In current news, Detroit, Michigan is a bankrupt city. Decay and decline are obvious even to the causal observer. A few years ago, back in the days when I did allow the airlines to abuse me before I gave up flying completely, I flew into the Detroit airport and then drove a rental car over to Dearborn to spend a week at Ford Headquarters. Yep, me, a Mopar guy, spending a week in the Ford Towers. Long story but not to be share here. What we are going to share here is an event on this date in 1951 when Detroit WAS Motor City and a 250 mile race was set for the one-mile, flat, dirt track there. There would be 15 makes of cars represented in the 59 car starting field and most of Detroit auto brass would attend the event along with 16,352 race fans. It was to be a day of stock car racing in the city from whence the stock cars originated.
Marshall Teague, in the FABULOUS Hudson Hornet, drew first blood in the war of the auto makes as he qualified on the pole with an average 69.131 mph for the two lap qualifying run. Tim Flock put his Oldsmobile on the outside front row and Gober Sosebee in a Cadillac locked up third place starting position. Fonty Flock put an Oldsmobile in fourth and Tommy Thompson started a Chrysler in fifth. Sprinkled through the field were makes such as Nash, Mercury, Ford, Plymouth, Pontiac, Dodge, Studebaker, Packard, and a Henry J. Detroit was ready to see some racing!
Marshall Teague led lap one then Fonty Flock took over until lap 24. Tommy Thompson pulled his Chrysler in front for two laps, 25-26, then it was Flock again for a lap, then Thompson. The torrid battle between Thompson and Fonty Flock went on until lap 96 when Gober Sosebee stormed into the lead in his Cadillac. Gober would lead two laps before Fonty Flock once again moved out front. On lap 131 it was Curtis Turner taking the point he would hold until lap 212. The persistent Tommy Thompson moved past Turner to lead laps 213 to 215 and then it was Turner again.
With 25 miles to run, Turner and Thompson slammed into each other after an absolutely unbelieveable fender banging duel lap after lap. They hit each other hard and spun into the guard rail. Joe Eubanks went around the two frustrated drivers as they tried to get their cars back in action. Thompson got restarted and set about "burning up the track" in an effort to get back to the front. Turner was trying, but the crash destroyed his radiator and he soon had to park his steaming Oldsmobile. Meanwhile, back in the race, Joe Eubanks was motoring along at a steady and safe pace, not knowing he was leading the race, as Thompson was rapidlly gaining on the Eubanks Olds. With 18 laps to go, Thompson stormed around the clueless Eubanks to retake the lead for the final time and take the checkered flag. There were 14 lead changes in the race, a record number of leaders at that time.
Several cars were eliminated in wrecks, at least two of which were spectacular. On lap 130, there were 10 cars involved in a wreck that totally flattened the car of Fonty Flock, who, at the time, was leading. Others involved in that accident included Billy Myers, Jack Smith and Bill Holland. Later in the event, Lee Petty would flip his Plymouth, but would get the car back on four wheels and journey on to a 13th place finish.
Thus ended the race before the American Auto Brass with the Chrysler Corporation boys given bragging rights, for a time, as it was their make winning the race. I am imagining the fans leaving that race in awe of what they had seen. It had to be a race to remember for a long time.
Top ten finishers were:
1. Tommy Thompson, Thompson Chrysler, winning $5,000.00
2. Joe Eubanks, Oates Motor Company Oldsmobile, winning $2,000.00
3. Johnny Mantz, Mantz Nash Ambassador,, winning $1,000.00
4. Red Byron, Daytona Racing Ford, winning $600.00
5. Paul Newkirk, Nash Ambassador, winning $500.00
6. Jack Goodwin, Plymouth, winning $400.00
7. Lloyd Moore, Julian Buesink Oldsmobile, winning $300.00
8. Ewell Weddle, Ford, winning $200.00
9. Curtis Turner, Eanes Motor Company Oldsmobile, winning $100.00
10. Erick Erickson, Packer Pontiac, winning $100.00
Other familiar names and their finishing positions include Lee Petty 13th, Bob Myers 15th, Jim Paschal 16th, Tim Flock 17th, Bob Flock 19th, Iggy Katona 22nd, Bobby Myers 25th, and Marshall Teague 33rd. Fonty Flock is credited with 35th, Jack Smith 37th, Billy Myers 38th, Gober Sosebee 42nd, Bill Blair 47th, Frank Mundy 50th, Jim Rathmann 52nd, Hershel McGriff 54th, and Dick Rathman 55th. Herb Thomas was credited with 57th.
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