The 1963 racing season got off to a horrible start for Marvin Panch as he was testing a sports car at Daytona in February when it became partially airborne and flipped upsidedown and burst into flames. Through heroic efforts of bystanders, including one Tiny Lund, Panch was rescued and transported to the hospital in Daytona were he would spend quite some time recovering. Just to fill in a highlight to that story, the Wood Brothers, for whom Panch competed in the Grand National Division, put a piece of silver duct tape of Marvin's name on the door of the number 21 and put "Tiny Lund" instead. Tiny went on to win the 1963 Daytona 500.
But now we are here in September and Panch has been back in the number 21 for a few weeks but with no real success. The guys report to North Wilkesboro for a 250 mile race on the .625 mile track. Twenty-eight entries qualify with Fred Lorenzen parking his Holman-Moody Ford on the pole with a speed of 96.556 mph. Fireball Roberts, in another Holman-Moody entry took second, Marvin Panch in the Wood Brothers Ford third, Nelson Stacy was fourth with yet another Holman-Moody Ford and Joe Weatherly put the Bud Moore Mercury in fifth.
Fireball would lead the first 153 laps before yeilding to Fred Lorenzen on pit stops. Freddie would lead two laps until his stop and on lap 159 Nelson Stacy took over. It was Lorenzen again on lap 215 but Fireball went by again on lap 227. Fireball and Freddie engaged in a duel for several laps, changing the lead several times on one lap but after mid race pit stops, it was Marvin Panch holding the lead. Pancho would lead until lap 312 before yeilding, once again to Lorenzen. Panch continued to trail Lorenzen with a steady push to retake the lead. On lap 352, the number 21 Ford of Panch got by the number 28 of Lorenzen and slowly, but steadily began to build a lead that would be just over six seconds at the end of the race. Lorenzen was fighting an issue with a tire over the last 100 laps but he admitted he couldn't catch the speedy Panch in those last laps.
This was the first win for Marvin since a 100 mile qualifying race at Daytona for the 1961 Daytona 500 but it was his 9th career win. He said, after the race, that he was very surprised to win the event as he was suffering from an awful head cold and didn't think he could hold off Lorenzen. He credited the Wood Brothers' pitwork for the win saying "the Wood Brothers got the car better on every stop. They are the ones who won this race".
Top five finishers were:
1. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $3,225.00
2. Fred Lorezen, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $2,050.00
3. Nelson Stacy, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,450.00 (2 laps down)
4. Fireball Roberts, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,250.00 (3 laps down)
5. Ned Jarrett, Burton-Robinson Ford, winning $625.00 (3 laps down)
Sixth through tenth were Joe Weatherly, Rex White, David Pearson, Tiny Lund and Larry Thomas. Darel Dieringer would capture 11th, BobWelborn 12th, Curtis Crider 13th, Reb Wickersham 14th, and Wendell Scott 15th.
Roy Mayne would finish 18th, Buck Baker 19th, Larry Frank 20th, Bobby Johns 21st, and Jimmy Pardue 22nd. Jack Smith is creditedwith 24th, Richard Petty 26th, and Junior Johnson, who made 4 laps before a brake cylinder sidelined him, finished 28th and last.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
