In the seventh race of NASCAR's first season for its Strictly Stock series, Lee Petty wins career race number one. The race was a 200-lap, 100-mile event on the half-mile, dirt Heidelberg Speedway near Pittsburgh, PA. Petty won 53 more Grand National races over the remainder of his career.
Al Bonnell won the pole but finished last in the 23-car field. The rest of the starting line-up and the race's lap leaders have been lost to history.
Dick Linder had a five-lap lead on the field with five laps to go in the race. But he lost a wheel and was apparently done for the day. Petty made up the five-lap difference and completed the full 200 laps. Linder was awarded second place based on his 195 laps completed. The third place finisher, Bill Rexford, was seven laps down to Petty and two behind Linder.
Petty's winning trophy is on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.
Read on for more:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/10/october-2-1949-petty-legacy-kicks-off.html
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updated by @tmc-chase: 10/02/18 05:32:33PM
