Choosing a Southern 500 to feature for this date was easy for me as it would have been a great injustice to overlook the tremendous feat of Larry Frank in winning this race, not to mention the influence of Lil Joe Weatherly in having the 13th Annual Southern 500 become the "12th Renewal Southern 500". You see, Lil Joe was very supersitious and refused to sign an entry blank containing the heading "13th Annual" so Bob Colvin accommodated him by renaming the race as the 12th renewal. Joe immediately completed the newly adorned entry blank.
Labor Day in Darlington was always hot and 1962 was no exception. Forty-four starters lined up with Fireball Roberts in a Pontiac on the pole. The swift Pontiac of Junior Johnson would line up in second spot, Fred Lorenzen in a Ford in third, Bobby Johns in a Pontiac was fourth and Lil Joe would roll of fifth. The 1962 Pontiac was one fast race car as Fireball had proved at Daytona in February.
Fireball Roberts took the point on the green flag and moved away from the field, no seriously challenged for the first 58 laps. Fireball would be involved in a crash on lap 74 which eliminated him from the event.On lap 59,it was Bobby Johns in a Pontiac taking over the lead, until Richard Petty led a single lap on the 76th circuit. Jim Paschal took over on lap 77 in a second Petty Plymouth and would stay in front until Bobby Johns went back in front on lap 86.
Ford's Fearless Freddie Lorenzen, the heartthrob of most female fans (yes there were women fans of the sport from the beginning) put the Ford in front on lap 126. On lap 157 Richard Petty went back in front but was quickly displaced from first place by the fast Pontiac of Junior Johnson. Petty went back in front on lap 190 and is credited with leading through lap 279. Somewhere in this part of the race scoring became a mess and it appeared no one in scoring was certain as to who maintained the first three places.
The race had several minor accidents, including Junior Johnson bouncing off the wall the pushing the fender into a tire. It was at that point that Junior lost two laps in the pits while his crew repaired that damage. By far, the most spectacular action of the day happened when Johnny Allen perched his Pontiac on top of the guard rail where it slid along for more than 100 feet ripping open the gas tank before coming off the rail, rolling over and bursting into flames on lap 275. Darel Dieringer already had the "fire experience" on lap 196. Both drivers escaped uninjured.
The checkered flag fell on Junior Johnson and his white Pontiac as Larry Frank coasted under the checkers with a broken wheel. Some believed Richard Petty in the familiar Petty Blue Plymouth had actually won although he blew a left front tire going into turn one with three laps left and rode it out without stopping.
Larry Frank got out of his Ford on the infield grass and stopped to shake the hand of a fan in the infield who allegedly said to Larry "you won this thing". Larry walked by Victory Lane where Junior and his crew celebrated. Larry got into his car and drove to his motel in Florence with blisters on his eyes and suffering dehydration while knowing he had won the race. It was NOT Larry Frank who filed the protest but it was Poppa Lee Petty. Lee was convinced that Richard had more than a two lap lead on Junior when Richard's tire let go and even riding on three wheels, Richard still beat Johnson to the line.
NASCAR began a recheck of the scoring cards and hours after the event it was determined that Frank had led the last 60 laps of the race and rather than being almost a lap behind Junior, he was actually 5 seconds ahead of Junior when the race ended.
By the time the announcement was made, all press reports had been filed and most Tuesday morning papers proclaimed Johnson the winner. Larry was asked to come back to the track and pose for some "fake photos"in Victory Lane and he and Miss Southern 500 did just that. However, some of the documentary folks weren't satisfied with the sparse look of what was supposed to be a happy celebration. Enter early day "photo shopping". The geniuses in the press took the face of Larry Frank and put it on Junior Johnson's body in the original Victory Lane photos and that's how there are existing photos showing Larry Frank in a crowded Victory Lane. Someone today may not realize that Johnson was probably 240 pounds while Frank may have weighed in at 150 soaking wet. But the important thing is that the record accurately reflects that a fine gentleman and journeyman raced, Larry Frank, won the 12th Renewal of the Southern 500. This was Frank's only Grand National win.
PERSONAL HISTORY NOTE. Our group occupied its usual spot against the turn three fence for this race. While we were not versed in scoring, between Uncle Bobby and me, we pretty well kept up with where Richard Petty was runnning. We were convinced that he was in the lead by at least a lap over Junior Johnson with ten laps to go. I went running through the infield to be a Victory Lane when he won. I was pressed against the fence of the gate that separated the infield from the track where the access road came in over turn one watching for Richard to come down the straight with three to go. Just in front of me the left front tire exploded and I could hear it over the sound of the engines. Richard came by the next time on the flat with sparks flying from the wheel and I knew he was going to keep going. I watched for Junior, who I assumed to be in second knowing he was a lap and the distance behind (in my mind). I must admit I was shocked when they waved the checkers over Junior. I seriously had no idea Larry Frank as in the hunt.
After the race, they whisked Richard off to the press box but I hung around the pits until he came down. As always, the familiar smile but I remember a look in his eyes (he didn't wear the shades then) that said he knew he should have won that race. Our local paper, the next day, had a feature story on Richard with the headline "I run this track so good.... so good".
Top ten finishers:
1. Larry Frank, Ratus Walters Ford, winning $21,730.00
2. Junior Johnson, Ray Fox Pontiac, winnign $10,155.00
3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $5,150.00
4. David Pearson, Cotton Owens Pontiac, winning $3,325,00
5. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $5,450.00
6. Jim Paschal, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $2,025.00
7. Nelson Stacy, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,525.00
8. Ned Jarrett, B. G. Holloway Chevrolet, winning $1,575.00
9. Rex White, Louie Clement Chevrolet, winning $1,355.00
10.Joe Weatherly, Bud Moore Pontiac, winning $1,025.00
Buck Baker was 11th, Jimmy Pardue 12th, Emanuel Zervakis 13th, Bob Welborn 14th, and Sherman Utsman 15th. Elmo Langley finished 16th, PAUL LEWIS 18th, Tiny Lund 19th,, Curtis Crider 23rd, Fred Lorenzen 24th, and Johnny Allen 26th. Fireball Roberts got credit for 36th, Buddy Baker 37th, Cale Yarborough 38th, Bill Champion 40th, with Stick Elliott in 41st.
OTHER SOUTHERN 500s run on Labor Day from 1950 - 1983
1951:
1. Herb Thomas, Hudson
2. Jesse Taylor, Hudson
3. Buddy Shuman, Ford
4. Hershel McGriff, Oldsmobile
5. Fireball Roberts, Ford
1956:
1. Curtis Turner, Ford
2. Speedy Thompson, Chrysler
3. Marvin Panch, Ford
4. Jim Reed, Chevrolet
5. Paul Goldsmith, Chevrolet
1973:
1. Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet
2. David Pearson, Mercury
3. Buddy Baker, Dodge
4. Richard Petty, Dodge
5. Benny Parsons, Chevrolet
1979:
1. David Pearson, Chevrolet
2. Bill Elliott,, Mercury ??????
3. Terry Labonte, Chevrolet
4. Buddy Baker, Chevrolet
5. Benny Parsons, Chevrolet
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
