Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500

For today's History Minute, we will cut directly to "the chase" (get that one?) and offer a brief recap of the two qualifying races run on February 12, 1960. In the first 40 lap/100 mile race, Cotton Owens was on the pole with a qualifying speed of 149.992 but Fireball Roberts was the fastest qualifier with a speed of 151.556. Both drove Pontiacs. Fireball took the lead on lap one and was never passed.

The "excitement" of the race was a lap one crash which sent Tommy Irwin's T-Bird into Lake Lloyd nose first. Three cars, Gene White, Dave Hirshfield and Irwin hooked together coming off turn two on the first lap and Irwin's car flew across the infield grass, jumped the dirt embankment and dove head first into the lake. He exited the partially submerged car and swam to shore uninjured.

The race ended with Fireball Roberts absolutely dominating the field, winning by one second over Cotton Owens. Top five finishers were:

1. Fireball Roberts, John Hines Pontiac

2. Cotton Owens, Owens Pontiac

3. Fred Lorenzen, Lorenzen Ford

4. Joe Weatherly, Holman Moody Ford

5. Junior Johnson, Daytona Kennel Chevrolet

Average speed for the race was 137.614 which was slowed by 2 caution flags for five laps.

Jack Smith was on the pole for the second 100 miler, driving the Boomershine Pontiac. Bobby Johns would start second in the Stephens Pontiac. Jack Smith was never headed and led all 40 laps. There were two caution flags, one lap for each, the first when John Rostek spun on lap six and the second when Johnny Dodd, Jr. crashed into the wall on lap 15. Curtis Turner and Johnny Beauchamp, both driving Holman Moody Fords, crashed in separate incidents, neither of which brought out the caution flag.

The very first black flag ever waved at Daytona International Speedway was for Herman Beam. That's right, the proverbial NASCAR turtle had run 8 laps WITHOUT his helmet before NASCAR realized the helmet was in the pits and Herman was up to speed (for him) out on the track.

Jack Smith set a blazing speed of 146.520 mph for the 100 miles in spite of the two caution flags. That Pontiac was flying for those 40 laps.

Top five finishers:

1. Jack Smith, Boomershine Pontiac

2. Bobby Johns, Jim Stephens Pontia

3. Jim Reed, Reed Chevrolet

4. Rex White, Piedmont/Friendly Chevrolet

5. Bob Welborn, Welborn Chevrolet

Jack Smith was 2 seconds ahead of second place Bobby Johns when the checkers waved.

It was a windy, cool, but sunny Sunday afternoon when 68 cars and drivers took the green flag for the second Daytona 500, which was actually the fifth race of the 1960season. Cotton Owens started on the pole, but would be sidelined on lap 149 when his transmission failed. Fireball wasted no time, however, taking over in his Pontiac as he led laps 1 through 19 before Jack Smith in the Boomershine machine took over for 8 laps. Junior Johnson in the year old Chevrolet led laps 29 through 36 then it was Smith again. Laps 37 through 134 saw the lead swap hands between Smith, Johnson, Roberts, Tiger Tom Pistone, Rex White and Lee Petty. On lap 135, a young Richard Petty took over and he stayed out front until yielding that position to his Daddy on lap 164. Bobby Johns stormed around Lee on lap 170 and appeared on his way to a win when a freak occurrence took place coming off turn two on lap 192. For reasons explained only as a "wind pocket", the rear window was sucked out of the Pontiac and the resulting in-rushing of air at that speed caused Bobby to lose control and spin. The car was not damaged, other than the loss of the rear window, so Bobby righted the car and took off. His seven second lead was gone, but not his desire to win as he tried without success to run down Junior Johnson. Such was not to be as Junior Johnson went under the checkered flag with a 23 second lead over Johns at the line.

It is said that it was at this race that Junior Johnson discovered "drafting". Some say it was in the first race at Daytona that Junior discovered the principle. Either way, whether or not drafting, or the freak wind event with Bobby Johns' rear window helped him win, Junior was certainly one very happy country boy that afternoon. Junior averaged 124.740 mph for the event which was slowed by caution after caution flag for a total of 32 laps. There were, in fact, so many demolished race cars littering the garage area at the track, that NASCAR decided then and there to cancel the next two races on the schedule. Tracks at Palmetto Speedway in Miami, and Hollywood Speedway in Hallandale, Fla, were both scheduled for 100 mile events over the next two weeks, but NASCAR was afraid there would be few cars available to race. With that thought, the races were cancelled.

Somewhat odd by today's standards, the car owner for Junior Johnson donated his entire portion of the winnings to charity. That's right, owner John Masoni of Cleveland, Ohio, stated "we're in this racing game for fun, not profit". These days you can't imagine there being a profit from race winnings to begin with but I think that one statement speaks volumes for racing the way it was in those early days.

Tiger Tom Pistone was injured when he crashed into the turn four wall with four laps to go. He suffered a broken collar bone, a concussion, and internal injuries.

Finishing order:

1. Junior Johnson, Daytona KennelChevrolet, winning $19,600.00

2. Bobby Johns, Jim Stephens Pontiac, winning $8,600.00 (23 seconds back)

3. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $6,450.00

4. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $3,650.00

5. Johnny Allen, HanleyDawson Chevy, winning $3,300.00 (1 lap down)

6. Ned Jarrett

7. Curtis Turner

8. Fred Lorenzen

9. Rex White

10. Emanuel Zervakis

11. Bud Burdick

12. Tom Pistone

13. Bob Welborn

14. Jim Reed

15. Bob Potter

16. Darrell Dake

17. Whitey Gerkin

18. Buck Baker

19. Banjo Matthews

20. Shep Langdon

21. Jimmy Pardue

22.Larry Frank

23. Jack Smith

24. Wilbur Rakestraw

25. Joe Caspolich

26. Gene White

27. Ken Johnson

28. David Pearson

29. Gene Marmor

30. Brownie King

31. G.C. Spencer

32. Herman Beam

33. Reb Wickersham

34.L. D. Austin

35. Dick Joslin

36.Mel Larson

37. Paul Parks

38. Arnold Gardner

39. Herb Tillman

40. Cotton Owens

41. JoeWeatherly

42. Dick Dixon

43. Roy Tyner

44. Bob Kosiske

45. Tommy Herbert

46. Marvin Panch

47.Jim Whitman

48. Johnny Sudderth

49.Harold Smith

50.Pappy Crane

51. Tiny Lund

52. Elmo Langley

53. Bill Lutz

54. Parnelli Jones

55. George Green

56. Red Farmer

57. Fireball Roberts

58. Bob Duell

59. Elmo Henderson

60.Bob Burdick

61. Richard Foley

62. Speedy Thompson

63.Dave Hirschfield

64. Joe Lee Johnson

65. Charlie Griffth

66. Burrhead Nantz

67. Sal Tovella

68. Richard Freeman

PERSONAL MEMORIES: I don't recall the weather in South Carolina that day, but I do recall that, as usual, Uncle Bobby and I were listening to the race together. I can remember how I was whopping and hollering when Richard Petty was leading and I remember Bobby giving me his oft-repeated statement that "Richard Petty would never equal his Daddy". I got the last laugh that day as Richard beat Lee by one position. Gotta applaud Uncle Bobby though. When Lee ended his driving career, Uncle Bobby came right on board with Richard Petty. We were at a lot of races together to see Richard win. I remember a Daytona 500 (1964) when we were parked over by Lake Lloyd on the back straight when Richard was just blowing away the competition. Uncle Bobby told me as we were exiting the infield, that he was thinking that Richard "might just make it as a race driver". Great memories.

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

The starting line-up for the 1st 100-mile qualifying twin with Cotton Owens on the pole and Fireball alongside him. From Ron Wetzler collection.

Banjo Matthews fielded two Fords in the 500. A #93 T-bird for himself and a #94 Ford for Speedy Thompson. From Danny Quick collection.

To say the Petty bunch took to Daytona like a duck to water is about as obvious as saying the sky is (Petty) blue. Richard and Lee drove those long, winged Plymouths.

From Ray Lamm collection

From Ray Lamm again

Program from Motor Racing Programme Covers

Also, 1960 was the hear Tommy Irwin spun off the track in his qualifying race and ended up in Lake Lloyd.

Though he escaped, the car sunk into the lake where it remained until Speedweeks concluded. His racing affected at least one driver: Tiger Tom Pistone. Pistone - admittedly not a great swimmer - rigged up an oxygen mask for the 500 in the event he should wind up in the same situation as Irwin.

Here is Banjo's 2nd car fielded for Speedy Thompson. From Danny Quick collection.

Making his 2nd of 3 career GN starts in the 500 was Homer "Burrhead" Nantz. (His other 2 starts were the 100-mile qualifying race and the Gwyn Staley 160 at North Wikesboro a couple of weeks after Daytona.) He got a mention in the final paragraph of a notes column in the Daytona Beach Morning Journal.

Apparently Norris Friel from NASCAR believed Burrhead hit pit road too fast on lap 11 and parked him for the day as a penalty. Nantz apparently was bothered by the penalty as he'd burned up his clutch anyway - which was likely the reason for the pit stop anyway.

Tim - I wonder how your Uncle Bobby might have reacted had he read this article. From Daytona Beach Morning Journal .

Before the twins and 500 got underway, DIS held a compact car race that was won by Marvin Panch. Curtis Turner didn't have quite the day he was seeking.

Of course, (future) King Richard didn't do much better in the compact race.

In the preliminary modified sportsman race, a still-standing record was set for a NASCAR race when 37 cars were involved in what could arguably be labeled as the first Big One.

Found some great pictures from the compact, GN qualifier, and modified-sportsman races on Getty Images

Lee Petty's compact Plymouth

Richard Petty's compact Plymouth on the track

Richard's car after his wreck

Compact race winner Marvin Panch

Curtis Turner's car after rolling over in the qualifying twin

Ralph Earnhardt's car sitting wrong side down after getting tangled in the 37-car wreck during the modified-sportsman race.

News reel footage of the 1960 Compact Car races at Daytona won by Marvin Panch:

Fireball and Jack Smith after their twin wins.