In 1969, the Dodge Division of Chrysler Corporation commissioned ad agency BBDO to produce a 24 minute film (suitable for a 30 minute television time slot) highlighting the efforts of its factory supported Dodge Charger teams in NASCAR Grand National stock car racing.
The film keys on drivers Bobby Allison (in the #22 Mario Rossi Charger), Buddy Baker (in the #6 Cotton Owens Charger), Bobby Isaac (in the Harry Hyde crewed/Nord Krauskopf owned #71 Charger), Paul Goldsmith (in the #99 Ray Nichels Charger) and the self owned James Hylton #48 Charger.
In this pre-Winston era film, the only cigarettes to be seen are those dangling from the lips of Mario Rossi, Cotton Owens and Bobby Isaac.
Footage was shot in the spring of 1969 with heavy emphasis on the pre-race preps at Darlington for the Rebel 400, with additional film shot at Charlotte's World 600 and Rockingham's Carolina 500.
I didn't bother to look for "The Legend" - Tim Leeming in any infields since he was boycotting NASCAR in 1969 after Richard Petty's decision to drive a FORD. Tim may get some satisfaction from seeing that Petty blue (pre-STP) #43 detonate a "Boss" engine in a huge smoke plume heading into Charlotte's turn 1.
There is race footage and incidental footage of other teams competing in 1969. I enjoyed watching Mario Rossi put his team through pit stop drills at night at a Spartanburg airport hangar, trying to cut their pit stop time down to 22 seconds for two tires and gas!
There's good footage of the torrid battle between Bobby Allison and LeeRoy for the Rebel 400 win with LeeRoy's Ford wrecking Allison's Charger with 4 laps remaining. There is footage of a post race "discussion" between LeeRoy in street clothes and Bobby still in driving uniform.
There's a good segment also showing Bobby getting permission from Dodge to relieve brother Donnie at the World 600 in the Banjo Matthews #27 factory Ford.
Altogether, the film is an unexpected and tasty tidbit of the days many of us here on this site relish. You should find it enjoyable, from the opening of the familiar Dodge box truck heading to the track at dawn on a rural highway(towing a Charger under wraps on a trailer), to the conclusion.
By the way, if anyone thinks Dale Jarrett invented putting a football team logo on his racing helmet while driving for "Coach" Joe Gibbs, you better check the Clemson University tiger paw helmet worn by James Hylton in the opening 1969 footage!I heartily recommend taking 24 minutes from your busy schedule to turn the clock back 45 years and enjoy race cars with headlight covers (not decals), armco guardrails that still delivered Darlington stripes, and shots filmed in the Grand National garages where most of us could only one day dream to go.
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM