Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
04/13/16 03:46:03PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - April 13, 1969


Stock Car Racing History

For Dave Fulton - our RacersReunion colleage who may have the most passion for the history of Richmond Raceway and all its various surfaces, lengths and names.

I originally blogged this today here and will re-post to RR:

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2016/04/april-13-1969-richmond-500.html

Richmond's spring race has bounced around a good bit over the decades. Throughout the 1970s and most of the 1980s, the race was scheduled for late February or early March. At the opposite end of the season, the race was scheduled a few times in June. Nowadays, the race floats from mid-April to early May - which seems ideal for that area of the country. The 1969 Richmond 500 was slotted in that optimal time frame on April 13th.

After more than a dozen years as a dirt track, track promoter Paul Sawyer paved Richmond following the first Grand National race of 1968. In doing so, the track was lengthened ever so slightly from a true half-mile to a .542 mile oval. David Pearson won Richmond's final 250-lap race on dirt, and Richard Petty won the first 300-lap one on the new asphalt surface.

The spring 1969 race was lengthened to 500 laps and about 250 miles - the longest race held to that point at the track. Despite the change in track surface and distance, the race featured little drama. David Pearson won the pole in his #17 Holman Moody Ford. He then set forth to puttin' a whuppin' on the field. He led a dominating 416 of 500 laps, lapped most of the field by multiple laps, and finished a full lap ahead of second place finisher Richard Petty.

From Dave Fulton's pictures:

Pearson notched his third consecutive spring Richmond win. It was also his sixth and final Richmond win - including six trophies in ten attempts - and the 33rd of 63 times Petty-Pearson finished first and second. When you're the winner, smoke 'em if ya got 'em!

From Dave's pictures and archives of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Fin Driver Owner Car
1 David Pearson Holman-Moody '69 Ford
2 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises '69 Ford
3 Elmo Langley Elmo Langley '68 Ford
4 Neil Castles Neil Castles '69 Plymouth
5 Bill Seifert Bill Seifert '68 Ford
6 J.D. McDuffie J.D. McDuffie '67 Buick
7 Bill Champion Bill Champion '68 Ford
8 E.J. Trivette E.C. Reid '67 Chevrolet
9 Henley Gray Harry Melton '68 Ford
10 Pete Hazelwood Pete Hazelwood '68 Ford
11 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson '68 Ford
12 Jabe Thomas Don Robertson '68 Plymouth
13 Ray Hendrick '67 Chevrolet
14 Worth McMillion Roy Tyner '69 Pontiac
15 James Hylton James Hylton '69 Dodge
16 Paul Dean Holt Dennis Holt '67 Ford
17 Earl Brooks Earl Brooks '67 Ford
18 John Sears L.G. DeWitt '67 Ford
19 Ed Negre Ed Negre '67 Ford
20 Sonny Hutchins Junie Donlavey '67 Ford
21 Cecil Gordon Bill Seifert '68 Ford
22 Ed Hessert Lyle Stelter '69 Mercury
23 Buddy Arrington Buddy Arrington '69 Dodge
24 Wendell Scott Wendell Scott '67 Ford
25 Ben Arnold Don Culpepper '68 Ford
26 Dick Poling Mack Sellers '67 Chevrolet
27 Bobby Isaac Nord Krauskopf '69 Dodge
28 John Kenney Bill Champion '67 Ford

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
04/11/16 09:31:07PM
4,073 posts

To Be The Legend


Administrative

Wait, are we talking about this mascot...

...or this one?

Without the hat and glasses, it's kind of hard to tell 'em apart. Just want to make sure I know which is which. Ha.

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
04/03/16 10:12:50PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - April 3, 1966


Stock Car Racing History

Never let the truth get in the way of a good advertising campaign.

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
04/03/16 09:49:50PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - April 3, 1966


Stock Car Racing History


The Grand National drivers arrived in Hickory on April 3rd for the first of two races in 1966.

Through the early part of the schedule, David Pearson led the points despite not having won in first eight races of the schedule. The big storyline for Hickory, however, was the debut of the Ford Fairlane. The driver to feature it - Curtis Turner - was with the one of the two teams most likely to field it: the Wood Brothers.

Allen Rankin won the preliminary sportsman race. The late Don Tilley who later operated a Harley dealership and rode regularly on Kyle Petty's Charity Ride finished P3.

Elmo Langley won the pole for the GN race - the only one of his career. Pop plopped his #41 on the front row alongside him. Ned Jarrett and Pearson made up the second row.

Ned was the lap bully. He led 138 of the race's 250 laps. Unfortunately for him, he led them in the mid stages of the race and had to settle for a third place finish.

Paul Goldsmith started 8th and finished 5th in his year-old Plymouth. - Ray Lamm pic

Turner and Clyde Lynn diggin' through the corners. Curtis led the first three laps and another 28 late in the race on his way to a P2 finish. - Paul Woody pic

1966 Turner Clyde Lynn.jpg

Tiger Tom sliding high in an effort to get around Jimmy Helms. Tiger started sixth but finished 22nd after an overheating issue. Helms fell out with a failed differential after only 96 laps. - Paul Woody pic

1966 Tiger Tom.jpg

I don't know where the heck Toy Bolton was headed - and likely neither did he. The pole winner Langley, King Richard and Turner all get by him. - Paul Woody pic

1966 Toy Bolton.jpg

Buddy Baker had a rough go of it too. He was around at the checkers but was FORTY-EIGHT laps down to the winner. He started and finished in the same spot: 17th. Petty again had a bird's eye view of another driver with a bad day. - Paul Woody pic

1966 Buddy Baker.jpg

When the dust settled, it was Spartanburg's David Pearson who got the win. He seized control of the race with about 50 laps to go and pretty easily held off Curtis to get the win in his Cotton Owens Dodge. After not having won in the first few races, Pearson's victory started a streak of 4 wins in a row. He followed Hickory with consecutive wins at Columbia, Greenville-Pickens and Bowman Gray.

Fin Driver Car
1 David Pearson '64 Dodge
2 Curtis Turner '66 Ford
3 Bobby Isaac '66 Ford
4 Ned Jarrett '66 Ford
5 Paul Goldsmith '65 Plymouth
6 Elmo Langley '64 Ford
7 J.D. McDuffie '64 Ford
8 Toy Bolton '66 Chevrolet
9 Roy Tyner '65 Chevrolet
10 Richard Petty '65 Plymouth
11 Wayne Woodward '66 Chevrolet
12 J.T. Putney '65 Chevrolet
13 Henley Gray '66 Ford
14 Wendell Scott '65 Ford
15 Clyde Lynn '64 Ford
16 Stick Elliott '66 Chevrolet
17 Buddy Baker '65 Chevrolet
18 Tiny Lund '64 Ford
19 Cale Yarborough '64 Ford
20 Jimmy Helms '64 Ford
21 Gene Cline '64 Ford
22 Tom Pistone '64 Ford
23 Gene Black '64 Ford
24 Joel Davis '65 Plymouth
25 John Sears '64 Ford
26 Buck Baker 66 Oldsmobile

updated by @tmc-chase: 04/03/17 11:40:15AM
TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
04/02/16 12:01:00PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - April 2, 1961


Stock Car Racing History


A couple of posts have been started here in recent years about races on or near Easter including:

Easter Monday races at Peace Haven and Bowman Gray

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/36221/who-remembers-easter-monday-races

Easter Monday 1976 at Trico

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/22075/bobby-allison-ray-hendrick-raced-where-easter-monday-1976-any-rr-members-race-there-that-day

Easter Sunday racing pre-Winston era

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/general/8273/so-what-if-the-grandstands-just-burned-down-weve-got-a-race-to-run-wheres-the-easter-bunny

Easter Sunday racing post-Winston era

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/12949/history-of-easter-weekend-nascar-points-races

I've found two additional races held on Easter Sunday, 1961. One was a NASCAR GN race at Orange Speedway in Hillsboro. The race had been scheduled for March 19 but was rained out. Rather than run it the next day, Good Friday, or a non-Easter weekend date, the promoter scheduled it for Easter Sunday. The make-up race meant the GN drivers raced on 3 consecutive days - Saturday at Greenville-Pickens ( Tim Leeming RHM ), Easter Sunday at Hillsboro, and Easter Monday at Bowman Gray.

The promoter at Hillsboro? Big Bill France. The reason for re-scheduling the race for Easter? Most likely because of another race scheduled for Easter Sunday.

Bruton Smith scheduled a USAC stock car race for Concord Speedway on Easter Sunday. The event was to be the first time USAC's stock car division raced in the south. As expected, France and the NASCAR suits weren't thrilled with the idea. They said the right things - mostly - about not being threatened by Bruton's move. But they also let it be known that NASCAR drivers who opted to race in the USAC event risked being suspended from racing in NASCAR sanctioned events. This warning included Curtis Turner who originally said he intended to race in Bruton's event. France's folks let it be known Turner risked not being able to race in the World 600 at Charlotte - the very track of which he was president.

Both races went off as scheduled. Don White took the checkers in the USAC race, and Cotton Owens won in Hillsboro. I blogged more about the USAC race today here:

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2016/04/april-2-1961-usac-stock-cars-make.html


updated by @tmc-chase: 04/02/17 10:04:09AM
TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
04/01/16 11:58:06PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - April 2, 1950


Stock Car Racing History


The newly renamed Grand National division arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina for a 200-lap race at the 3/4-mile New Charlotte Speedway on April 2, 1950. The race was promoted by NASCAR President, Bill France Sr.

The race was the second of the 1950 season and the first since [ Harold Kite won the Daytona beach and road course race  ] in February.

Red Byron was named as the early favorite by some...

...while others wondered if Glenn Dunaway could return to New Charlotte to snag a win after being DQ'd at the track a year earlier in the first ever NASCAR Strictly Stock race.

Lee Petty wasn't expected to race at Charlotte because of a cast he had on his hand. Coincidentally, Richard Petty had to [ miss a couple of races  ] around the same time of year in 1966 because of a cast on HIS hand. Despite his injury, Papa Lee DID show up at Charlotte and race.

Red Byron won the pole and led 42 laps early in the race. Unlike the predictions, however, Byron couldn't hold the lead and eventually finished fourth, four laps down to the winner.

Second place qualifier, Bob Flock, led the first five laps. He finished the race in the same sot he started it - second, the only other car on the lead lap as the winner.

Bob's brother Tim was the class of the field in his #21 1949 Lincoln. He led 153 of the race's 200 laps and claimed his first career NASCAR GN win. The Mercury was fielded by car owner - Harold Kite. It's probable the car Flock raced to the win on the short-track at Charlotte was the same Lincoln Kite raced to the win in Daytona.

Fin Driver Car
1 Tim Flock '49 Lincoln
2 Bob Flock '49 Oldsmobile
3 Clyde Minter '50 Mercury
4 Red Byron '50 Oldsmobile
5 Bill Snowden '49 Buick
6 Glenn Dunaway '49 Plymouth
7 Jack White '49 Mercury
8 Fred Johnson '49 Ford
9 Herb Thomas '47 Ford
10 Huey Dunn '49 Oldsmobile
11 Frank Mundy '49 Oldsmobile
12 Bob Apperson '49 Ford
13 Bill Rexford '50 Oldsmobile
14 Lloyd Moore '49 Lincoln
15 Curtis Turner '50 Oldsmobile
16 Cotton Owens '50 Ford
17 June Cleveland '48 Buick
18 Lee Petty '49 Plymouth
19 Bill Blair '49 Cadillac
20 Bill Harrison '49 Lincoln
21 Fonty Flock '47 Buick
22 Buck Baker '50 Ford
23 Jim Paschal '49 Ford
24 Ray Erickson '48 Mercury
25 Buddy Helms '47 Hudson

updated by @tmc-chase: 03/30/17 02:24:28PM
TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
03/28/16 09:57:38AM
4,073 posts

Pete Corey and the Fonda Speedway fan.


Stock Car Racing History

Not sure how many news clippings you've saved from back then - or are interested in today. But I spotted several with just a quick search of old newspapers at FultonHistory.com. The archive includes many NY newspapers from the 1950s.

http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
03/28/16 09:50:58AM
4,073 posts

Pete Corey and the Fonda Speedway fan.


Stock Car Racing History

Cool post. Not familiar with Pete. But I can relate to finding a larger-than-life, racing hero at a young age.

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
03/28/16 01:02:26PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - March 28, 1982


Stock Car Racing History

Diane Teel's 14 year-old (at the time) granddaugher - Macy Causey - races late models. Last fall, she practiced for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville. Her goal was to qualify for the race and become the first grandmother-granddaughter combo to have raced at the track. She wasn't quick enough in qualifying unfortunately, and she missed the show.

From Martinsville's website:

https://www.martinsvillespeedway.com/Articles/2015/09/Macy-Causey.aspx

Causey Following In Grandma's Tire Tracks

Like many drivers, Macy Causey was born into a racing family. Unlike many drivers, that family consists of a matriarch instead of a patriarch.

Causey, 14, is attempting to make the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on October 4 at Martinsville Speedway. If she is successful in starting the race she will be following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Diane Teel.

In 1982 Teel became the first female to ever start a (now) Xfinity Series race, when she started the Dogwood 500 at Martinsville Speedway. She finished 29 th , ahead of names like Tommy Ellis and Phil Parsons.

Now, 33 years later, her granddaughter will attempt to start a race, the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on October 4, on the same track. If Causey is successful they will become the first grandmother/granddaughter combination to start races at the famous half-mile speedway.

It means a lot to me, but it also means a lot to her, Causey said. Me being a third-generation, its really cool. Theres not many of them, especially female.

One benefit to having a grandmother who raced at Martinsville is that the track hasnt changed much in the time between generations, giving Causey someone to turn to for advice.

She told me what she has done here and just guided me, Causey said. The braking was the main thing.

Martinsville Speedway is no stranger to family ties. Current Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell is the grandson of track founder H. Clay Earles and last fall Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Goodys Headache Relief Shot 500, 57 years after his grandfather, Ralph Earnhardt, made his first Martinsville start.

I remember when Diane Teel made her first start here, Campbell said. To look out there now and see her granddaughter on the same track is pretty neat.

For Causey, the goal for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is simple.

At the least, make the race, Causey said. If I do, then bring it home in one piece.

The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is on October 4 at Martinsville Speedway. The race is NASCARs biggest, richest and most prestigious Late Model Stock Car race, with a total purse of $100,000 and a $25,000 payday for the winner.

The day consists of three 25 lap heat races, a 25 lap last chance race and the 200 lap feature. Racing action starts at noon.

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
03/27/16 07:56:37PM
4,073 posts

Racing History Minute - March 28, 1982


Stock Car Racing History


NASCAR's long running late model sportsman division was significantly revamped beginning in 1982. Gone was the LMS moniker and boocoodle of races. In its place was a shortened schedule and a re-branding as the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Division.

Despite the dramatic changes to the series, one constant remained on the schedule - the Dogwood 500 at Martinsville. The 1982 edition of the LMS / modified races was scheduled for March 21, 1982 - the same day Cup raced in Atlanta.

Qualifying was held, and Geoff Bodine won the pole for both races. Bodine won the 1981 LMS half of the Dogwood twins. He was looking to accomplish what only one driver had done in the Dogwood 500 - win both races from the pole. Ray Hendrick turned that trick in 1970. Paul Radford won both races in 1977, but he didn't start from the pole in either of them. [ Dave Fulton RHM ]

From  Motor Racing Programme Covers

On race day, however, rain arrived. The race was postponed one week to March 28 - the same day Cup raced at Rockingham.

In 2015, Martinsville recognized Diane Teel as the first woman to start an Xfini ... err, Nationwi ... um Busc ... I mean BUDWEISER LMS race. Just about every website and article will quote the same "fact".

In the most literal sense, Teel was the first female to start a race in the newly rebranded series. But in my opinion, they slight her accomplishment by ignoring the fact she also raced in the Dogwood 500 a year earlier - BEFORE Anheuser-Busch's money arrived. NASCAR still seems to struggle with how to adapt pre-1982 LMS stats into the post-1981 era. (Another example, it is frequently stated Dale Earnhardt won the first Xfinity Series race. Again, true on some levels - but wrong on many others.)

The opening 250 lap LMS race included some tremendous and expected racing action.

From  Getty Images

The race came down to a great battle between Sam Ard and Butch Lindley. Ard got the win after nipping Lindley at the line.

From  Getty Images

New York hot shoe Greg Sacks captured the closing 250-lap modified race. As with Ard's close win, Sacks had to defeat perhaps the greatest modified driver - Richie Evans. Sacks led much of the last 50 laps, but Evans kept him honest until the checkered flag fell.

Looking back, it seemed NASCAR, Anheuser, the tracks, owners, drivers, TV, etc. had a pretty good idea. Reform the series into a contemporary format - yet keep many of the traditional elements. But...that concept wasn't sustained.

As it turned out, the 1982 Dogwood 500 was the final one. In 1983, only the LMS (later renamed Busch Grand National) cars returned for the spring race. The modifieds ran occasionally but not as a spring pairing with the Busch race. The twice-annual LMS races at Martinsville were reduced to a single Busch race at track. Then following the 1994 season, the race was dropped from Martinsville's schedule altogether.


updated by @tmc-chase: 03/26/17 01:47:23PM
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