Sunoco 260

Sunoco 260

Hickory Motor Speedway

Hickory, North Carolina

Saturday, June 19, 1971

Race #9 of 1971 for the Grand American Challenge Series was the Sunoco 260 at Hickory Motor Speedway, a .363 mile paved oval promoted by Ned Jarrett who also had a 50 late model sportsman race on the card that night.

Several Grand National regulars entered the event. Bobby Isaac made his first Grand American start in one of Jim Paschals Javelins and Dick Brooks was in a Camaro. Norm Krauskopf had withdrawn Isaacs K&K Dodge from competition over the size of the restrictor plate mandated for Chrysler products. He claimed the rules favored the Ford teams while penalizing the Chrysler teams. Brooks Grand National car owner Mario Rossi is reported to be ready to throw in the towel after trying to get around the plate rule by running a small block in his Dodge. Dave Marcus also landed a ride in a Camaro.

Tiny Lund took the pole with a lap of 16.35 seconds in a Camaro and led lap one before Jim Paschal pushed his Javelin to the front from the third starting spot in turn two until yielding to Lund on lap 15. Paschal was out after 17 laps with a broken valve spring. Lund would lead until lap 38 when Dick Brooks took over the top spot. Buck Baker charged his Firebird into first place on lap 70 after starting 8^th but was in the garage after 87 laps with no oil pressure. Bakers exit put Brooks back in the lead until second place starter Bobby Isaac went to the front on lap 104 when Brooks pitted , Isaac led until Lund went back into the lead on lap 153. Lund held the lead for 50 laps until Brooks went back out front were he stayed for the final 56 laps. Brooks beat Isaac by over half a lap with Wayne Andrews third on the lead lap. Lund faded to fourth after losing two laps.

Brooks collected $1,475.00 for his first Grand American win. 15 of the 24 starters were running at the finish.

Fin Srt Car # Driver Car Laps Reason out

1 5 95 Dick Brooks 69 Camaro 260 Running

2 2 16 Bobby Isaac 70 Javelin 260 Running

3 6 15 Wayne Andrews 71 Mustang 260 Running

4 1 55 Tiny Lund 69 Camaro 258 Running

5 13 7 Jimmy Vaughn 69 Camaro 255 Running

6 4 76 Bob Williams 70 Mustang 254 Running

7 19 11 Dave Marcus 69 Camaro 253 Running

8 15 88 David Boggs 68 Camaro 252 Running

9 21 54 Bobby Fleming 69 Camaro 251 Running

10 16 3 Baxter Price 69 Camaro 249 Running

11 9 21 Tommy Andrews 70 Mustang 246 Running

12 14 98 Coy Blue 69 Mustang 245 Running

13 7 19 Bobby Brewer 69 Camaro 241 Running

14 22 9 Stan Star Sr. 68 Camaro 228 Running

15 24 1 Ernie Shaw 68 Camaro 219 Running

16 18 29 Randy Bannister 68 Cougar 200 Fuel Pump

17 17 74 Al Straub 71 Mustang 123 Overheat

18 23 4 Jim Haley 71 Camaro 115 Driveshaft

19 8 87 Buck Baker 71 Firebird 87 Oil Pressure

20 11 41 Gary Myers 70 Mustang 76 Wreck

21 10 61 Tommy LeChlider 69 Camaro 51 Wreck

22 3 14 Jim Paschal 70 Javelin 17 Valve Spring

23 20 53 Terry Flynn 68 Mustang 3 Distributer

24 12 2 Randy Hutchison 69 Camaro 0 Fuel Pump

Do we know who owned / prepared the Brooks' Camaro - or did I miss it?

Dave, I can't say for sure who's car it was. The last time #95 was used was by Butch Harben in 1970 but I don't think it was that car. My best guess is that it was one of the Toy Bolton Camaros that were later driven by Tiny, Paschal, Humphries and Blanton.

I also think it is the same car driven by Vic Elford in the 1971 Citus 250 at Daytona.

Thanks, Dennis.

Awesome post, Dennis. I wish there was a website devoted to GA, which had the best racing available during its brief existence.

The car was definitely a Toy Bolton Camaro.

Robert, thanks for confirming what Dennis speculated.

Frank, be sure to check out RR member, James Trout's NASCAR Grand American / Touring Club pages:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/group/nascargrandamericanseries

Thanks. That's a good read. I just wish we could have all the results of GA races available in a central location.