Racing History Minute - June 7, 1964

Today we travel to what was then known as Atlanta International Raceway which was, and still is, a mile and a half high banked track. In 1964, the track consisted of quarter mile long straights with sweeping turns consisting of a half mile on each end of the quartermiles. Racing at Atlanta, before the change in configuration, was usually a super competitive event with cars able to run three, sometimes four wide in the broad turns.

On this day in 1964, thirty-five cars would start the 400 mile event with Junior Johnson on the pole in a Banjo Matthews Ford. David Pearson would start second in a Cotton Owens Dodge with Fred Lorenzen third, Paul Goldsmith fourth, and Jim Paschal fifth. Junior led the first lap but gave way to David Pearson in his hemi-powered Dodge. There would be 35 lead changes between 12 drivers.

There were three cautions flags for a total of 63 laps. One flag was for an incident on lap 27 when Bobby Johns slammed his Bud Moore Mercury into the retaining wall. He was unhurt. On lap 44, Doug Cooper blew a tire on his Ford and hit the railing so hard that it splintered thirty of the post holding the rail. It took 47 yellow flag laps to repair the damage.

With less than 30 laps remaining, Rex White, driving his final NASCAR race, was leading when, on a routine pit stop his car stalled and by the time he returned to the track he was a lap in arrears. Ned Jarrett had moved his Ford into the lead. Jarrett had experienced a miserable week in Atlanta, qualifying 17th, because his car wouldn't run and wouldn't handle. In the end, he prevailed. Part of the explanation for the improved performace, said Jarrett, was that Herb Nab and the Fred Lorenzen crew moved over to Ned's pit after Fred departed the race on lap 8 with engine problems in his Ford.

As well as this race being Rex White's last race, Bill Stroupe, the Mercury team icon, left NASCAR racing stating financial reasons. It is also interesting to note that a young driver, LeeRoy Yarbrough, was running second in a Ray Fox Dodge when he blew two tires simultaneously. LeeRoy did an awesome job bringing the car to the pits and ended the race in 11th place. Quite a driver even then.

Top five finishers were:

1. Ned Jarrett, Bondy Long Ford, winning $11,500.00

2. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $5,790.00

3. Paul Goldsmith, Ray Nichels Plymouth, winning $3,530.00

4. Darel Dieringer, Bill Stroupe Mercury, winning $2,425.00

5. Rex White, Bud Moore Mercury, winning $2,025.00

Sixth through tenth were Jim Paschal, Bobby Isaac, Billy Wade, Jimmy Pardue and Larry Thomas. Curtis Crider finished 15th, J.T. Putney 16th, Reb Wickersham 21st, David Pearson 23rd, Larry Frank 24th, Tiny Lund 25th, Junior Johnson 27th, Marvin Panch 29th, Fred Lorenzen 31st.Neil Castles 32nd and G.C. Spencer 35th.

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

The winner with Miss Linda Vaughn

Photo of Doug Cooper's tearing down the fence with Larry Thomas sailing by unaffected.

As you noted Tim, Rex White made his final GN start in this race. He wrapped up his driving career in a series of races driving for Bud Moore. Ray Lamm has this photo in his collection of Rex in Bud's car at Darlington 2 races earlier. Rex was a teammate to Bobby Johns in the Dixie 400.

The AP race report from Daytona Beach Morning Journal

And here is the UPI wire story published in The Dispatch.

Bobby Johns crushing the wall in Bud Moore's Mercury.

Thanks, Tim. The good ole days.

Bump the real Atlanta...