Originally posted by me as part of my Richard Petty's 200 Wins blog series here:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-25-this-day-in-petty-history.html
1964 - Richard Petty wins a 334-lap race on the one-third mile Harris (NC) Speedway dirt track. The race was the first of only two NASCAR Grand National races run at Harris. Rather than drive #43 for which he is most famous, The King raced a #41 Petty Plymouth.
In Silent Speedways of the Carolinas , Perry Allen Wood writes:
...Billy Wade had Bud Moore's Marauder on the pole at just under 65 MPH. Competition was stiff after a rare week off following the National 400 in Charlotte. Cotton (Owens) brought two Dodges up the hill from Spartanburg, Pearson's 6 and Isaac's 5... Wade led the first 100 laps and fell out, finishing 18th. Then Pearson led for 59 more before retiring to 15th. The last 40 were Richard Petty's and he copped his 36th career win. p.97
Randy G., fellow member at Racers Reunion , gave me permission to share the next three photos from the race. All were shot by Bobby Parks who was the track's photographer, and he gave copies of the photos to Randy.
Richard (41) chasing rival David Pearson (6):
Door-to-door battle between 2 NASCAR Hall of Famers: race winner King (41) and second-place Ned Jarrett (11):
The race winner!
Article courtesy of Jerry BushmireTMC
October 24, 2013: Bumping on anniversary of this race. Would enjoy reading more comments from anyone who may have been there.
Originally posted by me as part of my Richard Petty's 200 Wins blog series here:
https://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-24-this-day-in-petty-history.html
1971 - Petty cars dominate the American 500 at Rockingham. Buddy Baker, in #11 Petty Enterprises Dodge leads 209 laps but finishes second to teammate Richard Petty. King Richard leads 189 laps, wins the race and collects his 138th career victory.
Baker claimed Petty passed him illegally under a caution flag. Petty asserted he didn't, and NASCAR agreed.
Also, David Pearson raced the #99 STP Plymouth for Ray Nichels. Pearson substituted for the team's regular driver, Fred Lorenzen. Fast Freddy skipped the race based on his doctor's advice in response to serious headaches he had been experiencing. In recent years, I learned Pearson raced an STP Pontiac for Nichels in the 1971 season-ending Texas 500 at Texas World Speedway. But research for this blog entry surfaced the trivia of Pearson driving an STP Plymouth before Richard Petty.
After the race was over, Petty collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.
After a few minutes, he sat up and was able to move around to the front of the winning 43. Note the Professional Drivers Association (PDA) patch still being worn on his left shoulder.
After regaining some strength, the King followed through with the interviews...
...and the awarding of the trophy...
...and of course, the kisses for the winner!
October 24, 2013: Bumping on anniversary of this race. Would enjoy reading more comments from anyone who may have been there.
Originally posted by me as part of my Richard Petty 200 Wins blog series here:
https://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-24-this-day-in-petty-history_24.html
1976 - Richard Petty wins his 180th career race and sweeps Rockingham for the year by winning the American 500.
Bobby Williamson, fellow member here at RacersReunion, remembers...
I planned this gala event. Me and my new wife of 3 months could go to Rockingham for that fall's 500. I was really on the ball, ordered tickets, happily got up before day, and drove the 2+ hours to the Rock. It was the most perfect day I've ever spent at a race track. Incredible autumn weather, and another dominating Richard Petty victory at Rockingham. At the last moment, my dad's friends procured tickets and planned their own trip - only they would fly. We were seated in different sections of the grand stands. I knew my dad was at the race, but I never saw him. I knew he would be thrilled that Richard had won. On the flight back home, dad's plane crashed over rural Columbus county, NC. My dad was fatally injured, but the last race he ever attended was fittingly won by Richard.
The next two photos show Richard in victory lane with Miss Winston, Pattie Huffman. A couple of years later, she became his daughter-in-law when she married Kyle Petty.
In that 3rd article above, Luther Gaillard mentions the "feats" of Bub Strickler who was making his first Cup start in 8 years.
Dave Fulton posted about Bub as The Caution King way back in 2011:
http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/the-caution-king
So what happened at Rockingham in Bub's first race back since 1971? Yep, he wrecked. Finished 36th in the 37-car field in a Budweiser Olds.
As Dave Fulton posted about a year ago, Andre The Giant was the grand marshal for this race.
http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/remember-wrestler-an...
Andre's travel agency - TRAVEL AGENCY! - was also a co-sponsor on a 2nd Junie Donlavey Mercury. The car was entered with Larry Pearson as the driver. Pearson was attempting to make his Cup debut. Unfortunately for him, he dumped the Merc in practice and then failed to post a quick enough time in the multiple qualifying sessions to make the show. His Cup debut would have to wait until the 1986 Daytona 500.
Spartanburg Herald (click to open larger version in new tab)
Bumping this discussion on the race's anniversary. Would enjoy hearing other's memories from the race or trivia about it.
