Racing History Minute - September 22, 1963

One of the original NASCAR tracks is still around and still providing, for the most part, exciting racing. Still one-half mile, Martinsville Speedway continues to stay on the schedules with two races a year in spite of its limited seating capacity compared to most other venues. But, then again, with the falling attendance at NASCAR events, the seating is more than adequate. In 1963, some 50 years ago today, 20,000 folks flocked to the track for the "Old Dominion 500".

Junior Johnson would qualify his Holly Farms Chevrolet on the pole at a speed of 73.379 mph. Fred Lorenzen in a Holman-Moody Ford would start second, Fireball Roberts in another Holman-Moody Ford, winner of the Southern 500 less than 3 weeks before, would start third. Rex White in the Loius Clements Chevrolet would start fourth and Marvin Panch would roll off fifth in the Wood Brothers Ford.

Junior would lead the first 51 laps before yeilding to Fred Lorenzen on lap 52, only to recover the lead the next lap and stay there to lap 80 before Lorenzen muscled his way back in front where he would stay until the checkered flag. But there is more to this story.

On lap 40, Lorenzen started his bumper-tagging tricks with Junior, much like what Freddie had done to Fireball Roberts earlier in the year. When he tried it with Fireball, Roberts had enough and jammed on his brakes which took Lorenzen out with a busted radiator. This time Junior took it for 11 laps and then he tried the same trick but Lorenzen, once burned with the brake-check move, shoved his Ford to the inside of Junior and took the lead for one lap. Apparently fearing retribution from the man in the white Chevy, Lorenzen backed off and let Junior go back in front. Lorenzen had made a habit of following the swift Chevy most of the season until the Chevy "broker" which almost always happened but had decided to show his fans that he could outrun the Chevy when needed. Lorenzen was actually quoted after the race as saying "I wanted to prove I could outrun Junior".

Lorenzen had other issues during the race. Reb Wickersham was stalled on the track and Lorenzen ran up on the stalled car and actually careened off Wickersham but continued. He later hooked bumpers with a teammate, Nelson Stacy and Stacy was furious. Stacy told Herb Nab, crew chief for Fred, that "I'm sick and tired of being roughed up by Lorenzen. This is my last warning". Junior crashed on lap 296 while trying to run down the fleet Ford of Lorenzen. This was the 11th career win for Lorenzen who averaged 67.486 mph for the 250 miles after 5 caution flags waved for a total of 18 laps.

Top five finishers:

1. Fred Lorenzen, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $3,800.00

2. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $1,675.00 (1 lap down)

3. Joe Weatherly, Bud Moore Mercury, winning $1,475.00 (3 laps down)

4. David Pearson, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $875.00 (4 laps down)

5. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $775.00 (4 laps down)

Sixth through tenth were Billy Wade, Fireball Roberts, Nelson Stacy, Jack Smith and Buck Baker. Cale Yarborough would finish 12th, Curtis Crider 13th, Worth McMillian 16th, Reb Wickersham 17th, Wendell Scott 18th, Ned Jarrett 19th, Larry Frank 20th, Junior Johnson 21st, Darel Dieringer 22nd and G. C. Spencer 23rd. Rex White, involved in a crash on lap 163 would be credited with 25th, Roy Tyner 26th, J. D. McDuffie 29th, Fred Harb 30th, and Perk Brown would come in 32nd. Jimmy Pardue was 35th crashing with Jim Massey before the first lap was complete so he was not credited with completing even one lap.

At least three of the drivers from this race, Rex White, Reb Wickersham and Marvin Panch, will be a part of the Celebration of The Automobile in Hillsborough, NC this Saturday, September 28th. You can check the "Events" column here on RacersReunion for more information about that but if you're anywhere in the area, I hope you will plan to attend. Will be an absolutely awesome event, guaranteed, and personally endorsed by The Legend.

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

We also know that one of the #83 Pontiacs of 16th finishing Worth McMillion will be at Occoneechee - the car that Ray Lamm recently documented being pulled out of the woods in Amelia Court House, Virginia.

Above - Worth McMillion of Amelia Court House, Va. in 1963 with his #83 Pontiac and at Martinsville in 1963 posing with wife, Gloria. From the John McMillion collection

This Martinsville event was the final career Grand National start for nearby modified legend, Perk Brown of Spray, North Carolina. Some years back the three North Carolina towns of Leaksville , Spray and Draper (LSD!) were consolidated into the larger city of Eden , North Carolina, where many teams and media participating at Martinsville stay today. I used to be particularly fond of the Railroad Cafe in Eden where Dave Marcis would take us to indulge in "all the spaghetti we could eat!"

Perk, who was a terror at Winston-Salem's Bowman-Gray Stadium, started only two 1963 GN races - the other being at Bowman-Gray. All told, Perk ran 28 Grand National races between 1952-1963. Perk's real name was Jack Thomasson - Perk Brown was his "nom de plume" so to say!

Above - Perk Brown (Jack Thomasson) at the wheel in his modified circa 1967 . Getty Images/Racing One

Saw the note below by RR member, Dargan Watts in a 1968 edition of the Sumter (SC) Daily Item :

Anyone know if Fred Lorenzen's brother, Ricky ever drove in the NASCAR GT / Grand American division?

Lorenzen's win was no real surprise to anyone. He was predicted by many to contend for the win even before qualifying began.

Source: Spartanburg Herald

Race program

The start - the 2nd row of Fireball Roberts on the inside and Rex White starting 4th is shown. The front row of pole-winner Junior Johnson and 2nd place qualifier Lorenzen is out of frame.

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

The winner in victory lane

Thanks Tim and Dave.

I'm pleased you enjoyed this post Sandeep.