Richard wins his first career race in a Dodge in the Lone Star 500 at Texas World Speedway under a brutally hot Texas sun:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/06/june-25-this-day-in-petty-history.html
Some interesting sidebar trivia (at least to me it was) about Richard Childress, Doc Faustina, Pete Hamilton, and Petty Enterprises with this race.
Chase,
First - Happy Birthday to your daughter, toomuchculture!!!
What a pair of great names, double tmc's!
Interesting story about Clarence Lovell, his Lone Star sponsorship and his death in a highway accident. I did not remember him. Thanks for all the interesting side stories you post in your recounting of Richard Petty's wins.
I just noticed that the last race listed by Racing Reference at Texas World Speedway was the Western Auto Shootout in 1993.
That race had one of the most interesting fields I've ever seen for a stock car race. It was a combination Winston West / ARCA race . Never knew there was such an animal. Somebody paid some serious deal money.
Look at the field of drivers for that race. Very unusual:
http://racing-reference.info/race/1993_Western_Auto_Texas_World_Shootout_II/P
I refer to myself as toomuchcountry.
My wife is notenoughcountry.
My son is toomuchtexting.
My daughter is toomuchculture.
If my dog Winston was still alive, I reckon I'd have to refer to him as toomanyfleas!
Holy cow. That is quite the field. Finishing 4th was Hershel McGriff. Ol' Hersh is still kicking. He raced as recently as Saturday in the K&N race at Sonoma - finishing 18th. All 80 some-odd years of him. Simply amazing.
http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2012_Pick-N-Pull_Racing_To_Stop_Hunger_200/P
84 years old. Absolutely unbelievable.
SONOMA, CA - JUNE 23 : Hershel McGriff, driver of the #04 Park Corporation Chevrolet, leads Austin Dyne, driver of the #9 William Rast Ford, during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Pick-n-Pull Racing to Stop Hunger 200 at Sonoma on June 23, 2012 in Sonoma, California.
Getty Images
I'm not a huge autograph hound. But Hersh is one I'd like to have - especially on a pic I've got of his 04 gold & dark blue Petty-built Charger from 1974.
I've told you before about working a little with Hershel. They don't come any nicer. My wife still tells of driving him around Charlotte in 1987 in a stick shift and missing gear after gear!
