Racing History Minute - 1959 Daytona 500 (The First)

February is here! Cold though it is, it also means things will be warming up in Daytona in just a few days as the teams report to the track to prepare for the running of the Daytona 500. The Cup series is the mainstay of these History Minutes, but we must also remember, ARCA, Camping World Trucks, and Nationwide will all be debuting their new season. There are the Twins, the "specialty race" and a dozen more events to keep fans interested. We have a new season and everyone starts fresh.

As we travel back to 1959, we need to remember that prior to that February in 1959, the boys (and some women) had raced on the beach, a 4.1 mile track consisting of a length of paved highway and a run on the beach sand connected at each end by tights turns in the sand of the beach. Watching videos of those races can only make the blood of the true race fan run through the veins at a more rapid pace as those were truly sporting events of skill, daring, and beauty.

Big Bill France opened his 2.5 facility to the cars for the first annual Daytona 500 to be run on February 22, 1959. He had determined that the race would be better is he had half the field as convertibles and the other half as the standard Grand National Hardtops. When not enough convertibles showed to make an even split, it is said Big Bill paid some of the hardtop drivers $100.00 to cut the tops off their cars and race then as convertibles.

The first order of business for the opportunistic Bill France was to schedule two 100 mile qualifying races for February 20th, one for the convertibles followed by 100 miles of competition for the hardtops. There is very little information available from what I could find about the convertible qualifier, but it is reported that Shorty Rollins passed Glen Wood on the final lap to win by a car length. A crowd of 17,000 was on hand and it is said they shook their heads in disbelief at what they had just witnessed.

Next up that afternoon was the qualifying race, 100 miles, for the Grand National cars. Drivers had to post qualifying speeds for this qualifying race to determine starting positions. Although Cotton Owens was the fastest qualifier in a Pontiac with a speed of 143.148 mph, Fireball Roberts would start on the pole in a Pontiac that would last only 15 laps before distributor problems forced him out of the race.

Joe Weatherly, who had qualified third in a Pontiac, slipped into the lead on lap one, but gave way to Bob Welborn on lap two. Welborn held the lead until lap 6 when Curtis Turner blew by to lead one lap before yielding to Welborn once more. Turner slipped in another lap out front on lap 13 but Welborn went right back in front the next lap.

The remaining laps were a battle between Welborn and Fritz Wilson. Wilson was driving a Thunderbird and giving Welborn a fit for the lead. Welborn beat Wilson to the line for the checkers by less than 3 feet to win at an average speed of 143.148 miles per hour which matched the fastest qualifying speed turned in by Cotton Owens.

After the race, Welborn said the "T-Bird has a 430 cubic inch engine compared to the 348 cubic inch Chevy. But" Welborn, continued "The T-Bird is built like a box"

There was no caution flag in the race although Buck Baker blew a tire midway through the event in turn one and spun into Jack Smith. Both were eliminated from the race. The top five finishers in the qualifying race were:

1. Bob Welborn, Welborn Chevrolet

2. Fritz Wilson, Thunderbird

3. Tom Pistone, Thunderbird

4. Joe Weatherly, Pontiac

5. Eduardo Dibos, Thunderbird

The field for the first Daytona 500 was set. On that bright and sunny Florida Sunday afternoon, 41, 921 fans settled in for 500 miles of unchartered territory in stock car racing. Darlington had been racing 500 miles for 9 years, but not nearly at the speed being reported by newspapers from the qualifying races two days previous. A wide and fast track and 59 starters promised an exciting race.

Hardtops, hereafter referred to as "GN" filled the inside row and the Convertibles, hereafter referred to as "C" filled the outside row. Welborn was on the pole by virtue of his win in the qualifier. The green flag waved sending the cars into a dust-raising pack into turn one. Lap one was led by Bob Welborn before Tiger Tom Pistone took over for the next two laps. Then Joe Weatherly makes a move and takes over position one. The first 22 laps were a battle between Welborn, Weatherly and Pistone, with the lead practically changing hands every lap. Lap 23 saw Fireball Roberts charge into the lead in his Pontiac after starting 46th. Fireball would hold the lead until lap 43 when his swift Pontiac began to experience mechanical problems which put him out of the race 2 laps later. With Roberts behind the wall, Johnny Beauchamp took over in his T-Bird. Beauchamp's lead lasted 5 laps before Tiger Tom Pistone went back in front. Pistone had problems and fell several laps behind and left the up front battle to Jack Smith, Johnny Beauchamp and Lee Petty. There were 33 lead changes during the caution free event between 7 drivers. Fans got to see wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the afternoon but were little prepared for the finish.

Three cars, Beauchamp, Petty, and Joe Weatherly (one lap back) came off turn four running door-to-door. The Checkered Flag fell over the trio with no one able to determine if it were Petty or Beauchamp out front. Weatherly, the lap down driver, was slightly ahead of the pair who finished with an identical speed of 135.521 mph. Beauchamp head to Victory Lane (a spot on the grass between the pits and tri-oval) as did Lee Petty. Many of the pictures show Beauchamp holding the trophy and kissing the beauty queens, but Poppa Lee was boiling over with insistence that it was his race. NASCAR President, Bill France, almost immediately announced that the results were "unofficial" and that photos and film would be examined to determine the winner.

Some 61 hours AFTER the checkered flag waved, Lee Petty was declared the official winner and the first Daytona 500 went to Petty Engineering and a 1959 Oldsmobile. This would start Lee's campaign for a third National Championship. Lee's son Richard managed on 8 laps in his 1957 Oldsmobile convertible to finish 57th out of the 59 starters. Greater days were ahead for the young Randleman racer in the future.

Finishing order:

1. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Oldsmobile GN winning $19,050.00

2. Johnny Beauchamp, Roy Burdick T-Bird GN, winning $7,650.00 (2 feet back)

3. Charlie Griffith, Red Bank Pontiac GN, winning $4,600.00 (1 lap back)***

*** This was the Pontiac in which Cotton Owens won the last race on the beach

the previous year.

4. Cotton Owens, W.H. Watson Pontiac GN, winning $2,525.00 (1 lap back)

5. Joe Weatherly, E. C. Wilson Chevrolet,GN, winning $1,875. (1 lap back)6. Jim Reed

7. Jack Smith

8. Tom Pistone

9. Tim Flock

10. Speedy Thompson

11. Johnny Allen

12. Raul Gilloniz

13. Curtis Turner

14. Junior Johnson

15. Dick Freeman

16. Joe Lee Johnson (First Convertible finisher in a Chevrolet)

17. Marvin Panch

18. Gene White

19. Roy Tyner

20. Jimmy Thompson

21. Herman Beam

22. Wilbur Rakestraw

23. Jim McGuirk

24. Larry Frank

25. Elmo Langley

26. Rex White

27. Ben Benz

28. Dick Joslin

29. Ken Rush

30. Bobby Rose

31. Harold Smith

32. Dick Foley

33. Brownie King

34. Glen Wood

35. Bob Pronger

36. Billy Carden

37. Bernie Hentges

38.Shorty Rollins

39. Joe Eubanks

40. Tiny Lund

41. Bob Welborn

42. Buck Baker

43. Ken Johnson

44. L. D. Austin

45. Fireball Roberts

46. Paul Bass

47. Bobby Johns

48. Eduardo Dibos

49. Gober Sosebee

50.Bob Said

51. Bob Deull

52. Pete Kelly

53. Bob Potter

54. Carl Tyler

55. George Green

56. Fritz Wilson

57. Richard Petty

58. Larry Odo

59. Ken Marriott

PERSONAL MEMORIES: I can recall sitting around the pot-bellied stove in my Uncle's house (the old homeplace for my Mother's family) on what was a cold day in Columbia. We stayed warm and listened to the race through the crackling of the burning wood and the constant chatter between us as we tried to envision the speeds the announcer was talking about. Race broadcasting was so different then. We were told what was happening on the track, NOT what some "expert" wanted to opine as to how to do it better. I have a very clear memory of the "five to go" signal when my Uncle Bobby raised his hand to indicate it was time for quiet so we could hear the action. We were, of course, pulling for Lee Petty and that Oldsmobile. With less than five to go, Beauchamp was leading but we were still hoping Lee could pull it off.

When they came off turn four with three to go, the announcer was saying Lee was leading and, to quote a saying I've long heard "all hell broke loose" in the kitchen of that old home place as we were sure Lee had it wrapped then. When the checkered flag fell, we were all deathly quiet to hear who had won. To say there was some confusion in the booth was a slight understatement as I recall the dreaded "dead air" of radio broadcast was present for well over 30 seconds. Finally, someone said Beauchamp was the winner. We turned off the radio and I remember walking across the street to my house dejected that Lee had lost.

Next morning, Uncle Bobby let me know there was a protest and they were checking everything. When I got home from school on Wednesday (I think it was Wednesday) Bobby was waiting to tell me they had declared Lee Petty the winner. I remember dancing around on that dirt road we lived on celebrating the win. Uncle Bobby was a huge Lee Petty fan so, of course, I was a Petty fan all the way. I had already met Richard the year before and was now in HIS corner, butI still pulled for Lee. After all, he was the Petty who started it all.

Daytona would come to play an important role in Petty Racing History. Two years after the thrilling victory, Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp would once more be involved in the action as the two cars sailed over the guard rail in a crash that ended Lee's career. Beauchamp returned to Iowa from where he came and virtually faded from thescene.

It would be 1962 before I would visit Daytona for the first time to watch Fireball Roberts win in that black and gold Pontiac. From then until 1992 or so, I was there every year. I saw Richard win all his Daytona 500s. I would have many adventures in the infield of that track. Many wonderful memories. May not be the same track these days, may not be the same cars or the same drivers, but I think the spirit of the first Daytona 500 still lives in the hearts and souls of those of us who were a part of the sport back then, if only as a fan. As the 2014 edition of Speed Weeks loom through my windshield of life, I am excited and looking forward to the next chapter.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

On Tuesday morning, February 3, 1959, the front page of the Daytona Beach Morning Journal viewed the thoughts of famed racing mechanic, Red Vogt regarding the new Daytona speed plant and its upcoming inaugural February 1959 events:

The Sunday, February 1, 1959 Daytona paper was full of anticipation for the opening of the new Speedway. Several stories were on the front page, including ther two below. I particularly enjoyed the Fireball Roberts interview by Daytona Sports Editor, Benny Kahn. Take a good look at the last line of that interview with Fireball. Do you reckon a driver named Busch or Dillon has ever had to tape a steering wheel?

Here is the blog entry I posted about a year ago about Lee's win in that inaugural Daytona 500:

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/02/february-22-1959-lee-wins-1st-daytona.html

Over the years, I generally heard T. Taylor Warren get the credit for the photo that ultimately caused Bill France to rule in favor of Lee Petty as the winner. But I found this Daytona Beach Morning Journal  article interesting in that an amateur photographer apparently had a similar photo. As of February 24th, he had not released the picture for publication - perhaps wanting to sell it to France or others? I'm curious whatever became of Bob Torbal and his mystery pic.

It would indeed be interesting to know what became of Mr. Torbal. Here's the Benny Kahn article announcing the winner in the Daytona paper:

Petty declared 500 winner

Beauchamp winds up second

France announces his decision after studying photos

By Bernard Kahn, News-Journal Sports Editor

Its official and final! Lee Petty won the baffling Daytona 500 Sunday.

Johnny Beauchamp was second.

The final decision was announced last night at 6 p.m., 61 hours after Petty in his 1959 Oldsmobile and Beauchamp in his 1959 Thunderbird had raced across the yellow finish line with no more than 24 inches separating their front bumpers.

Bill France, president of NASCAR and of the magnificent Daytona International Speedway, announced the verdict after a lengthy study of photographic evidence which irrefutably proved Petty in car No. 42 was ahead of Beauchamp in car No. 73 at the payoff finish line. They averaged 135.42 mph for the distance.

It was France, as leader of NASCAR which sanctioned the international sweepstakes stock car race, who had ruled immediately after the unbelievably close 500 mile race that Beauchamp was the winner. Five hours later, as a mass of evidence pointed to Petty as the victor, France declared first and second places unofficial.

That was the status of the contest until 6 p.m. yesterday, when France in concurrence with other NASCAR officials ruled Petty winner of the $19,000 first place money and Beauchamp winner of the $8,000 runner-up purse.

Petty received the news of his triumph in a telephone call from this writer. He was eating supper with his wife at a beach motel.

I was never worried, replied Petty, but sure am happy to get it over with. I knew the photographs would prove who was the man who got there first. I want to thank you for reporting the facts.

Did Petty plan to rush down to NASCAR headquarters and pick up the winning check and trophy?

Im still eating my supper and Im going to finish it, said Lee. This is a pretty good piece of ham and, man, Im hungry. Then Ill be down town.

France took the phone. Congratulations, Lee, said Bill. From the angle I saw that finish I thought Beauchamp had won

Throughout the hassle, tall, raw boned Petty refused to get excited, and insisted that the weight of official evidence would prove his victory. The 44 year old Randleman, N.C. one time farmer didnt start racing until he was 35. He is one of the rare race drivers who is also an ace mechanic, and helps set up his own car. He was assisted by his two sons and Red Myler, all fine mechs.

Petty chauffeured the only Oldsmobile sedan in the field of 59 starters Sunday, and his feat was considered all the more remarkable because there were eight 1959 Thunderbirds racing. And Beauchamp was driving one of them almost as close to Petty as Siamese twins.

It had been the bone tired France and John Bruner, the fatigued chief steward, who had called it for Beauchamp in the now epic on the spot decision Sunday. They were at the flag stand, almost atop the blurring white cars of Petty and Beauchamp, which were traveling over 220 feet per second as they sped over the line. From the outset France and Bruner were almost alone, however, as every piece of photographic evidence and all expert testimony by newsmen and other responsible eyewitnesses at the finish called it for Petty.

France, under NASCAR bylaws, could have stuck to his original decision and closed the books on the race right there. But he admitted the strong possibility of human error, and decided to collect all available still photographs and newsreel films until he could be positive.

I have to be in the position to prove to Beauchamp that he was wrong, and that he didnt finish first, said France.

The proof piled up. The first pictures France had examined were The News-Journal finish line shots Sunday night showing Petty ahead. NASCAR pictures taken by Taylor Warren also showed Petty ahead (these were the pictures published in The Morning Journal Monday).

Other photographs also were submitted, showing the two cars just before and just after they blazed over the finish. Included were photos by Bob Torbal, Duluth, Minn., Tom Kirkland, Florence, SC, Ray Brock, Los Angeles and CV Haschel, Indianapolis. Torbals was right to the lip of the payoff line, and like all the others it showed Petty in front.

The Petty verdict was cemented by Hearst Metrotone News of the Week newsreel films planed here yesterday from New York. This sequel of pictures supported The News-Journal and other photographs.

The newsreel substantiated that the cars of Petty and Beauchamp did not change positions from the time those other still photographs were taken just before and just after the finish, said France, Petty is the winner.

Bruner called Beauchamp to inform him of the official news.

I hate to be the guy who has to tell you, Johnny, said Bruner, but it was Petty who won it. I cant argue with the pictures. The cameras have better eyes than I have. I admit I was wrong.

Bruner said Beauchamp took the announcement calmly. Beauchamp, 35, a star speedster from Harlan, Iowa, was not available for comment shortly thereafter.

When all the film evidence was assembled yesterday, it was studied by France along with vice president Ed Otto, executive manager Pat Purcell, chief timer Joe Epton, Commissioner E.G. (Cannonball) Baker and other NASCAR officials.

Otto had stated Monday that Beauchamp had driven to the pits after the hectic finish, knowing in his own mind he did not win. Otto said Beauchamp made no attempt to drive to the winners circle then. The NASCAR vice president opined Petty won.

Bob Sall, NASCAR field representative in the East, said last night: Petty pulled his car into the victory lane after completing his 200th lap and the extra lap for safety, not even bothering to drive through to pit road. Beauchamp went straight to the pits and started to climb out of his car. He didnt go to the winners circle until he became evident there was confusion over who was first at the flag stand where France and Bruner stood.

Peter DePaolo, Los Angeles, 1925 winner of the Indianapolis 500, was an interested onlooker yesterday as the films were being studied. After looking at all the still photographs and the newsreel, DePaolo said: This is conclusive enough proof for me that Petty won.

During the 61 hour stalemate between the finish Sunday and the official announcement last night, the 47,000 fans who attended the race and millions of other racing followers all over the country were kept on pins and needles repeating over and over Who won the Daytona 500?

France also announced a decision in the dispute over fourth place. It went to Everett (Cotton) Owens, Spartanburg, S.C., and Joe Weatherly, Norfolk, Va., was fifth. Owens will bank $2,000 and Weatherly $1,500. This was decided by a restudy of the tape on the laps and confirmed the decision made immediately after the race.

Its official and final, but fans will probably never stop talking about the incredible Daytona 500.

I found a Robert Torb o l in Duluth, Minnesota in the 1940 U.S. Census who would have been around age 39 in 1959:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KSVX-MDS

I don't think Papa Lee was terribly concerned about eventually being declared the winner. He seems pretty relaxed as he posed for what was obviously a self-serving photo by the Daytona paper on Tuesday after the 500.

I believe this is the obit of the photographer in question judging from his membership in the Proctor Racing Association:

Robert Frank "Torbs" Torbol

Birth: Jan. 24, 1920 Park Falls Price County Wisconsin, USA Death: May 14, 1998 Duluth St. Louis County Minnesota, USA Duluth News-Tribune (MN) - May 16, 1998 Deceased Name: ROBERT F. (TORBS) TORBOL Robert F. (Torbs) Torbol, 78, of Coban Drive died Thursday, May 14, 1998, in his residence. He was born in Park Falls, Wis., graduated from Denfeld High School and served as a gunner of B-24 bombers during World War II in the Army Air Corp. He was a machinist, was a member of the International Association of Machinists, and was also a grain inspector for the state of Minnesota for more than 25 years, retiring in 1985. He was a member of the Proctor Racing Association, West Duluth American Legion and the Fox-Sutherland VFW Post 6320. His parents were Joseph and Dagna Torbol. Surviving is a brother, Joseph of Milwaukee; an aunt, Blanche Ross of Park Falls, Wis.; a nephew, Tom Wargen of Naples, Fla.; a niece, Sandra Schild of St. Petersburg, Fla.; an uncle, Archie Fleming of Dunedin, Fla.; a stepson, John House; and many lifelong friends. Visitation: 9:30 until the 10:30 a.m. service Thursday in Bell Brothers Chapel. Interment in Oneota Cemetery. Burial: Oneota Cemetery Duluth St. Louis County Minnesota, USA

Interesting. I just emailed Godwin Kelly of the Daytona News Journal to see if he can shed any light on whatever became of the photo.

Found Bob Torbol (or Torbal) was indeed a racer himself. Here he is in 1955 in a modified in Duluth.

From: http://www.maynedesign.net/showcarpublishing/PDFs/SCB_1955_SampleChapter_web.pdf

Looks like Mr. Torbol would have been right at home, too, with the upcoming Winter Olympics. When he returned home to Duluth from his duties as gunner on B-24s during WWII, Mr. Torbol also found time to be on the Bagley Cup Curling Championship Team of 1948-1949!

That photo of Torbs Torbol racing at Duluth Speedway is a great find, Chase!

Along with Mr. Schaefer! It all comes full circle. Haha

Darn... I missed that, lol!

Dargan Watts has images of icket stubs from those 1959 races - the 100 mile qualifying twins, modified race and 500 - in his collection.

Qualifying twins

Modified and Daytona 500

one of the hardtop cars that became a convertible was the no 32 1958 chevy driven by brownie king great minute tim thanks and i cant wait for the next one

Thanks, Charles Ray. I had heard that story from Brownie King. I appreciate your kind words and enjoy doing those things just for folks like you.

Before the 500... and the Saturday modified race... and the qualifying twins scored as official NASCAR races, another official race was held on the new speedway. In crawling through RR's wonderful photo archives and subsequently some newspaper archives, I learned the first official race on the new high-banked Daytona International Speedway was won by ... Gene Stokes ... in an intentional fuel mileage race.

From Dargan Watts collection

From  Dargan Watts collection

From Daytona Beach Morning Journal

The King's 'domination' of Daytona didn't begin until 50 years ago - 1964 - the year of the hemi. But even in his full rookie season at the 'rookie' event of the new Daytona track, he still made the front page of the local paper.

From Daytona Beach Morning Journal

I rmember from reading all those car magazines in the early Sixties that the fuel economy runs were a big deal. There were always big ads from the winners. I also remember the rumors about the fantastic mileage of the Fish carburetor and how it was squelched by the big oil companies. I'm wondering if this story formed the basis for those rumors.

As Speedweeks proceeded for the first time at DIS, all sorts of activities were happening. Testing, multiple time trial sessions, qualifying races for GN, the modified race, the fuel economy race, the 500 itself, etc. On top of all that were various speed runs - sanctioned by USAC vs. NASCAR. As the teams prepared for the inaugural Daytona 500, racing legend Marshall Teague was killed during a speed run when his car twitched, went in a power slide and then came apart.

Perhaps not surprisingly, crewmen who worked with Teague did what racers generally do in these situations - they raced. They wanted to proceed with working on Teague's Chevrolet to field it for driver Dick Foley. Foley did race in the first 500 in a Chevrolet; however, I'm uncertain if he did end up racing Teague's entry.

From Daytona Beach Morning Journal

And the day after Teague's death, the speed runs resumed because that's what they do. One of the drivers who went back to conquer the track was Bob Said, father of Boris Said.

From Daytona Beach News Journal

I emailed Godwin Kelly of the Daytona News Journal, Buz McKim at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and Eddie Roche manager of images for ISC about the mystery photo taken by Bob Torbol. All 3 of them replied to me - but none of them knew anything about Torbol or his photo.

So looks like the original Daytona newspaper article and now this RR post may be the only places you'll read a discussion about him. Sure would be nice to track down some of Torbol's family members to see if they still have a connection to that photo.

Bump