The 1965 NASCAR Grand National season got underway on January 17, 1965, a Riverside Raceway withOUT the factory Chrysler Corporation cars which included Richard Petty and David Pearson. NASCAR and Chrysler were in hot dispute of the use of Chrysler's Hemi engine which proved to much for the Ford competition in 1964 although Ford did win its fair share of races. Richard and David were off pursuing other racing venues when the 42 cars rolled off the line that sunny afternoon in California.
Junior Johnson had won the pole in his Ford with a speed of 102.846 mph but it was Dan Gurney, winner of the two previous 500s at Riverside who was the fastest qualifier with a speed of 103.500 mph. Dan Gurney used his International License to enter the race as NASCAR and USAC continued to battle for sanctioning supremecy across the county. Gurney would start in 11th place in the number 121 Wood Brothers Ford. Second place starter was Parnelli Jones in a Bill Stroppe Mercury, third was Ned Jarrett in the Bondy Long Ford, fourth was Fred Lorenzen in the Holman-Moody Ford and Marvin Panch in another Wood Brothers Ford would start fifth.
Parnelli Jones took the lead on the drop of the green flag with Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett in hot pursuit. Jones would lead the first 36 laps before his Mercury began to experience problems in the valve train. Junior Johnson took over for two laps before Dan Gurney slipped into the lead he would hold until lap 81. On lap 82 it was Johnson out front again but Gurney went back to the point on lap 91. A. J. Foyt muscled his way to the front on lap 92 and he managed to hold on to that lead until lap 128. On lap 129 Dan Gurney almost effortlessly moved his Wood Brothers mount back to the lead and the rest of the way it was all Gurney. The checked flag waved on lap 185 giving Gurney his third consecutive Motor Trend 500 win. In fact, at that point, Gurney had won all three races at the track and those were, to date, his only NASCAR wins.
After the race, Gurney told the crowd of 61,474 who had spent almost six hours watching the race, that he "never strained the car at all. I was in a good position and never had to stand on it". Gurney completed the 500 miles at an average speed of 87.708 mph, slowed by 2 caution flags, and would finish 27 seconds ahead of second place.
A.J. Foyt was challenging Junior Johnson for second place with 16 laps to go when he got his Holman-Moody Ford into the dirt in turn nine and flipped end over end, another crash that has made numerous highlight films and was used in a movie or two. A.J. was transported to the hospital in a great deal of pain. Doctors determined he had suffered a broken back and a fractured left heal. His condition was listed as "Fair".
A freak accident resulted in the death of one 20 year old race fan. The fan and several of his friends were watching the race from a extended fork lift between turns one and two. Dick Powell spun in that area and slid into the safe embankment and in the excitement to see the accident, the fans on the fork lift all went to the same side of the platform at the same time putting the forklift off balance. The forklift tipped and crashed to the ground killing the fan, Ronald Pickle of San Diego and injuring three other fans.
There was also a fire on pit road as the Ford of Ned Jarrett burst into flames on a routine stop. Fire crews were on the scene immediately and put out the blaze. Jarrett said afterwards "those people at Riverside did a tremendous job of putting out that fire". The fire occured on a lap 94 pit stop. Jarrett had been running with the leaders until that point.
Finishing Order:
1. Dan Gurney, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $13,625.00
2. Junior Johnson, Junior Johnson Ford, winning $7,310.00
3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $4,075.00 (1 lap down)
4. Darel Dieringer, Ford, winning $2,625.00 (3 laps down)
5. Gene Davis, Bill Groves Mercury, winning $1,850.00 (8 laps down)
6. Eddie Gray
7. Scotty Cain
8. Sam Stanley
9. Buck Baker
10. A. J. Foyt
11. Jerry Grant
12. Roy Tyner
13. Nat Reeder
14. Ed Brown
15.Dick Gulstrand
16. Bob Conner
17. Sam McQuagg
18. Bill Amick
19. Ned Jarrett
20. Skip Hudson
21. Fritz Wilson
22. Doug Cooper
23.Larry Frank
24.Fred Lorenzen
25. Doug Moore
26.Al Self
27. Dick Brown
28. Bob Bondurant
29. Bobby Allison
30. Joe Clark
31. Dick Hutcherson
32. Parnelli Jones
33. Jim Cook
34. Bob Thompson
35. Bill Boldt
36. Bill Meyer
37. Johnny Steele
38. Don Walker
39. Bill Cantrell
40.Charles Powell
41. Bruce Worrell
42. Dana Hall
Junior Johnson left Riverside leading the NASCAR Grand National Points because Gurney had entered under the authority of his International License and thus was not eligible for NASCAR points.
PERSONAL NOTE: I was so angry with NASCAR for outlawing the Hemi that I had "resolved" (it was, after all, that time of year), not to attend or even listen to any NASCAR race. I had not ruled out reading about the races in The Southern Motorsports Journal or the newspaper. However, the draw of the races had me tuned into the AM radio station carrying the Riverside race. I would, in fact, listen to all the events but attended on the two Grand National Races at Columbia Speedway until NASCAR relented and allowed the Hemis back late in the year. I do remember hearing that the spring race at Darlington had a crowd of just over 11,000 and 3,000 of those were Boy Scouts admitted to the back straight grandstands for free so NASCAR realized that the absence of the Mopars and such drivers as Petty and Pearson kept the fans away.
I did show my disgust with NASCAR over their ruling but, in the end, my deep love of the sport could not keep me from the radio on race day. I do also recall at the end of the 1965 Motor Trend 500, I had started to call it the "Dan Gurney Benefit Race". Stay with us, folks, there is more Dan Gurney to come in these History Minutes!
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
