The Los Angeles Times 500 Ontario Motor Speedway - November 19, 1978

Bobby Allison leads 134 laps en route to victory over Cale Yarborough, Donnie Allison, and Buddy Baker.

69 driver entries.

There were a recorded 30 lead changes at the start/finish line. But as was typical for Ontario there were many more position changes taking place all over the 2 mile track

The Parade Lap

Pole sitter Cale Yarborough experienced ignition problems on the parade lap, made a quick pit stop for repairs, joined the field at the rear and challenged Allison over the second half of the race.

Dale Earnhardt was entered in Rod Osterlunds #98 Kelly Girl sponsored car, but to preserve his Rookie eligibility for 1979, West Coast driver Jimmy Insolo started the race in place of Earnhardt and ran to the first yellow at lap 7 where Earnhardt took over, finishing in 7 ^th place.

Janet Guthrie started in 15 ^th place finishing in 13 ^th . Note the fuel spill.

This was typical for Ontario

The last 15 laps or so were like this

Winners Circle. Brock Yates ready to interview Bobby Allison

For more images from this event: 1978 L.A. Times 500

Excellent post Scott. Thank you for bringing us such wonderful pictures of this event. Great report.

excellent report Scott. Loved the pics also. brought back a ton of memories of my seeing my first race on a super speedway. I got to see the 1977 Times 500 at Ontario . I went to the west coast from Ohio on company business and was taken to the race. If my memory is correct Neil Bonnett won the race in the #5 car. It seems to me there was another 5 car out there at the time driven by Jim Thirkette. One souvenir I got was a patch showing the date and race with the #5 car on the patch. I used the patch ever since sorta as a good luck item and it survived many changes from race suit to race suit. I just took it off this year and threw it in the desk drawer. again, loved the report. thank you....

Awesome photos of the race, Scott. Thanks so much for your post. Very interesting move by Osterlund to have Insolo run to the first caution to preserve Earnhardt's rookie eligibility. If I ever knew that (and I don't think I did), I'd long since forgotten it.

Also interesting to see the former Janet Guthrie Kelly Girl sponsorship on the Osterlund car.

Nice!

Bill:

I'll have a small post tomorrow(tonight?) about the 1977 event. Didn't take many photos that day and the few I have aren't very useful though. The West Coast No. 5 was indeed Jim Thirkettle. A talented short track racer with Saugus Speedway as his home track. I don't know if he made the race in '77 until I check my program.

Nice souvenir you have too!

Dave:

Thanks for the kind words.

Earnhardt Sr. sponsored by Kelly Girl.......

Just doesn't seem to fit

Thanks Tim,

You can thank RR member TMC Chase for urging to get on board and post.

Hopefully more to come in the future

Thanks Jeff!

Bobby posing at Ontario with a celeb who may have known his way around a race car or two.

Qualifying Report from Reading Eagle

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

Maybe that celeb with Bobby Allison was reminiscing about the NASCAR Modified race they both ran on the Daytona road course in February 1974. I think that was the celeb's only NASCAR start, but if there were others, please chime in:

Permatex 200

NASCAR Modified race
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
February 15, 1974
47 laps on 3.85 mile road course; 180.95 miles

Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 7 Bobby Allison 2 1973 Chevrolet Camaro 47 6,750 running 28
2 Tiny Lund 5 1974 Chevrolet Camaro 47 3,600 running 0
3 John Bryant 57 1973 AMC Gremlin 46 2,350 running 0
4 Denis Giroux 25 1973 Chevrolet Vega 44 1,200 running 0
5 Geoff Bodine 99 1974 Chevrolet Vega 43 1,000 running 0
6 Jerry Dostie 55 1972 Chevrolet Vega 42 900 running 0
7 Charlie Blanton 92 1972 Chevrolet Camaro 42 800 running 0
8 Gene Felton 96 1971 Chevrolet 41 700 running 0
9 Gene Bergin 4 1972 Ford Pinto 41 600 running 0
10 Bugs Stevens 15 1971 Chevrolet Nova 41 500 running 0
11 Jerry Cook 38 1973 Ford Pinto 35 495 transmission 0
12 Benny Kerley 14 1974 Chevrolet 34 490 0
13 Don Miller 69 1969 Chevrolet Nova 34 465 0
14 4 Richie Evans 61 1972 Ford Pinto 34 480 0
15 2 Ray Hendrick 1 1969 Chevrolet Camaro 31 475 engine 0
16 Carl Horton 8 1972 Ford Pinto 31 470 0
17 Jack Duffie 30 1936 Chevrolet 28 465 0
18 3 Paul Radford 26 1972 AMC Gremlin 27 460 5
19 Brian Ross 44 1969 Chevrolet 25 455 0
20 Melvin Swisher 53 1972 AMC Gremlin 25 450 0
21 Bill Osmun 3 1970 Ford Pinto 20 395 0
22 Bobby Fleming 54 1972 Chevrolet Camaro 17 390 0
23 Bobby Mausgrover 51 1965 Chevrolet 16 385 0
24 Jimmy Railey 18 1970 Chevrolet 16 380 0
25 1 Maynard Troyer 6 1974 Ford Mustang 15 975 14
26 Jimmy Griffin 12 1972 Ford Pinto 15 370 0
27 Marv Treichler 33 1968 Chevrolet 14 365 0
28 Eddie Pieniazek 03 1973 Ford Pinto 12 360 0
29 Dick Tobias 83 1969 Chevrolet 10 355 0
30 Bill Marino 42 1973 Ford Pinto 8 350 0
31 Bob Park 19 1965 Chevrolet Corvair 8 345 0
32 Jim Landry 34 1972 Chevrolet Vega 7 340 0
33 Paul Newman 0 1971 Ford Pinto 7 335 water pump 0
34 Ernie Shaw 17 1970 Ford Mustang 7 330 0
35 John Peterson 84 1969 Ford 5 325 0
36 Jerry Hufflin 37 1974 Chevrolet Camaro 0 320 0

Notes: The race was shortened from 200 miles to 180 because of the energy crisis.
Average Speed: 98.879 MPH
Attendance: 30,000

Yes, Sir Scott!!!!! I hope to see many more posts by you. TMC Chase is really working hard on this site, as well as several others, not the least of which is Dave Fulton, to give us a historic record of this wonderful sport. Thank you, again, for this wonderful addition.

The post race account in the Lakeland Ledger of Paul Newman 's only NASCAR start - in the 1974 Permatex 200 Modified race on the Daytona road course - didn't mention the 33rd finishing Newman, except in the A.P. agate results:

The Lakeland Ledger evidently didn't pay much attention to stock car racing before the Nemechek family came along. If Bill McPeek or Dargan Watts know anyone at the Ledger, they could have some real fun with the cutline on the photo that accompanied the 1974 Permatex 200 Modified story.

The Lakeland Ledger photo editor (or someone else at Ledger - or an AP photo editor) mistook Paul Newman for Steve McQueen and credited McQueen with twice as many laps as Newman actually completed. The Ledger also listed the event winner as Donnie Allison instead of brother Bobby .

Don't believe evrything you read in the newspaper!!!

A couple of photos of McQuee ... errr, I mean NEWMAN's Pinto from the 74 Permatex 200 race.

And this one from Dr. John at JalopyJournal.com's HAMB :

How about one of you New Englanders chiming in and telling us whose Rhode Island modified #0 Newman drove at Daytona in 1974. I knew in 1974, but it has long since escaped me.

You were too quick for me (AS USUAL, lol) Chase!!!

Found this:

http://www.raceny.com/smf2/index.php?PHPSESSID=90f1a6ea6fb8d75cb5d80339d27604c5&topic=17593.5;wap2

Maynard Troyer was on the pole driving a 1974 Mustang II with a speed of 110.776 MPH. Ray Hendrick was outside in a full bodied '69 Camaro at 110.432 MPH. Paul Newman, the Actor, driving a Hop Harrington Pinto was in the race and this was the early stage of his career as a racer.

lol, good one Dave. Ole eagle eye doesn't miss much. We all know everything in Hollywood is fake . Another little side item from that race is something My late friend Gene Bergin who finished 9thonce told me. He received $800.00 instead of the published $600.00. We were invited to the modified racers reunion at New Smyrna Speedway and was talking about that race because I asked him if he wanted the brochure I had from that race. Gene was the top finisher in a Pinto and finished ahead of the great Richie Evans.

I realize this thread is SUPPOSED to be about Bobby Allison's win in the 1978 Ontario race. But it seems to have jumped a fire line to the 74 Permatex 200 modified race. Haha. Can't help myself - once the chatter started, I feel obliged to keep it going. Found this neat footage from the race.

Thanks for all the good stuff, Chase. I "believe" this footage is actually from the 1976 Permatex 200 won by Bobby... not certain, though. He is listed winning in a #2 Camaro in 1974 and #12 AMC in 1976.

That's pretty cool, Bill.

Thanks, Chase.

This press kit cover is posted by RR member, Tom Knox in our RR photo section:

DOH! You may be right. Searched for 'daytona permatex 200' and went with it. Rats, that's a shame too. Up until now, I've been 100% correct. I once thought I was mistaken, but I was wrong. Haha

A 6-part video series on the 1978 Ontario race.

Two more from 1978.

Found one more in color.

Nine years later, Paul Newman was back in a NASCAR Modified at Stafford Springs, Connecticut as evidenced in this photo posted by RR member Ed Yerrington, Jr.

And at the track that replaced Ascot Park:

PL Newman at Perris Auto Speedway

Cool photos accompanying article, Scott. Thanks.