Referencing the famed 1963 Ray Fox built #3 "Mystery Chevy" wheeled by Junior Johnson, the Kingsport (TN) Post in it's July 22, 1971 preview story of the upcoming Atlanta Dixie 500, compared that ride to the new #3 white 1971 "Shade Tree Chevy" Monte Carlo financed by Richard Howard and entered by Junior for Chargin' Charlie Glotzbach:
Tim, I hadn't thought about it being the anniversary of Elvis' passing. Like many others of our generation, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I had just left the Blue Bell, Inc. / Wrangler Jeans Division HQ in Wilson, NC that hot August afternoon and turned onto U.S. Highway 301 South. As soon as I turned on the car radio, the station was playing non-stop Elvis tunes as a tribute.
I've watched the tape of the Live Hawaii satellite concert by Elvis twice this month as a fundraiser on two different PBS stations. Hard for our current generation to understand, but that concert by music's "King" was the first event televised live around the world by satellite.
Chase... I wonder if they also might have run the modifieds or some other division(s) that night to make a total of 300 laps of racing? The ad also states, "FIRST Race at 8:30 p.m."
Below, Richard later paid another visit to Roanoke.... at the Roanoke Dragway as captured in the photo from Brian Katen's book Full Throtle documenting the history of auto racing in Virginia.
Thanks, Chase.
Pole sitter Jack Smith's #47 Pontiac leads the #42 Plymouth of outside pole sitter Richard Petty on Wednesday night, August 15, 1962 on the quarter mile Starkey Speedway in Roanoke, Virginia as posted by unknown photographer at Photobucket.
What a wonderful report, Jimmy!
Say "HI!" to the Statler Brothers as you leave Staunton.
My older daughter, son-in-law and youngest grandson passed close to you Wednesday morning. Driving from Charlotte to Philadelphia via I-81 through Virginia they called at 9:00 a.m. and said they were passing Natural Bridge looking at a sign for Luray Caverns!
Ken's Federated folks are the primary sponsor of the September Richmond Cup race.
Chase, you've certainly gleaned some wonderful stuff perusing the Rochester newspaper microfilm. Thanks for taking up that challenge and sharing the results.
My racing hero, JT Putney , made the second of three 1965 starts in Wayne Smith's #38 Chevy at Augusta. The first came at Shelby and the last 4 days after Augusta at Columbia.
Putney's results in his 3 outings in the underpowered Wayne Smith Chevy were dismal compared to his 24 top-10 finishes and 10 top-5 finishes in 37 other 1965 Grand National events, mostly wheeling Herman "The Turtle" Beam's #19 Chevy.
J.T. Putney - NASCAR Photo
Thanks for today's "Minute" and for the anecdote of taking the lead at Augusta in 1969 from the 4th starting position in just your 2nd outing. Good stuff!
and a story earlier this year about the Ona, WV track opening for its 50th Anniversary:
Ona Speedway prepares to open for 50th season
May 19, 2013 @ 12:30 AM
RICK McCANN
The Herald-Dispatch
ONA -- Ona Speedway, the 7/16-mile asphalt oval where NASCAR legends such as Richard Petty once raced, opens Saturday, May 25, for its 50-year anniversary season.
West Virginia's only asphalt stock car track first opened on the weekend of Aug. 17-18, 1963 with the Mountaineer 300 on the NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) circuit. Petty, Ned Jarrett, 1963 series champion Joe Weatherly and the race winner, Fred Lorenzen, put on a show for a crowd estimated at 16,000 spectators.
David Pearson, Benny Parsons, Gary Bettenhausen, Donnie Allison, Buck Baker and Junior Johnson also raced at Ona.
"When this place was built it was part of the fully sanctioned NASCAR circuit," said Steve Chapman, a volunteer doing public relations work for the speedway.
Ona Speedway's new manager, David Hughes of Hughes Motorsports, and a lot of volunteers have been working to get the facility in shape.
Chapman said people are helping because they want to see the speedway be successful. They've been busy with such things as mowing, painting, power washing seats, replacing roofs on buildings and pouring concrete to fix some erosion under the track.
"The place is 50 years old and needs some tender loving care," he said.
A "soft opening" was held Saturday with drivers on the track for practice, Chapman said.
Stock car classes racing at Ona Speedway this year are Any Car (6 cylinder), U-Car (4 cylinder), Hobby Stock, Classic Car, Elite Modified, Late Model and Sport Mod. The car count across all division is up to about 80 with the bulk of those (35) in the U-Car class, a beginner's venture that's the least expensive.
The season opener is Vernon Craddock Memorial Race Night. Craddock was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the Korean conflict, real estate developer and NASCAR fan from Barboursville. He passed away in January 2012.
Fan gates open 5 p.m. Racing begins 7 p.m.
Grandstand admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children age 11-17 and free for kids age 10 and younger. Pit admission is $20 for adults and $18 for children age 11-17. All-Access passes (grandstand and pits) are $30 for adults, $20 for children age 11-17 and free for kids age 10 and younger.
ARCA Series Truck Racing comes to Ona on June 15 featuring Bobby Dale Earnhardt of Charleston, the oldest grandson of the late Dale Earnhardt.
Ona Speedway can accommodate crowds of about 4,000 spectators, Chapman said. Parking is free. Concessions including BBQ sandwiches from AJ's Pig Pickin in Ona are available.
Beer isn't sold at the races. "The promoter said he doesn't know if it's the right thing economically, but it's the right thing for the families," Chapman said.
For information about racing at Ona Speedway check the website, www.hughes-motorsports.com .
