Racing History Minute - September 21, 1957

The half-mile dirt track in Shelby, NC known as Cleveland County Fairgrounds will be the venue for out 100 mile/200 lap race for this date. Two days before the Shelby race, Buck Baker won the pole and the race at Columbia Speedway and he would once again put his Chevrolet on the pole at Shelby. Bill Benson would qualify his Mercury second, Gwyn Staley in a Julian Petty Chevrolet third, Speedy Thompson in a Dick Beaty Ford would start fourth and Lee Petty in his Oldsmobile would round out the top five qaulifiers.

Buck led the first 65 laps before Lee Petty took over for 16 laps. Baker went back in front on lap 83 and would stay there until Fireball Roberts moved out front on lap 116. On lap 150 it was Baker again and then Marvin Panch took over on lap 165. On lap 188 Panch had no choice but to stop for a quick refuel and gave the lead back to Baker who would hold it til the end. Baker would leave the race with a 768 point lead over second place Panch.

There were four caution flags for a total of 19 laps which dropped the average race speed to 53.699 mph. Only 11 of the 21 starters were running at the finish.

Fireball Roberts had been having an awful season since the factory had pulled out but he was able to lead this race. However, with 51 laps to go, he blew a tire and hit the fence and was out of the race.

Herb Thomas, who did not compete in this race, was at the track where he announced his retirement from the sport. It had been just the year before when Herb was critically injured in a multi-car crash at the Shelby track. He had driven in only two races in the 1957 season so the two time national champion called it quits that night.

Top five finishers were:

1. Buck Baker, Baker Chevrolet, winning $900.00

2. Marvin Panch, Panch Ford, winning $575.00

3. Bill Amick, Amick Ford, winning $375.00 (2 laps down)

4. Gwyn Staley, Julian Petty Chevrolet, winning $280.00 (2 laps down)

5. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Oldsmobile, winning $245.00 (5 laps down)

Sixth through tenth were Johnny Allen, Paul Goldsmith, Bobby Keck, Roy Tyner and Brownie King. L.D. Austin would finish 11th, Joe Weatherly 12th, Whitey Norman 13th, Fireball Roberts 14th, Speedy Thompson 15th. Jim Paschal would get credit for 21st place. having fallen out on lap 58 with mechanical issues.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.

I was not familiar with the name of the 19th place finisher, Clarence DeZalia , who broke a spindle on the 103rd of the 200 Shelby laps.

Trying to research a bit, I found that Clarence operated a garage in Aberdeen, NC - that's on U.S. Route 1 near Southern Pines where I always stayed for the Rockingham races.

Clarence entered 58 NASCAR Grand National races between 1955-1959 and 15 NASCAR Convertible events between 1957-1959. In fact, just the month before the Shelby race, Clarence had posted a 7th place finish in the Grand National race at Myrtle Beach and he'd post another 7th place a month after Shelby in the NASCAR Convertible event at Columbia, SC.

The photo below is posted of Clarence DeZalia in 1958 action at the HowStuffWorks site (I read the photo is also in Greg Fielden's books) with the cut line below the photo from the HowStuffWorks site:

Clarence DeZalia's #94 Mercury gets entangled in a three-car mishap during a short-track event. DeZalia was one of the many independent drivers of the 1950s. He had no sponsor other than his own garage in Aberdeen, N.C. The crew was limited to DeZalia and a few friends, and they towed their car all over the South to race. DeZalia competed in 27 of the 51 events in 1958, scoring six top-10 finishes. He finished 15th in the final standings, and won a shade over $3,000. HowStuffWorks.com

In the "It's a Small World" category, I discovered that a frequent poster to the Wilson, North Carolina based Local Race Chat site who goes by the name of "modman" is none other than Clarence DeZalia's son, Marty DeZalia !

In the "It's an Even SMALLER World" category, I discovered that fact in a discussion between "modman" and our own Stock Car RacersReunion members Jim Wilmore (CapeFear01) and Bobby Williamson (DoubleZero) discussing the 2010 reunion at Occoneechee! How cool is that... especially with the Occoneechee 2013 event scheduled for this coming weekend, beginning Friday, September 27!!!

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   Re: Oconeechee Event

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   Originally Posted by SGP91
   

   
   

   This is a reminder to tell everyone that you know about the 4th annual show at the Oconeechee Speedway in Hillsborough,NC on August the 27th and 28th,2010.
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   I've been to all three of the "Old" Orange County Speedway, Hillsborough events and have enjoyed every one of them. It's more than just old cars, they have past Grand National drivers from the 1950's thru 1990's telling stories, signing autographs, just hanging out with the crowd. Plus, this year they are going to do parade laps on the old track, the old grand stand will be open to the public. It's a first-class event all the way.
   Gene Hobby called me a few weeks ago asking if I was bringing my car. It don't look like I'll make it this year but I sure do support everything the Occoneechee bunch are doing. I give it 5 stars, guaranteed to have a good time. Plus, there's a band, hotrods, ratrods, concessions, etc. etc. something for everyone.
   
   Check it out... http://historicspeedwaygroup.org/unc...ld?action=page
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
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   Re: Oconeechee Event

   
   

   
   

   
   

   My dad used to race there number 94 Clarence DeZalia Aberdeen NC. My nefew Micheal Hall from Ric Va will be there to represent our dad I am going to try to make it if work permits . we are looking for a 56 ford to make into a car like my father raced Any one having pictures of it we would enjoy seeing them . Great event
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   

   
   
   
   
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   Re: Oconeechee Event

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   Originally Posted by modman
   

   
   

   My dad used to race there number 94 Clarence DeZalia Aberdeen NC. My nefew Micheal Hall from Ric Va will be there to represent our dad I am going to try to make it if work permits . we are looking for a 56 ford to make into a car like my father raced Any one having pictures of it we would enjoy seeing them . Great event
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   COOL! Modman , your dad was Clarence DeZalia? There is a photo of him in a '56 Mercury #94 "DeZalia's Garage Aberdeen, NC" in Greg Fielden's "NASCAR Chronicle"

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   
   

Qualifying for the race was scheduled for the day before. I was bit surprised to learn the Shelby race was planned as a 2 day event. Perhaps the promoter wanted an extra day of racing entertainment for fair-goers and ticket buyers. As it turned out, qualifying was rained out on 20th. So qualifying and the race were compacted into a single Saturday afternoon after all.

Source: News and Courier

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

And a 'notes' column from a couple of days later discussing the 1957 championship and racing battles between Buck Baker, Cotton Owens and Marvin Panch.

Source: Spartanburg Herald

A little interesting history and trivia....

The Cleveland County, NC Fair - site of the Shelby racetrack, was organized in 1924 by a local Kiwanis Club committee organized by Dr. J.S. Dorton of Shelby.

If the Dorton name is familiar to some of our members, it may be because the iconic, modernist, landmark arena structure erected in 1950 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh is named for Dr. Dorton.

The iconic Dorton Arena at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh is named for Dr. J.S. Dorton of Shelby. goodnightraleigh.com

What might be more significant to our RR members is that Dorton Arena overlooks the site of the last NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Series race - The Raleigh Fairgrounds Speedway.

Below is a 1950 photo of the arena in Raleigh named for the founder of Shelby's Cleveland County Fair, Dr. J.S. Dorton, overlooking a 1950 stock car race in progress at the Raleigh Fairgrounds Speedway:

goodnightraleigh.com

Buck Baker would score ten 1957 GN victories in the #87 Black Widow Chevy crewed by Bud Moore enroute to the 1957 NASCAR Grand National Championship. What track is this with Buck taking the checkers?

Getty Images - Unidentified track & photographer

Not positive but Weaverville is a good guess. Buck's wins came at Hillsborough, Weaverville, Martinsville, Oxford, ME, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Watkins Glen, Columbia, Shelby and Greensboro. Deduction says this isn't Hillsborough, Martinsville (paved in 55), Too many pine trees for Oxford, Norfolk and Jacksonville. Watkins Glen was a road course. Columbia didn't have banking outside the front stretch. Greensboro didn't either and the infield had a guard rail. Shelby was a fair grounds track with grandstands as was Greensboro. Found a couple of old photos from Weaverville that match the flag stand and crossover road shown in this picture.

Thanks for the deduction, Randy.