When reviewing the first three Daytona events, it seems strange that the first Daytona 500 in 1959 was run without a single caution flag. Maybe the drivers were being extra careful because of the new track and the fast speeds, but we have already discussed that 1960 was under caution for 32 laps. The 1961 Daytona 500 was, once again, run without a caution flag but the qualifying races proved disaster for several drivers.
The first 100 miler run on February 24th was led to the green by Fireball Roberts in the Smokey Yunick Pontiac. Jim Paschal in the Daytona Kennel Pontiac flanked Roberts and battled him throughout the race for the lead. A crowd of 17,500 fans watched what turned out to be more of a "last man standing" event as 13 cars were wiped out in accident after accident resulting in five drivers being transported to the local hospital. In fact, the race was stopped on the 39th of 40 laps when Junior Johnson ran over some debris while racing side by side with Fireball. Junior's spinning Pontiac clipped the Plymouth of Richard Petty and Petty sailed over the guard rail and crashed far below the track nose first, driving the engine into the cockpit with Petty. Richard suffered injury to both eyes and a cut on his hand. Johnson suffered a lacerated chin and a possible injury to his jaw.
Pete Boland had already severely cut both hands when he hit the wall hard on lap 32. Wes Morgan was transported to the hospital spinal injuries after a tangle with Dave Mader, causing Morgan's car to flip several times. Mader was treated for neck injuries. There were 10 of the 39 laps run under caution when the caution flew five times.
Fireball Roberts would take the victory under yellow and red flags. Average speed for the event was 129.711.
Top Five Finishers:
1. Fireball Roberts, Smokey Yunick Pontiac
2. Jim Paschal, Daytona Kennel Pontiac
3. Jack Smith, Smith Pontia
4. Buck Baker, Baker Chrysler
5. Ned Jarrett, B. G. Holloway Chevrolet
Second 100 mile qualifying race:
Joe Weatherly in Bud Moore's Pontiac, would start on the pole for this second qualifying race of 1961. Fans were still trying to resolve the destruction they had witnessed in the first 100 miler as the green flag waved and Weatherly stormed into the lead. On the second lap, fourth place starter, Banjo Matthews in a Ford, blew by to lead for 2 laps before Curtis Turner flexed the muscles of his Ford and moved out front. Matthews took over again on Lap 8 but would only stay there for 2 laps before Turner went back to the point. Banjo Matthews and Joe Weatherly swapped the lead back and forth. Banjo was actually leading on the final lap but briefly lost control of his Ford coming off turn four and bounced off Weatherly's Pontiac and clipped the wall. He was not injured and accepted full blame for the accident.
With Matthews eliminated from a chance to win, Marvin Panch moved up to challenge Weatherly, but lost out by 3 car lengths at the line.
Remember the first Daytona 500 and the two principals involved, Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp? Well, these two drivers were racing for position on the last lap when the Plymouth of Petty and the Chevy of Beauchamp hooked bumpers at 150 mph. Both cars crashed through the turn three guard rail, sailing into the air as though catapulted by a huge machine. Rescue squads rushed to the scene and could hardly believe the carnage.
Speedway Medical Director, Dr. A. A. Monaco reported that Petty suffered a punctured lung, multiple fractures to the left chest area, a fractured collar bone and multiple internal injuries. Beauchamp suffered head injuries. Even spectator A. B. Kelly from Nashville Tennessee, one of the first people on the scene, was injured when the car of Lee Petty rolled over on Kelly's hand, severely lacerating the hand, as Kelly was attempting to do what he could for Petty.
Top Five Finishers:
1. Joe Weatherly, Bud Moore Pontiac
2. Marvin Panch, Smokey Yunick Pontiac
3. Cotton Owens, Owens Pontiac
4. Banjo Matthews, Warrior Motel Ford
5. Darel Dieringer, Ray Nichels Pontiac
So, the field was set for the 500 with Fireball Roberts in the number 22 Pontiac on the pole, Joe Weatherly in the Bud Moore Pontiac starting to his outside, Jim Paschal in the Daytona Kennel Pontiac in third, Marvin Panch in a year old Yunick Pontiac fourth and Jack Smith in his own Pontiac fifth.
Fireball led the first 12 laps before giving way to Banjo Matthews for 2 laps. Nelson Stacy would put his Ford out front on lap 16 and lead 2 laps before it was once more Fireball out front. Stacy slipped back out front on lap 31 and stayed there for two laps until Junior Johnson ran him down and put the Holly Farms Pontiac in the lead. Johnson stayed there fore 3 laps and then Stacy again assumed the front spot. Johnson went back out front on lap 40 but on lap 42 the engine in the Pontiac began to sputter and 2 laps after that, Johnson was out of the race with a blown engine.
With Junior's departure, Fireball blasted out front and he led from lap 43 to lap 187 of the 200 scheduled laps. With 13 laps left, holding almost a full lap lead over second place, the sour luck of Fireball in the Daytona 500 slapped him again as the black and gold Pontiac came off turn four and headed into the pits trailing smoke from the tailpipes. Fireball was done for the day.
Fireball climbed out of the smoking car and headed into the infield while the second Smokey Yunick car, wheeled by Marvin Panch, found itself in the lead. With 13 laps left, Marvin cruised on to victory with a new record speed of 149.619 in a caution free race.
Two notes of interest here include Fred Lorenzen, a USAC driver of note, came to Daytona without a ride but was able to talk Tubby Gonzales into having him (Fred) drive the Tubby Gonzales Ford. Fred would take the ride to a fourth place finish. The other note of interest concerns giant Buddy Baker who ran the entire race, finishing 55 laps off the pace in 40th position out of 58 starters. Buddy was driving one of the 1961 Chryslers fielded by his father Buck.
Finishing Order:
1. Marvin Panch, Smokey Yunick Pontiac, winning $21,050.00
2. Joe Weatherly, Bud Moore Pontiac, winning $9,150.00 (16 seconds back)
3. Paul Goldsmith, Ray Nichels Pontiac, winning $5,900.00
4. Fred Lorenzen, Tubby Gonzales Ford, winning $3,825.00 (2 laps down)
5. Cotton Owens, Owens Pontiac, winning $2,975.00 (2 laps down)
6. Jack Smith
7. Ned Jarrett
8. Johnny Allen
9. Buck Baker
10. Tom Pistone
11. Bob Welborn
12. Rex White
13. Jim Reed
14. Sal Tovella
15. Charlie Glotzbach
16. Darel Dieringer
17. Tom Dill
18.Emanuel Zervakis
19. Joe Kelly
20. Fireball Roberts
21. David Pearson
22. Friday Hassler
23. Elmo Henderson
24. Tim Flock
25. Elmo Langley
26. Harlan Richardson
27.Banjo Matthews
28. Bob Roeber
29. Ed Livingston
30. Jimmy Pardue
31. Bobby Allison
32. Paul Parks
33. Roscoe Thompson
34. Herman Beam
35. Reb Wickersham
36. Bob Burdick
37. Joe Lee Johnson
38.Larry Frank
39. PAUL LEWIS
40.Buddy Baker
41. Marshall Sargent
42. Brian Naylor
43. Ed Markstellar
44. Nelson Stacy
45. Tommy Irwin
46. Darrell Drake
47. Junior Johnson
48. Red Hollingsworth
49. Jim Paschal
50. Bobby Johns
51. George Tet
52. T. C. Hunt
53. Curtis Crider
54. Don Odell
55. Curtis Turner
56. Wilbur Rakestraw
57. Ernie Gahan
58. Ken Johnson
PERSONAL MEMORIES: This was one race Uncle Bobby and I did not listen to together. He was very upset about the injuries to Lee Petty and was genuinely concerned that the injuries Lee had suffered would take his life. That entire weekend Bobby would listen to anything on the radio and actually waited for both the morning and afternoon newspapers (yes those did exist back then) to arrive and he would rip right to the sports sections to see if there was any news. Coverage of racing back then nowhere nearly approached what it is today, of course. As time dragged on, Uncle Bobby would put me up to calling the hospital in Daytona to see how Lee was doing. This was before the days of HIPPA, and the hospital staff would actually tell you what was going on. The first couple of weeks, we were calling like every other day. I wish I could remember the name of the young lady who always seemed to answer the switchboard. She was very nice and very patient with this young kid calling to check on a race driver.
When the afternoon of the 500 came up, Uncle Bobby refused to listen as neither Lee nor Richard were in the race. I walked back across the street and turned on the rather sizeable black plastic radio with the white knobs and found the race. I listened to the entire thing and felt sorry for Fireball having dominated for so long and then losing when the engine blew. Little did I know that the following year I would be in the infield at Daytona pulling AGAINST Fireball in the latter stages as he was leading and my man was running second. We'll cover that event in the next Racing History Minute.
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
