The 48th, and final race, of the 1970 season was contested on this date on the.395 mile asphalt track known as Langley Field Speedway in Hampton, Virginia. The race, billed as the "Tidewater 300" drew 30 entries. Bobby Isaac had already claimed the crown as National Champion the race before in Rockingham, NC.
Benny Parsons claimed the first pole of his career, qualifying his L. G. DeWitt Ford at a speed of 78.329 mph. Bobby Isaac, the Champ, in the K&K Insurance Dodge would start second, Bill Dennis in Junie Donlavey Mercury started third, Bobby Allison in his own Dodge fourth and James Hylton in his own Ford fifth.
Some 3,200 fans watched Benny Parsons lead the first 34 laps before giving way to Bobby Allison who would lead laps 35 through 189. On lap 190 it was Parsons out front again where he stayed until lap 201 before Allison took over the front spot again, this time to remain there until the checkered flag flew. It was Allison's third win of the season. The average speed of the race was 69.584 mph slowed by only 2 cautions for 10 laps total.
Bobby finished second in the season standings, 51 points behind Isaac. It is interesting that Bobby had missed the March race in Richmond because he "didn't have a short track car" at the time. Had Bobby finished 25th or better at Richmond, with his finishes the remainder of the year, he would have won the Championship by fewer than 5 points. Bobby graciously accepted his loss of the title but it ate at him inside what could have been.
Finishing order:
1. Bobby Allison, Allison Dodge, winning $1,635.00
2. Benny Parsons, L.G. Dewitt Ford, winnint $1,100.00 (100 yards behind winner)
3. Pete Hamilton, Dick Brooks Plymouth, winning $600.00 ( 1 lap down)
4. John Sears, Sears Dodge, winning $400.00 (2 laps down)
5. James Hylton, Hylton Engineering Ford, winning $$365.00 ( 3 laps down)
6. Neil Castles
7. Elmo Langley
8. J. D. McDuffie
9. Frank Warren
10.Jabe Thomas
11. Friday Hassler
12. Bill Champion
13. Joe Frasson
14.Jim Vandiver
15. Henley Gray
16. Bill Shirey
17.Rodney Bruce
18. Bill Hollar
19, Wendell Scott
20. Dave Marcis
21. Joe Phipps
22. Jimmy Crawford
23. Bobby Isaac
24. Cecil Gordon
25. Ben Arnold
26. Roy Tyner
27. Bill Dennis
28. Larry Baumel
29. Dr. Don Tarr
30. Dick May
Top five in the season Championship standings:
1. Bobby Isaac, starts 47, wins 11, total earnings $199,600.00
2. Bobby Allison, starts 46, wins 3, total earnings $149,745.00
3. James Hylton,starts 47, wins 1, total earnings $78,201.00
4. Richard Petty, starts 40, wins 18, total earnings $151,124.00
5. Neil Castles, starts 47, wins 0, total earnings $49,746.00
PERSONAL NOTE: When I was in the Navy in the late sixties, I attended several of the weekly races at Langley Field Speedway. Seems the track was really fast and the competition was always good. I did go to a couple of Grand National races there, 1967 and 1968and when those come around in the History Minute I'll give you some personal memories from those. I introduced a lot of my shipmates to stock car racing back then, most all of them from up North somewhere, even one of the Gambino kids. Lol, if I had only thought to explore the friendship with the Gambino kid more I may have had top flight sponsorship in the big time!
One final comment here. It was 50 years ago this day that America changed when President Kennedy was killed in Dallas. Like very one else who was 3 years old or older at the time, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I was sitting at the table by the window in the Library at Eau Claire High School during a study hall. I was reading the Boys Life magazine that had just come in when class mate Jimmy Hinnant came up and whispered "did you hear what happened to President Kennedy?". There were so many Kennedy jokes going around then I was waiting for the punch line when the school intercom cracked. Our principal, Mr. Hafner, for whom the school was to throw a surprise birthday party in the gym at 3:00 had the oddest sound in his voice as he announced the President was dead. He went on to say that school was dismissed for the day and we were to all head for home.
I remember going to my locker to get my books and heading out to the bus stop. I had to wait about 30 minutes for the bus to arrive as my bus was driving by Mr. Lever who had to come across town to pick us up. The bus ride home, about 8 miles, was quiet except for whispered conversations between teenagers who could not comprehend that someone could kill our President. The school bus stopped in front of the house and I got off and walked up the steps. I opened the door and my Mom was sitting on the couch watching the black and white tv and my two younger brothers were sitting on the floor playing a game, having no interest in the news of the day which would turn out to be the day of the century for our country.
Daddy got in from work about 5:30 and for one of the rare time sin my family back then, the television was left on during supper.Not much was said at the table as Mama and Daddy were listening to the continuing details of what happened. Still, being a high school senior, I could not quite still understand how that had happened in America.
All of Saturday I was outside doing things, even though it was cold, because I thought I had heard all I could stand and had seen the video over and over of what had happened. Sunday morning, as always, the family went to church. We walked in the door and Daddy turned on the television to see what was going on. About that time, they were bringing Lee Harvey Oswald out between two deputies. I sat on the floor to watch while the rest of the family went to change clothes. Daddy came back in the room about the time Jack Ruby shot Oswald. I remember calling everyone and they all came running back in.
At that point of my life I think I had seen cowboy movies and war movies where the "fake shooting" of someone was a point of action but always that person wouldbe starring in the next movie or another television show. I guess my two younger brothers believed that was what happened before them and that Oswald would reappear at some point. I think, again, I was shocked to see someone actually shot and killed right in front me on the television screen.
We did, of course, watch everything television had to offer through the funeral and I remember the cadence of those drums as the caisson carrying the President's body rolled through the streets. Although I don't think I realized it then, America would be forever changed. Odd as it seemed, perhaps the events of that day in Dallas only served to make my love for racing stronger as it seemed my heroes in racing offered the best of what America had to offer , as corny as that may sound. I didn't want to immerse myself in a society that would kill a President but rather immerse myself in a society where we shared a love of racing.
Just one final note to this day 50 years ago. The boy who told me about Kennedy being shot, Jimmy Hinnant, joined the Marines after high school while I joined the Navy. We saw each other only a couple times after graduation even through we were good friends. Jimmy became a Marine fighter pilot and one day his jet disappeared and has never been found. Sort of like the innocence my country lost in Dallas and has not been able to find again.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
--
What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
