Tim Leeming is likely hard at work on his next installment about the Daytona 500. But I thought I'd inject this one about a pre-DIS Daytona GN race.
On February 5, 1950, Georgian Harold Kite defeated the heavy favorite and fellow Georgian, Red Byron, in the season-opening race on the Daytona Beach and Road Course. The event was Kite's first GN event. WIth 1950 being only the 2nd season of NASCAR's Strictly Stock / GN division, I imagine others made their debut in 1950 as well.
Read Brandon Reed's column about Harold Kite to learn more about him at Georgia Racing History's website:
http://georgiaracinghistory.com/2011/08/13/the-racing-legacy-of-harold-kite/
Race program from [ Motor Racing Programme Covers ]
Lloyd Moore plowing through the sand on his way to a 3rd place finish behind Kite and Byron - a spectacular picture from [ OldSchool59 ] collection.
Eventual winner Kite is shown leading Frank Luptow through the sand. Luptow finished 18th.
Kite's Lincoln.
From [ Daytona Beach Morning Journal ]
Kite raced in only 8 more GN events over the next 15 years before being killed in an accident during the National 400 at Charlotte.
Plaque along Daytona Beach from [ Backmaster at Deviantart.com ].
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Harold Kite | '49 Lincoln |
| 2 | Red Byron | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 3 | Lloyd Moore | '49 Lincoln |
| 4 | Al Gross | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 5 | J.C. Van Landingham | '50 Buick |
| 6 | Tim Flock | '48 Cadillac |
| 7 | Bob Flock | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 8 | Otis Martin | '49 Plymouth |
| 9 | Buck Baker | '49 Ford |
| 10 | Fonty Flock | '47 Buick |
| 11 | Curtis Turner | '49 Lincoln |
| 12 | Jim Rathmann | '49 Lincoln |
| 13 | Roscoe Thompson | '49 Lincoln |
| 14 | Cotton Owens | '49 Plymouth |
| 15 | June Cleveland | '48 Buick |
| 16 | Lee Petty | '49 Plymouth |
| 17 | Al Keller | '49 Ford |
| 18 | Frank Luptow | '49 Lincoln |
| 19 | Will Albright | '46 Pontiac |
| 20 | Jack White | '49 Lincoln |
| 21 | Alton Haddock | '49 Lincoln |
| 22 | Joe Jernigan | '49 Ford |
| 23 | Lee Schmidt | '47 Buick |
| 24 | Russ Lee | '49 Hudson |
| 25 | Larry Shurter | '49 Ford |
| 26 | Tommy Thompson | '49 Chrysler |
| 27 | Jack Smith | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 28 | Billy Carden | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 29 | Bill Rexford | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 30 | Gober Sosebee | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 31 | Bob Apperson | '47 Ford |
| 32 | Marshall Teague | '49 Lincoln |
| 33 | Fireball Roberts | '48 Hudson |
| 34 | Bill Blair | '49 Cadillac |
| 35 | Joe Littlejohn | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 36 | Dick Clothier | '47 Pontiac |
| 37 | Frank Mundy | '49 Cadillac |
| 38 | Slick Smith | '47 Hudson |
| 39 | Herschel Buchanan | '47 Nash |
| 40 | Joe Harrison | '49 Ford |
| 41 | Louise Smith | '49 Ford |
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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.
updated by @tmc-chase: 02/05/18 09:36:40AM
