NASCAR launched its newly acquired convertible division in 1956. On May 20, 1956, the ragtops raced in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The GN drivers had been racing at the one-mile dirt oval since 1949.
From Motor Racing Programme Covers
One of the expected entrants was Bob Welborn. Along with Curtis Turner, Welborn had success early and often in the new division.
Qualifying was held on Saturday. Bill France made it clear that the convertible division race was in addition to the existing Grand National events at the track vs. a substitute. Big Bill also referenced the convertible division was the 7th NASCAR division. I think these would be the seven - but someone correct me if you think there are more.
- Modified
- Strictly Stock / Grand National
- Speedway Division
- Pacific Coast Late Model
- East Coast Late Model
- Short Track Division
- Convertible
Frank Mundy, who won the two previous convertible races at Old Bridge and Raleigh, won the pole at Langhorne in Carl Kiekhaefer's Dodge. Two more Dodges owned by Tom Harbison qualified in the next two spots - Danny Letner in second and Allen Adkins in third.
The field is lined up for the start of the race.
It didn't take long for the convertible gang to have issues with the treacherous track. Bill Tanner, Glen Wood, and Don Oldenberg got together in the fourth turn of lap one. Tanner and Wood were done for the day. Oldenberg continued but a second crash around lap 70 finished him off.
For the first 20 laps, Letner and Mundy went back and forth every few laps. Letner then settled into a groove and retained the lead for a stretch of about 60 laps.
Larry Odo - who often raced against Tiger Tom Pistone at Chicago's Soldier Field - started 20th but had a great showing for the day. He finished 4th, and Art Binkley ended the day 7th after starting deep in the field himself.
Mundy re-took the lead from Letner, and led a stretch of 17 laps. But then, he spun, popped the fence, crashed Kiekhaefer's Dodge, and was done for the day, yet still ended the day in 11th.
With Mundy out of the picture, Letner re-assumed the lead. Possum Jones made a valiant effort to catch Letner, but he too crashed out leaving Letner with little competition. Letner put it on cruise control for the final 50+ laps to take the win. The victory was the Californian's third and final career NASCAR win between the GN and convertible divisions. He won a GN race in Oakland, CA in 1954 and the GN race in Tucson in 1955.
A couple of years ago, Sandeep Banerjee found some really neat footage from the race.
Race report from Bristol Daily Courier
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Danny Letner | '56 Dodge |
| 2 | Jimmy Massey | '56 Chevrolet |
| 3 | Jimmie Lewallen | '56 Chevrolet |
| 4 | Larry Odo | '56 Chevrolet |
| 5 | Mel Larson | '56 Ford |
| 6 | Allen Adkins | '56 Dodge |
| 7 | Art Binkley | '56 Plymouth |
| 8 | Bob Welborn | '56 Chevrolet |
| 9 | Jimmy Thompson | '56 Mercury |
| 10 | Possum Jones | '56 Chevrolet |
| 11 | Frank Mundy | '56 Dodge |
| 12 | Gene Blair | '56 Mercury |
| 13 | Larry Frank | '56 Mercury |
| 14 | Don Oldenberg | '56 Dodge |
| 15 | Fonty Flock | '56 Chevrolet |
| 16 | Dave Hirschfield | '56 Chevrolet |
| 17 | Bob Pronger | '55 Buick |
| 18 | Dick Joslin | '56 Dodge |
| 19 | Harry Dust | '56 Pontiac |
| 20 | Joe Weatherly | '56 Ford |
| 21 | Don Gray | '56 Ford |
| 22 | Curtis Turner | '56 Ford |
| 23 | Ray Atkinson | '56 Dodge |
| 24 | Norman Schihl | '56 Ford |
| 25 | Glen Wood | '56 Ford |
| 26 | Bill Tanner | '56 Ford |
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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
