 1965 Petty Ford has the door handle shaped metal plate!

Not real sure if its the same Fred harb, but there's an 83 yr.old fellow in High Point listed as owning an Auto Body Shop. Maybe someone from over in that area can drop in and ask if its the same Fred Harb and ask the Door question..lol....

Newspaper ad for the race from The Dispatch