Looking For Information on Buck Baker's Truck Series
Stock Car Racing History
Without any additional research, I'll go out on a limb and suggest the cause of the series' failure:
Forum Activity for @tmc-chase
Stock Car Racing History
Research Says...
Stock Car Racing History
Found the race report - now curious if it was a true GN event.
Based on info we have, Lee raced the following dates near the July 7th race - all in a Plymouth:
- June 24 - Dayton, OH
- July 1 - Grand Rivers, MI
- July 8 - Bainbridge, OH
From July 9, 1951 Jamestown Post Journal
Research Says...
Stock Car Racing History
NASCAR Short Track Division race? Pretty sure that series began in 1951.
I'm learning more about promoter Ed Otto bit by bit. One trait he seemed to possess was that he focused more on pre-race press releases vs. post-race results reports. I'm guessing his philosophy was to focus on selling tickets vs. telling folks what happened.
Consequently, I'm not surprised he mentioned Lee's win to help stir up a few more sales for his race. Actually, I'd be willing to bet Otto was also the promoter at Erie.
But you've definitely given me a new research project. I've already searched Pittsburgh's 2 dailies from 1951 as well as the Toledo Blade. Next I'm going after papers from places like Buffalo, Rochester, Jamestown NY, etc.
Racing History Minute - July 28, 1963
Stock Car Racing History
The Grand National drivers migrated south to Bristol for the third Volunteer 500 on July 28, 1963. A week earlier, the cars had raced the road course in Bridgehampton, New York.
Fred Lorenzen won the pole in his #28 Holman Moody Ford. Fireball Roberts won Bristol's spring Southeastern 500 and took the outside spot on the front row for the Volunteer 500 in his #22 HM Ford. - Spartanburg Herald
On the second day of qualifying, Jim Paschal was quickest in the #42 Plymouth as a teammate to Richard Petty. G.C. Spencer had to win a 20-lap hooligan race to make the race. During a practice session on the same day as the second round of time trials, Fireball just about lost his weekend. As he attempted a high-side pass of another car, he started to spin and nicked the guardrail. He successfully righted the car and lived to see raceday - though his crew did have some body work to repair before Sunday's event.
Great crowd for the third annual Volunteer 500. - Getty Images
Lorenzen led the opening lap as the green was dropped. Junior Johnson then went from his third place starting position to the lead on lap 2 and stayed there for 160 circuits. A faulty alternator and bad battery then took its toll on Junior's Holly Farms Chevrolet. He ended up finishing 22nd, 93 laps down to the winner.
Lorenzen's car began trailing smoke from the start of the race. As it turns out, the 28 had a broken piston. Many thought the Ford's engine would blow at any time. Instead, Fast Freddy rode his steed all. day. long. As Junior faded, Lorenzen went up front and led 154 of the next 155 laps.
The one lap during that stretch he DIDN'T lead was claimed by Paschal. But right after taking the lead, Paschal hit pit road.He was suffering from heat exhaustion and needed an assist. Lee Petty took over in relief - just as he'd done in April when Paschal needed relief at Martinsville [ Racing History Minute ]. Lee spelled Paschal for about 100 laps before Jim went back into the car. Amazingly, the 42 finished 3rd just one lap down to the top two finishers - even with 2 driver changes!
The race had seven cautions. The most significant one of the day involved Fireball. Though he saved his car during Saturday's practice session, the same couldn't be said for the race itself. He popped the guardrail and went for a series of flips. Fortunately, a sprained back was his only notable injury. - from Bumpertag
From Getty Images
From Getty Images
From National Speed Sport News
With each lap Lorenzen led, the 43 of Richard Petty kept pace. The Plymouth driver hounded Lorenzen, but he couldn't (or wouldn't) make the pass. With just another 200 laps to go, the future King did get the lead - but only for 3 laps. Lorenzen retook the lead and decided he may as well keep it.
As the lap count hit 450, Petty decided it was go-time. He intensified the pressure on Lorenzen. The blue Plymouth pulled even with the white Ford - but again, simply couldn't make the pass.
The duo battled for the final 20 laps. In the end, however, Lorenzen pulled ahead of Petty by several yards to notch his first of three consecutive Bristol wins. Petty's close-but-no-cigar P2 was his first of several moral victories at Bristol.
Petty likely couldn't complain too much though. With wins at Bridgehampton a week earlier and another win at Greenville-Pickens two days later, a second place at Bristol probably wasn't viewed as all that bad an effort.
Race report from Spartanburg Herald
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Fred Lorenzen | '63 Ford |
| 2 | Richard Petty | '63 Plymouth |
| 3 | Jim Paschal | '63 Plymouth |
| 4 | Marvin Panch | '63 Ford |
| 5 | David Pearson | '63 Dodge |
| 6 | Joe Weatherly | '62 Pontiac |
| 7 | Tiny Lund | '63 Ford |
| 8 | Darel Dieringer | '63 Mercury |
| 9 | Rex White | '63 Mercury |
| 10 | Tommy Irwin | '63 Ford |
| 11 | Bobby Isaac | '63 Ford |
| 12 | Larry Thomas | '62 Dodge |
| 13 | Billy Wade | '63 Dodge |
| 14 | Cale Yarborough | '63 Ford |
| 15 | Bobby Johns | '63 Pontiac |
| 16 | Neil Castles | '62 Chrysler |
| 17 | Ed Livingston | '62 Ford |
| 18 | Reb Wickersham | '62 Pontiac |
| 19 | J.D. McDuffie | '61 Ford |
| 20 | Worth McMillion | '62 Pontiac |
| 21 | Major Melton | '61 Chrysler |
| 22 | Junior Johnson | '63 Chevrolet |
| 23 | Bobby Keck | '63 Ford |
| 24 | Jack Smith | '63 Plymouth |
| 25 | Ned Jarrett | '63 Ford |
| 26 | Mark Hurley | '63 Ford |
| 27 | Possum Jones | '62 Pontiac |
| 28 | Stick Elliott | '63 Plymouth |
| 29 | Fireball Roberts | '62 Ford |
| 30 | Jimmy Pardue | '63 Ford |
| 31 | Bunkie Blackburn | '62 Pontiac |
| 32 | Buck Baker | '63 Pontiac |
| 33 | Curtis Crider | '63 Mercury |
| 34 | Nelson Stacy | '63 Ford |
| 35 | G.C. Spencer | '62 Chevrolet |
| 36 | Chuck Huckabee | '62 Mercury |
updated by @tmc-chase: 07/28/17 09:38:07AM
Racing History Minute - July 26, 1958
Stock Car Racing History
Greg Fielden's Rumblin' Ragtops book includes a recap of the first major race at Rambi Speedway in Myrtle Beach on July 27, 1958. Problem is, the race was actually on July 26th.
Fielden likely got his info from NASCAR sources. In turn, Racing-Reference.info, UltimateRacingHistory.com, and scads of other websites who have referenced Greg's books for years continue to use July 27th as the date of the race. Because of South Carolina's blue laws, NASCAR didn't race on Sundays in that state. The convertible division race was held on Saturday night. It's likely the race ended a bit after midnight. NASCAR's scoring officials likely dated the race based on its conclusion rather than its beginning.
I blogged about the race today and wanted to share part of it on RR. Full blog post is here:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2015/07/july-26-1958-bob-welborn-wins-myrtle.html
Curtis Turner was more than just a driver in NASCAR-sanctioned races or a thorn in Bill France's side. He was also a businessman away from the track - as well as within the sport. In 1958 for instance, he and France worked together to promote races at Starkey Speedway in Roanoke, VA. However, as Greg Fielden notes in his book, Rumblin' Ragtops: The History of NASCAR's Fabulous Convertible Division :
The event at Roanoke was scrapped when Curtis Turner, who was co-promoting the event with Bill France and Alvin Hawkins, was seriously injured in a crash at the Charlotte Fairgrounds. While attempting to qualify for a July 6 Modified-Sportsman race, the throttle on Turner's Ford coupe hung open and he crashed through the guard rail. The popular driver suffered seven broken ribs in the mishap. While he was confined to his bed, Turner felt it would be best to cancel the Roanoke race. ~ p. 103
The cancellation at Starkey became an opportunity for the owners of the new track in Myrtle Beach, SC. The owners seized the opportunity to have Rambi's debut be a NASCAR convertible event to replace Turner's cancelled one. A 200-lap race was slated for Saturday night, July 26th.
Tootle Estes from Knoxville, TN started from the pole in his second of four career NASCAR convertible races - all in 1958.
Tiny Lund started on the front row with Estes. Larry Frank and Bob Welborn in Julian Petty's #49 Chevy comprised the second row. Ken Rush started 16th in the 19-car field in a second #44 Julian Petty Chevrolet. Starting shotgun on the field was a driver with one of the most unfortunate names not just in racing but life in general: Richard Spittle.
As was so often the case in 1958, Welborn was first to receive the checkered flag. The victory was Welborn's sixth convertible division win of the season and third in a row - all in Julian Petty's cars. Rush rallied from his poor starting spot to finish 4th in Julian's second car behind Lund and Frank. And poor Mr. Spittle? He finished where he started: 19th and dead last in car #0.
| Fin | Driver | Sponsor / Owner | Car |
| 1 | Bob Welborn | J.H. Petty | '57 Chevrolet |
| 2 | Tiny Lund | Don Angel | '56 Ford |
| 3 | Larry Frank | Larry Frank | '57 Chevrolet |
| 4 | Ken Rush | J.H. Petty | '57 Chevrolet |
| 5 | Doug Cox | '57 Ford | |
| 6 | Tootle Estes | Herbert Estes | '58 Ford |
| 7 | Roy Tyner | Spook Crawford | '58 Plymouth |
| 8 | Glen Wood | Wood Brothers | '57 Ford |
| 9 | Bennie Rakestraw | '57 Mercury | |
| 10 | Neil Castles | Neil Castles | '56 Ford |
| 11 | Shep Langdon | Shep Langdon | '56 Ford |
| 12 | Johnny Gardner | Johnny Gardner | '56 Ford |
| 13 | Barney Shore | Barney Shore | '57 Chevrolet |
| 14 | Fred Harb | Fred Harb | '57 Mercury |
| 15 | John Hamby | Leland Colvin | '56 Chevrolet |
| 16 | Doug Yates | '57 Chevrolet | |
| 17 | Joe Weatherly | '57 Chevrolet | |
| 18 | Brownie King | Jess Potter | '57 Chevrolet |
| 19 | Richard Spittle | '57 Chevrolet |
updated by @tmc-chase: 07/25/17 10:59:40AM
RACING HISTORY MINUTE - ON THE BEACH 1941
Stock Car Racing History
Sulphur Dell was a minor league baseball park in Nashville. The stadium lasted about 100 years, and the Nashville Vols played there about 60 years. Baseball left the Dell in 1963.
The stadium was converted to Sulphur Speedway for 1965. According to Russ Thompson, the track hosted 8 races in its only season of operation. Wasn't on an island - but was converted from a ballpark.
Kind of looks like a mini-Pocono with a space alien look from above!
RACING HISTORY MINUTE - ON THE BEACH 1941
Stock Car Racing History
Race preview for the August race from Daytona Beach Morning Journal
Lloyd Seay with Raymond Parks at the August race. - Getty Images
Race report from the Spartanburg Herald
RACING HISTORY MINUTE - ON THE BEACH 1941
Stock Car Racing History
Race preview from Daytona Beach Morning Journal for July race.
Dawsonville, Georgia's Bernard Long won the race. He raced car #9 - the same number made famous by another Dawsonville driver 40 years or so later. According to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, Long's career lasted exactly two races: one at Lakewood Speedway and his winning outing on the Daytona beach and road course. - Getty Images
Race report from Spartanburg Herald
RACING HISTORY MINUTE - ON THE BEACH 1941
Stock Car Racing History
Race report from Spartanburg Herald for the March 30th race.
I lived in Chattanooga for almost a decade and watched a handful of Lookouts games in the old Engel Stadium. The Stadium has since been replaced by a much nicer one near downtown. It's possible Joe Engel tied in his little promotional stunt with baseball's spring training. He likely traveled with his team to Daytona for some training and scrimmage games before the regular season began.
The game was played at Daytona Beach's City Island stadium. The stadium was built on a man-made island in the intracoastal waterway. A famous player who went through spring training at City Island in 1946 was Jackie Robinson.
Connecting back to the Lookouts, old Engel Stadium was used a couple of years ago for filming part of the movie 42 about the life of Robinson. The filmmakers tried to replicate the look of Brooklyn's Ebbets Field - including the Schaefer beer sign in the outfield.
