Racing History Minute - May 4, 1962

Last week, during the broadcast of the Richmond race, Ann and I stepped outside at 8:51 p.m. to witness the International Space Station pass over our house. A couple of young ladies walking their dog stopped to watch with us. Right on schedule, the ISS zoomed overhead in brilliant glory and we watched for almost four minutes until it was out of sight. After coming back in to watch the rest of the race, I remembered back in October, 1957, I would often go outside at night to see if I could spot "Sputnik", the first satellite in space but I never did see it.

What does this have to do with racing history you may be wondering? Nothing, in fact, but I'm using this as an example of the progression of technology in the world, and in racing, as today's history report will show. Today's racing machines are so intricate that technicians with computers work on handling and speed rather than a bespecled guy in a dirty cowboy hat. As for me, give me the bespecled guy in the dirty cowboy hat. After all, I would suspect he now has "the best damn garage" in space somewhere. So, here's the story of "high tech" transmission work, and an example of goodness being rewarded.

On May 4, 1962, the Grand National boys (now Cup) rolled into Southside Speedway in Richmond, Virginia for a 200 lap (66.7 miles) race on the .333 mile paved track. Joe Weatherly was on his way to win the 1962 Championship, but during the course of the season, he would, for one reason of another, be forced to use other rides than the Bud Moore car that was his usual mount. This was one of those occassions because his Bud Moore Pontiac had been so mechanically abused at the Bristol race four days earlied that it was not ready to run. In those days, there were no "back up cars". Knowing Joe was going for the title, Jimmy Pardue offered his Pontiac to Weatherly, but Weatherly opted for a ride in Fred Harb's 1961 Ford after the Pontiac developed a transmission issue in a shakedown run before the race.

Pardue worked on the transmission and returned to the track for a second practice session. Again, the transmission became an issue so, in order to simply start the race, Jimmy found a strong piece of wire and wired the transmission in third gear. He realized he would not be a competitive, but he was there to race so it was a car of using what he had and doing what he had to do to compete. Notquite sure where that technology would fit into NASA's scheme of things, but it did allow Jimmy to start in 12th position in the 16 car field.

Rex White put his'62 Chevy on the pole with Jim Paschal in a Pontiac to his outside. On the green flag,Rex took the lead he would hold for the first 134 laps before engine problems forced the fleet Chevy to the pits for a lengthy stop. Running second at the time of Rex's stop, was Jimmy Pardue in the crippled Pontiac. Being restricted to third gear only was a huge disadvantage, or should have been, but the equalizer may have been the steady pace required to run in third gear all race. Regardless of the reasons, Jimmy Pardue took over the lead on lap 135 and would hold it the rest of the way for his first win in Grand National competition.It was Jimmy's 92nd career Cup Start.

Top five finishers were:

1. Jimmy Pardue, Pardue Pontiac, winning $550.00

2. Jack Smith, Smith Pontiac, winning $480.00

3. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $375.00

4. Joe Weatherly, Fred Harb Ford, winning $290.00

5. Jim Paschal, Cliff Stewart Pontiac, winning $275.00

Sixth through tenth were Emanual Zervakis, Johnny Allen, Wendell Scott, Curtis Crider and Herman Beam.

Rex White, who was forced to finally park his Chevy on lap 142, was 13th, Ned Jarrett 14th, and Larry Thomas 15th.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.

Tim, just like you, I remember standing on the sidewalk in front of our house at dusk in October 1957, as the adults pointed skyward tracking the flashing Sputnik with their fingers. It was the time of bomb drills at school and soon fallout shelters.

When Richmond Ford Motor Company - the dealership that graced the sides of Ned Jarrett's blue Fords - built their new dealership at West Broad and Westmoreland, a huge multi-colored revolving satellite sign graced the roof. Some of our other Richmond residents and many local racers will remember the Satellite Club & Restaurant on Jefferson Davis Highway - U.S. 1 South - a sometimes extremely rough place.

How I wish I could have seen that race, or any of the other GN ones at Southside. That is my home weekly track, but I didn't get there for the first time until 1964 and have only seen modifieds, Late Model Sportsman, Late Model Stock Cars and International Sedans race there.

Last year Southside honored the 50th anniversary of Jimmy's win. Thanks, Tim.

The Wilkes Journal-Patriot carried this story last year:

Remembering Pardues first win

Dave, the things you add to these History Minutes are priceless. I wish I had the talent you have to find those pictures and videos. Wish I had the experiences you had in racing but I really glad you have choosen to share those here. You are really making these Minutes come alive. You and Chase and Dennis. Thank you so much!

Tim, you could actually see the space station, without binoculars or a telescope?

Cool story about Pardue.. winning the race in a car in that condition. You just can't carry a car on your back today like you could back then. Too much about having the perfect car now unfortunately.

Ha, I remember that mayor from his apperance on an American special episode of Top Gear UK where the hosts drove around North Wilkesboro and then VIR. Jeremy Clarkson called him Boss Hogg.

I'm amazed, Woody, to hear the Satellite might still exist.. A friend of mine, who was also a Wrangler plant manager in North Carolina, Jerry Jackson (deceased) and I visited there once and once only, in the winter of 1972. The bartender was shot soon after we left that night by a former employee! Too rough for me.

There were so many things up & down the Pike back in the day that had ties to the local racers and Southside Speedway. Just a few things I recall are Lacy's C&B Auto Parts, Flippo's Body & Fender Repair, Emanuel Zervakis' Southside Glass Shop, and Luther the Roofer. When I worked at the Philip Morris computer center on I-95 as a college intern the summer of 1969, I recall buying a 5 gal. surplus Army gas can at the Army/Navy store on the Pike.

It was not my neck of the woods, being a west end (Willow Lawn area) Richmond boy, but most all of the Southside Speedway sponsors and the racing sponsors on WXGI radio had Pike ties. Eddie Anderson did many Lacy C&B spots for the race broadcasts and his daily shows... he'd always say, "Ask for Sarge." I did go there and ask for Sarge in 1969 and bought an AM radio for my '63 Chevy.

Woody, according to this recent news article the Satellite still exists and still appears to be a pretty dangerous spot:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/crime/motive-still-mystery-...

Seth Gaines photo - Flickr (and previous Satellite photo, also)

tim as usual i enjoyed this racing history minute please keep it coming

Dave, I remember standing outside so many nights in 1957 but I never saw Sputnik. Maybe it didn't go over my house or maybe I just didn't know what to look for.

Sandeep, our local news will tell us, from time to time, when the ISS will pass over our area. This was the second time Ann and I have seen it. You can see it with the naked eye (can I say "naked" here or is that against the Rules?). It appears in the sky as a very, very bright object, much larger than any star you can see, and it moves rapidley across the sky. It was only in view for 4 minutes the other night in a crystal clear sky. It's just a bright light in the sky but knowing it's up there is a marvel to someone like me.

Thanks, Charles. I do intend to keep these "Minutes" coming for awhile. I am enjoying, very much, my trips back down those memory lanes.

Sounds wonderful, Tim. Being a space nut myself, I would be just as floored as you at seeing it fly overhead.

Check the NASA site Sandeep. I think it shows the schedule of when and where it flies over and I'm sure,at some point, it will pass within your sight. Good luck. Take care, great hearing from you.

Thanks Tim, I will keep an eye on it.

*bump*

Would be great if we could land a photo, program cover, article, personal memory, etc. for this race.

Dang there's a lot of unfulfilled talent (for various reasons) in that top-10, but what an all-star cast!

Today's Southside Speedway facility is a far cry from the primitive oval where Jimmy Pardue won in 1962. Back then the infield was both sandy and muddy, with sparse grass. It looked much better under the lights than it did in daylight.

The place opened for business originally in 1949 as Royall Speedway, built and promoted by Nelson Royall and sanctioned by the Richmond Stock Car Racing Association. Royall later paved the 1/3-mile oval and sold it to J.M. Wilkinson who renamed it Southside Speedway in 1959. The place was home to the 4-H Boys - Ray Hendrick, Sonny Hutchins, Runt Harris and Ted Hairfield, as well as many other famous names, including two-time NASCAR National Modified Champion, Eddie Crouse.

Many consider the promotion years of Emanuel (The Golden Greek) Zervakis, beginning in 1968 as the track's golden era. Zervakis in 1968 brought in Late Model Sportsman racing for the first time.

In May 1983, the track's original wood plank grandstands on cinder blocks- on the front stretch and several stands in turn 1 and turn 2 - were condemned and the track closed.

In 1999, Langley Field Speedway's late promoter, Wayne Wyatt took over promotions and made many improvements, including paving the infield. In the past several years, Southside (no longer sanctioned by NASCAR) seems to have once again regressed, but Jimmy Pardue wouldn't recognize the place.

Here's a link to actual film of 1952 racing at Royall Speedway, before it was renamed Southside in 1959:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/royall-speedway-vide...

The day before the 1962 Grand National race won by Pardue at Richmond's Southside Speedway, the promoters of Fredericksburg Speedway just up Route 1 from Richmond announced they were upset with NASCAR and dropping their sanction:

Here's some much cleaner film of racing at Richmond's Royall Speedway (now Southside Speedway) in 1953 - #39 is Ray Hendrick & #9 is Joe Weatherly:

Wish they'd still had that Pick-5 Total game at Southside when I started attending modified and later LMS shows there on Friday nights in 1964. Wonder how many cards had Pardue listed as winner?