While it had been my intention to carry through with the 1955 Northern Tour, I note that the race on that tour for this date was won by Lee Petty so I'm sure Chase will give us a full report on that one. In that case, I'm free to pursue the date of June 19, 1949.
Throughout the years of the existence of NASCAR, there are many dates of importance, but it was on this date in 1949, that the first "Strickly Stock" race was sanctioned by NASCAR. Or was it? History tells us that the boys raced for 150 miles on a 3/4 mile dirt track in Charlotte, NC, and that was the first Stickly Stock, to evolve into Grand National and eventually into Cup racing. This was NOT, however, the first race sanctioned by NASCAR to consist of the stock family sedans. That honor goes to a 5 lap/10 mile exhibition race staged at the Broward County Airport in Florida on February 27, 1949. The "stock car race" followed events for the NASCAR "roadsters" and one for the European sports car. The exhibition race was won by Benny Georgeeson of Ft. Lauderdale, FL in a Buick with Eddie Mitchell finishing second in a Mercury.
In 1949, NASCAR was competing with the National Stock Car Racing Association, the United Stock Car Racing Association, the National Auto Racing League, and the American Stock Car Racing Association for recognition in the field of stock car racing. All the aforementioned, with the exception of NASCAR, had programs in place for a National Points Champion. In the overall scheme of press reporting, NASCAR was given back-burner status most of the time because there was no stock car racing involving strickly stock cars. Bill France, of course, recognized the problem and decided to develop a division for the family sedan to race.
It was early in 1949 that NASCAR was being challenged successfully by the NSCRA, a newly organized stock car racing operation under the direction of one Olin Bruton Smith. Yep, same guy you're thinking of. As the two racing bodies fought for the same cars and drivers, Big Bill decided to stage a 150 stickly stock race in Charlotte on June 19th. Literally, the event was put together almost overnight as France determined no real advance notice would be needed as all cars would be stock and the drivers could "run what they brung" so to speak.
The field would be limited to 33 drivers and most all the "hot shoes" of the day showed up to race. Four very prominent drivers,however, were denied entry under the NASCAR rule "actions detrimental to auto racing". Yes, I swear to you, that rule has been in the book since day one. In this case the four drivers were Marshall Teague who had campaigned for NASCAR for follow the lead of the AAA and place 40% of the gate receipts into the purse. That, of course, was not agreeable to Big Bill. The other three forbidden entry were Buddy Shuman, Speedy Thompson and Ed Samples. Their actions detrimental to auto racing was placing several hundred thumb tacks on a race track before a modified race a few weeks earlier. Jimmy Thompson had also been accused of the malicious thumb tack caper,but he was cleared, although placed on probation for a year.
Time trials were held on Saturday, June 18th and when the dust settled, Bob Flock had put a Hudson on the pole. Starting second would be Tim Flock in an Olds, with Buddy Elliott third in another Olds. Otis Martin was four and Fonty Flock was fifth, placing all three racing Flock brothers in the top five starters.
Twelfth place starter was Jim Roper in a Lincoln, who had learned of the event through the comic strip "Smilin' Jack" and brought his car to Charlotte from Kansas to race. Sara Christain, regarded at the time as the leading woman in stock car racing, qualified 13th in a Ford. The field also included Buck Baker, Jim Paschal, Jack Smith and Lee Petty, Bill Blair and Jimmie Lewallen.
Nine different makes of stock cars made up the field. Those makes were Lincoln, Hudson, Ford, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Buick, Kaiser and Mercury. It promised to be an exciting exhibition for stock cars.
On race day, the gates were to open at noon, but a long line of cars full of fans caused Big Bill to open the gates early. By the time the race started, the number of fans ranged from 13,000 (official figure by Big Bill) to 22,500 by Houston Lawton, NASCAR first Publicity Director.
The green flag waved and the cars disappeared into a cloud of dust as they entered turn one, wheel to wheel, door to door and bumper to bumper. The spectators were wild with enthusiasm! The first five laps were led by Bob Flock's speedy Hudson but then, low and behold, a big black Lincoln, driven by 5 foot 6 inch driver Bill Blair literally looking THROUGH the steering wheel to take the lead going down the back straight. Very soon thereafter, Bob Flock's Hudson would develop problems and ended up in a deeping pool of oil in the pits.
Bill Blair was unstoppable. He passed cars as he encountered them, lapping many as he showed the power of the Lincoln and the will with which he drove it. The the half way point more than a dozen of the stock cars were out of the race, most with overheating problems. On lap 107, Lee Petty, driving a big Buick, tumbled several times in a roll that took him outside the track. As the dust from the crash was settling, Lee walked back up onto the track and sat down on the turn in bewilderment at what had befallen him. This is a great story to hear directly from the mouth of Richard Petty if you ever have such an opportunity.
By now, Bill Blair was a lap ahead of his nearest challenger and was just 50 laps away from taking the win when his Lincoln gave it up. Steam poured from the big Lincoln as Blair parked it for the day,destined to be credited with a 12th place ending to his dominating run.
Upon Blair's departure, Glen Dunaway put his Hubert Westmoreland Ford in the lead. Dunaway and arrived at the track Sunday morning without a ride, but Westmoreland decided to put him in the Ford as clearly Dunaway was the experienced driver. Now, Jim Roper, the guy who learned of the race from the "funny papers' was in second, but his Lincoln was beginning to overheat as well. He back off and watched Dunaway put one.....two... then three laps on him as he kept his Lincoln slow and low on the track just trying to finish.
The checkered flag fell for Dunaway and the "borrowed" Ford. The fans were happy with the outcome and many congratulated Dunaway on their way out of the speedway. Newspaper reporters who did cover the race, got their stories and left the track to write for the morning edition on Monday. But, hold the phone.
Some of the officials (not to mention some drivers I would guess) questioned the way that Ford so effortlessly handled the bumpy track, especially the stability going through the turns. Major Al Crisler, the first NASCAR Techinical inspector was asked to closely inspect the car and that inspection revealed the rear springs in the Ford had been "altered" which was very much against the rules for strickly stock. No, and we mean absolutely NO modifications were allowed to the cars with the exception of reinforced right front wheels to handle the stress racing all left turns placed on the right front wheel. The actual determination for the ruling was that the rear springs were "spread" which was common in cars used to haul moonshine which, incidentally, the Westmoreland Ford was specifically designed to do!
NASCAR disqualified the Ford and ruled Jim Roper in the Lincoln would be declared the winner. This did not at all sit with with Mr. Westmoreland who was so angry he filed a lawsuit against NASCAR seeking $10,000.00 in damages for the disqualification. The ruling Judge threw out the case which meant NASCAR had successfully complete its first strickly stock race, a Lincoln had won, and now the sport could move on to bigger things with the "Strickly Stock Division". Big Bill would schedule seven more such races in 1949, and the next year the division would be known as Grand National and would become NASCAR's number one drawing card, displacing the modifies.
Top five finishers were:
1. Jim Roper, Mecklenburg Motors Lincoln, winning $2,000.00
2. Fonty Flock, Grady Cole-Bruce Griffin Hudson, winning $1,000.00
3. Red Byron, Parks Novelty Oldsmobile, winning $500.00
4. Sam Rice, Rice Racing Oldsmobile, winning $300.00
5. Tim Flock, Buddy Elliott Oldsmobile, winning $200.00
Sixth through tenth were Archie Smith in a Ford, Sterling Long in a Hudson, Slick Smith in an Olds, Curtis Turner in a Buick, and Jimmy Thompson in a Chrysler.
Buck Back was 11th, Bill Blair 12th, and Sara Christain credited with 14th after relief from Bob Flock. Jimmie Lewallen finished 16th, Lee Petty 17th, Jim Paschal 23rd with Herb Thomas 29th. Frank Mundy was 30th and Bob Flock (his car) was credited with 32nd.
So, we know that this day is a very important date in the history of NASCAR. We also know that the "actions detrimental to stock car racing" has been a rule forever in NASCAR and we are reminded that even the very first race in the strickly stock ended in controversy. But let us knew forget that what happened on that dusty track in Charlotte on this date in 1949, has given us all many years of great entertainment and involvement in a sport in which we all feel as though we contributed. We are the loyal fans NASCAR never fails to thank during their broadcasts of races and we are the loyal fans who still follow the sport today. Sometimes I am surprised at how many folks I encounter who were actually at that first race and the stories they have told me. I was too young to know what racing was in 1949, but I did discover it in 1952 and my life has been forever entwined with the sport. Let us never forget the men (and women) who build this sport from the ground up and who contributed so much to make it happen, many giving their very lives. The sport has grown, evolved and continues to grow. Having started on a dusty 3/4 mile track in Charlotte, NC appears to have been a fertile garden from which to bring forth what we have today.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 08/15/18 05:05:19PM
