GT 300 6-1-1969

GT 300

Richmond, VA. June 1, 1969

The 9th Grand Touring race of 1969 was held at the newly paved Richmond International Speedway and was 300 laps on the 1/2 mile oval. Tiny Lund started on the pole but heating problems led to a tenth place finish. Bill Hemby was flagged as the winner but Frank Sessoms protested the finish and was awarded the win three hours later. There were 10 cautions for 60 laps with thirteen lead changes. Many of the cautions were caused by the aggregate in the asphalt coming loose from the heat and pounding of the cars.

Fin Srt Car # Driver Car Laps Reason out

1 21 Frank Sessoms 68 Camaro 300 Running

2 37 Bill Hemby 68 Camaro 300 Running

3 97 Mike Adams 68 Mustang Running

4 04 C.B. Gwyn 68 Cougar Running

5 3 Jim Vandiver 68 Camaro Running

6 54 Bobby Fleming 68 Camaro

7 13 Richard Childress 68 Camaro

8 3 15 Wayne Andrews 68 Cougar

9 17 Ernie Shaw 67 Mustang

10 1 16 Tiny Lund 68 Cougar

11 88 T.C Hunt 68 Camaro 12 74 Al Straub 69 Mustang

13 0 Martin Sharpe 68 Camaro

14 87 Buck Baker 68 Camaro

15 4 14 Jim Paschal 69 Javelin

16 Earl Canavan

17 19 Ray Hendrick 68 Camaro

18 44 Ken Rush 68 Camaro

19 10 Charlie Blanton 68 Camaro

20 8 Phil Wills 68 Camaro

21 2 Randy Hutchinson 69 Camaro

22 94 Bob Tullius 69 Javelin

23 Bruce Warren

24 7 Jimmy Vaughn 68 Camaro

AP wire report from Free Lance Star

Dennis, I saw the first GT race at Richmond in June 1968 on the dirt, but not this one. It was interesting to read of Richmond hometown hero Ray Hendrick taking the lead on lap 27. That was pretty impressive to have started 19th and been leading by lap 27 and have a half-lap lead over Jim Paschal by lap 55! Wonder whose car he was driving that day? I remember Ray finishing 2nd to Pete Hamilton later that summer at South Boston at a race I did see.

The story reads like your father had a terrific run going.

I was surprised to hear of the aggregate problems in turn 4. That paving job by APAC was actually completed prior to the September 1968 Grand National race and both that race and the April 1969 GN race had already been run on the "new" pavement with heavier cars before the 1969 GT race.

That track was never repaved and the pavement that Richard Petty tore up in September 1988 was the same pavement put down by APAC in summer 1968. Good to see the original clips with photos from the Times-Dispatch. Thanks for the posting.

I later contracted at Wrangler with Richmond race winner, Frank Sessoms in 1981 to build the first infield media center at Darlington Raceway, on land leased from Red Tyler for $1/year!

Dave, This was the first GT race I attended. I sat in the grandstand with with my Uncle James, dad's brother. I don't remember the car Ray drove but do remember that after Paschal went out dad had the field covered until the crash which ended right in front of us. Bent both ends of the car but was able to salvage a top 10 finish. Tiny was driving the same Cougar that he drove for Bud in '68 but it was being crewed by Tiger Tom Pistone in '69. The "marbles" was a problem for a lot of drivers that day. You could run two abreast thru the corners but the guy on the bottom had to hug the inside and the guy on the outside had to be on the other cars door handle. Any higher than that and you were going for a ride. Dad was lapping Vandiver on the outside at the end of the back stretch and they were side by side in the middle of 3 and 4 when Jim came up the track for some reason and forced dad into the marbles. That started the spin that ended up making contact with the outside guard rail in turn 4 and the inside rail at the beginning of the front stretch.

Love your GT posts . Gaffney`s Charlie Blanton was my favorite

Dennis, I am loving these posts. Opening up a history on the series that I thought was a really competitive series although I attended only a few of the events in person. Your Dad was truly a great driver, something I had not realized until I started reading your posts. Keep 'em coming!