My apologies, Chase. I picked the same race to the Minute today. I should have realized you would post it because Paschal won. I guess I was rushing to get things done before church. I am sorry and I'll try not to let it happen again.
Billy, thank you for adding this to the Minute. What a wonderful story and the picture makes an impression. It is a wonderful thing to have these first hand memories of such wonderful times. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The more I explore this historic record of NASCAR, the more I learn and the more I appreciate what these pioneers did to build this sport. I rely heavily on Greg Fielden's "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing" which is, for Grand National (Cup) racing, as good a record as has ever been put together for the race fan. I hope what we are doing here on RacersReunion further extends the reach of what Greg has done.
Today we are going to the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Speedway, a half-mile dirt track located in Oklahoma City, OK. Only 12 cars showed up to run the 100 miles/200 laps. Speedy Thompson put his Kiekhaefer Dodge on the pole with a speed of 64.655 mph. Lee Petty would start second in a Dodge, Ralph Moody third in a Ford, Herb Thomas fourth in a Chevy, and Fireball Roberts fifth in a Ford.
Speedy Thompson would take the lead from the pole and hold on to first place until lap 25 when his Dodge experienced engine problems and he was finished for the day. With Speedy's departure, Lee Petty assumed the lead in his Dodge and steadily paced the field from lap 26 to lap 193 when the differential in his Dodge let him down, 7 laps short of the win. It was then that Jim Paschal, who had finished second on six occassions during the 1956 season, had finally bagged his first win of 1956. Jim finished the caution free race at an average speed of 60.100 mph.
The crowd of some 7,500 were surprised when the dominant Petty fell out so close to the end of the race but were nevertheless pleased to see Jim Paschal finally win in the 36th race of the 1956 season.
Top five finishers were:
1. Jim Paschal, C. U. Later Alligator Mercury, winning $850.00
2. Ralph Moody, Pete DePaolo Ford, winning $625.00
3. Fireball Roberts, Pete DePaolo Ford, winning $450.00
4. Herb Thomas, Thomas Chevrolet, winning $350.00
5. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Dodge, winning $310.00
Sixth through ten were Bill Moore, Johnny Allen, Angie Howerton, Buck Baker, and Blackie Pitt. Speedy Thompson was 11th and Jack Zink was 12th.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
As promised from yesterday, we are covering part two of Ned Jarrett's entry into Grand National racing while attempting to avoid a charge of issuing a bad check. The background, in case you missed yesterday's minute, is that Ned wrote a check in the amount of $2,000.00 AFTER the banks closed for the weekend. He wrote the check to purchase a used 1957 Ford racecar with which he hoped to parlay his two National Championships in the Late Model Sports Division into a full time Grand National ride. He plan was simple. Win Saturday night at Rambi Raceway in Myrtle Beach,SC then win Sunday in Charlotte, NC, each race paying $800.00 to win. With that plan carefully drawnout, all Ned needed was to beat the other guys to the checkered flag.
On Saturday night at Rambi Raceway, Ned did prevail, after a late race scare from a charging Jim Paschal. However, when Ned got out of the car at the end of the race, his hands were bloody pulps, having been cut to pieces by the tape of the steering wheels. For those who may not know, many drivers wrapped the stock, slick, steering wheels with electrical tape, or other race, to give a better grip. Ned's tape was wrapped in such a way that the edges were cutting into his hands in every turn for 200 laps on the half-mile Rambi track. This was long before the days of the gloves now worn by all the drivers, just bare skin of the hands against the wheel. In short, Ned's hands were so cut up he could barely hold the steering wheel, but he headed out to Charlotte after the Myrtle Beach race.
Ned would qualify for 10th starting position for the Charlotte race, another half-mile dirt track. Bob Welborn put his Chevrolet on the pole with Lee Petty in his Plymouth starting second. Third place starter was Buck Baker in a Chevrolet, fourth place was Joe Eubanks in a Ford,and fifth place was Jim Pashcal in a Chevrolet.
When the green flag fell, Ned began a battle with his hands to stay in the race. The pain was unbearable and Ned knew he was going to have to get out of the car. That would leave him with far less money than he was going to need to make that $2,000.00 check good on Monday morning. Lil Joe Weatherly, who was actually at the race as a spectator only, came to the rescue and jumped in Ned's car and ran about 50 laps, but keeping the car in contention for a good finish. On lap 76, Junior Johnson, who had left the race with a blown engine in his car, jumped in Ned's car, a car Junior had raced for two years previously, and literally "stomped" the field to bring Ned's racer home in first place,a little more than one lap ahead of second place finisher, Jim Paschal. It was the second time in two days Jim finished second to that car.
As Ned has often told the story, he felt compelled to pay Joe and Junior for their part in winning the race, but both drivers declined payment. The $800.00 first prize at Charlotte, with the $800.00 first prize at Rambi, gave Ned $1,600.00 (see, I can add, thanks to my handy calculator). Ned only says that he was able to "raise the other $400.00 (see that math again) to deposit a total of $2,000.00 on Monday morning so his check would clear.
So, as Hollywood scripted as that start in Grand National racing sounds, that is now the sport gained Ned Jarrett, who would compete through 1967 and win two National Championships, 1961 and 1965. Ned would go on to become one of the most respected and talented announcers in the broadcast booth as television moved into NASCAR coverage. He is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the RacersReunion Hall of Fame (we inducted him before NASCAR), as well as several other honors, all deserved. "Gentleman" Ned Jarrett is an adequate description of this pioneer in the sport, but it falls far short of complimenting the man for all he is today and all he was to racing.
Top five finishers were:
1. Ned Jarrett, Jarrett Ford, winning $800.00
2. Jim Paschal, Chevrolet, winning $525.00
3. Bob Welborn, Welborn Chevrolet, winning $350.00
4. Tommy Irwin, Irwin Ford, winning$250.00
5. Larry Frank, Carolina Plating Chevrolet, winning $225.00
Sixth through tenth were Harlan Richardson, Joe Halton, Herman Beam, Joe Eubanks and L.D. Austin. Buck Baker finished 13th, Fred Harb 14th, and Tiny Lund 15th. Lee Pettywas credited with 18th, Bobby Keck 19th, Richard Petty 20th and Buddy Baker 21st. Earl Moss was 24th, and Junior Johnson was credited with 25th position when his Wood Brothers Ford was parked with a blown engine, a very advantageous circumstance for Ned Jarrett. G. C.Spencer is credited with 28th and Cotton Owens29th and final position.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
Oh, and I was NOT at this race. Uncle Bobby and I had beenin Greenville-Pickens for the Friday night race and, as I recall, it was the wee hours of the morning before we got home Saturday so we did not attempt the Myrtle Beach trip, which, in those days, was about a four hour trip as there were only two-lane highways going there and more small towns with Barney Fife traffic cops on the way than my Uncle cared to deal with.
Well, let's see here. Connection of this Minute to RacersReunion (far afield though it may be).
1. RacersReunion Headquarters are in Mytle Beach, SC where today's Minute takes place.
2. Ned Jarrett is a member of the RacersReunion Hall of Fame located in Memory Lane Museum in Mooresville, NC.
3. Rambi Raceway still exists in a different unfiguration and under another name (Myrtle Beach Speedway).
Further, perhaps I should entitle this Minute as "Part One of Ned Jarrett's Grand National Career".
Twenty-seven entries qualified for starting positions for this Saturday race on the half-mile dirt track. Bob Welborn put his 1959 Chevrolet on the pole with Lee Petty in a Plymouth in second. Third was Joe Weatherly and fourth was Earl Moss. John Dodd, Sr. would start fifth. Starting ninth was Ned Jarrett who was guilty of writing a "bad check" otherwise known as writing a check without funds in the bank to cover it. You see, Ned, a Late Model Sportsman champion had been trying to get a ride in the top tier series of NASCARs with no success. He found a 1957 Ford for sale for $2,000.00 and wrote a check for that amount AFTER the banks closed on Friday. Ned's rationale was that there were two races over the weekend, each paying a good purse (by those days standards) to win, so he was going to win both of them and have the prize money in the bank first thing Monday morning so the check would clear. What could have been one of the most foolish moves to ever start a career in racing turned out to be a wonderful thing for race fans as Ned would go one to win two championships and tons of fans. But, for now, back to the race for this Minute.
Bob Welborn had qualified at 66.47 mph which, on the Rambi Raceway track was, as my granddaughter in New Hampshire would say, is"wicked fast". Although my reference resourse does not list lap-by-lap leaders, it is a safe bet to believe Welborn maintained the lead for the five laps he was in the race. He parked it on lap 5 with what is listed as "fuel tank" problems. Not sure what happened there unless the tank fell off.
Larry Flynn crashed on lap 42 bringing out the caution as Ned worked his way towards the front. On lap 171, Cotton Owens crashed and was out. At this point,, Ned had worked his way into the lead and when the green flag flew again, he had only 27 laps to keep Jim Paschal behind him so he could win the $800.00 first place money. Ned watched his mirror as Paschal was right there! Trying on the inside, then outside, determined to his Chevrolet in front of the Ford Jarrett was driving. On the final lap, running second to Jarrett, the wheel bearing on Paschals car "burned out" and that left Jarrett to cruise to one lap win. He was on his way to the money needed to cover that check, but still $1,200.00 short. But, the division was racing in Charlotte the next day and the $800.00 from that race would put Ned within range of making the check good. But, there were problems! As Ned was celebrating his victory at Rambi Raceway, he was facing a problem which would hamper him in the Charlotte Race. But we'll cover that in tomorrow's Minute.
Top five finishers were:
1. Ned Jarrett, Jarrett Ford, winning $800.00
2. Jim Paschal, Paschal Chevrolet, winning $525.00
3. Tommy Irwin, Irwin Ford, winning $350.00
4. Glen Wood, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $250.00
5. Joe Weatherly, Delta Auto Sales T-Bird, winning $225.00
Sixth through tenth were Lee Petty, John Dodd, Sr., Roy Tyner, Earl Moss and Harlan Richardson. Buddy Baker finished 11th, G. C.Spencer 12th, Neil Castles 13th with Cotton Owens 19th and Buck Baker 20th. Curtis Crider finished 21st, Speedy Thompson 22nd, Fred Harb 25th, Bob Welborn 26th, and the 27th and final positon went to Richard Petty who went out on lap 4 with a failed ball joint on his 1957 Oldsmobile.
I hope you'll come back tomorrow to see Ned Jarrett try to overcome the problem from this Rambi race to try and win at Charlotte with the hopes of making his "bad" check a good check.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
Thanks, Dave. I had not seen this although apparently it was on our local news last night. Ann and I went to the Wednesday night church supper, as we always do, and I was absolutely blown away by what happened. Everyone at church knows about my connection with racing and our previous pastor, who moved last year, would sometimes put something I wrote for RR on the church bulletin board. I drive the van for the church hiking group most times because the guy in charge of the group likes to tell everyone I'm "a former NASCAR driver". Last night, when Ann and I walked in, a couple who usually remain somewhat aloof, had seen the short video on the news and racing was all they wanted to talk about last night. That couple, who only considered golf and college football as sports, and neither of whom had ever acknowledged stock car racing in any way, were suddenly full of questions about the sport. By the time supper was over, there were several folks joining in the "racing conversation". Wasn't quite the bench racing of our RR get-togethers, but was very enjoyable.
Chase, I think Uncle Bobby would be impressed by all of those pictures you just posted. He is NOT an old grumpy man. He is just someone who knows what he likes and what he doesn't like and he doesn't mind expressing it. Maybe that's where I got my outspokeness from????? If you want a real opinion that you can't print anywhere, ask him about our current President. Or the current Congress.
Well, well. I didn't know about the book coming out, but I hope to get my hands on a copy. Probably next time I'm at Memory Lane Museum in Mooresville. Alex Beam keeps his shop stocked with racing books. I love to browse there. Last time I was there, he even had "The Best Damn Garage in Town" so I finally got a copy. Haven't had time to read it yet, but I'm hoping soon.
As for the convertible race in 1959, Uncle Bobby and I were there. If you remember, Richard Petty had just won at Columbia Speedway in a convertible a week or so before this race but Uncle Bobby still wasn't impressed with the younger Petty. He was a Lee Petty fan through and through. When I visit with him these days we still talk about things like that. Uncle Bobby never comes out and admits he was flat-out wrong, but he does now at least allow that Richard accomplished alot. He wasn't impressed with Elvis too much at first either!
It was 1963 before I made my first trip to Atlanta but I listened to this first race on the radio as I recall. Starting in 1963, I was in Atlanta for both races every year except 1967 when the Navy had other plans for my travel itenerary. i quit going in the mid eighties because Ann and I had one kid in college and another about to go. Travel to places like Atlanta was limited. I loved the track in the previous configuration as I thought the side-by-side racing in those half-mile long, sweeping turns was always good. Not so much impressed with this Bruton Smith "original", but I still always watch. Atlanta usually provides good racing.
The pictures included with this post are awesome. I love seeing those older cars sitting on the line! And, I had to admit, I love those 1960 Petty Plymouths. Always did.
