Racing History Minute - 1981 Daytona 500

This post is dedicated to the memory of Adam Kyler Petty who got to enjoy the celebrations of Victory Lane at Daytona for the first time. ~ TMC

I originally blogged about the 1981 Daytona 500 in 2012 here:

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/02/february-15-this-day-in-petty-history.html

February 15, 1981 - Driving an STP Buick Regal, Richard Petty wins his seventh and final Daytona 500 for his 193rd career Winston Cup victory.

Ticket stub scan courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

Beginning with the second race of the 1981 season (Daytona), the teams were required to run newer, 110-inch wheelbase cars. The cars more closely matched the models of what the Detroit manufacturers were selling. Gone were the longer, sleeker cars such as the 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo, 1978 Olds Cutlass 442, and 1974 Dodge Charger. Most teams ran models with notch-back windows such as the Buick Regal, Pontiac Grand Prix, a re-designed Monte Carlo, Olds Cutlass, Ford T-Bird and even a Dodge Mirada.

Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers

After switching to General Motors' Chevy and Olds cars in 1978 and campaigning them through 1980, Petty Enterprises contemplated a return to Dodge for the 1981 Daytona race. They took a Mirada to January testing. - from RR member and fellow Schaefer HOFer Ron Willard

The team wasn't satisfied with the testing results. When Petty Enterprises returned for Speedweeks a month later, they brought two cars skinned as STP Buick Regals. One was for King Richard... - Jerry Bushmire

... and the other was for son Kyle who was making his first start in the Daytona 500.

The winter tests ginned up several nagging questions for Ron and me - and we hope to get answers one day.

• Was Petty Enterprises prepared to run 2 Miradas for Richard and Kyle if the numbers had been there?
• Would they have fielded a Mirada just for RIchard and a 'throwaway' car for Kyle who had only 1 ARCA and 1 Cup start at Daytona?
• Was PE prepared to switch to Dodge for all of 1981- or just run them at tracks such as Daytona and Talladega?
• Would the Miradas have been painted similar to the Chargers and Magnum vs. the scheme ultimately used on Regal?

After two seasons with Harry Ranier - including a win in the 1980 Daytona 500, Buddy Baker moved to Hoss Ellington's #1 UNO team. Taking his place was veteran Bobby Allison who won the 1978 500 with Bud Moore.

Ranier's Waddell Wilson managed team noted one eligible model that escaped the view of the other teams - a Pontiac LeMans. The car had a slope-back window vs. a notch-back design. With Waddell's HP-heavy engine and a sleeker aero design, the team had a leg up on the competition from the jump.

As a result, Allison dominated Speedweeks. He laid down the fastest lap to win the pole for the 500, and led 33 of 50 laps to easily win his 125-mile qualifying race. Darrell Waltrip was also fast in the debut with HIS new team. After extricating himself from a contract with DiGard, he signed with Junior Johnson. The pair qualified 2nd to Allison's top speed, and he called Allison - and raised him - by winning the 2nd qualifying twin AND the 3rd Annual Busch Clash.

The team began the season with some sponsor named Tuf-Lon. I never was quite sure what it was. About a third of the way through the season, Hardee's was secured as a significant backer. The gray ghost paint scheme was then updated to an eye-popping orange and white.- Ray Lamm

In one of the preliminary events, Ohio native Tim Richmond won the ARCA 200. A week later, Richmond made his first Daytona 500 start in D.K. Ulrich's #99 Buick. - Craig Bontrager

Starting 37th in the race, but rallying to finish 6th in his first start at Daytona was second generation driver Davey Allison in one of his dad's venerable, hand-me-down AMC Matadors.

The photographer for the Daytona paper caught a shot that'll bring a lump to your throat. Bobby Dotter Sr tended to his son Bobby Jr. following an accident. Fortunately, neither were significantly injured. - DBMJ

In 1973, Benny Parsons won the Winston Cup championship with L.G. DeWitt's team. Parsons won the Daytona 500 in 1975 with the team. In 1979, rookie and former Petty Enterprises employee Joe Millikan was hired to replace Parsons on the well-established team. But by early 1980, the team's lack of sponsorship essentially killed the team. Rather than return for a strong sophomore year, Millikan found himself bumming for rides and even relief driving for Richard Petty in a few races. He returned to Daytona in February 1981 with Bob Rahilly and Butch Mock's Rahmoc team. But that relationship fizzled within a few races, and Millikan's Cup driving career was essentially over. - TMC archives

Over the years, Daytona's high banks drew many from the open wheel ranks who wanted the challenge their own skills vs. the taxi cab crowd. Wins in the 500 by Foyt and Andretti and in the qualifying race by Johnny Rutherford probably emboldened them all the more. In 1981, Indy regular Tom Sneva attempted to make the show driving for J.D. Stacy. But as drivers such as Dario Franchitti, Robby Gordon, Al Unser Jr, etc. found in the years to come, it ain't as easy as it may look. Sneva failed to finish well enough in his twin to make the 500. - Jerry Bushmire

A new celebrity-laden team made its debut at Daytona's 1981 Speedweeks. Stuntman and Hollywood producer Hal Needham teamed with actor Burt Reynolds and U.S. Tobacco Company to field the Skoal Bandit Pontiac for fellow stuntman turned driver, Stan Barrett. The #22 was chosen because it was the jersey number once worn by Reynolds when he played football for Florida State. The team added a second driver, veteran late model sportsman and 2nd year Cup driver Harry Gant, to its roster in car #33 in the spring. - Jerry Bushmire

Many Cup teams in the years since tried to launch with a celebrity investor / pitchman. Most failed. But Needham's team succeeded where others failed. Barrett didn't last the season but Gant did, and the Skoal Bandit became a Cup fixture for years.

After having about a decade with the previous sized cars, the teams were scrambling to get a handle on the newer models. Almost every one of them was squirelly in the wind with far fewer square inches on the rear deck for downforce and stability. During the first 125 mile twin, John Anderson survived a blowover and barrel roll in his car. A few laps later, Connie Saylor driving for G. C. Spencer had a spectacular view of the dirt as his car went airborne - a phenomenon not seen before at DIS.

The moment was captured and featured on the cover of the May 1981 issue of Stock Car Racing magazine.

Geoff Bodine made his Daytona 500 debut in 1979 driving Jack Beebe's #47 Race Hill Farms Olds. Having missed the 1980 edition, he returned for a second time in 1981 driving a #23 Pontiac for brothers Bob (who later built New Hampshire Speedway) and Dick Bahre (who later formed Bahari Racing with Chuck Rider and driver Michael Waltrip). As he looped the car coming out of turn 4, the spin suddenly took a frightening tone. He skidded through the grass, up an embankment, and down the other side before hitting a local news car. Folks standing nearby suddenly scurried.

John Betts captured this pic as Bodine's car headed up the rise before going down the other side. Incredibly, Bodine's crew was able to get the car back in the race where he finished 22nd.

As it turns out, no one was injured. I think it would have been truly funny - particularly since there were no injuries - if the call letters of the station had instead been WTFV.

Each time I see this pic, I laugh at the guy in the center of the photo. Everyone likely parted like the Red Sea but then returned to gawk at the wrecked car - except this guy. He remained seated on that bumper. I'm wondering as Bodine's car came skidding in there if the guy first said it - and then did it !

In the 500, Allison was the class of the field. As expected, he was a lap bully as he paced the field for 117 laps en route to what looked to be a convincing win. Despite the stunning aeronautical wrecks in the twins, the 500 itself was fairly calm. Aside from Bodine's off road excursion and a last lap wall slapper by Barrett, the cars pretty well held their own during the afternoon.

Kyle Petty's 500 debut was short-lived. He exited after 128 laps with oil pouring oil the bottom of the engine. But his day wasn't done. He took over as a relief driver for Don Sprouse and helped him earn a 20th place finish. Sprouse was making his 5th start of a 6-race Cup career and was driving the #37 car owned by Bob Rogers. Drivers such as Tim Richmond and Mike Alexander would later be hired by Rogers to take the wheel of his #37 team.

On his final pit stop, Allison's 28 team took a full load of fuel and tires . However, when NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman summoned the 43 to pit road a few laps later, he had a different strategy. Inman called for fuel-only and no tires . In about 7 seconds, the King was headed back to the track with a big lead on Allison because of the pit-time differential.

I still remember Ned Jarrett's call from the pits on TV - and jumping up and down in my folks' living room when I realized what Inman's call meant.

The gap was too much for Allison to overcome, and Inman's heads-up call was rewarded with the King's seventh trip to victory lane in the Daytona 500. No telling how many fist pumps and victory leaps I did in my parents' small house - especially since the victory came against Allison who I now disliked more than Pearson, Cale or DW. I was late to the Petty-Allison rivalry that ran from the late 60s through the early 70s - but I sure tried to make up for lost time.

From TMC Archives

The pivotal pit stops...

The finish, victory lane, and the toll on families...

An eloquent racer's wife and memories of a young Adam...

After 190+ wins and seven championships, Dale Inman [ resigned from Petty Enterprises ] a few days after the win. A couple of weeks later, he announced he was [ going to work for Rod Osterland ] and reigning Winston Cup champion, Dale Earnhardt.

From TMC Archives

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

National Speed Sport News - Russ Thompson

PERSONAL MEMORIES: Chase, you really outdid yourself with this History Minute. Excellent photos and videos and, as always, an outstanding write-up.

This Daytona 500 was different for me than the previous few. I had to attend a funeral on Saturday as a pallbearer for a long time friend. Because of that, we didn't get to roll out in the motor home until about 5:00 p.m. Press office was closed when we got to Daytona shortly after midnight so we pulled the motor home around to the back straight entrance with the intention of walking around to the front straight press office in the morning. We were parked alongside the dirt road that led up to the entrance and we all settled in to get some sleep until the press office opened. This trip we had only my Mama and Daddy, my brother, me and a couple of friends so we could all sleep in the motorhome without a problem.

About 3:00 a.m. there was a loud banging on the outside of the motorhome, NOT the door mind you, but the outside. We all jumped up and my Daddy, who always had a .38 with him when we traveled grabbed the pistol and we looked out the window to see what the problem was. There were four deputy sheriffs from Volusia County standing outside and one of them was the offending noise maker. I went outside, followed closely by my Daddy. The deputy told us that we could not park there. We attempted to question the reason why as we were not in any traffic lane and I tried to explain that we were waiting for the press office to open in the morning but these deputies insisted we had to move and the choices were: 1)go on into the infield which meant buying tickets when our press tickets would not have cost us, 2) go find somewhere else to park as long as it wasn't on speedway property, or 3) go to jail. Obviously choice number 3 didn't suit us, and we weren't anxious to take option two so we drove on up to the gate, paid the full admission for all of us, PLUS infield parking for the motor home.

When the sun came up we had breakfast and then Daddy and I decided we would walk through the tunnel and at least get the press credentials so we could go into the pits. Once more we encountered one of Volusia County's finest (said in jest) who advised us first that there was NO pass out, meaning if we left, we were on our own. That part didn't bother me because I knew with the press credentials we could get back in. Then we were hit with the rule that there was to be NO WALKING out of the tunnel entrance. In disgust, we turned around a headed back to the motor home with me thinking even the NASCAR rule book didn't have as many rules as Volusia County Sheriff's Department had about parking and going in and out of the track.

As the race unfolded, all of us Petty fans were getting aggravated that Allison seemed so easily in control. When he hit the pits, we waited for his to exit. Seemed like a long pit stop to us but we knew Richard had to stop too so the best we could hope for was a return to the same lead when Richard stopped. We saw Richard dive low off four and disappear from our sight for that pit stop. I turned to say something to Mama and about that time my Daddy jumped up saying "there goes Richard". I turned around to see the Buick flying back onto the track. I asked by brother, listening on the headset radio, what happened and he told me it was a gas and go.

We watched the final laps as Petty ran out the clock and took the checkers. Like you, Chase, back in those days I was a Bobby Allison hater and was very happy that Richard had won but especially that he had beaten Bobby. For the record, Bobby and I get along just fine these days and I now think of him as a friend and a really nice guy.

We climbed down off the motorhome and headed to Victory Lane. As you can see from the picture of Petty entering the Lane, it was wild. I don't think we could get within 20 feet of the fence. We hung around the pits for awhile afterwards but the press had Richard upstairs. We talked with a few of the drivers hanging out although for the life of me as I sit here this morning I can't recall which drivers. We loaded up and headed back to Columbia and it was a happy trip for us. Richard had gotten Daytona 500 number 7, and we were already planning of number 8 the next year.

Not to belabor the point, but one final comment on the Volusia County Sheriff's Department. At the 1966 Firecracker race, my parents, brother Richard and I, drove down in our yellow Plymouth Satellite. My girlfriend and her parents were also there. After the race, which was over about 1:00, we all decided to go to Daytona Beach for the day as we were staying in St. Augustine and my girl friend and her parents were staying in Orlando. I was going to ride with my girl friend's parents and follow my folks to the beach.

As we were coming out of the track, the traffic director let my parents go but stopped us. We had to wait maybe five minutes before we could move again. To make a long story short, we went to the beach but could not find my parents. There were no cell phones then so we kept looking. It was near 4:30 when it was suggested that we call the Sheriff's Department and ask them to help locate my parents. They would be hard to miss in that bright yellow Plymouth and I do mean, BRIGHT yellow.

I made the call and explained the situation and the lady on the desk was not the least bit understanding. She bluntly told me they weren't in the business of locating lost parent. I guess that makes sense, but her rudeness was beyond my understanding. I had my girlfriend call back and she was told the only thing they could or would do is if the car was stolen. (she obviously got another dispatcher than the one I had). So we waited about 15 minutes and called back reporting the car as stolen, gave them a complete description, including the license plate number. We gave them my girlfriends grandparents' number in Orlando were they were staying and we headed out towards Orlando.

When we got to the grandparents' house, I called my aunt in Columbia and she hadn't heard from my parents. I told her if she did, tell them I was fine and we would be coming home in the morning. So, that is exactly what we did. Now where the story comes in with all of this is that while I had reported the bright yellow Plymouth stolen and provided all the information, my parents had that car parked IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PARKING LOT while they were inside trying to get help finding me. The car was parked right outside the Sheriff's Department door for at least an hour and half which clearly indicated the Sheriff was too busy harassing folks over at the speedway to look for a stolen car.

In fairness, I was angry about that entire situation back then, but as I learned to appreciate what Bobby Allison means to the sport, I can also appreciate the fact that the sheriff was too busy to look for a stolen car that July 4th afternoon. I will, however, never understand why we were not allowed to park on speedway property to await opening of the press office.

Oh well, it is what it is, or would it be more proper to say "it was what it was"?

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

Sounds like Volusia County swore in some dep'ties much like Gomer Pyle and Otis Campbell.

1981 Daytona SpeedWeeks began our new Wrangler Jeans NASCAR program's first full year of sponsorship of 1980 Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt and my first time inside the Daytona garage. What a thrill.

Our showcar tow vehicle and trailer wouldn't be ready until Rockingham weekend, but the car we'd purchase from Osterlund Racing to use as a showcar was on the Osterlund trailer to have been used as a backup by Dale Earnhardt if needed.

There was a pre-race parade of visiting pace cars and show cars just before the start of the 1981 Daytona 500. Osterlund team manager, Roland Wlodyka suggested I drive that backup car in the pre-race parade and I fell over myself getting the car "staged" over in turn 4.

Unfortunately, the fan system on that vehicle had never been designed to sit idling in turn 4 at Daytona and then creep along at 35 mph.

By the time I got to the start/finish line the car was blowing water and steam out, the water temp guage was climbing quickly and I could hardly see out of the windshield. The only option I had was to pull out of line and haul butt around the "Big D" to cool that thing down and not blow it up right in front of the main grandstand!

Roland was none too happy with himself about having suggested we put the car in the parade lap, but I'd made a quicker partial trip around 1 & 2 hugging the apron and down the backstretch than I ever intended. It was the first and last time I ever "drove" on the Daytona track.

That old #2 blue & yellow Osterlund Wrangler Pontiac had a long career. It became our permanent showcar. In August 1981 the number was changed to #3 when we affiliated with Richard Childress. A lot of folks forget it was a Pontiac that Dale first drove for RC.

In the winter of 1981Robert Gee re-skinned that same car to be a 1982 Ford Thunderbird #15 when we affiliated with Bud Moore. That car still had a Pontiac motor in it, though, until it was reskinned again by Robert Gee with 1983 Ford sheet metal into the new body style Thunderbird that Earnhardt hated and called "the football."

Our Wrangler show car driver, Ricky Parham and his father were killed in a tragic accident on Thanksgiving afternoon 1983 on the Parham family farm in Oxford, NC. They had been riding trail bikes and hit each other head on on a trail in the woods.

For the 1984 season, I had moved to Dallas, Texas to manage 7-Eleven racing programs. I purchased the Wrangler Thunderbird show car for Southland Corporation to become a Kyle Petty #7 Ford Thunderbird show car. That car was like a cat. It had 9 lives.

The 1981 Osterlund #2 Pontiac that I "drove" at Daytona in Feb. 1981 making an appearance later in the year at Bristol. That's me holding my older daughter, Gwyn.

Same car now numbered as a #3 Richard Childress/Earnhardt Pontiac at Richmond in Sept. 1981 with my dad standing beside it.

Same car again, now reskinned as a Bud Moore/Earnhardt Ford #15 . Again my dad beside the car with the Wrangler man from TV commercials in Sept. 1982 at Richmond.

After my Wrangler show car driver, Ricky Parham was killed in November 1983, I hired former NASCAR Winston Cup Series flagman, Chip Warren (he threw the checkers on Richard Petty at Daytona in 1979 following the brouhaha between Cale & Donnie) to take over the Wrangler showcar program. One of the first things I did when I moved to Dallas after buying the Wrangler Thunderbird showcar was to hire Chip to work for me at 7-Eleven as the Kyle Petty show car driver.

When the 7-Eleven program folded, Chip went back to work for NASCAR and spent many years as an official in the Busch Series.

Former NASCAR Winston Cup Flagman, Wrtangler & 7-Eleven showcar driver and Busch Series official, Chip Warren.

Thankfully Connie Saylor's worst injury from this crash was a broken watch.

This column by Lydia Hinshaw was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at Adam's possible future based on his being about 7 months old. In retrospect, its stunning to think Adam was lost about 7 months before the calendar turned to 2001. - from DBMJ

great post and pictures guys. really enjoyed this one very much. thanks for all you do.....

Just got a call from Ben Johnson, Sheriff of Volusia County. Seems they have located my bright yellow Plymouth. I think it is some kind of set up.

The generically-named Sportsman 300 race got the green flag on Saturday. But after only 10 laps, the rains moved in to wash out the rest of the day. The remainder was run on Monday - the day after the 500.

Bob Ballantine had a terrible crash. He caught big air like Connie Saylor in the 125 mile Cup qualifier. But unlike Saylor, Ballantine suffered some serious but not life-threatening injuries. - DBNJ

Ballantine recovered, but he didn't race again in any of NASCAR's prominent seriesfrom what I can tell. The 1981 300 at Daytona became his one and only start in NASCAR's late model sportsman division. But he did attend the 2nd Maryland Stock Car HOF gathering in 2008. - Troy Curtis

The ol' veteran David Pearson won the race by narrowly beating the upstart midwestern driver Rusty Wallace. - DBMJ

TMC-Chase has a photo above of 1981 Daytona Sportsman 300 competitor Bobby Ballentine of Dorsey, Maryland attending a 2008 gathering of the Maryland Stock Car Hall of Fame, of which he is a member.

Ballentine was a fierce and respected competitor at Potomac, MD, Beltsville, MD and Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Virginia, among other tarcks.

Old Dominion, operated for many years by the Gore family held an annual September reunion until its demise under new ownership.

The www.LuvRacin.com site captured many photos of the 2011 Old Dominion Speedway reunion. You'll see a photo of Bobby Ballentine waving to the crowd and a shot of a familiar looking guy with a familiar looking '55 Chevy.

Rumor has it that the fellow above at the 2011 Old Dominion Reunion with Bobby Ballentine is now tooling about the countryside with a severely lacerated hand, still putting on displays in spite of his injury.

That's it!!!! That is my Plymouth. It looked just like that. Thank you Volusia County!!