Spartanburg Fairgrounds Modifieds Color Film Footage - Circa 1950
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Perry, thanks for the update! It's understandable they can't say for sure the facts on something 60+ years ago. I hope they get to enjoy the film, though.
I do have one lead on when this race was. I had suspected it could have actually been 1951 because Buck Baker supposedly bought that #87 from Buddy Shuman in late '50. Also, Bobby Williamson posted a pic of an identical #88 Frank Schneider car at Langhorne in '51.
Then I found this article of a race on Saturday March 31, 1951 -
Unfortunately the copy was bad and you can't see most of the print. And the pre-race articles were the same, but I could read just enough to see that Buck Baker, Buddy Shuman, Fonty Flock, and Cotton Owens were in the race, and Bill Holland failed to make the field with engine trouble in qualifying. I couldn't read any of the other participants because of the bad copy.
If you notice in the film, there are no leaves on the trees and people are wearing long sleeves and jackets which would indicate it was very late in the year or very early. That March 31, 1951 race was the first race of the year. There were two other races that year on July 4 won by Speedy Thompson, and October 11 won by Cotton Owens.
That very well could be the race. Can't be sure though without seeing better copies of the pre-race and post-race articles. If you could check those at the library we may be able to know a lot more.
