For several years, NASCAR started it's Grand National seasons in November of the previous calendar year. Sandwiched between 1964 and 1966 seasons that followed that pattern was 1965 that began in January at Riverside.
USAC's stock car division, however, followed the norm of NASCAR for 1965. It began its 1965 season with a 150-mile race at the famed Ascot Park track in Gardena, CA.
Car owner Bill Stroppe entered two Mercury rides for Parnelli Jones and 2-time Indy 500 winner Rodger Ward. Stroppe had been a regular fixture as an owner in NASCAR's GN circuit until mid-1964. He entered a car at Riverside over the next few years for Parnelli, Dan Gurney and Curtis Turner. Otherwise, he was pretty much done with NASCAR after the June 1964 race at Atlanta. But he did field the 2 Mercurys at Ascot Park.
Parnelli claimed the pole for the 300-lap race on the half-mile dirt track. The 1964 series champion led a significant part of the race until breaking a connecting rod. He limped home to a ninth place finish. 1964 Rookie of the Year Joe Leonard took over the lead. He too had a comfortable lead until blowing a tire with 10 laps to go. His crew made the change, and he salvaged a second place finish.
Driving Stroppe's #16 Mercury, Ward then rose to P1 and stayed there to collect the victory. Texan Lloyd Ruby finished 3rd. He'd make his only NASCAR GN start 2 years later in a 1967 Riverside race for car owner Junior Johnson.
Thanks to Russ Thompson for sharing this cover and article from the December 8th issue of Illustrated Speedway News.
Want to know how the cars sounded at Ascot Park in that era? Listen to Junior Johnson turn a couple of laps there - albeit with some fake sound effects by Hollywood.
| Fin | Driver | Owner | Car |
| 1 | Rodger Ward | Bill Stroppe | 1964 Mercury |
| 2 | Joe Leonard | Unknown | 1964 Dodge |
| 3 | Lloyd Ruby | Norm Nelson | 1964 Plymouth |
| 4 | Billy Cantrell | Doug Caruthers | 1963 Chevrolet |
| 5 | Dempsey Wilson | Unknown | 1963 Chevrolet |
| 6 | Jim Cook | Unknown | 1963 Ford |
| 7 | Jim Steele | Unknown | 1964 Mercury |
| 8 | Joe Clark | Unknown | 1964 Ford |
| 9 | Parnelli Jones | Bill Stroppe | 1964 Mercury |
| 10 | Bruce Worrell | Unknown | 1963 Chevrolet |
| 11 | Jon Ward | Unknown | Unknown |
| 12 | Clem Proctor | Unknown | 1964 Ford |
| 13 | Marvin Porter | Unknown | Unknown |
| 14 | Scotty Cain | Unknown | Unknown |
| 15 | Norm Nelson | Norm Nelson | 1964 Plymouth |
| 16 | Cliff Garner | Unknown | Unknown |
| 17 | Bill Moyer | Unknown | Unknown |
| 18 | Don White | Don White | 1964 Ford |
| 19 | Len Sutton | Unknown | Unknown |
| 20 | Gary Bettenhausen | Gary Bettenhausen | Dodge |
| 21 | Dick James | Unknown | Unknown |
| 22 | Ron Hornaday Sr. | Unknown | Unknown |
| 23 | Dick Powell | Unknown | Unknown |
| 24 | Billy Foster | Unknown | Unknown |
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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
