October 30, 1977 - Bugs Stevens & Morgan Shepherd Split Cardinal 500 Martinsville NASCAR Modified & NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Twin-Bill

On this day, October 30, in 1977, Bugs Stevens of Rehoboth, Massachusetts took the 250-lap Modified half and Morgan Shepherd of Conover, North Carolina the 250-lap Late Model Sportsman half of Martinsville Speedway's Cardinal 500 Classic NASCAR twin-bill.

Geoff Bodine of Chemung, New York was on the pole for the Modified race and Bill Dennis of Glen Allen, Virginia had the pole for the Late Model Sportsman go. Collecting $1,000 for leading the most laps in the LMS event was Alabama's Neil Bonnett in an Olds Omega.

Stevens had a rather easy time of it in the Modified portion once Bodine encountered problems, whereas Shepherd led only the final 5 laps of the Late Model Sportsman half.

Associated Press coverage below appeared in the October 31, 1977 Fredericksburg Free Lance Star:

Cardinal 500

NASCAR Modified race
Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, VA
October 30, 1977
250 laps on 0.525 mile paved oval; 131.25 miles
Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 Bugs Stevens Ford Pinto 250 7,675 running 193
2 Billy Hensley Chevrolet Vega 248 3,360 0
3 Brian Ross Ford Pinto 247 2,300 0
4 Hank Thomas Ford Pinto 245 0
5 Ken Bouchard Chevrolet Vega 242 1,000 0
6 Bill Dennis AMC Gremlin 240 900 0
7 Cliff Tyler Chevrolet Vega 240 825 0
8 Wayne Anderson 16 Ford Pinto 238 725 0
9 Chuck Ciprich AMC Gremlin 237 600 0
10 Quenton Vollgraff Ford Pinto 236 525 0
22 1 Geoff Bodine Ford Pinto 151 spring 57
Richie Evans 228 engine 0
Jamie Tomaino 9 0

Time of race: 01:46:38
Average Speed: 73.829 MPH
5 cautions for 34 laps

Cardinal 500

NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race
Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, VA
October 30, 1977
250 laps on 0.525 mile paved oval; 131.25 miles
Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 Morgan Shepherd Pontiac Ventura 250 6,775 running 5
2 Jack Ingram Chevrolet Nova 250 3,350 running
3 Jimmy Hensley Chevrolet Nova 250 2,225 running
4 Sonny Hutchins Chevrolet Nova 250 1,400 running 77
5 Bob Pressley Chevrolet Nova 249 1,000 running
6 Mike Porter Chevrolet Nova 249 900
7 Jay Hedgecock Chevrolet Nova 248 825
8 Paul Radford Chevrolet Nova 247 700
9 Joe Millikan Chevrolet Nova 247 625
10 Ray Hendrick Chevrolet Nova 246 500
17 1 Bill Dennis 238 running 6
29 Jack Bland 91 engine
30 2 Neil Bonnett Oldsmobile Omega 89 engine 81
Harry Gant 215 accident
Dick McCabe accident
Bill Smith accident
Monk Tate engine

Time of race: 01:54:58
Average Speed: 68.57 MPH
8 cautions for 50 laps
Results form Ultimate Racing History

The two winners with their trophies - from the cover of the 1978 Cardinal 500 program.

Top 10 Purse break down - 1977 Cardinal 500

My apologize - I forgot which newspaper to accredit for the snippet of information.

Interesting bit of info from Chrysler posting $30,000 for a top 10 finish by a Kit Car driver.

I had forgotten just how much effort they put into their short track product. The Nova's were just so strong back then.

RR, member Buddy Burton will be interested to see a photo spotted by TMC-Chase of his family's outside pole sitting Burton & Robinson Concrete Construction Olds #44 LMS wheeled at this Martinsville 1977 Cardinal 500 race by Neil Bonnett. Neil picked up the $1,000 bonus for leading the most laps - 81 - but, blew up on lap 89. Lennie Pond would drive the same car during the 1978. I believe this is the car Bobby Allison was originally slated to drive.

National Speed Sport News web site