Prayers for Jim Massey
Stock Car Racing History
Oh my. Hate to hear that. Please keep updates coming Laverne - on the site or thru direct messages.
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Stock Car Racing History
Racing History Minute - August 14, 1960
Stock Car Racing History
The GN teams rolled into Weaverville, NC for the annual Western North Carolina 500 to be held on Sunday, August 14, 1960. As the local folks anticipated the race, the forecast for Saturday's qualifying wasn't a good one.
But ... as it turned out ... qualifying was held right on schedule. Jack Smith won the pole, and Rex White qualified alongside him. Johnny Beauchamp timed third, and it turned out to be the final top 5 starting spot of his brief career. Glen Wood and Jim Paschal in the Petty Engineering #44 Plymouth rounded out the top 5 starters.
Smith took advantage of his fast run in time trials to lead the first four laps. But that was it. He hung around all day, but he'd never see the full field in his rear view mirror the rest of the afternoon again.
Seventh place starter, Bobby Johns, then took over. Johns led the next 166 laps of the 500-lap affair. Paschal, Johns and Rex White then traded the lead over the next 30 laps. At that point, Tiger Tom Pistone let the field know he was in the show. He led for 111 laps to take the race to just past the 300 lap mark.
Tiger gave up the lead to Richard Petty for about 50 laps, but he then grabbed it back to lead another 29 lap hitch. But after leading 140 laps, Tiger's engine quit purring. A faulty power plant eventually doomed Pistone to a P12 DNF, 112 laps behind the winner.
Possum Jones had a career day. He nabbed his second of five career Top 5s - four of which came in 1960. He didn't lead any laps at A-W, but he did finish 2nd albeit 4 laps down to the winner. - Getty
Marvin Panch had a rotten day. He qualified 30th, lasted only 11 laps, exited with engine issues, and left Weaverville with a 33rd place finish - one spot short of being dead last. - Getty
Paschal wasn't much of a factor. He qualified well - led a few laps - had pit service from The Chief - but that was about it. He finished 22nd with a DNF after losing the rear-end in his Plymouth, the lowest finisher of the 3 Petty cars. - Getty
With Bobby Johns showing his hand early and Tiger having engine issues, Rex White declared carpe diem - seize the day. He took the lead from Tiger with about 120 to go and led the rest of the way.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Rex White | '60 Chevrolet |
| 2 | Possum Jones | '60 Chevrolet |
| 3 | Emanuel Zervakis | '60 Chevrolet |
| 4 | Bobby Johns | '60 Pontiac |
| 5 | Jack Smith | '60 Pontiac |
| 6 | Glen Wood | '59 Ford |
| 7 | L.D. Austin | '58 Chevrolet |
| 8 | Lee Petty | '60 Plymouth |
| 9 | Curtis Crider | '58 Ford |
| 10 | Paul Lewis | '60 Chevrolet |
| 11 | Wilbur Rakestraw | '60 Ford |
| 12 | Tom Pistone | '60 Chevrolet |
| 13 | Ned Jarrett | '60 Ford |
| 14 | Fred Harb | '58 Ford |
| 15 | Richard Petty | '60 Plymouth |
| 16 | Herman Beam | '60 Ford |
| 17 | G.C. Spencer | '58 Chevrolet |
| 18 | Neil Castles | '58 Ford |
| 19 | Joe Lee Johnson | '60 Chevrolet |
| 20 | Johnny Beauchamp | '60 Chevrolet |
| 21 | Gerald Duke | '59 T-Bird |
| 22 | Jim Paschal | '60 Plymouth |
| 23 | Doug Yates | '59 Plymouth |
| 24 | Jimmy Pardue | '60 Dodge |
| 25 | Roz Howard | '60 Chevrolet |
| 26 | Banjo Matthews | '60 Ford |
| 27 | Buck Baker | '60 Chevrolet |
| 28 | Buddy Baker | '60 Ford |
| 29 | Harvey Hege | '58 Ford |
| 30 | Junior Johnson | '60 Chevrolet |
| 31 | Chuck Tombs | '59 Chevrolet |
| 32 | Roy Tyner | '60 Ford |
| 33 | Marvin Panch | '60 Ford |
| 34 | E.J. Trivette | '59 Dodge |
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - August 14, 1955
Stock Car Racing History
In early summer 1955, the Grand National drivers drove a bit past Memphis, TN through West Memphis, AK to Lehi, AK for the 2nd GN race at Memphis-Arkansas Speedway. The Mid-South 250 was slated for Sunday, June 5th.
But ... rain got in the way. The teams shrugged their shoulders, headed back east, and had to return later that month for a second try.
After racing at Charlotte's Southern States Fairgrounds on Friday, June 24th, the drivers and mechanics humped it to Lehi for another shot at the race at Memphis-Arkansas on Sunday, June 26th..
The drive to/fro and the result, however, were the same as in early June - a wasted drive and rain. The race was moved to a THIRD date: August 14th. FINALLY, disproving the axiom that bad things come in threes, the race was held in mid-August.
The Flock brothers - Fonty and Tim - nabbed the front row in a pair of Carl Kiekaefer Chryslers. Buck Baker and Billy Carden comprised the second row in a pair of 1955 Buicks. Jim Paschal rounded out the top 5 in an Oldsmobile.
Fonty got the early jump and paced the race for the first 17 laps of the 167-lap race around the 1.5 mile dirt track. Tim Flock then took the lead from his brother and led the next 80 laps - or just about that many.
Brother Fonty decided he might just as well head back to where the view was best. He took the lead back on lap 97 and led the remaining 71 laps to grab the 17th of his 19-win GN career.
Fonty didn't make it easy on himself. With about 20 to go, Tim pushed his fuel load too far and ran out of gas. Fonty slowed, pushed is brother towards the pits and then resumed his speed without losing the lead. He then blew a tire with a lap or two to go and ran the final lap on one of his rims.
Speedy Thompson finished second to Fonty - the only other car on the lead lap. Tim faded back to third after his late-race pit stop, two laps down to the top two finishers.
In an odd twist of fate, the same scenario fell upon Memphis-Arkansas. Qualifying and the race were rained out not just once - but TWICE - just as happened in 1955. [ Tim Leeming's RHM ]
The twice delayed GN race impacted a local one in Rock Hill, SC. Promoter Bruton Smith had to cancel the race because of a low car count. Three expected cars and drivers he was expecting made the trip to LeHi for the GN event.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Fonty Flock | '55 Chrysler |
| 2 | Speedy Thompson | '54 Oldsmobile |
| 3 | Tim Flock | '55 Chrysler |
| 4 | Jim Paschal | '55 Oldsmobile |
| 5 | Buck Baker | '55 Buick |
| 6 | Bob Welborn | '55 Chevrolet |
| 7 | Junior Johnson | '55 Oldsmobile |
| 8 | Slick Smith | '55 Chevrolet |
| 9 | Jimmy Ayers | '55 Ford |
| 10 | Ken Johns | '55 Chevrolet |
| 11 | Dave Terrell | '55 Oldsmobile |
| 12 | Eddie Skinner | '53 Oldsmobile |
| 13 | Joe Guide | '53 Hudson |
| 14 | Herb Thomas | '55 Chevrolet |
| 15 | Ted Cannady | '53 Ford |
| 16 | Banks Simpson | '55 Buick |
| 17 | Gene Simpson | '55 Buick |
| 18 | Al Watkins | '54 Dodge |
| 19 | Lee Petty | '55 Dodge |
| 20 | Rosco Rann | '54 Chrysler |
| 21 | Jimmie Lewallen | '55 Oldsmobile |
| 22 | Jim McLain | '55 Oldsmobile |
| 23 | Hooker Hood | '54 Oldsmobile |
| 24 | Jack Hubbard | '55 Ford |
| 25 | Harold Kite | '55 Oldsmobile |
| 26 | Woodie Wilson | '53 Hudson |
| 27 | Billy Carden | '55 Buick |
| 28 | Gordon Smith | '55 Chevrolet |
| 29 | Gwyn Staley | '55 Cadillac |
updated by @tmc-chase: 08/14/17 10:53:51AM
News re: Benny Ertel
Current NASCAR
Got news today via Tiger Tom that Benny Ertel has been hit with cancer. I'm unsure what kind, where he is with it or the prognosis.
Benny handled the business affairs over the years for several including Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin.
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
Racing History Minute - August 11, 1957
Stock Car Racing History
The night BEFORE the Martinsville race, a regular slate of races was held at Bowman Gray Stadium. In addition to the night's races, the track held the 2nd annual Miss Bowman Gray Stadium competition. The winner was to get an expenses-paid trip to Daytona Beach for the Miss NASCAR contest. The 1957 winner would take the crown from the 1956 MIss Bowman Gray Stadium, Betty Jane Zachary.
I'm not sure how Betty Jane fared in her participation in the Miss NASCAR contest. But she did end up staying in Daytona Beach for a good long while - as the wife of Bill France Jr.
(Click article to open larger version in new tab.)
Ad for July 21, 1956 Bowman Gray racing + 1st annual Miss Bowman Gray Stadium
Ad for August 10, 1957 racing + 2nd annual Miss BGS
Betty Jane serving in one of her last roles as 1956 Miss BGS
updated by @tmc-chase: 08/11/17 09:23:33AM
Racing History Minute - August 11, 1957
Stock Car Racing History
As NASCAR's convertible division headed through turns 3 and 4 of its 1957 36-race schedule, the ragtops raced back to back times in the commonwealth of Virginia during early August. Portland, Oregon's Bill Amick won in Norfolk on August 6 and backed up his win from 4 days earlier in Raleigh, NC.The drivers rolled into Martinsville for the second annual Old Dominion 500 on August 11, 1957 with Amick hoping to threepeat.
Clay Earles and Bill France arranged a pretty sweet promotion for a lucky fan. A 1957 Oldsmobile Delta 88 was to be given away - one that apparently looked about like this one. - Getty
Amick got off to a good start. He won the pole in his #97 Ford. Glen Wood made it an all FoMoCo front row as he qualified his family-supported car second. Wood's teammate Jimmy Massey and eventual season champion Bob Welborn made up the second row. Joe Weatherly rounded out the top 5 starters.
Of particular interest to Dave Fulton perhaps, Ray Hendrick qualified 10th in what turned out to be the last of his three career starts in the convertible division - all in 1957 - and all in that early August period of Raleigh, Norfolk and Martinsville.
The field consisted of 35 cars. At the time, it was the largest field in the two-year history of the convertible division. Over its remaining two years, the only races that topped it were 36-car shows at Martinsville in 1958 and 1959 and at Charlotte's fairgrounds in 1959.
The day was apparently a brutally hot summer day. Despite the cars running without roofs, at least six drivers had to be treated for heat exhaustion.
The cars line up 2x2 on the pace lap as they await the green flag. - Getty
At the start, Wood got the jump from his outside, front row starting spot. He led the first 17 laps. His engine suddenly let go, and the famed 21 car was done for the day. The 2nd place starter went home with a 35th place and dead last finish.
Pic of Wood leading early followed by Bill Amick and Bob Welborn. - Getty
Weatherly then took this time out front and led the field for almost 30 laps. After a pit stop miscue, Weatherly was late getting back to the action. The delay benefited the second Wood Brothers Ford of Massey who then began to assert his dominance. He led a solid 144 laps to monopolize most of the first half of the race.
Weatherly wasn't done though. He recaptured the lead at lap 190 and towed the field around for the next 37 laps.But his Holman Moody Ford started developing engine problems, and he fell out of the race after 284 laps.
Pic of Weatherly racing Welborn with Jimmy Massey trailing in #11. - Getty
The visiting West Coast Racer then reminded the field that the month of August was his. Amick grabbed the lead at 227 and proceeded as the lap bully. He was untouched the rest of the afternoon, and he indeed nabbed his third consecutive convertible win with a one-lap victory over the second place finisher.
Massey had a solid day. The winner of the first OD500 in 1956 qualified third, led almost 150 laps, but came up a lap and a position short to Amick. Dick Beaty - who'd later carve out a long career as NASCAR's chief inspector - finished third after starting 29th. The finish was his best in a career of 56 combined GN and convertible starts.
Lee Petty had a day similar to Beaty. He started 31st and rallied to finish 4th. Curtis Turner was credited with a sixth place finish but with Paul Goldsmith at the wheel. During the race, Goldsmith took over in relief for Curtis in Pop's Holman Moody Ford. Interestingly, Turner then got in GOLDSMITH's Ford and brought it home with an 11th place finish.
Hendrick finished 18th many laps down to Amick - but was still running!
A few years ago, Russ Thompson shared some remarkable color (but soundless) video from the race on YouTube.
Amick's win turned out to be his final one in GN and Convertible races. He won a GN race in Sacramento in June 1957 and then he hit the 3-race winning streak in the convertible division in August. But those were the only trophies he collected from the two series.
Race report from The Bee of Danville, VA.
Race report from The Robesonian.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Bill Amick | '57 Ford |
| 2 | Jimmy Massey | '56 Ford |
| 3 | Dick Beaty | '56 Ford |
| 4 | Lee Petty | '57 Oldsmobile |
| 5 | Jack Smith | '57 Chevrolet |
| 6 | Curtis Turner | '57 Ford |
| 7 | Possum Jones | '57 Chevrolet |
| 8 | Buck Baker | '57 Ford |
| 9 | Ken Rush | '56 Mercury |
| 10 | Larry Frank | '56 Chevrolet |
| 11 | Paul Goldsmith | '57 Ford |
| 12 | Don Gray | '56 Chevrolet |
| 13 | Bob Welborn | '57 Chevrolet |
| 14 | Roger Baldwin | '56 Ford |
| 15 | Shep Langdon | '56 Chevrolet |
| 16 | Billy Rafter | '56 Dodge |
| 17 | Bill Poor | '56 Plymouth |
| 18 | Ray Hendrick | '57 Chevrolet |
| 19 | Dave Terrell | '57 Chevrolet |
| 20 | Neil Castles | '56 Ford |
| 21 | E.J. Brewer | '56 Chevrolet |
| 22 | Raymond Carter | '56 Chevrolet |
| 23 | Ted Chamberlain | '56 Plymouth |
| 24 | Cannonball Brown | '56 Chrysler |
| 25 | Fireball Roberts | '57 Ford |
| 26 | Gwyn Staley | '57 Chevrolet |
| 27 | Joe Weatherly | '57 Ford |
| 28 | Billy Myers | '57 Mercury |
| 29 | Jim Paschal | '57 Mercury |
| 30 | James Jones | '56 Chevrolet |
| 31 | Whitey Norman | '56 Ford |
| 32 | Sherman Utsman | '56 Ford |
| 33 | Brownie King | '56 Chevrolet |
| 34 | Tiny Lund | '57 Pontiac |
| 35 | Glen Wood | '57 Ford |
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - August 8, 1958
Stock Car Racing History
DOH. Yes (1) I've learned more but (2) I feel like I'm running around making laps with these posts.
Racing History Minute - August 8, 1958
Stock Car Racing History
The convertible division drivers arrived at the dirt, half-mile Southern States Fairgrounds in Charlottefor a 200-lap, 100-mile ragtop race on Sunday, August 3, 1958. Today, I blogged about what happened upon their arrival and will excerpt part of it at RR.
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2015/08/august-8-1958-ken-rush-inherits.html
As the cars readied for qualifying, a summer shower arrived and gave the track and the fans a good soaking. Bob Welborn and Soapy Castles had already made their laps, and Fred Harb was on the track when the rain began to fall. Promoter Bruton Smith and his crew tried to run cars on the muddy surface to help pack it and ready it for racing.
The decision was made to postpone the race. No make up date was initially announced, but Bruton and NASCAR soon decided to try again on Friday the 8th. 
Curtis Turner won the pole when the drivers returned five days later. Two-time Grand National champion, Buck Baker lined up alongside Pops. Lee Petty timed third in one of his infrequent convertible division starts, and Joe Weatherly started on the outside of the second row.
Lee Petty's son, Richard, planned to run what would have been his second convertible start and fifth overall career start after racing in Grand National events at the Canadian National Exposition in Toronto, Civic Stadium in Buffalo, and Wall Stadium in New Jersey.
The day before the original date of the Charlotte convertible race, Lee raced in the first Grand National race on Bridgehampton, New York's road course. After the convertible race was postponed, Papa Lee returned home and likely told his 21 year-old son "I got this." As a result, Richard went back to servicing his dad's car in the pits.
The race was not a good one for the #42 Petty Plymouth. Problems with the rear-end relegated Lee to a 15th place DNF. The car was likely the same one (minus the hard top roof) Lee raced 24 hours earlier in a 200-lap GN race in Columbia, SC.
Turner was unable to leverage his top qualifying spot. Buck Baker got by him right away and proceeded to dominate the race. After leading 183 laps and with victory in sight, Baker broke a ball joint and lost one of his front wheels.
Ken Rush had been tooling behind Baker. Rush was driving a #44 1957 Chevrolet fielded by Julian Petty as a teammate to Bob Welborn. When Baker broke, Rush assumed the lead and led the remaining 17 laps.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Ken Rush | '57 Chevrolet |
| 2 | Larry Frank | '57 Chevrolet |
| 3 | Tiny Lund | '56 Ford |
| 4 | Fred Harb | '57 Mercury |
| 5 | Roy Tyner | '58 Plymouth |
| 6 | Whitey Norman | '57 Chevrolet |
| 7 | Joe Weatherly | '58 Ford |
| 8 | Buck Baker | '58 Chevrolet |
| 9 | Bill Poor | '56 Chevrolet |
| 10 | Harvey Hege | '57 Ford |
| 11 | Johnny Gardner | '56 Ford |
| 12 | Bob Welborn | '57 Chevrolet |
| 13 | Curtis Turner | '57 Ford |
| 14 | Tootle Estes | '58 Ford |
| 15 | Lee Petty | '57 Oldsmobile |
| 16 | Neil Castles | '56 Ford |
| 17 | Wayne Lambath | '56 Chevrolet |
| 18 | Shep Langdon | '56 Ford |
| 19 | Richard Spittle | '56 Chevrolet |
| 20 | George Dunn | '57 Mercury |
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM