Our "Minute" for this date takes us to a .333 mile dirt track located in Hartsville, SC. Being from Columbia, the reputation of the Hartsville facility is well known. Word, back in the day, was that Hartsville was a tough track to run, even tougher to win, and was often the site of those well remembered fights so many folks remember from the short track days. If I'm not mistaken, that is the track where the opening dirt track racing scenes for the movie "Thunder in Carolina" starring Rory Calhoun and Alan Hale were filmed.
Eighteen cars showed up to race the 50 miles/150 laps. Emanuel Zervakis put his Chevrolet on the pole with a speed of 54.97 mph which was really moving for a track that size. Ned Jarrett would start second, Buck Baker third, Junior Johnson fourth and Fred Harb fifth.
An interesting fact here is that this was the 13th Grand National (now Cup) event staged at the Hartsville track, and Buck Baker would win to become the thirteenth different winner. A different winner every time the Grand Nationals raced there, which was, at the time, and without further research my guess is that it may still stand as 13 races, 13 different winners. Perhaps one of our more astute researchers will solve that issue for us.
Pole winner, Zervakis, went into the wall on lap 101 when his Chevy lost steering. Richard Petty was taken out on lap 69 with engine failure. By winning in a Chrysler, Buck gave that brand it's first win since the 1956 season finale. It was also Buck's first win since the 1960 Southern 500 and his 43rd Grand National win overall.
Top five finishers were:
1. Buck Baker, Baker Chrysler, winning $760.00
2. Jack Smith, Smith Pontiac, winning $520.00
3. Rex White, White-Clements Chevrolet, winning $460.00
4. David Pearson, Pearson Chevrolet, winning $265.00
5. Junior Johnson, Holly Farms Pontiac, winning $260.00
Sixth through tenth were Ned Jarrett, Jimmy Pardue, Harry Leake, Wendell Scott and Lee Reitzel.
Eleventh place went to Herman Beam with Homer Galloway 12th in a Curtis Crider car, beating Curtis Crider in another Crider car finishing 13th. Fourteenth was Bob Barron with Joe Jones 15th, Emanual Zervakis 16th, Richard Petty 17th and Fred Harb 18th.
Each time I read about one of these dirt track races, I remember the many nights I would be in the infield at a dirt track after the race was over and the cars were being loaded on their open trailers. Drivers were usually over at the "pay window" in line waiting to get paid. I would always hang around to talk with Richard Petty but would have time to talk to many of the crew folks. It still amazes me that back in those days, those guys worked for nothing, some maybe for a hot dog and a coke at the track, but it was a labor of love. Same can be said for the drivers for the most part. Look at the payout amounts. Even in 1961 dollars, the few hundred dollars the winner got couldn't have gone far. I treasure my memories of those days and treasure the memories of all the guys I met back then, though, granted most of the names have long since been lost in my memory, but the faces and the smiles remain.
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: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM