R.I.P. Charlotte Race Fan
General
Thank you for posting Dave. My thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of this fellow race fan and fellow U.S. Navy Veteran. I note he will be buried in the Fort Jackson National Cemetary as will I.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
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Racing History Minute - May 29, 1955
Stock Car Racing History
Chase, believe me, I did not intentionally overlook the death of Bill Vukovich. I have never really kept up with Indy racing although I have watched, off and on over the years. I know the names of most, and I certainly know the Vukovich name. I apologize for having overlooked such an important part of Racing History. Thank you, Chase, for bringing it to the forefront.
Racing History Minute - May 29, 1955
Stock Car Racing History
As difficult as it is to believe, I had only two choices for today's History Minute that did not include a World 600. Both of those choices had Lee Petty as the winner so I'm sure Chase will be able to add more infomation to this particular event and will probably give us a report on the other Petty victory.
For my purposes this morning, we are going to a half-mile dirt track at the Forsythe County Fairgrounds in Winston-Salem, NC. Yes, indeed, they raced in Winston-Salem at a track other than Bowman Gray. On this date in 1955, twenty-three cars showed up to run 100 miles. Just a note before we begin today's report concerning new Hall of Fame Inductee Tim Flock. On May 1st, he was second ina 100 mile race in Charlotte. May 7th, second at Hickory, NC. May 8th he was 1st in a 100 mile race in PHOENIX, AZ. May 15th he wins Martinsville. May 22nd he wins Richmond, VA. May 28th, he finishes 25th at Raleigh, NC after his brakes fail on the 15th lap.
Ok, now back to our History Minute for today. When qualifying was over, Fonty Flock was on the pole in the Mercury Outboards Chrysler of Carl Kiekhaefer. Buck Baker put his Oldsmobile on the outside front row. Fonty took the lead on the start and led the first 41 circuits before losing the point to Buck Baker. Buck led until lap 168when he began to experience problems with his Olds which would retire him on lap 173 when the axle finally quit doing its job. That left Lee Petty in the lead in his Chrysler as he steadily rolled along to build up a half lap lead at the end. The race was slowed 8 times by the yellow flag, which took out, among others, the cars of Gene Simpson, Mack Hanbury and Donald Thomas in wrecks. The Chryslers of Tim and Fonty Flock both fell out with oil pressure problems on lap 82 for Fonty and lap 84 for Tim.
This was Lee Petty's fourth victory in the 18 race season, to date, and his 22nd overall Grand National (Cup) win.
Top five finishers were:
1. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Chrysler, winning $1,000.00
2. Jim Pashcal, Helzafire Oldsmobile, winning $650.00
3. Fred Dove, Oldsmobile, winning $450.00
4. Dick Rathmann, John Ditz Chrysler, winning $350.00
5. John Dodd, Jr., Dodge, winning $300.00
Sixth through tenth were Gordon Smith in a Chevrolet, Bob Welborn in a Chevy, Perk Brown in a Mercury, Arden Mounts in a Hudson, and Eddie Skinner in a Dodge.
Buck Baker was 11th, Gwyn Staley 14th, Bill Blair 19th, Tim Flock 20th, Fonty Flock 21st and Junior Johnson 22nd.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute, May 28, 1955
Stock Car Racing History
Dink Widenhouse ran Columbia Speedway almost every week and he was the favorite of my Uncle Bobby who introduced me to racing and who kept taking me back to the track because he wanted to watch Dink race. So, Dink, thank you for keeping my uncle interested and getting me involved in racing by extension.
Racing History Minute, May 28, 1955
Stock Car Racing History
State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, NC, has a rich history in NASCAR racing. The half mile dirt track played host to the best of the best throughout its storied time in the limelight. On this date, in 1955, Twenty-seven cars showed up to run 100 miles/200 laps.
Tim Flock parked his Mercury Outboards Chrysler 300 on the pole with Bob Welborn in his trusty Chevy on the outside. Junior Johnson started third in an Oldsmobile and it took him only 10 laps to literally storm by the first two starters on the outside to take the lead. My resource for these minutes is quoted as saying "the hefty mountain kid rim rode the half mile dirt track" and in my mind I can picture Junior doing that. As for the "hefty mountain kid" part, I wonder if Junior ever read that while that news reporter was still around? Junior and that Oldsmobile were so fast that, by the half way point of the race, he had lapped the field. On lap 172, a rain storm decided to descend upon the track and the red flag ended the race, mercifully for the competitors who tried in vain to run with Junior.
Pole winner Tim Flock had to park his Chrysler on lap 15 when his brakes failed thereby removing what could have been the only serious challenger to the dominance of Junior's Olds. Another interesting note about this race is that Donald Thomas, younger brother of Herb Thomas who had been injured, was driving a Hudson Hornet prepared by Smokey Yunick. Thomas started 14th and finished 18th, although he was 33 laps behind the winner and was the last place finisher still running at the end.
Top five finishers were:
1. Junior Johnson, B&L Motors Oldsmobile, winning $1,350.00
2. Fonty Flock, Mercury Outboards Chrysler, winning $875.00
3. Buck Baker, Griffin Motors Oldsmobile, winning $550.00
4. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Chrysler, winning $400.00
5. Gwyn Staley, Chevrolet, winning $315.00
Sixth through tenth were Jim Paschal, John Dodd, Jr., Billy Carden, Fred Dove, and Eddie Skinner. Bill Blair finished 11th and Dink Widenhouse was 12th. Bob Welborn finished 19th, Dick Rathman 23rd, Speedy Thompson 24th, Tim Flock 25th and Lloyd Dane 27th.
There were six caution flags for a total of 20 laps and the average speed for the race was 50.522. mph.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
At some point enough is too much
Current NASCAR
Chase, you ARE the MAN!!! I love that. Wonder if I could get it on my Facebook page?
At some point enough is too much
Current NASCAR
Randy!!!!!! You mean you had D.W. there and didn't let me know????? That could have been our "face off" before the entire crowd. But, thank you for thinking of me and the repulsive reaction I have to the "Boogity". You may have saved my life.
At some point enough is too much
Current NASCAR
You noticed that too, huh, Max? Funny, I never heard them mention a crowd estimate on the radio. Don't know if FOX did or not but whatever FOX would have to say in that regard I would totally overlook.
At some point enough is too much
Current NASCAR
You mean I missed it!!!!!! Well, I'm glad I did even if it was by listening to the radio instead of knowing FOX lost audio. Seems like FOX was having problems yesterday. Well deserved problems I might add. If they choose to subject fans to the Waltrip duo, they deserve whatever they get. I am sorry 10 fans and some racers had to suffer.
At some point enough is too much
Current NASCAR
Walt, you should not be shocked. Any one of reasonable intelligence would immediately recognize the ineptness of the Waltrip duo. Just think of all the commercials on FOX I am NOT hearing, and all the tripe coming out of the mouths of idiots to which I am not subjected by listening to the radio broadcasts. I knew, by listening to radio, long before, if ever it was made known on FOX, that the Danica wreck was cause by HER boyfriend. Did you know that fact has been trending on Yahoo Home Page, NOT sports page, in the top six all day. They are having a riot with that. Guess they would all fall into the category of "haters". lol