Johnny, I have no idea. I never was that astute mechanically. But I'm sick over all this. Did you see Matt's interview Dave Fulton posted on the site? Only Barrack could have faked his way through that any better than Matt. I am surprised at what Matt said about how he feels about the penalty. I see one of those super secret fines headed Matt's way for comments detrimental to NASCAR. What chance do you think they have on appeal? Really?
Good point Mike. Like Major League baseball drafting kids right out of high school. Maybe they need to restrict access to any school where kids are under the age of six.
Bobby, as for the big brother theory, I would buy into that except for the fact that NASCAR seems to think they answer to no one and cares not one bit about what anyone thinks. I gave my opinion of this politically correct B.S. NASCAR is pushing now in my Tuesday Legendtorial. I want just ONE person, NOT affiliated with the government lie machine or being paid by E-15 producers, to tell me how E-15 is going to be good for my cars and my lawn mower. One local politician told me the "E" gas is pushed solely to justify the farm subsidies for corn farmers. If they want to justify corn subsidies, just leagalize MOONSHINE and that would help the sugar industry too.
I am literally getting ill with this NASCAR "B.S.". I may become that standup comic and just walk around saying "NASCAR is a viable sport" and that should get laughs enough to support me.
Randy, I am beginning to believe there is something in the water in Daytona that is causing early on-set stupidity. The more I hear, the more I see, the more I read, I wonder, where common sense went. As Cody Dinsmore says, "Common sense isn't common anymore". NASCAR had a good system. Worked fine for years. Along comes Brian France and here we go throwing everything out the window and re-inventing the wheel. Frankly, this past two weeks, I've gotten pretty sick of the whole deal. What they did to Penske was a crime. What they have done to JGR (and I don't like Toyotas) is so far out in the crime rankings I can give no leaway to that. I don't understand what this new guy is supposed to do for what will obviously be an extraordinary salary, but, as you say, the B.S. rules.
What is it going to take to make NASCAR wake up? Are they so enamored with the Waltrips, the FOX Network, the gadgets and glitz of Hollywood that they can't remember us, the real fans? The fans who paid the price to built the sport along with the drivers that paid the price as well? I will really have to give some thought this week as to how much further I'm going to go with this game.
Can we all join in and say "uncomfortable" in unison? I'm sure Matt didn't know about the violation and I'm sure his comments are heartfelt. "Shameful" is a good adjective for those penalties. Whether or not the infraction gave the 20 an advantage I do not know but if I were Matt, in the future, I would not make mincemeat out of the rest of the field as he was doing Sunday. Let second place run a little closer. NASCAR likes that. NASCAR likes publicity. NASCAR likes controversy. Most of all, NASCAR likes the money of it's "loyal fans" they thank every week and at every chance they get. Shameful is a good word!
Nice memories for you Dave. Thanks for sharing. Actually, Columbia Speedway obtained that exemption for the 1967 and 1968 seasons as those are the two years I was unable to make the races. I'm talking about the weekly races and the Grand National races! lol
As always, thanks for your comments and your support.
The year, 1965, I did not attend many Grand National races as Chrysler was boycotting and I joined the boycott. I did attend the Columbia Speedway events because it was illegal for Columbia Speedway to run an event without me in the infield. They did apply for, and were granted, a special exemption while I was away in the Navy.
Today we go to the pretty little half-mile asphalt "paper clip" as they like to call it, in Martinsville, Virginia. It's April 25, 1965, and the Fords were rolling up victory after victory through the first 12 races of the season as there was virtually no competition for the Blue Oval boys with Mopars sitting out and General Motors almost non-existent in the sport at that time.
A very disappointing crowd of some 10,000 folks (about half of what was expected) showed up to watch Junior Johnson blast his Ford into the lead from the pole position. Junior would lead the first 60 laps before a tire came apart and forced him to pit. The ever steady Fred Lorenzen inherited the lead when Junior was pitted and would lead until lap 73 when Bobby Johns took over in another Ford. Lorenzen would dog Johns for several laps before forcing his way back into the lead on lap 89. One lap later, Johns shoved his Ford past Lorenzen and re-took the lead. During the heated battle between Lorenzen and Johns, Junior Johnson was literally burning up the track coming back to the front. On lap 99, Junior went around Lorezen and Johns and was gone! The race was now for second as Junior moved away swiftly.
On lap 178, while enjoying a 17 second lead, a wheel collapsed on Junior's Ford and he was forced to pit again. Once back on track, he commenced another charge for the front position and was in third place when a tire blew sending him into the wall to end his day. Junior was never known to hold back and that day in Martinsville backed up the "hard charger" image the guy from the Brushy Mountians in North Carolina had established.
When Junior parked his Ford, it was all Lorenzen the rest of the way as he would lead laps 179 through 500. Marvin Panch gave him a good run at the end, finishing two car lengths behind the number 28 Ford. Marvin said he lost the race in the pits because the Wood Brothers, world famous for "inventing" the quick pit stop, had attended a family funeral and did not arrive until half way through the race.Panch had lost a lap in the pits on an early stop. Fred Lorenzen, on the other hand, credited his crew chief, Jack Sullivan, with the win. Fred said he was going to run with Junior at the start but Jack put out the blackboard (communication before radios) and told Lorenzen to "think". Lorenzen paced himself to be in position to take advantage of Junior's misfortune.
This win was the second of the 1965 season for Fred (Daytona 500 as the other) and was his 21st career win. Tiger Tom Pistone returned to competition after a three year absence but blew the engine in his Ford. Tiger said after the race that "I'm just about out of money. That blown engine has all but washed me up".
Top Five finishers were:
1. Fred Lorenzen, Ford, winning $4,350.00
2. Marvin Panch, Ford, winning $2,575.00
3. Dick Hutcherson, Ford, winning $1,250.00
4. Tiny Lund, Ford, winning $775.00
5. Buddy Arrington, Dodge, winning $725.00
Sixth through tenth were Elmo Langley, PAUL LEWIS, Doug Cooper, Buren Skeen (who would be killed in the Southern 500 later in the year) and Ned Jarrett.
It is worth noting, I think, that with the exception of Buddy Arrington's Dodge in 5th and Roy Tyner's Chevrolet in 19th, the top 20 finishers were all in Fords.
Other finishers of note for this event (my call) were G.C. Spencer 12th, Wendell Scott 16th, Cale Yarborough 18th, Larry Frank 20th, Gene Hobby 27th, Neil Castles 30th and Buddy Baker 35th.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
Chase!! Absolutely awesome post. Thanks for finding and posting that. We are really getting a record of history of the sport here thanks to guys like you and Dave and Randy who find these things and post them. Truly, RacerReunion is the place to go to find out about the history. I love it.
Hey Matt. Tell me again how funny you thought the Penske Penalties were.
It is only fair that Carl Long's penalty be invoked. Although I heard that Coach Joe has said "let him who is without sin cast the first connecting rod".
I spoke to Robin earlier tonight by phone from his hospital bed. While he is weak (you can tell it in his voice) he is in good spirits and sends his thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers. He is not sure when he will be released from the hospital but he assures me he is ready to go! Keep up the prayers, folks, he has been one sick puppy.
Harlow, thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. Robin and Patsy are two such wonderful folks.
