July 11th - Its 7-11 day
Stock Car Racing History
Wonderful and amazing pictures! Thanks for posting all those.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
Stock Car Racing History
I appreciate Tim Leeming's willingness to step in
General
Yes, Bill, me turning down food is an indication of the end of the world! Get your affairs in order.
I appreciate Tim Leeming's willingness to step in
General
I deeply appreciate the assistance and support I receive from Chase each day with the "Racing History Minute". I also appreciate Chase's willingness to allow me to appear in his behalf at the indiated Campaign Fundraiser Kick-off Party. However, holding the title of "The Legend" entails huge responsibilities to my fans and supporters. As such, I do not endorse political figures nor appear at political fund raising events. It is also necessary to refuse such endorsements, even for financial renumeration, as my fans and friends include those of varied political convictions.
Sorry, Chase. Please offer my sincere regrets to the hosts of this event. You may tell D.W., however, if he can find a K-Mart still in business, I will accept his invitation of yearsago to meet him in the parking lot of said K-Mart.
Be safe in your travels!
July 11 - Lee Petty wins 2x in 3 years at Northern tracks
Stock Car Racing History
Awesome reports Chase. You take The King's first race tomorrow and I'll post something else in the Minute. I may have to blog a memory or two of that night in Columbia in 1958.
Racing History Minute - July 11, 1963
Stock Car Racing History
Have you ever heard of "The Dog Track"? No, I'm not talking about the Greyhound (dogs not busses) track outside Daytona, I'm talking about the quarter- mile dirt track located in Moyock, NC, where the Grand National boys ran a few races over the years. This particular race for today, July 11, 1963,was a 200 lap/62.5 mile event in which fourteen cars were entered.
Junior Johnson, in that infamous number 3 Holly Farms Chevrolet, would start from the pole with Ned Jarrett starting second. Buck Baker started third, Richard Petty Fourth, and Herman Beam fifth. For those of you who may not remember Herman Beam, he was common referred to as "The Turtle". He would enter races, run far off the pace of the leaders, keeping his car clean and out of danger, to finish with minimal expense. He enjoyed what could be considered success by his standards as attrition in many races by the "hot shots" would move Herman up to respectable position.
Surprisiningly, Ned Jarrett used his outside front row starting position to storm into the lead on the green flag, beating Johnson back to the line to lead the first lap. Ned would lead until lap 178 when a flat tire forced him to the pits for a replacement. This is when the NASCAR scoring got a little confused. Jimmy Pardue had been running second to Jarrett, two full laps behind, when Jarrett limped into the pits with the flat tire. On a quarter mile track, under green,it didn't take long for Pardue to make up the two lap deficit. However, NASCAR scoring became confused and reset Jarrett in the lead and Jarrett was actually flagged the winner of the race. As the dust was settling, someone, somewhere, determined it was worth a re-check of the score cards. Approximately an hour later, Jarrett was told the win was Pardue's. Ned and Jimmy were the only two cars on the same lap with third place Buck Baker four laps in arrears and fourth place Mark Hurley nine laps down.
There was only one caution flag when Larry Manning crashed his Chevrolet on lap 214. Junior Johnson had to park his pole winning Chevrolet on lap 179 with over-heating issues. Average speed for the race was 45.464 mph.
Top five finishers were:
1. Jimmy Pardue, Pete Stewart Ford, winning $550.00
2. Ned Jarrett, Burton-Robinson Ford, winning $500.00
3. Buck Baker, Baker Pontiac, winning $365.00
4. Mark Hurley, Ford, winning $300.00
5. Neil Castles, Buck Baker Chrysler, winning $255.00
Remaining finishers, in order, were Elmo Langley, Herman Beam, Larry Manning, Curtis Crider, Junior Johnson, Richard Petty, J.D. McDuffie, Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
NASCAR Star James Hylton Takes Final Laps
Stock Car Racing History
I can't begin to tell all my James Hylton stories. I will tell you that when I was racing Columbia Speedway, the Grand Nationals came in the week after my first race. James was talking to me about set up and things and then he told me I needed to get asphalt tires for that dirt track. He told me to come see him at his shop and he would set me up. I went up there the next Tuesday and he sold me five of his used asphalt tires for $10.00 a piece. Ran four of those tires the entire remainder of the season in 1969 (not that many races) and then most of the 1970 season. Everytime I saw James, he would ask me how my career was going.
When he was injured at Rockingham a couple of years ago in the ARCA race, I escorted his two sisters from the VIP booth where we were sitting to their car so they could head for the hospital. I mentioned how much James had done for me and one sister said she remembers him talking about a "kid" who used to run that Plymouth in Columbia. That was a big deal for me! As I've said so many times, I am the most fortunate race fan in the world.
Racing History Minute - July 10, 1953
Stock Car Racing History
Thanks, Chase. That proves the point I was trying to make. Just imagine driving all that distance without interstate highways and all the fast food joints along the exits. Imagine how desolate the highway must have been on that Nebraska trip. But they did it. And for a winners purse of only a $1,000.00 most times. Oh, yea, I know, $1,000.00 was a big deal in 1953 but still, net winnings had to fall to almost nothing by the time expenses were deducted.
Racing History Minute - July 10, 1953
Stock Car Racing History
Just a note of interest to start this History Minute.On July 3rd, the race was in Rochester, NY. On July 4th, the boys raced at Spartanburg, SC. On this date, July 10th, they raced at Morristown, NJ, July 12th was Atlanta, Ga, July 22, 1953 it was Rapid City, SD, and on July 26th, the race was at North Platte, Nebraska. The NASCAR "expansion" throughout the country being claimed these days actually occurred in the very early years of the sport as this July schedule in 1953 attests. I found that interesting. In fact, looking through the entire 1953 season, this entire country was exposed to the sport.
Today, as stated, we are in Morristown, NJ for a 100 mile/200 lap race on a half-mile dirt track known as Morristown Raceway. Twenty-three of the teams, or is it even properto call them "teams" back in those days, made the trip to Morristown. When qualifying was over, Herb Thomas and his FABULOUS Hudson Hornet was on the pole with a speed of 61.016 mph. Make note of that speed because the average race speed for the 200 laps was 69.417 mph. That is almost astounding. I can only assume we had tandem drafting going on that race (only kidding).
Pole winner Thomas would battle fender to fender and nose to tail all race with second place starter, Dick Rathmann. Herb led the first three laps. Then it was Dick for 5 laps, then Thomas for 7 laps, then Rathmann for 6 circuits. Thomas then muscled his way in front on lap 25 and was able to hold on for 75 laps before Rathmann once more took over. Rathmann would lead the last 99 laps and eventually put a lap on the FABULOUS Hudson Hornet.
On lap 25 of the race, the Plymouth of George Clark his a rut in the track and flipped into the infield. There is no report of spectator injury, but Clark suffered a sprained back from the crash.
Top five finishers were:
1. Dick Rathmann, Walt Chapman Hudson, winning $1,000.00
2. Herb Thomas, FABULOUS Hudson Hornet, winning $700.00
3. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Dodge, winning $450.00
4. Jim Pashcal, George Hutchins Dodge, winning $350.00
5. Ronnie Kohler, Plymouth, winning $200.00
Sixth through tenth were Eddie Riker, Elton Hildreth, Charlie Berry, John Meggers,and Bill Cleveland. The run down of finishing order in that race contains so many names I don't recognize at all, or, at the most, have a passing recollection of hearing them at some point. For that reason, I will list all finishers from 11th through 23rd as follows:
11. Neil McDonald
12. Jack Smith (whom we all certainly know)
13. Buddy Krebs
14. Bobby Fitts
15. Charlie Hoff
16. Phil DeMola
17.Ed DeWolfe
18. Tony Polito
19. Ed Paskevich
20. Nick Nicolette
21. Ralph Sheeler
22. Don Stumpf
23.Geroge Clark.
Everytime I do one of these Forum Minutes where a Hudson wins, I seem to have flashbacks to watching the Hudsons compete before my eyes. When I was going to the Columbia Speedway events in the early 50s, there were several Hudson racing. I was always amazed watching those cars seemingly "float" through the turns and really "hunker down" on the straightaways. I remember, after one of the races, actually touching the fender of one of those Hornets. Even today I remember how solid that fender seemed to be. Much more solid that any other fenders I had touched in those days. For a little kid to be able to touch a REAL race car was a big deal back then and I guess I remember that Hudson because the fender seemed to be the hardest metal part of any car I had ever touched. Funny how that sticks in my mind. But having the memories of see the Hudson Hornet race is something not for sale at any price.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Marshall Teague - The Racing Fatalist
Stock Car Racing History
Dennis, thanks for the great addition to our continuing efforts to accurately record history. Some really great pictures.
Marshall Teague - The Racing Fatalist
Stock Car Racing History
That is an awesome read, Dave. Thanks.