Racing History MInute - October 17, 1956

Sometimes we like to think the influx of money and power and big time sponsors into the sport is a relatively recent thing that has influenced the outcome of races and championships. But, today, we are going back to 1956 and review what turned out to be an absolutely tragic experiment in allowing big money to rule.

The 1956 racing season had been largely ruled by Carl Kiekhaefer and his fleet of powerful Chryslers and his seemingly ever changing roster of top flight drivers. Some drivers, Tim Flock and Herb Thomas, had walked away from the team for reasons of their own but most expressed as the good old southern boys not willing to be mechanized by big time greed and money. So, as the 1956 season was winding down, Kiekhaefers number one shot for the title, Buck Baker, was only second in the points behind Herb Thomas who was driving his own independantly financed Chevrolet. This, of course, did not sit well with the all-powerful Kiekhaefer.

Race number 52 of the 1956 season was held at the .75 mile dirt track known as Charlotte Speedway. This would have been one of the last three races of the season, but all powerful and very rich Carl Keikhaefer would alter that schedule, an event which will be addressed in a future Minute on October 23rd. But for this race in Charlotte, Buck Baker, in a Kiekhaefer Chrysler was chasing the independant Chevy driver, Herb Thomas in the points.

Twenty-seven cars and drivers arrived to qualify for the race. It was neither Thomas or Baker who snagged the pole but it was Ralph Moody in a Ford. Buck Baker would put his Chrysler in second starting spot, Speedy Thompson in another Kiekhaefer Chrysler third, Fireball Roberts, teammate to Moory in fourth, and Lee Petty in his Dodge would start fifth. Herb Thomas lined up sixth.

Speedy Thompson gunned his powerful Chrysler out front for laps 1 - 14 before Ralph Moody nosed his Ford out front. Buck Baker took over the lead on lap 30 and would not be moved from that spot. It was Baker's 12th win of the season and was the 26th win out of 51 races for the powerful Carl Kiekhaefer team of white Chryslers. Money and power talked the talk and walked the walk then, as now, but there is even more to come on the October 23rd History Minute

Finishing order:

1. Buck Baker, Kiekhaefer Chrysler, winning $950.00

2. Ralph Moody, DePaolo Ford, winning $675.00

3. Marvin Panch, Tom Harbison Ford, winning $475.00 (1 lap down)

4. Jim Paschal, C U Later Alligator Mercury, winning $365.00 (1 lap down)

5. Bill Amick, DePaolo Ford, winning $320.00 (3 laps down)

6. Speedy Thompson

7. Herb Thomas

8. Lee Petty

9. Tiny Lund

10. Fireball Roberts

11. Johnny Dodson

12. George Green

13. Brownie King

14. Jesse Taylor

15. Jim Donovan

16. Bill Champion

17. Ed Cole

18. Bobby Waddell

19. Jim Mundy

20. Bob Keck

21. Pete Yow

22. Johnny Allen

23. John Fite

24. Billy Myers

25. Billy Carden

26. Dick Beatty

27. Blackie Pitt

PERSONAL COMMENTS: I remember watching those Chryslers run in 1955 and 1956. I remember watching them come to the track in those closed trucks and when they unloaded they were as clean and white and new fallen snow. At the time, being a young kid, I had no idea what the power of money meant. When I got a dime from my Granddad on Fridays. I could get a huge bag of candy and bubble gum from Mr. Mac's store around the block. To me, then, a dime was all the money I though I would ever need in a week. My, how times change.

With what is tocome with the Kiekhaefer team in this 1956 season, anyone can see how huge investments of money, and huge egos can result in events which question the humanity of mankind. Be prepared for the October 23rd Minute because if you've never heard the story, you may be shocked. I actually got to hear that story from the mouth of Tiny Lund, a number of years ago when I used to hang around the shop here in Columbia from where Tiny raced the number 55 Ford. Even as I read it this morning, I could see Tiny shaking his head as he told me about how things changed in the racing world with the introduction of Kiekhaefer.

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

Great race recap as always Tim. But I think another discrepancy has been discovered about the race date.

The race is recapped in the Monday, September 15, 1956 edition of the News and Courier meaning the race was on Sunday, September 14.

And in this notes column from the October 18, 1956 edition of The Dispatch , the race is referenced as having been run on Sunday.

Also, the notes column from The Dispatch references a Curtis Turner win in the convertible series race at Hillsboro Speedway - aka Occoneechee - on the same date, October 14, 1956. Here is the race report for it from the News and Courier .

Bill Lutz who had the rough accident raced convertibles for Petty Engineering in a handful of races in 1957...

...and a Petty 43 hard top in the 1957 Daytona beach race.

DOH! I said September. I meant OCTOBER. Sorry.

It is interesting to me to see the names of drivers in these GN races that I have seen in reports from outlaw tracks. I uncovered the following in research on the Bennett Speedway.

Race number two was held on Sunday, July 15, 1956. At least 45 cars took to the track that afternoon as 800 watched from the stands. Again, race results are not available, but since the purse was paid by check a review of the July bank statement reveals a good guess. The top money winners that day were Pete Yow of Sanford ($85.00), Homer Burhead Nantz from Mooresville, Ken Rush from High Point, Bill Hall of Haw River, Billy Foster from Thomasville, Ruben White of Asheboro, G.W. Gerringer of West End and Charlie Tyson. Larry Isley, A.L. Henderson, Sonny Cheek and Hal Cagle all got $10.00 followed by James Driver, Bill Eubanks and Dick Matthews. All other drivers received tow money.

Chase, I see Lee Petty standing beside the car and I guess Bill Lutz behind the wheel. Who is the big fellow with his arm around Bill? Sure looks like Tiny Lund to me.

Yes, 3rd guy is Tiny Lund who also drove several races for the Petty team in that era.

this is a great post i enjoyed this thanks guys

Bump

tmc-chase,

Here's your missing Photo bucket photo of Tiny Lund (left), Bill Lutz (center), Lee Petty (right) in #88 Olds Rocket-Powered Petty Enterprises Oldsmobile convertible race car.

Thanks Dennis. With Photobucket's pinheaded extortion attempt to strongarm folks into paying for third party photo hosting on sites such as this one, I've got broken image links all over the web. Some I've been able to retro edit - but most I have not so far.