I understand that NASCAR was running an All-Star race for the previous year's race winners in its top series as early as 1961, when the "American Challenge Cup" was staged at Daytona. That was two decades before The Winston at Charlotte.
Link to pre-race story:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1873&dat=19610217&id=XgoqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q8wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1694,3024169
Is the American Challenge Cup the first all-star race for the top NASCAR series, or were there earlier ones?
Anybody know?
1961 American Challenge Cup
February 19, 1961 at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
10 laps on a 2.500 mile paved track (25.0 miles)
Time of race: 0:09:41
Average Speed: 154.905 mph
Pole Speed: drew for pole Cautions: none
Margin of Victory: 36 inches
Attendance: 4,500
Lead changes: 4
Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 1 8 Joe Weatherly Bud Moore '61 Pontiac 10 1,000 running 2
2 11 22 Fireball Roberts Smokey Yunick '61 Pontiac 10 500 running 6
3 5 27 Junior Johnson Holly Farms (Rex Lovette) '61 Pontiac 10 250 running 2
4 4 6 Cotton Owens Cotton Owens '61 Pontiac 10 150 running 0
5 2 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises '61 Plymouth 10 100 running 0
6 10 72 Bobby Johns Shorty Johns '61 Ford 10 100 running 0
7 7 49 Jack Smith Bob Welborn '61 Pontiac 10 100 running 0
8 8 4 Rex White Rex White '61 Chevrolet 10 100 running 0
9 9 87 Buck Baker Buck Baker '61 Chrysler 10 50 running 0
10 6 11 Ned Jarrett B.G. Holloway '61 Chevrolet 10 50 running 0
11 3 89 Joe Lee Johnson Joe Lee Johnson '61 Chevrolet 10 50 running 0
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
