This day in history: November 22, 1976 (Ontario) and 1982 Riverside Intl Raceway

Ontario Motor Speedway

This event occurred in 1976 B.C. (Before Camera)

Lots of entries

The Silver Fox, David Pearson won going away - The only car on the lead lap,

One lap down in 2nd was Lennie Pond

Two laps down in 3rd was Benny Parsons & in 4th was Dick Brooks

Entry List:

Staring Lineup:

And on November 21, 1982 Ole DW claims his 2nd Winston Cup Championship over

Bobby Allison at Riverside International Raceway

To see more images from this event, please go here: 1982 WW500

(The images from this race will be rescanned and optimized in the next few months)

At the 1976 Ontario race, Pearson won the race...

... and Cale captured the first of his three consecutive championships.

RR member Brent Travillion has some tremendous photos from the 1976 Ontario race:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/photo/photo/search?q=1976+ontario

Here is one from Richard Guido that he has credited to Ray Lamm

And here are a few of Brent's pics.

And that 1982 season-ending Winston Western 500 race was won by Tim Richmond driving for J.D. Stacy - just as Neil Bonnett did in the 1977 season-closer at Ontario.

And Tim with one of Ray Lamm's favorites, Linda Vaughn

Alberta, Canada's Trevor Boys made his Cup debut in the 1982 Winston Western 500. From Ryan Daley collection.

Race program for 1982 Riverside race from Motor Racing Programme Covers

And as Scott mentioned, Waltrip earned his 2nd Winston Cup title.

Absolutely fantastic post!!! Pictures are awesome and really bring back memories. I may have nightmares, however, after seeing the guy in the Winston cap pretend he can read a newspaper.

Looks like Junior Johnson team gas man and hauler driver, Henry Benfield walking behind Richard on the bike.

The story below about Henry Benfield appeared in the June 22, 2002 St. Petersburg Times. I didn't attempt to post the photos from the story... they're illegible:

Great photos, fellas. I was at the 1982 Riverside event, where our Dale Earnhardt / Bud Moore / Wrangler Thunderbird finished dead last with another engine issue.

In the photo the late Bobby Jones is to the left of Junior Johnson who would be involved in the rag in the carburetor scandal of rookie Mark Martin's Richmond pole winning car in September 1981 not being able to fire when the command was given to start engines.

And, the excerpt below is from a 2010 Rick Houston story chronicling how a hairdresser was primping up Junior Johnson's locks before his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. You can see Henry Benfield's pompadour in the 1976 photo of him waliking behind Richard Petty on his bikle at Ontario:

After work on his snow-white mane is finished, Johnson puts on his shoes and socks. The bathrobe stays for now. Someone wonders what Johnson's buddies back in Wilkes County would think of so much fuss being kicked up about his hair. Johnson laughs, but his response is quick.

"Henry wouldn't mind," Johnson said, referring to Henry Benfield, his former employee at Junior Johnson & Associates. For many, many years, Benfield wore a pompadour to rival Elvis'. He still does, for that matter.

Dave:

"The Shoebox!" Thanks, Scott.

Derrike Cope made his Winston Cup debut in this event, also driving a Ford Thunderbird "Shoebox" fielded by George "Jeff" Jefferson and sponsored by his father's and uncle's engine building shop:

U.S. Presswire photos as posted at Spokeo

Waltrip's 1982 Winston Cup trophy is on display at his car dealership in Franklin.

Very awesome photos coming from this thread!

Souvenir patch from the race.

Head shots of several drivers used as promo pictures for the 1976 race.

Pearson enjoying a kiss of the trophy in 1976 - perhaps as tune-up before laying one on Miss Winston.

Bump