Junie Donlavey / Bill Dennis 3rd Consecutive Daytona Permatex 300 Win - Feb. 16, 1974

In 1974, Richmond, Virginia car owner Junie Donlavey and his Richmond (Glen Allen) driver Bill Dennis teamed to become the first to sweep three consecutive Daytona Permatex 300 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman races. The familiar blue, gold and white Truxmore #90 Mercury hauled the mail that day.

It would be 20 years before the late Dale Earnhardt repeated the three sweep at Daytona.

It was a day for celebrating in Virginia as fellow Richmond car builder Emanuel Zervakis put his beautiful #01 baby blue Dominion Oxygen Chevy made famous by Sonny Hutchins under Ettrick, Virginia's Lennie Pond that day for a second place finish.

Battling for the lead all day and placing third behind Dennis and Pond was our own RR member Wayne Andrews, FATHER of member Dennis Andrews. Wayne was in the famous white #00 Thomas Brothers Country Ham mount.

This was back in the days of Daytona's stained concrete walls and brown infield grass and mud as opposed to today's pristine white walls and green, green grass.

This race marked a rare appearance by the late modified ace Richie Evans in a #61 BR DeWitt Concrete Late Model Sportsman ride. He earned a 6th place finish.

The lineup is like seeing a cross section of the great drivers from NASCAR's weekly venues of the early 70s. I believe our Legend, Tim Leeming will be particularly interested to note the last place finisher. Of course, ole DW never could beat any of our Virginia drivers when he came to Southside Speedway and Langley Field in the 70s!

Our own Wayne Andrews battled valiantly for the win at Daytona. I believe I remember Wayne's son, Dennis saying a cracked windshield slowed him up.

Permatex 300

NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
February 16, 1974
108 laps on 2.5 mile paved oval; 270 miles

Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 8 Bill Dennis 90 1969 Mercury 108 8,525 running
2 5 Lennie Pond 01 1970 Chevrolet 108 4,450 running
3 4 Wayne Andrews 00 1969 Chevrolet 108 2,750 running
4 3 Jack Ingram 11 1968 Chevrolet 107 1,975 running
5 11 Johnny Allen 94 1968 Chevrolet 107 1,775 running
6 21 Richie Evans 61 1969 Mercury 106 1,100 running
7 32 Ronnie Chumley 45 1970 Mercury 105 1,000 running
8 1 Donnie Allison 81 1970 Chevrolet 104 1,000 running
9 14 Jerry Cook 38 1966 Chevrolet 104 800 running
10 34 Neil Bonnett 28 1966 Chevrolet 104 725 running
11 23 James Ham 40 1966 Chevrolet 103 675 running
12 15 Freddie Smith 88 1971 Mercury 103 625 running
13 40 Gene Glover 82 1969 Mercury 103 575 running
14 43 Tiny Lund 55 1969 Chevrolet 102 550 running
15 30 Ron Esau 1 1966 Chevrolet 102 525 running
16 26 Jimmy Lee Capps 22 1968 Chevrolet 101 500 running
17 2 L.D. Ottinger 2 1969 Chevrolet 100 565 running
18 24 Carl Horton 37 1970 Chevrolet 100 485 running
19 22 Phil Gibson 23 1968 Chevrolet 100 480 running
20 6 Bobby Allison 12 1966 Chevrolet 99 475 running
21 31 Tom Gale 03 1971 Mercury 99 470 running
22 30 Beaver Dragon 86 1971 Plymouth 99 465 running
23 10 Ivan Baldwin 07 1966 Chevrolet 99 460 running
24 44 Wayne Shugart 15 1969 Chevrolet 99 455 engine
25 29 Gary Myers 41 1969 Chevrolet 98 450 running
26 41 Randy Bethea 27 1968 Ford 96 445 running
27 28 Benny Kerley 14 1968 Chevrolet 95 440 broken rod
28 9 Eddie Royster 51 1969 Chevrolet 95 435 running
29 37 Don Miller 69 1969 Chevrolet 95 430 running
30 42 Red Farmer 97 1968 Ford 91 425 engine
31 19 Joey Holley 32 1965 Chevrolet 91 420 running
32 27 Chet Williams 5 1971 Chevrolet 78 415 A-frame
33 25 Francis Affleck 59 1971 Mercury 71 410 accident
34 13 Haskell Willingham 50 1968 Mercury 71 405 accident
35 35 Chuck Becker Jr. 67 1969 Chevrolet 63 400 overheating
36 12 Maynard Troyer 93 1971 Mercury 51 395 valve
37 20 Buddy Howard 24 1969 Mercury 51 390 engine
38 36 Al Grinnan 30 1971 Mercury 39 385 accident
39 38 Jean-Paul Cabana 25 1969 Ford 16 380 engine
40 17 John Ray 87 1970 Ford 15 375 running
41 18 Darrell Bryant 08 1968 Chevrolet 12 375 accident
42 16 Harry Gant 77 1970 Chevrolet 5 375 accident
43 7 Jimmy Means 92 1970 Chevrolet 4 375 accident
44 33 Darrell Waltrip 48 1971 Chevrolet 4 375 accident

Notes: The race was shortened from 300 miles to 270 because of the energy crisis.
Time of race: 01:55:20
Average Speed: 140.462 MPH
Pole Speed: 50.408 seconds
4 cautions for 22 laps

Thank you for correcting my GLARING error. I knew the right answer, but I guess my fingers didn't!!!

Let's hope Dennis doesn't get on me for aging him so drastically!

No problems here Dave, I have always counted it a privilege and an honor to be associated with Winding Wayne in any way.

You must have one of those old post cards with the wrong birthday. The first time they went to Daytona in 1969 for the 300 when they came around getting driver info dad was so busy with the race car he did not want to take the time to talk with them so a crew member, R.D. Dorsett drew the short straw and talked with them. He remembered wrong and that date showed up for years after that. I think I got that story close to right. His birthday is August 17,1937.

Thanks for posting this Dave, I have not seen this in years. Dad was not able to challenge for the win because a crack was spreading threatening to put the windshield in his lap. He had to slow down to get to the finish.

Go to 10:02 of the tape. You'll see the Mercury #24 driven by Buddy Howard pulling into the garage area.

I just bought that car last week. Was built, owned and maintained by Thackston Garage in Woodruff, SC. I took itover there and Rhett & Curtis Thackston confirmed it was the same car. First run as a Torino in '71 with Jeff Hawkins. After that changed to a Mercury Cyclone to be driven by Howard and eventually Junior Crouch.

I had seen your comments regarding the purchase on the Local Race Chat site. Cool stuff.

There used to be video of this historic 1974 Permatex 300 race posted on YouTube, but it has been removed. Today is the 41st anniversary of the Bill Dennis / Junie Donlavey 3-Peat!

Cars rolling off the grid for the start. Jack Ingram & Wayne Andrews on the front row. Lennie Pond & Bobby Allison on row 2. Jimmy Means and Bill Dennis on row 3. - Getty Images

Great picture Chase, I have not seen this one before. That is actually row two with Jack 3rd and dad 4th. The front row of Donnie Allison and L.D. Ottinger have already past the camera.

bump

Friday, February 16, 2018 marks the 44th anniversary of the historic Daytona 3-peat by Bill Dennis and Junie Donlavey. The Richmond, Virginia owner and Glen Allen, Virginia driver were a potent combination in the Permatex 300.

In the draft.

On the grid.

Great photos, Dennis. That had to be terribly distracting for your Dad watching his windshield crack and wondering if it would blow out even when he backed off.

[quote="Dennis Andrews"]

In the draft.

[/quote]

#59/#90 race cars looks like they don't have an driver's side window safety net ?  They must have the same (black, volleyball netting) driver's side window safety net maker as the foreground race car at bottom of photo?

Looks like the #23/#00 race cars has the same  (white) driver's side window safety net maker ?

Dennis Garrett

Richmond,Va. USA

Mr. Garrett,

If my memory is correct the #00 had a Holman-Moody window net. It had white netting and webbing around the outside and the horizontal webbing that runs just above the door had a H-M label sown in it. I still have one that may have been the one used on this car, at the very least it is just like it in shape and color. The top front corner of the net was angled to fit along the A post. This was done to get the front of the net forward enough to also help keep the drivers hand and forearm inside the car.

Was the Holman-Moody window net made out volleyball net material? Wonder how long did NASCAR used the volleyball material window net before switching to the heavy duty material window net.

Here is a picture of the window net I have. The netting is a little heavier than volleyball netting, almost like basketball netting but not as stretchy. Not sure when NASCAR went to all webbing on the window nets but I ran similar to this in the 80's on short tracks.