The "Twins" in 1972 were 125 mile dashes for starting positions in the Daytona 500, as always. This year, however, the first 125 would claim the life of a very popular driver, Raymond "Friday " Hassler. It was the 18th lap of the race when, on a restart, a tire on the Dodge of David Ray Boggs went flat and as he slowed on the back straight, 13 cars began to pile into each other, with Jimmy Crawford slamming into the passenger's door of Friday's car. Friday Hassler was pronounced dead as he was removed from the wreckage. Records indicate Hassler was the 17th driver killed in Grand National competition since the first race in June, 1949.

When the green waved after the cleanup, Bobby Isaac ran away from all competition as he drove his K&K Insurance Dodge to a 44 second lead over second place at the finish line.

Top five finishers:

1. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge

2. Coo Coo Marlin, Cunningham-Kelley Chevrolet

3. Richard Brown, Ralph McNabb Chevrolet

4. Frank Warren, Warren Dodge

5. Jim Hurtubise, Richard Hammond Chevrolet

The second 125 miler was a Bobby Allison benefit race as he passed pole sitter, A.J. Foyt on lap 2 and never looked back as he ran away with the race. Allison would beat A.J. to the finish by 6 seconds in a race run without a caution flag. Bobby Johns, a favorite from the 60s, was attempting a comeback at Daytona, but overheating problems caused him to fall out of the 125 and he was unable to earn a start berth for the 500.

Top five finishers:

1. Bobby Allison, Richard Howard Chevrolet

2. A. J.Foyt, Wood Brothers Mercury

3. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge

4. Jim Vandiver, D. L. Nixon Dodge

5. Mark Donohue, Roger Penske Matador

The first 81 laps of the 500 were worth the watching as A.J. and Richard Petty battled for the lead. The battle also, at times, included Bobby Allison in the very early going, but it came down to Foyt and Petty. Petty was leading on lap 80 when the valve train in his Plymouth began to experience problems. On lap 81, Petty was behind the wall and A.J. was out for a Sunday ride. By the 300 mile mark of the race, it was all Foyt.

The factories had allegedly "pulled out of racing" again, and some say it was for that reason that there was no real competition for Foyt. He was, after all, driving for the Wood Brothers who had already won the Daytona 500 twice, 1963 with Tiny Lund and 1968 with Cale Yarborough. A.J. Foyt had five Grand National Victories before this race, and, as he was quick to let you know, he had won Indy and the 24 Hours of LeMans, so he wanted this Daytona 500 victory. A. J. said the Daytona 500 is the greatest stock car race there is.

There were only 3 caution flags for atotal of 17 laps which allowed Foyt to average 161.550 mph for the 500 miles, making this 1972 renewal of the 500 the fastest run thru 1972.

After the race Foyt said that he had to fight boredom after Petty fell out. He said "when it's close you race heads-up all day but after Petty fell out there was no competition". He went on to say "it may have looked easy, but it wasn't" as if to explain running at the speed required at Daytona would keep one on his toes.

Pole winner Bobby Isaac was having problems getting his Dodge up to speed at the start and by lap 19 he was behind the wall and out of the race. Buddy Baker, expected to compete for the win, crashed with Walter Ballard on lap 18 when he ran up on Ballard to lap him and simply ran into Ballard. Baker was driving the white Petty Dodge.

Finishing order:.

1. A. J. Foyt, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $45,400.00

2. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $16,250.00 (1 lap down)

3. Jim Vandiver, D. L. Nixon Dodge, winning $10,475.00 (6 laps down)

4. Benny Parson, L. G. DeWitt Mercury, winning $7,150.00 (6 laps down)

5. James Hylton, Hylton Ford, winning $5,925.00 (9 laps down)

6.Cale Yarborough

7. David Sisco

8. Jabe Thomas

9. John Sears

10. Vic Elford

11. Tommy Gale

12. Elmo Langley

13. Richard Brown

14. Henley Gray

15. George Altheside

16. Bobby Allison

17. Ben Arnold

18. Frank Warren

19. David Ray Boggs

20. Dr. Ed Hessert

21.Larry Dickson

22. Jim Hurtubise

23. Bill Dennis

24. J. D. McDuffie

25. Coo Coo Marlin

26. Richard Petty

27. Dave Marcis

28 Ron Keselowski

29. Bill Seifert

30. Red Farmer

31. Jimmy Finger

32. Buddy Arrington

33. Bobby Isaac

34. Buddy Baker

35. Mark Donohue

36. Walter Ballard

37. Ramo Stott

38. Bill Champion

39. Cecil Gordon

40. Raymond Williams

PERSONAL MEMORIES: When I think about this race, all I really remember is how long it seemed to last with both Petty cars out of the race by the half way point. I was not a big fan of the Wood Brothers back then because they were major competition for my driver. I have, thankfully, since learned to appreciate what wonderful people they are and the major contributions they made to the sport. Funny how even I can seem to get at least a little wiser with age.

I do remember I was very happy the race was over. We made it a practice to NEVER to leave a race before the checkers, but we were already right at the tunnel exit when the flag fell on Foyt and we headed right out and back to Columbia. We weren't quite as smart as we thought we were though because about 70,000 of the 98,000 in attendance had already seemingly hit the road. We did make it back without consequence after a long night on the road.

About the only A. J. Foyt story I have is one that seems so out of character for him on the one hand, but so much the showman on the other. At one of the Daytona races, had to be a summer race because I remember it was really hot that day, probably the 1974 or '75 Firecracker, a couple of us had walked over to the little hill in the infield that was by the tunnel entrance-exit. We were standing there watching the cars come by from that view when I looked and A. J. was in his rental car headed out of the track. He was stopped in the traffic. I pointed at him and punched my friends to say "That's A. J. Foyt". A.J. apparently read my lips and parked his rental car, got out, and came walking over. We tried to talk but it was just too loud. We all shook hands and he got back in the rental car and left.

I did hear one A. J. Foyt joke circulating back in those days. It goes like this: A race fan died and went to heaven. As Saint Peter was showing him around the many race venues he could enjoy for eternity, an Indy car went by at blinding speed. All the fan could see was "A.J." on the back of the car. The fan remarks to Saint Peter, "I didn't know A.J. Foyt was dead". Saint Peter said "Oh, that's not A.J. That's God. He just thinks he's A.J. Foyt".

No sacrilege intended, but I think that joke sort of defines A. J. Foyt. He was good, he knew it and didn't mind letting you know it. Records back him up.

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

Buddy Baker was actually racing in the all-red STP Petty #11 Charger. He'd driven the white factory Dodge for the Pettys in 1971. In 1972, he was covered for a partial schedule under the STP sponsorship agreement the Pettys signed with Andy Granatelli. After debuting the STP deal on an all Petty-blue Plymouth at Riverside in January, Richard made his first starts with the STP red / Petty blue combo during the 1972 Speedweeks. With Baker's running an all-red car, I've often wondered if the Pettys were able to wrangle a few more dollars out of Andy Granatelli since he'd wanted an all-red 43.

The car had Petty blue numerals - though they were switched to white later in the season. I'm not sure why other than the Petty blue on day-glo red may have been tough on the eyes for the spotter. If so, it seems an all day-glo red car would be sufficient for anyone to know who it was - regardless of any number on it! - Ray Lamm

Baker had a fast car. But as seemed to be the case for him a lot in his career, he couldn't quite close the sale. The incident with Ballard ruined the day for both of them.

From  Ron Scalissi

From  Ron Scalissi

[ As posted back in December ], Charlie Glotzbach signed a deal to run a limited schedule for Cotton Owens in 1972. It turned out to be an even more limited schedule than either likely thought it would be. But the season did start well with Chargin' Charlie finishing 2nd to Foyt - while running on 7 cylinders!

Cale Yarborough made another rare start in that era. Once again, he was back in a Plymouth fielded by Ray Fox. Its still fascinating to think how Cale had 2 distinct GN careers - one in the 1960s including winning days with the Wood Brothers and the second from the mid 70s through his retirement. Those early 70 years spent in USAC with only the occasional NASCAR start clearly separated the 2 aspects of his hall of fame career. - Ray Lamm

Super Tex in victory lane with the Wood Brothers - Ray Lamm

Two years ago, chattanoogan.com featured an article about the loss of Friday Hassler around the 40th anniversary of his death. The article even includes the source of his nickname. Link to original article:

http://ww.chattanoogan.com/2012/2/20/219850/Remembering-NASCAR-Driv...

Remembering NASCAR Driver Raymond "Friday" Hassler

February 17, 2012 marked the 40 ^th anniversary of a tragedy that saddened many Chattanoogans and stock car racing fans everywhere the death of driver Raymond Friday Hassler.

Likely the most accomplished Chattanoogan to compete on the NASCAR circuit, his death came during a Thursday qualifying race for the 1972 Daytona 500.

As 40,000 fans, including wife Joannie, watched the 125-mile qualifying race, a wreck that apparently started with a blown tire by driver David R. Boggs resulted in some swerving and a massive pileup.

Mr. Hassler was hit head-on by another fast-moving car after his 1970 Chevelle had been turned around during the melee, and he died instantly, news reports at the time said.
Such famous drivers as Richard Petty and Buddy Baker had been competing in that qualifying race, and Daytona speedway president Bill France Jr. was on the track immediately afterward directing the cleanup.

Chattanooga News-Free Press sports writer Rex Sanders and Chattanooga Times photographer Cecil Pearce also witnessed the deadly crash, which was the third one in a Daytona event since 1969.

As was his style, Mr. Hassler had moved his No. 39 car up near the front before the backstretch crash shortly before the midway point of the race.

In his career, he had been working his way up closer to the top as well. In fact,had the 36-year-old Mr. Hassler not died at what is considered a prime age for NASCAR drivers , he might have later become as familiar a NASCAR name as some of the others mentioned.

And the man known for his quiet, unassuming and friendly manner had managed to achieve what he did as an independent car driver at a time when bigger-money sponsorship was starting to become more common and NASCAR was soon to explode in national popularity.

In 1971, in the first year when NASCARs top circuit was called the Winston Cup series after previously being called the Grand National series, he finished 16 ^th in point standings and had 13 top 10 points series finishes, included a second at Islip, N.Y.

He had also enjoyed a ninth-place finish earlier in the 1972 season at Riverside, Calif.

He never had a Winston Cup or Grand National win in his career, although he did fill in briefly for Charlie Glotzbach in a hot July 1971 race won by Glotzbach at Bristol.

According to Friday Hasslers brother, C.W. Bill Hassler Jr., who still lives on some longtime family land off Mountain Creek Road, his younger brother had enjoyed cars and racing since he was a child.

He started out when he was real young, Bill Hassler said over the telephone this week. He had matchbox cars and raced in the soap box derby. His last year he was runner-up in the soap box derby.

The Red Bank and Mountain Creek resident went on to graduate from Kirkman High School after studying automotive mechanics.

His brother said he received the nickname Friday because he worked at an auto body and upholstery shop only on Fridays and Saturdays, and the operator would joke, Here comes Friday, when Mr. Hassler walked in on the last workday of the week.

Mr. Hassler would go on to work in auto parts and help his father with a tractor business, but racing was his passion. His brother said he competed for years at smaller tracks at such places as Boyds Speedway, the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and at tracks in Montgomery and Birmingham in Alabama.

Along the way, he built quite an impressive record for winning at that level.

He also gained respect for the way he raced, as he would never jeopardize another racer by trying to be greedy. He would rather finish third and keep from messing somebody up than finish first, Mr. Hassler said.

But his brother said he certainly liked the competitive nature of the sport of racing. It was a challenge to beat somebody, he said.

Friday Hassler went on to compete in 134 Grand National or Winston Cup races starting in 1960, including Daytona a number of times.

According to some information found online, Mr. Hassler is also credited with helping develop the first modern NASCAR race car. As an independent driver, he could not buy factory new equipment for his car, so he simply put improved parts on his older cars.

However, even before his unfortunate death, his brother said not everything fell into place for him in various facets of his experience trying to survive in NASCARs competitive top circuit.

He never did get any breaks, said the elder Mr. Hassler, becoming emotional as he remembered his brother with fondness.

Racing deaths have also hit other accomplished Chattanooga drivers, including Harold Fryar in Gadsden, Ala., in 1971 and Grant Adcox, son of longtime local Chevrolet dealer Herb Adcox, in 1989. Mr. Adcox, whose career included 61 Winston Cup races, was killed during a race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Like with Mr. Hasslers death, family members and supporters of those drivers were also left with feelings of loss and questions of what if.

As NASCAR has become even more visible in recent decades, despite a sluggish economy and higher gas prices that have hurt attendance in recent years, Mr. Hassler thinks his brother who was also survived by four sons would likely still be involved in racing in some way.

Hed probably be in there with them, he said. He would probably have a car and a driver.

Race program

Bill Dennis won the Permatex 300 Sportsman race in Junie Donlavey's Mercury - his first of 3 consecutive wins in the race from 72-74. - Ray Lamm

As I've noted in an earlier post, I remember Alton Jones from his days racing late models at Nashville. But from time to time, he had the chance to race on a grander stage such as the Permatex 300.

Andy Hampton won the ARCA Royal Triton 300 in a car set-up and originally fielded by Tom Bowsher. But because Bowsher ended up being banned by ARCA, the car had to be entered under a different "owner" name. Hampton fielded it under his name, was quickest in about all practice sessions, was predicted to win, and delivered on those expectations.

From: Midwest Racing Archives

Painted in that shade of blue, the car to me looks awfully close to what could have once been a Petty Enterprises Ford Torino from 1969. But Bowsher drove other cars painted below, so I think the similarity to Petty blue may just be a coincidence. - Brian Norton

Bobby Allison won the Citrus 250 Grand American race. Wayne Andrews, father of RR member Dennis Andrews, finished 3rd.

Though Foyt was pretty much on cruise control with Petty and Baker out of the race and Glotzbach on 7 cylinders, he still had to stay focused on the race. When Jim Hurtubise's engine erupted, the windshield of Foyt's Mercury caught a ton of oil from it. Not exactly what a driver wants to have happen while running at 190 MPH.

Speedweeks as expected was the cover story for the May 1972 issue of Stock Car Racing magazine.

A solid article about Allison's win in the Grand American race - and just competitive and in-the-hunt Wayne Andrews was for much of the race. I do like the irony of Andrews racing Allison in a car prepared by another member of the Alabama Gang, Red Farmer. From DBMJ .

(Click article to open a larger, easier-to-read version.)

Those three consecutive Permatex 300 wins for Richmonders Bill Dennis (Glen Allen) and Junie Donlavey that began in 1972 was a record that stood until it was finally matched by the late Dale Earnhardt.

Permatex 300

NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
February 19, 1972
120 laps on 2.5 mile paved oval; 300 miles

Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 1 Bill Dennis 90 1968 Mercury 120 8,450 running 66
2 36 Grant Adcox 42 1968 Chevrolet 118 4,175
3 11 Joe Thurman 29 1966 Chevrolet 118 2,400 running
4 26 Dave Marcis 11 1967 Dodge 118 1,550
5 13 Jerry Cook 38 Chevrolet 118 1,150
6 6 Jack Ingram 45 1968 Ford 117 1,050 engine
7 39 Alton Jones 51 Ford 117 950
8 10 Jeff Hawkins 50 Ford 116 850
9 31 Joey Holley 32 Chevrolet 116 750
10 40 Bob Burcham 7 Ford 115 675
11 8 L.D. Ottinger 2 Chevrolet 114 625
12 23 Ray Wulfenstein 72 Dodge 113 575
13 12 Tony Bettenhausen Jr. 03 Chevrolet 113 525
14 37 Fred Desarro 08 Chevrolet 113 500
15 22 Rene Charland 10 Ford 111 475
16 15 Buddy Howard 24 Ford 109 450
17 Robert Wales 63 Dodge 109 440
18 Maynard Forrette 99 Ford 109 435
19 34 Blackie Wangerin 39 Ford 104 430
20 16 George Esau 05 Chevrolet 99 425
21 14 Lou Lazzaro 70 Chevrolet 99 420
22 2 Jackie Rogers 98 Chevrolet 83 415
23 18 Ivan Baldwin 07 Chevrolet 73 410
24 20 Red Farmer 92 Ford 72 405
25 19 Glen McDuffie 79 Mercury 72 400
26 4 Junior Spencer 37 Ford 68 395
27 32 Sam Sommers 27 Ford 57 390
28 35 James Buford 04 Chevrolet 47 385
29 9 Lee Osborne 81 Ford 42 380
30 7 James Ham 22 Chevrolet 39 375
31 28 Tommy Bostick 33 Mercury 37 370
32 29 Buddy Young 19 Chevrolet 36 365
33 33 Darrell Brown 21 Chevrolet 36 360
34 27 Bobby Allison 12 Dodge 25 355 valve 4
35 17 Phil Wendt 52 Chevrolet 19 450
36 30 Tom Usry 77 Ford 12 345
37 25 Darrell Waltrip 48 1969 Mercury 11 340 accident
38 3 Ben Arnold 76 Ford 9 335
39 21 Jimmy Lee Capps 91 Chevrolet 8 330
40 5 Ron Eulenfeld 53 Ford 6 325

Notes: Roy Mulligan was scheduled to start 24th in a Dodge.
Joy Fair was scheduled to start 38th in an Oldsmobile.
Time of race: 02:12:43
Average Speed: 135.627 MPH
Pole Speed: 51.467 seconds

Ultimate Racing History

hey fellas this is a most enjoyable post really entertaining and excellent reading thanks guys

Some notes about the qualifying twins, the EIRI altered plan for setting the line-up, and the struggles of the Petty team that carried over to the 500.

Video of the Ballard - Baker accident

Highlights from the remainder of the 500

Bump