Racing HIstory Minute - Daytona 500 - 1982

The first 125 mile qualifying race for the 1982 Daytona 500 contained the classic slingshot pass, although it wasn't coming out of turn four. Bobby Allison was leading coming off turn two on the last lap when Cale Yarborough was able to draft around him on the back straight. Cale made the run with Terry Labonte glued to his rear bumper as both moved around Cale. Bobby said afterwards that he "got ganged up on" and there simply was nothing he could have done to prevent the combined draft passing him. Cale said "I knew I had to be in second place on the last lap. The competition is so keen here this year you have to use your head as much as your foot".

A crowd of 75,000 watched Cale take a 2 car length victory over Terry Labonte at an average speed of 135.298 mph after 5 caution flags slowed the pace for 17of the 50 laps.

Top five finishers:

1. Cale Yarborough, M. C. Anderson Buick

2.Terry Labonte, Billy Hagan Buick

3.Bobby Allison, DiGard Buick

4.Benny Parsons, Harry Ranier Pontiac

5.A. J. Foyt, Foyt Enterprises Oldsmobile

The second 125 miler started with Harry Gant and Darrell Waltrip on the front row. It would be fifth place starter, Kyle Petty, however, who would lead the first three laps before Gant would take over. Gant, Ricky Rudd, Kyle Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Neal Bonnett and Buddy Baker would fight for the lead throughout the race.

With 11 laps to go, big man Buddy Baker, stormed into the lead and was leading when hard rain came down three laps later. The caution was thrown but not before Darrell Waltrip pulled a risky move and literally forced his way into a second place finish, forcing Neal Bonnett into a scrape with Ron Bouchard. After the race, Bonnett said "He (D.W.) saw he was going from second to about sixth so he turned right into Earnhardt to get back in line. I think some people are going to have to show a little more road courtesy out there before somebody gets hurt". If D.W. had a response, it was not quoted in my source.

Top five finishers:

1. Buddy Baker, Hoss Ellington Buick

2. Darrell Waltrip, Junior Johnson Buick

3. Joe Ruttman, J. D. Stacy Buick

4. Dale Earnhardt, Bud Moore Ford

5. Kyle Petty, Petty Enterprises Pontiac

The 1982 Daytona 500 could more easily be referred to as "Bumpergate" than the "Great American Race". Bobby Allison started from the pole in his DiGard Buickbut on the fourth lap lost the rear bumper to the Buick. As the bumper lay on the track, Joe Millikan ran over it and blew a tire which started a five car mishap that took out Joe, Billie Harvey, Lake Speed and Geoff Bodine.

The bumperless Buick was not hampered in the least by the loss of the rear bumper. If anything, it appeared to enhance the performance by improved aerodynamics and certainly caused a problem for anyone trying to tuck in a close draft with Allison. After the race, Cale Yarborough, second place finisher, said "Allison cut me off. Suddenly his bumper came off. It didn't take much of a lick to tear it off".

Tim Brewer, crew chief for Yarborough said "I wasn't born this morning. We tested here over the winter and found the car would run much better with the bumper off". Allison, when told of Brewer's statement retorted "his statements are not the most sensible comments I've ever heard. Actually my car ran looser after it came off. People always grumble when they get beat."

Meanwhile, Gary Nelson (have you heard of him before folks?) crew chief for Allison said "rigging a bumper to fall off is absurd. There is no way in the world I would take a chance like that. When I start thinking of risking a man's life to win a race then I'll get out of racing".

Eight more cars were taken out by wrecks, including those of pole winner Benny Parsons, Neil Bonnett and Richard Petty. Petty suffered torn ligaments and a fractured foot. In a separate incident, Tighe Scott suffered a concussion when he slammed into the wall on lap

Mechanical problems forced such names as Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Tom Sneva, Mark Martin and Donnie Allison behind the wall to become spectators. Waltrip was actually leading when his car destroyed the engine on lap 151.

There were 120,000 fans on hand to see Allison win by 22.87 second over Cale Yarborough. A total of 34 laps were run under caution keeping the average speed for the event to 153.991 mph.

Finishing order:

1. Bobby Allison, DiGard Buick, winning $120,630.00

2. Cale Yarborough, M. C. Anderson Buick, winning $70,725.00 (22.87 seconds back)

3. Joe Ruttman, J.D. Stacy Buick, winning $54,820.00

4. Terry Labonte, Billy Hagan Buick, winning $51,975.00 (1 lap down)

5. Bill Elliott, Melling Racing Ford, winning $36,125.00 (2 laps down)

6. Ron Bouchard

7. Harry Gant

8. Buddy Baker

9. Jody Ridley

10. Roy Smith

11. Gary Balough

12. Jim Sauter

13. J. D. McDuffie

14. Lowell Cowell

15. Buddy Arrington

16. Tommy Gale

17. Jimmy Means

18. Rick Wilson

19. Morgan Shepherd

20. Darrell Waltrip

21. A. J. Foyt

22. Tom Sneva

23. Kyle Petty

24. Dave Marcis

25. Neil Bonnett

26. Benny Parsons

27. Richard Petty

28. Elliott Forbes-Robinson

29. Tighe Scott

30. Mark Martin

31. Stan Barrett

32. Bobby Wawak

33. Delma Cowart

34. Donnie Allison

35. Ricky Rudd

36. Dale Earnhardt

37. Rusty Wallace

38. Dick Brooks

39. Billie Harvey

40. Joe Millikan

41. Lake Speed

42. Geoff Bodine

PERSONAL MEMORIES: What I do remember about this race was sitting on top of the motor home and seeing something fly high into the air on lap four. At the time, I had no idea what it could have been as we were parked too far away, but could see something fly up. Within a few seconds, the radio crew reported it was Allison's bumper. We all expected Allison to pit with huge problems but that didn't happen. When the race went green again it didn't take Bobby long to get to the front and he appeared to have an advantage.

I don't recall which one of our crew was first to mention that loss of the bumper would give Allison a huge advantage aero dynamically as well as making it more difficult to draft on the car without the bumper. I'm not every sure if all of that made any sense, but to all of us, who being the Petty fans we were had a healthy dislike of Bobby Allison, we were sure all that was rigged. We felt justified after the race with Cale and Tim Brewer seemed to back up our suspicions.

We all got excited because Kyle Petty was running a fairly decent race. He actually led a couple laps but on lap 131 he was out with a blown engine. Richard was already out. So we were left to watch Allison (remember we didn't like him) and Cale (we didn't like him too much either) fight it out but, frankly, I don't remember it as being much of a fight. Seemed Allison had the race in his pocket from lap 4 on.

Of course, with the passage of years and being around Bobby so much over the recent years, the dislike has been replaced with huge respect from all of his accomplishments. I have found him to be a very fun person with whom to hang out when I have that opportunity. As for Cale, the last time I saw him in person was several years ago in his Honda dealership in Florence. I was there on legal business and Cale came walking in. We talked for maybe 20 minutes but it was very obvious to me that talking racing was not a priority for Cale. I guess he was more into business and I interrupted his afternoon so I guess I owe him an apology for that. But, you, it seems I talk racing with just about anyone. If you ever meet me and want to discuss the weather or politics, don't leave me an opening or we'll be into talking racing.

As a side note that that last statement, there is an 89 year old lady at our church, as sweet as anyone could ever be, who always sits at our table for Wednesday night suppers. At supper a few weeks ago, someone asked me if I was going to Daytona to which I responded "no". She asked a couple questions and learned that someone went to Daytona in February for stock car racing. Now, obviously, this lady didn't know one thing about stock car racing, but we started talking about it. Last night, at supper, she asked me how I liked the 500 and I told her I thought it was a great race. She said "I did too". I looked at her and asked "you watched the race?". She replied in the affirmative and went on to tell me everything she had seen. She even stayed up until it was over to see who won. There was much she didn't understand but she did say it was a fun thing to watch. She is planning on watching as many as she can this year.

So, folks, I am a dangerous man. I have an 89 year old widow discover racing by accident through me. Can't count the number of times in my life that has happened, but then since that is about all I ever talk about, it is understandable. You know what? It's fun and even with all the complaints I have about NASCAR at times, it still gives me a good feeling that I have brought a new fan into the sport.

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

1982 was the year of the J.D. Stacy ego trip. New to the NASCAR scene in 1977, Jim Stacy as he was known then bought Nord Krauskopf's #71 team led by crew chief Harry Hyde and driver Neil Bonnett. By mid 1978, he was all but broke and had to lease cars from Rod Osterland to keep Bonnett on the track. By 1979, he was gone. He then resurfaced in mid 1981 with the purchase of Osterland's #2 team led by reigning Cup champ, Dale Earnhardt. At 1982 Speedweeks, he plastered his name on 7 cars in the 500 - a sixth of the field. His name was on the sides and back of Terry Labonte, Joe Ruttman, Benny Parsons, Ron Bouchard, Jim Sauter, Jody Ridley and Dave Marcis. - Ray Lamm

Benny Parsons talking the cowboy hat wearing, cigar chomping Stacy.

Ruttman was making his 2nd start at Daytona but his first in the 500. Though Stacy was eccentric, he fielded a solid team. In his first 500, Joe finished 3rd to Allison and Cale. Depending on who you believe about Allison's bumper, Ruttman lost a fair shot of winning the race. And his crew chief? Oh just someone who may enjoyed a bit of success over the years at Daytona: NASCAR HOFer Dale Inman.

NASCAR HOF driver Rusty Wallace made his first start in the 500 in 1982 driving car number 72. Four years later, he would move to Raymond Beadle's team and earned his first win in a Pontiac with the digits reversed to 27. - Thomas Craig

Tim Richmond was looking to make his 2nd start in the 500. He raced for fellow driver/car owner Billie Harvey. The car had a very different look vs. Harvey's traditional electric blue and chrome-laden cars. - Thomas Craig

Richmond did not finish well enough in his 125 to make the 500 for the 2nd time. But he did win the 2nd annual consolation race for the cars that didn't make the big show.

Richmond's car owner Harvey also made Speedweeks as a driver. He raced his traditional #31. While his Buick was entered under his own name, its clear the car was once owned and fielded by Henley Gray.

Gary "Hot Shoe" Balough shared interests with Harvey beyond just racing. Both were arrested and charged in 1981 for drug trafficking related charges. But both Harvey and Balough were back at Daytona in February 1982. Bobby Allison dominated 1981's Speedweeks in a Pontiac LeMans (except for that near miss 2nd place finish in the 500). Bob Rahilly and Butch Mock's Rahmoc team brought a powder blue LeMans of their own in 1982 for Balough to drive. - Ray Lamm

Joe Millikan - who raced for Rahmoc in the 1981 500 - raced for Cliff Stewart's #50 team in the 1982 500 as another attempt to extend his driving career. - Jerry Bushmire

But in the 500 as Tim referenced, Millikan wrecked when he hit the bumper that fell off Allison's 88. Marion Cox's #50 team was involved in accidents in several 1970s sportsman races at Daytona. Perhaps that bad mojo transferred to Millikan's #50 Cup ride in 1982.

Sterling Marlin was attempting to make his 2nd 500 start and his 1st by qualifying on his own terms. (His first start was in 1979 in the car qualified by Coo Coo.) He raced an Olds sponsored by the upcoming 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN. He wrecked during his qualifying twin and would have to wait yet another year to make the show. Note the Coors cap Sterling is wearing. He had local sponsorship from Coors through the Nashville distributor on his late models he ran here. Interesting that he later was sponsored by them on a larger scale when he raced for SABCO. - Craig Bontrager

Mel Tillis was in town as one of many celebrities. I think this was around the time the timeles, cinematic classic Stroker Ace was being filmed or about to be released. Some of Tillis' music was in the movie, and he had a minor - but memorable - role in the film.

I have more to add but will do so in a new reply. Need to get some work done! Plus, I'm expecting Dave Fulton to chime in about another winner during Speedweeks in what became the inaugural race of a re-designed, beer-sponsored NASCAR series.

The day before the 1982 edition of the Daytona 500 I stood in Daytona's victory lane for the very first time. My company - Wrangler Jeans - had sponsored the winner in the very first race of what is today's Nationwide Series.

In 1982, the former NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division became the touring NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series and later the Busch Series. Driving for his ex-father-in-law, Robert Gee, Dale Earnhardt in our blue and yellow #15 Wrangler Jeans Pontiac Ventura held off Jody Ridley in the closing stages of the Goody's 300 by masterfully using race traffic to block Ridley.

Earnhardt's #15 car number for Gee mirrored his new #15 ride in Winston Cup for Bud Moore.

Short track ace, Sam Ard may have made the drive of the race. Three times he missed his pit and on a fourth try he tangled with another car on pit road. Somehow he still managed to salvage a third place finish behind Earnhardt and Ridley.

I'll always remember my first trip to Daytona Victory Lane and having our Wrangler car win the first ever race in what is now the Nationwide Series.

1982 Goody's 300

NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race number 1 of 29
Saturday, February 13, 1982 at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
120 laps on a 2.500 mile paved track (300.0 miles)

Time of race: 1:56:29
Average Speed: 154.529 mph
Pole Speed: 184.569 mph Cautions: 5 for 21 laps
Margin of Victory: 1 cl
Attendance: 75,000
Lead changes: 31

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led Points
1 5 15 Dale Earnhardt Wrangler Jeans (Robert Gee) Pontiac 120 14,700 running 180
2 3 98 Jody Ridley Cumberland Mills Pontiac 120 15,950 running 170
3 4 00 Sam Ard Thomas Brothers Country Ham (Howard Thomas) Oldsmobile 120 13,470 running 165
4 33 75 Gary Balough Rahmoc Racing (Butch Mock) Pontiac 120 6,740 running 160
5 2 99 Geoffrey Bodine Hagerstown Speedway (Frank Plessinger) Pontiac 120 9,365 running 155
6 9 77 Harry Gant Skoal Bandit (Harry Gant) Pontiac 119 4,890 running 150
7 1 3 Mike Porter Associated Construction Pontiac 119 4,090 running 146
8 7 28 Phil Parsons Skoal Bandit (Johnny Hayes) Pontiac 118 3,540 running 142
9 23 27 Tommy Houston Kings Inn Daytona (Mike Day) Chevrolet 116 5,140 running 138
10 20 24 Dale Jarrett Komfort Koach (Marvin Thackston) Ford 116 3,975 running 134
11 19 04 Rick Hanley Go-Jo Industrial Pontiac 116 2,520 running 130
12 13 29 Joe Thurman Longwood Restaurant (Buddy Arrington) Dodge 116 2,320 running 127
13 24 35 Bill Venturini Prototype Racing Engineering (Bill Venturini) Buick 115 2,220 running 124
14 14 22 David Rogers Rogers Racing Pontiac 115 2,120 running 121
15 16 32 Mike Riley TGR Enterprises Pontiac 115 2,120 running 118
16 34 02 Dennis Crowder CAM 2 Pontiac 114 1,895 running 115
17 27 37 Delma Cowart Grooms Construction Chevrolet 113 1,845 running 112
18 26 16 Mark Beard Beard Oil (Mark Beard) Pontiac 113 1,795 running 109
19 22 50 John Anderson Kirk Ford Co. Mercury 110 1,770 plug wire 106
20 24 62 John Linville Automotive Specialist (John Linville) Pontiac 110 1,695 running 103
21 18 33 George Dalton Ghant Racing Pontiac 103 1,695 running 100
22 10 12 Tommy Ellis Industrial Boiler Pontiac 96 3,195 engine 97
23 25 90 Mark Gibson Kokomo Kit Kar (Mark Gibson) Pontiac 70 1,545 ignition 94
24 17 19 Darryl Sage American Performance Pontiac 61 1,570 crash 91
25 21 7 Stuart Huffman Huffman Racing (Dwight Huffman) Pontiac 56 1,495 clutch 88
26 6 9 Gene Morgan Stuart Developers Pontiac 55 1,345 clutch 85
27 28 18 Roy McGraw McGraw's Used Auto Parts Pontiac 55 1,295 piston 82
28 15 40 Dennis Bennett Bennett Brothers Pontiac 51 1,245 crash 79
29 8 4 Connie Saylor CMT Pontiac 47 1,195 engine 76
30 11 25 Mickey Gibbs Gibbs Racing Pontiac 29 1,145 vibration 73
31 12 11 Jack Ingram Oak Stove (Jack Ingram) Pontiac 24 2,620 engine 70
32 30 07 Mike Potter Seivers Pontiac 16 1,095 engine 67
33 32 82 John McFadden Broadway Motors Pontiac 14 1,070 transmission 64
34 31 79 Bob Park Walther's Auto Wrecking Pontiac 2 1,060 engine 61

Racing Reference

Dale Earnhardt was making his first Cup points start for Bud Moore in the #15 Wrangler Jeans Ford Thunderbird in this race.

We learned that sometimes you can have too much technology and maybe the old fashioned ways sometimes work best. Without naming names (Perry Allen Wood will know very, very well) a part-time crew member who was a college educated engineer working in Florida had come up with a formula to figure gas mileage for the 500.

Dale Earnhardt led 6 of the first 35 laps in his new Ford ride. While leading on lap 36, Earnhardt's Bud Moore entry ran out of gas at speed on the backstretch, burning a piston. The car retired on lap 44 with engine failure.

The gas mileage program was scrapped.

Peggy Gossett writing in The Palm Beach Post raved over the in-car cameras used in the CBS coverage of the 1982 Daytona 500. She also mentioned something many of our younger fans have never experienced - the race telecast being blacked out. If you lived in Florida, the only way to see the 1982 Daytona 500 was to be at the track.

What a blessing she discovered racing even at 89....she will be grateful to you the rest of her days, Tim!!!

From The Miami News :

From The Miami News :

I remember being so ticked off about it being blacked out in Tampa. I had forgotten about that. These informative post's you guys do is so good about bringing up these good memories. thanks to all of you.

In the Racing History Minute for 1981 Daytona, we posted about Bob Ballantine's wild wreck, his recovery, and his desire to race again later in the year at Charlotte. His recovery didn't allow him to return to Charlotte - nor to any other NASCAR sportsman races.

But he DID return to racing in 1981. And he DID return to Daytona in 1982 - as a car owner for the #99 Pontiac driven by Geoff Bodine who qualified 2nd and finished 5th. - DBMJ

A couple of weeks ago, Gary Nelson was in the mood to reflect back a bit about the 1982 Daytona 500 - on Twitter. I happened to be on-line at the time and provided him a picture of Allison's car to help illustrate his point. I found it to be a really neat use of Twitter vs. insulting people or tweeting meaningless things (which I frequently do!). I'll post screen shots to retain them vs. linking to the actual tweets in case they fall away over time.

Busch Clash logo

Busch Clash program

Speedweeks / 500 program

May 1982 Stock Car Racing magazine

May 1982 Hot Rod magazine race report

Hometown driver, Bill Dennis of Glen Allen, Virginia (Richmond) , 1970 NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year and 3-Time Daytona Permatex 300 winner suffered career ending injuries in a Tuesday qualifying run crash for the 1982 Daytona 500.

Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Will Cronkrite wrote earlier this week about the first Piedmont Airlines car:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/the-first-car-that-p...

The 1982 Daytona 500 was the first pairing of Ricky Rudd and Richard Childress with the Piedmont #3 car.

The photo below appeared in the Daytona paper during the week of the 1982 Daytona 500:

The Ricky Rudd / Richard Childress / Piedmont Airlines deal was first announced in January 1982 in Myrtle Beach at the National Motorsports Press Association convention:

Will Cronkrite with the #18 Piedmont Airlines Cup car he fielded for Randy Ogden in 1981 as posted at Will's web site.

David Cox photo

Randy Ogden/Will Cronkrite Piedmont Airlines Cup Car on the line at Michigan - 1981. That's the late motorsports photographer, David Chobat with cameras around neck.

Will Cronkrite Collection

F.Y.I. - Here is a link to the racing photographs offered by the estate of the late David Chobat:

http://www.davidchobat.com/index.php

She is a very, very sweet lady Janice. She reminds me so much of my Mama the way she looks, acts and talks. She is a huge race fan now I think. She actually asked me if I could give her an autographed "hero card". I told her I'll have it for her Sunday. Thanks for the nice comment. Good to hear from you again.

Of the 110 inch wheelbase era, my two favorite Petty schemes were Richard's 1984 200th win Curb Pontiac...

...and Kyle's 1982 Petty Enterprises look. - Jeff Droke

Kyle had colors opposite of Richard - but I liked the look of the 42 better.

Richard had a fast car to start Speedweeks. But the wreck in the 500, the bum ankle, the flat funding from STP that strained full financing for 2 teams, etc. really was the beginning of the end for Petty Enterprises in my opinion. The team did recover to win a couple of times in 1983 - including the infamous fall Charlotte race. But I view 1982 as the year in which the lights were being slowly but surely turned off.

Richard tangled with Elliott Forbes Robinson in the Jolly Rancher 96 car fielded by RR's Will Cronkrite. - Keith Koether

I remember the 82 race not for the bumper but it was the Ford that Dale Sr was in. I keep a photo of that car in my tool box just to keep all the Chevy guys who thought Dale was a pure Chevy man honest.... lol

the dr.

That's a good one Mitch. Most don't remember Dale in that Ford. Great to see you on site. Thanks, again, for the opportunity to appear on your show with Bill Blair. Even if Bill is "pokey", he's a great guy.