First STP NASCAR Plymouth Pole Driver?

If you guessed Richard Petty was the first driver to put a STP Plymouth on a NASCAR pole, I think you'd be wrong.

There may be an STP sponsored Plymouth that captured a pole before the race I cite, but it looks to me like it would be the Ray Nichels #99 STP Plymouth driven by "The Golden Boy" - "Fearless Freddie" Lorenzen on Thursday, March 11, 1971, at Rockingham. His run during his "comeback" year earned the pole for the 1971 Carolina 500.

Here's what the second qualifying driver was quoted as saying after Lorenzen's comeback pole run in the STP Plymouth: "Racing needs Fred Lorenzen. He is a whole lotta driver."

If you guessed 2nd qualifying Richard Petty said that about Lorenzen's STP Plymouth pole run, you'd be correct. As TMC has pointed out previously today, there are often interesting coincidences in racing.

And please... if there is an earlier STP Plymouth NASCAR pole run, don't hesitate to correct my guess.

Fred Lorenzen STP images captured as posted on Fred Lorenzen for NASCAR Hall of Fame Facebook page.

The King and Kyle were also not the first to race an STP Pontiac beginning in 1982. David Pearson beat them to it by more than a full decade with Nichels' STP Pontiac at Texas World Speedway in 1971.

From Ray Lamm collection

...and the hits keep on coming!

Nichels was the winning car owner for Paul Goldsmith's #99 Plymouth at my 1st superspeedway race - Rockingham Spring 1966.

Thanks for the photo, Chase.

Check out STP's racing history timeline here:

http://www.stp.com/stp-and-racing/stp-racing-history/

I find it interesting it begins in 1969 with Mario Andretti's win in the Indy 500. No mention of Jim Hurtubise back in the 1963 or 1965...

...or Bobby Unser in 1964...

... or Parnelli in 1967

Guess the bunch in Daytona Beach isn't the only one with a revisionist history tendency.

I saw the timeline earlier, but didn't think of what you just questioned. Wow.

A year after I had come out of college, I built Herk's 1971 #56 Miller Chevelle, from the MPC kit.

I have a curiosity question, Chase....

Driving for Petty Enterprises at Daytona in 1963, the Racing Reference results show Herk finishing 17th driving #42 in qualifying race #1, but #41 in the Daytona 500. Results also show Jim Paschal finishing 23rd with a blown engine driving #41 in qualifying race #2, but #42 in the Daytona 500. Is this correct and is there a story behind Hurtubise and Paschal switching cars for the 500? Jealousy? Long term commitment to Paschal?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bHwoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YsoEAAAA...

Newspaper link:

And this link where Herk refers to driving #42:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oZgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mqoFAAAA...

With the Daytona qualifying races paying owner points back then, was Lee just looking ahead and switched the drivers?

Good question Dave. I knew Herk drove for the Pettys at Daytona in 1963...

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-21-1972-world-according-to-herk.html

...but I'm not sure I ever knew he and Paschal swapped cars from the twins to the 500.

The most logical answer would seem to be that Herk had the faster car but Paschal may have given the team the better chance to win or finish higher.

Hmm, another Petty thread to pull. I love it.

In the Daytona paper on the morning of the race, the line-up shows Paschal in the 42 and Herk in the 41. But I can't find any text referencing the change. I guess it may just been team owner's option. In 1979, D.K. Ulrich fielded a Buick for Bobby Fisher. Fisher wrecked, but apparently the car made the race (on owner's points presumably). In the 500, D.K. took the repaired Buick for himself. Doesn't happen often - but maybe drivers can be swapped at will. I guess its still an option today because of injuries, failed drug tests, etc.