September 14 - 1975 Delaware 500

Originally published by me here as part of my on-going series about each of Richard Petty's 200 wins:

https://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-14-this-day-in-petty-history.html

1975 - Richard wins his 174th race the hard way and in dramatic fashion in the Delaware 500 at Dover. He leads much of the race and builds a sizable lead. But with about 150 laps to go, he has problems, pits, and is lapped eight times . Yet he un-laps himself down the stretch and still manages to win the race.

Greg Fielden writes in [ Forty Years of Stock Car Racing - The Modern Era ]:

Buddy Arrington, running over 50 laps behind, parked his Plymouth in a turn in an effort to bring out the day's fifth and final caution flag with less than 15 miles remaining. NASCAR officials decided Arrington's car was out of the main racing groove and left the green light on. Arrington drove the car to the pits and after talking with his pit crew, drove back on to the track and parked in the upper groove in the third turn. He waited there until NASCAR dropped the yellow flag. The caution period enabled Petty to close the gap on leaders Dick Brooks and Benny Parsons... After the yellow flag came out, Arrington drove to the pit area where NASCAR black-flagged him for the day. But the damage had been done. Petty, manning the fastest car in the race, drove around Brooks and Parsons with nine laps to to go and won going away... Arrington had just purchased a car-hauler from Petty Enterprises..."I couldn't have won without that last caution flag," Petty admitted. "I don't know anything about that, so I'd best not say anything about it." pp. 140-141

The King closes the gap on Bobby Allison in his #16 American Motors Matador and Jabe Thomas in #25.

Race program from Motor Racing Programme Covers

Another race report from Free Lance Star

No mention at all of how many "wave arounds" and "Lucky Dogs" The King needed to get himself unlapped. Wonder why not?

Junie Donlavey fielded two Truxmore sponsored '73 Fords. Dick Brooks finished first in the #90 and Dick May was credited with a last place "start & park" in the #93, quitting after 8 laps.

Richmond based Donlaveyy often fielded "rent-a-racers" for Dover for Mel Joseph to get a local racer in the field. In 1973 and 1974, Eddie Pettyjohn started all 4 Dover events in the Donlavey #90 and in 1975 Kenny Brightbill drove the #93 Donlavey car in the first Dover race, with Brooks in the #90.

Noticed that as well Dave on a review of this race last night. I might understand if Junie and Mel Joseph worked out mutual favors for a local - but Dick May wasn't. And I would understand if Truxmore was based in the Delaware-Baltimore-Philly area - but they weren't. And Dover certainly didn't pay big money to bring a 2nd S&P team. So would be fun to learn why Junie chose to run the 2nd car - especially when it was parked so early.

Dover Bump