GEORGIA 500
Middle Georgia Raceway
Sunday, November 7, 1971
Race #16 of the 1971 for the Grand American Challenge Series was the fifth combination event that included Grand National cars and Grand American cars and was held at the half mile paved oval called Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron Georgia but most just called it Macon. There had been another short track event since Hickory at Martinsville but Clay Earles would not allow the GA cars to enter, only GN cars competed. Bobby Allison sat on the pole with a time of 20.35 seconds in his 71 Holman-Moody Ford with Friday Hassler on the outside in a 70 Chevelle. Row two found Jim Paschal in a Javelin on the inside and Tiny Lund in a Camaro outside. Row three was made up of Dick Brooks in a Plymouth and Jabe Thomas in a Plymouth. Row four saw H.B. Bailey in a Fiebird and John Sears in a Dodge. Rounding out the top ten were Wayne Andrews in a Mustang and Bill Dennis in a Mercury.
At the drop of the green flag it was Friday Hassler out front for the first six laps before Bobby Allison took the point thru lap 53. On lap 54 it was Hassler again out front until Jim Paschal moved into the lead for 15 laps. Allison went back into the lead on lap 76 and held it thru lap 140 when Paschal regained the top spot for 18 laps. Tiny Lund took the lead on lap 160 holding it until Allison went back out front on lap 195 while being challenged by Paschal. Paschals transmission failed on lap 202 leaving Allison unchallenged the rest of the way.
Allison collected $3,275 of the $24,100 purse for the win before a crowd of 7,300. There were 7 cautions for 44 laps with 14 cars running at the finish. 11 of the 32 starters were Grand American regulars.
Fin. St. Driver # Car Laps Status
1 1 Bobby Allison 12 71 Ford 500 Running
2 4 Tiny Lund 55 70 Camaro 499 Running
3 2 Friday Hassler 39 70 Chevelle 490 Running
4 12 Neil Castles 06 70 Dodge 486 Running
5 11 Bill Champion 10 71 Ford 483 Running
6 28 Earl Brooks 26 69 Ford 476 Running
7 21 J.D. McDuffie 70 71 Chevy 474 Running
8 31 Ernie Shaw 43 68 Mustang 469 Running
9 14 Frank Sessoms 21 68 Camaro 468 Running
10 15 Frank Warren 79 69 Plymouth 468 Running
11 6 Jabe Thomas 25 70 Plymouth 463 Running
12 13 Walter Ballard 30 71 Ford 455 Wreck
13 9 Wayne Andrews 15 71 Mustang 454 Ignition
14 27 Wendell Scott 34 69 Ford 454 Running
15 16 David Sisco 05 71 Chevy 454 Running
16 18 Joe Dean Huss 33 69 Camaro 451 Engine
17 8 John Sears 4 69 Dodge 419 Engine
18 24 Buck Baker 87 71 Firebird 305 Heating
19 20 Randy Hutchison 22 69 Camaro 301 Alternator
20 5 Dick Brooks 32 70 Plymouth 279 Tranny
21 17 Ed Negre 8 69 Ford 243 Oil leak
22 7 H.B. Bailey 36 71 Firebird 231 Engine
23 26 G.C. Spencer 37 70 Dodge 209 Suspension
24 3 Jim Paschal 14 70 Javelin 201 Tranny
25 23 Bill Seifert 45 69 Ford 198 Clutch
26 32 Bob Williams 88 68 Camaro 178 Engine
27 25 Henley Gray 19 69 Ford 155 Heating
28 29 David Boggs 86 71 Firebird 115 Engine
29 22 Dub Simpson 51 69 Chevy 46 Clutch
30 19 Earle Canavan 01 71 Plymouth 31 Oil leak
31 30 Jimmy Watson 16 71 Chevy 29 Oil leak
32 10 Bill Dennis 90 69 Mercury 1 Driveshaft
This was the third Georgia 500 win for Allison as he had won it in 67 and 69. It also turned out to be the last Grand National victory for a Holman-Moody factory car.
Personal note: Dads lap time was 7 tenths off Allisons pole time so knowing they were not likely to out run the GN front runners they tried to limit pit stops. At one point during the race they put 300 laps on the right side tires. They were slick when they came off the car. The points closed up with around 50 to go.
#15 Wayne Andrews moves high around the spinning #22 Randy Hutchison.
updated by @dennis-andrews: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
