January 22, 1978, was the date, Riverside Raceway in California was the place. There were 35 cars ready to race for 119 laps on the 2.62 mile road course with the tight, twisting turns, and narrow places not much wider than two cars. A little up hill, a little down hill, and one really fast straightaway. A crowd of 70,000 came to see the 1978 season kick off.
Cale Yarborough was there with a Junior Johnson Oldsmobile. The Oldsmobile was a brand that had not been to Victory Lane since Lee Petty put one there at Martinsville on June 14, 1959. Once a very competitive brand name was coming back to NASCAR Grand National Racing with a big time team. One problem for the Johnson team was having lost Herb Nab, long time crew chief for the winning combination of Johnson and Yarborough. Tim Brewer, who had been turning wrenches for Richard Childress, came on board for the Johnson team. A look ahead, as we are allowed to do, will show that Tim Brewer became a powerful force in the sport.
David Pearson would qualify the Wood Brothers Mercury on the pole with a speed of 113.204 mph. Darrell Waltrip in the DiGard Chevy would start second, Benny Parsons in the L.G. DeWitt Chevy third, Cale Yarborough in that Johnson Olds fourth and Richard Petty in the Petty Enterprises 1974 Dodge fifth.
Petty was starting his final race in the 1974 Dodge that had carried him to 31 wins over the four years the model was eligible under the NASCAR rules. This race at Riverside was the last race for which that model was eligible to run. It had been quite a ride.
David Pearson would use the pole to his advantage to lead the first two laps but Cale put that Olds in front on lap 3 and he would stay there until Pearson took it back on lap 23. Pearson led until lap 27 before Benny Parsons took over for two laps. Pearson went back out front on lap 30 and remained the leader through lap 62. Cale took over on lap 63 and was in front on lap 67 when Pearson took over for a lap. Jimmy Insolo, a west coast regular, led laps 69 and 70 but on lap 71, the Olds was back out front. Benny Parsons took over again on lap 74 and he would lead a couple laps before Yarborough took over again. Lap 84 saw Parsons back out front but Cale was running him down after a pit stop. Cale took over again on lap 95 and would lead when the checkered flag waved on lap 119. Benny Parsons was second, only ONE second behind Cale.
The real race was for second place as Benny Parsons and David Pearson swapped the lead three times on the final lap with Benny finally securing the position with a move showing his competitive desire. Benny was a very competitive driver without the flair and flash of other drivers of the era.
The win was the 50th of Cale's career. Bobby Allison, the new driver for Bud Moore, had engine problems and parked the Ford on lap 40, done for the day. Richard Petty's last ride in the 1974 Dodge ended on lap 104 when the rear end gearing failed.
Cale said from Victory Lane, that "The new Olds is quite a race car. We didn't know what to expect the first time out. Losing Herb Nab and coming out here with an untested car was sort of a gamble". Cale took home $20,800.00 for the win at an average speed of 102.269 which was slowed by 4 caution flags for a total of 17 laps.
Finishing Order:
1. Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson Oldsmobile, winning $20,800.00
2. Benny Parson, L.G. DeWitt Chevrolet, winning $14,800.00 (1 second back)
3. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $9,850.00 (1.1 seconds back)
4. Neil Bonnett, Jim Stacey Dodge, winning $8,800.00 (Neil's first road course race)
5. Dave Marcis, Rod Osterlund Chevrolet, winning $4,050.00 (1 lap down)
6. Hershel McGriff
7. Jimmy Insolo
8. Al Holbert
9. Roy Smith
10. D. K. Ulrich
11. Buddy Arrington
12. Rick McCray
13. Frank Warren
14. Norm Palmer
15. Dick Brooks
16. Richard Petty
17. Jim Thirkettle
18.Tighe Scott
19. Ernie Stierly
20. Richard Childress
21.Skip Manning
22. Jack Simpson
23. Darrell Waltrip
24. Richard White
25. Cecil Gordon
26. Rocky Moran
27. John Borneman
28. J. D. McDuffie
29. Vince Giamformaggio
30. Bobby Allison
31. Don Puskarich
32. Bill Schmidt
33. Eddie Bradshaw
34. Ray Elder
35. Gary Johnson
PERSONAL NOTE: I could only envision the battle between Parsons and Pearson on the last lap but I do recall how exciting it was to listen to the description of the battle on the radio. I had always liked both David and Benny and it was difficult to pull for one over the other but I remember I was happy that neither was taken out in the battle and that both seemed comfortable with the outcome.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
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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
