On September 29th at Martinsville Speedways 1974 Old Dominion 500 NASCAR Winston Cup Series event, fans were treated to the sight of 8 Virginia weekly modified and sportsman drivers in the 30 car field, but it was a 33 year old Canadian rookie who stole the show.
The battle between the big boys for the 1974 Winston Cup crown had come down to a fight between then 13 time Martinsville winner, Richard Petty and Junior Johnsons driver, Cale Yarborough Dodge vs. Chevy. But the headlines were made by the Virginia local boys and the lone Canadian.
There were a number of story lines that developed around the 1974 Martinsville Old Dominion 500 and we are very fortunate that the archives of MRN Radio have captured this classic event in its entirety. I strongly urge you to click on the link below and listen to the brief pre-race explanations by lead announcer Ken Squier and turn and pit descriptions by Barney Hall and the late Charlie Harville of Channel 2 Television in Greensboro.
The two most famous drivers to ever graduate from Richmonds Southside Speedway were in the Martinsville field, each making a rare Cup start. Running Firestone tires for car owner Emanuel Zervakis (distributor of Late Model Sportsman Firestones), 45 year old Sonny Hutchins had put the beautiful powder blue # 01 Monte Carlo on the outside pole alongside Richard Petty. Sonny was no stranger to Martinsville hed won modified races there for Junie Donlavey and the Wood Brothers, as well as Late Model Sportsman events for Zervakis.
Sonny Hutchins & Richard Petty on Front Row before start of 1974 Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville - Butch Zervakis photo
Richmonds other most famous driver was also 45 years old. He was Radid Ray Hendrick. Richmond race fans were ecstatic when Nord Krauskopf tapped Ray for the drivers seat in the return of the Harry Hyde built K&K Dodge #71 to NASCAR competition with an in-house built 355 cu.in. Dodge motor. Ray, still considered the winningest driver in NASCAR history, put the new Dodge in 10th place on the grid.
Our other local, weekly track Virginians who made the Cup field, listed by age, were as follows:
42 Year Old Paul Radford Ferrum, Va. In Junie Donlaveys #90
34 Year Old Lennie Pond Ettrick, Va. in Ronnie Elders Chevy
33 Year Old PeeWee Wentz Danville, Va.
28 Year Old Jimmy Hensley Horse Pasture, Va. driving with a broken leg
26 Year Old Satch Worley Rocky Mount, Va.
26 Year Old Randy Hutchison Newport News, Va. last minute Bill Champion entry.
Member, Dennis Andrews will remember seeing Randy, as well as PeeWee and Ray in a few NASCAR Grand American races.
Im not going to try to recap the whole race, just paint a picture of how cool it was to have all these local heroes competing against the Big Boys.
33 year old rookie, Earl Ross of Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada was Cales teammate in a second Junior Johnson Carling Beer Chevy. The Canadian brewer was high on Earl and kinda came to Junior with the Carling sponsorship. When the 1974 Old Dominion 500 went in the record books, though, it was the name of Earl Ross on the trophy a driver who said he had only heard of Richard Petty and David Pearson in the past several years.
Earl Ross of Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada in victory lane at Martinsville - September 1974
The highlight of the race may have been the start and the first 79 laps.
Thats when Sonny Hutchins outraced Richard Petty to turn one and cut him off entering the turn. Sonny would go on to lead the first 79 laps, until his Southside Speedway competitor, Jimmy Hensley knocked him out of the groove for the lead. Following right behind those two at the time was a third Southside Speedway driver, Lennie Pond in the third position.
How did Sonny beat The King to turn one on the start? The son of Sonnys car owner, Butch Zervakis, offered the following explanation right here on RacersReunion several years ago:
Comment by Butch Zervakis on February 27, 2011 at 8:20pm
Richard wouldn't have won the pole but he used special Goodyears that he brought from Level Cross the morning before qualifing that day, the reason the King lost the motor was, Sonny got the jump on him was because Clay Earles told Sonny to jump the start and lead the first lap, Richard over reved the motor trying to keep up with Sonny, Earles told Sonny that there has never been a restart on the start in a Cup race and he had made a bet with the reporters that Sonny was going to lead the first lap and he was planning on winning his bet
Whatever your allegiance or age, I urge you STRONGLY to listen to the opening of the MRN Radio broadcast and the first few laps and see if you cant just feel the excitement.
You can hear the excitement in Ken Squiers voice telling of the short track weekly racers making the show. You can hear the drums of Henry County, Virginias Drewry-Mason High School Band. You can hear the rich tones of Martinsville P.A. announcer, Lewis Compton, Mouth of the South in the background. And when the cars fire and pass by from pit road, you can hear the rumble. Hint turn up the volume and blow your significant other right out of the room at this juncture!!! Your entire lair will be trembling!
Finally, listen to the amazement in Barney Halls voice as old man Sonny Hutchins beats Richard through the first turn on the start! It will be well worth the listen to hear how it really was.
The first 80 laps also produce a couple of wonderfully descriptive phrases from the mouth of Ken Squier to describe the racing action. Heres the two I liked best:
Put your teeth in your purse grandma, this is going to be a rough one!
Theyre pounding on Petty, everybodys taking their shot!
I hope our newer members will listen to just some of this radio broadcast and maybe theyll understand why we long for the racing like it used to be. 
1974 Old Dominion 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race number 27 of 30
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updated by @dave-fulton: 03/03/20 09:50:56AM
