As promised from yesterday, we are covering part two of Ned Jarrett's entry into Grand National racing while attempting to avoid a charge of issuing a bad check. The background, in case you missed yesterday's minute, is that Ned wrote a check in the amount of $2,000.00 AFTER the banks closed for the weekend. He wrote the check to purchase a used 1957 Ford racecar with which he hoped to parlay his two National Championships in the Late Model Sports Division into a full time Grand National ride. He plan was simple. Win Saturday night at Rambi Raceway in Myrtle Beach,SC then win Sunday in Charlotte, NC, each race paying $800.00 to win. With that plan carefully drawnout, all Ned needed was to beat the other guys to the checkered flag.
On Saturday night at Rambi Raceway, Ned did prevail, after a late race scare from a charging Jim Paschal. However, when Ned got out of the car at the end of the race, his hands were bloody pulps, having been cut to pieces by the tape of the steering wheels. For those who may not know, many drivers wrapped the stock, slick, steering wheels with electrical tape, or other race, to give a better grip. Ned's tape was wrapped in such a way that the edges were cutting into his hands in every turn for 200 laps on the half-mile Rambi track. This was long before the days of the gloves now worn by all the drivers, just bare skin of the hands against the wheel. In short, Ned's hands were so cut up he could barely hold the steering wheel, but he headed out to Charlotte after the Myrtle Beach race.
Ned would qualify for 10th starting position for the Charlotte race, another half-mile dirt track. Bob Welborn put his Chevrolet on the pole with Lee Petty in his Plymouth starting second. Third place starter was Buck Baker in a Chevrolet, fourth place was Joe Eubanks in a Ford,and fifth place was Jim Pashcal in a Chevrolet.
When the green flag fell, Ned began a battle with his hands to stay in the race. The pain was unbearable and Ned knew he was going to have to get out of the car. That would leave him with far less money than he was going to need to make that $2,000.00 check good on Monday morning. Lil Joe Weatherly, who was actually at the race as a spectator only, came to the rescue and jumped in Ned's car and ran about 50 laps, but keeping the car in contention for a good finish. On lap 76, Junior Johnson, who had left the race with a blown engine in his car, jumped in Ned's car, a car Junior had raced for two years previously, and literally "stomped" the field to bring Ned's racer home in first place,a little more than one lap ahead of second place finisher, Jim Paschal. It was the second time in two days Jim finished second to that car.
As Ned has often told the story, he felt compelled to pay Joe and Junior for their part in winning the race, but both drivers declined payment. The $800.00 first prize at Charlotte, with the $800.00 first prize at Rambi, gave Ned $1,600.00 (see, I can add, thanks to my handy calculator). Ned only says that he was able to "raise the other $400.00 (see that math again) to deposit a total of $2,000.00 on Monday morning so his check would clear.
So, as Hollywood scripted as that start in Grand National racing sounds, that is now the sport gained Ned Jarrett, who would compete through 1967 and win two National Championships, 1961 and 1965. Ned would go on to become one of the most respected and talented announcers in the broadcast booth as television moved into NASCAR coverage. He is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the RacersReunion Hall of Fame (we inducted him before NASCAR), as well as several other honors, all deserved. "Gentleman" Ned Jarrett is an adequate description of this pioneer in the sport, but it falls far short of complimenting the man for all he is today and all he was to racing.
Top five finishers were:
1. Ned Jarrett, Jarrett Ford, winning $800.00
2. Jim Paschal, Chevrolet, winning $525.00
3. Bob Welborn, Welborn Chevrolet, winning $350.00
4. Tommy Irwin, Irwin Ford, winning$250.00
5. Larry Frank, Carolina Plating Chevrolet, winning $225.00
Sixth through tenth were Harlan Richardson, Joe Halton, Herman Beam, Joe Eubanks and L.D. Austin. Buck Baker finished 13th, Fred Harb 14th, and Tiny Lund 15th. Lee Pettywas credited with 18th, Bobby Keck 19th, Richard Petty 20th and Buddy Baker 21st. Earl Moss was 24th, and Junior Johnson was credited with 25th position when his Wood Brothers Ford was parked with a blown engine, a very advantageous circumstance for Ned Jarrett. G. C.Spencer is credited with 28th and Cotton Owens29th and final position.
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
