March 9, 1969: Confusion in Carolina 500

I post this in begrudging acknowledgment of the greatness of David Pearson - and because *grimace* long-time Pearson fan Scott Baker has freely and openly shared many cool photos.

-- Inhale, exhale. OK let's begin --

The 1969 NASCAR GN season began in mid-November at Middle Georgia Raceway. The King won the race in his next to last race in a Plymouth. Bobby Allison won an early December race in Montgomery, Alabama before the teams took a holiday break. When the calendar turned to match the season, the teams headed for Riverside where King RIchard won in his debut in a Ford. Lee Roy Yarbrough then was the King of Speedweeks as he began his magical season with Junior Johnson with a win in the Daytona 500. The GN circuit then began its grind 2 weeks later at North Carolina Motor Speedway with the running of the Carolina 500 in Rockingham.

The Silver Fox - still dark-headed at the time - put his Holman Moody Ford on the pole in Wednesday's qualifying session. Perhaps as motivation for a bit of extra speed, he taped to his dash a picture of his getting a couple of smooches in victory lane during one of Daytona's twin qualifying races. (I want to pause here to say Pearson's only Daytona 500 win in 1976 was the result of a simple, minor mistake by the King - not because he truly earned it.)

Qualifying report from Spartanburg Herald .

Second round qualifying was rained out on Thursday - stretching an already long-week in Rockingham even longer.

The rain didn't rattle the big dawgs. As a matter of fact, it gave Bobby Isaac and Pearson a time to take a jab at one another.

Race day was a bit overcast - but the cars were pushed to the grid & the drivers belted in.

Pre-race pic from OurHamlet.org with Miss Falstaff headed for turn 1 as the Falstaff billboard stands vigilant in turn 4.

And they're off! Pearson and Isaac led the field to the green. Donnie Allison and Charlie Glotzbach in in Cotton Owens' Dodge tried to stay with the front row at the jump.

The King started 5th but didn't have the best outing in Rockingham's final race on the low banks. I'm sure he just decided to give the field a break after his long, lazy spin. Following the race, he quipped "Well, look at it this way. We've got the the car handling great on the straightaways. Now all we have to do is get it to handle through the corners. At least we're half way there." - pic shared by Dave Fulton

On race day, the blue and gold 17 was the class of the field. "Class of the field", however, didn't mean a win came easy. With the two-factor yet manual scoring system, NASCAR and the teams became confused about who was in front of whom and who was on the lead lap. Mario Rossi, Bobby Allison's car owner and crew chief INSISTED Allison was in front of Pearson as the race neared its end. NASCAR officials shrugged their collective shoulders, chomped on a toothpick I'm sure, said Nope, and soldiered on.

Petty wasn't the only driver to have an up-close encounter with the guardrail. Pearson went to the high side himself and popped the Armco TWICE. It was during those skirmishes that Rossi believed Allison gained ground on Pearson.

Earlier in the race, the challenges of the existing scoring system were revealed. NASCAR officials couldn't figure out who the leader was. It took TWENTY-TWO laps of yellow before the pace car finally picked up Cale Yarborough as the leader. That set crew chiefs along pit road to gnashing their teeth and rending their garments as NO ONE believed the Wood Brothers' Mercury with Cale aboard was the leader.

When the checkers finally fell, Pearson was flagged the winner with Bobby Allison scored in second - the only other car on the lead lap. Cale came home 3rd with Paul Goldsmith 4th and Petty in 5th after giving the field - ahem - a day off from his normal domination of 1960s races.

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

Though Pearson took home the trophy to his home a few miles down the road to Spartanburg, Allison and Rossi sulked their way out of the track. A day later, they remained convinced the #22 Coke Machine had won the race. Even Dick Hutcherson (Pearson's crew chief) wasn't entirely convinced the 17 had gone the full distance, but he wasn't about to surrender the official win. - Spartanburg Herald

I was at this event but have absolutely no recollection of the race. I see that our local Richmond driver, Sonny Hutchins, who raced modifieds for Junie Donlavey, made one of his eight 1969 GN starts for Junie in this race.

Everyone in my Richmond racing group displayed a huge grimace when David left the Cotton Owens Dodge for Holman-Moody.

"(I want to pause here to say Pearson's only Daytona 500 win in 1976 was the result of a simple, minor mistake by the King - not because he truly earned it.)"

Just be aware that when you make statements like this, you lose all credibility because this argument can be used all over the place in racing history. How about the day John Sears had a flat tire after lapping the field at Langley? I guess that means the driver (Richard Petty) who won that race didn't earn it?

Wait - Alex, are you actually Scott Baker posting under a 2nd name here? Ha.

THIS is what I want to see here - passion!

But for the record, Petty's wins weren't just earned - they were DESTINED.

Well good.

I responded as I did to leave you room to determine if you were serious or tongue-in-cheek. Racing is the one sport that has it's own checks and balances that arise from physical uncertainties. Junior Johnson and his 150+ DNF's can attest to that!

But wouldn't it have been awesome if Big John did get that elusive win? He certainly had the talent.

As a Pearson fan, Baker told me he is sure I meant to type that Petty made a "simple minded' mistake. I thought we were gonna have to rumble. LOL

Guessing that Scott Baker purchased this issue of Sports Illustrated while TMC Chase walked right past the airport news stand looking the other way, lol!

Not sure it s so monumental to lose to David, Bobby and Cale but don't think Mr. Goldsmith finished ahead of the "King" to many times mistake or not. lol....

In 87 GN races featuring both Petty and Goldsmith, King finished ahead of Paul 55 times. Goldsmith got the upper hand 32 times.

Paul won the first superspeedway race I attended - at Rockingham in March 1966 - the first, last, and only Peach Blossom 500. Of course, Richard sat out with his hand injury from touch football.

Yesterday's Amtrak crash in North Carolina north of Rocky Mount and south of Roanoke Rapids was on the old Seaboard track that used to carry the famed "Race Train" from Washington to Rockingham and which I rode several times from Richmond.

Ah TMC and his fight starter-Petty Pride!

Dave: Wish I had it!

Petty hurt his finger when he was punched in the nose

lol, good one Scott. A bit "picky" but you boogered him with that one. thanks...

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