April 15, 1963 - Jim Paschal bags Bowman Gray
Stock Car Racing History
But, Chase, you have to admit, your post "morphed" into a good piece.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
Stock Car Racing History
April 15, 1963 - Jim Paschal bags Bowman Gray
Stock Car Racing History
Boy, I did like Jim Paschal. He was a really nice guy and a good race driver.
Chase, I don't believe Bunky Blackburn ever won in a Petty car but he drove for them several times. Do you have anything on him?
Hal, I agree with you. I feel sorry for the younger fans who never got to see those events we witnessed but I hope that by hanging around RacersReunion and all the folks we have here who were they may pickup on the "magic" of those days.
Thunder Alley---- Thats whats on the wall
Stock Car Racing History
It was really a good race and "Thunder Alley" is a good nickname for that backstraight.
A Racing History Minute-April 15, 1951
Stock Car Racing History
That is so true about Greg, Chase. It had to be a labor of love for him because nothing else could have adequately compensated him for all the effort he put forth. I am so thankful to Greg for his dedication to those books.
A Racing History Minute-April 15, 1951
Stock Car Racing History
Chase, I have often tried to imagine how hard Greg Fielden worked to put out those books. All the information and the pictures are a collection I treasure. Wish I had "High Speed at Low Tide" but somehow that one got by me. Meeting Greg last year at Occonneechee was a real treat. He is every bit the gentleman I imagined him to be after all my conversations with his mother while ordering the books. I am really enjoying this series on history and I appreciate your additions to each post. Thanks.
A Racing History Minute-April 15, 1951
Stock Car Racing History
I am posting this "tax day" Minute late Sunday night because I have a very early dental appointment for a filling. I picked a good day for that because my dentist allows me the maximum nitrous gas allowable as I am a total and complete chicken in a dentist's chair so I won't care if it's tax day or not.
Today we are going back to 1951 to a place called Occoneechee Speedway located in Hillsborough, NC, a track I have become very familiar with over the past four years attending the Celebration of the Automobile presented by The Historic Speedway Group. I'm letting you know now that the event this year is scheduled for September 28th so you need to do whatever you need to do to be there. You won't regret it.
On April 15, 1951, Fonty Flock didn't regret being in Occonnechee. He started his Red Devil Olds 88 on the pole and led every lap to win the event. The race was scheduled for 150 miles on the one mile dirt track but a heavy rain storm moved over the track at lap 95 and put an end to the event. The track is located along the banks of a river and lying as it does, a rain storm of any magnitude makes the track totally unusable.
The Occonneechee track, as already stated, is ONE mile long. It has long straights and tight turns. There is a "bump" going into turn one which, I am told, is the result of a rock formation under the earth there. We have video on the site here from a race at that trackin 1957 or 1958 and to watch the drivers handle that turn and the entire track is worth the time it takes to watch that video. It is truly a fine example of some flat-out dirt track racing.
Bill Blair started along side Fonty but when the flag fell Flock put the inside grove on the track to work in his advantage. Blair gave Flock a good run in the early stages but there was no moving Fonty out of the lead. When the rains came, Flock had a 3/4 of a lap lead over second place Frank Mundy in a Studebaker. Oh, and this is a true story: Years ago I was telling the story on all the Studebakers in the Daytona modified-sportsman races in the sixties and there were two kids, 5 or 6 years old listening with their parents. The little boy asked "what is a Studebaker"? The little girl, to show her knowledge told him "it's something they bake studes in". Absolutely true and as I write this it still brings a smile to my face.
Top five finishers were:
1. Fonty Flock, Oldsmobile, winning $1,250.00
2. Frank Mundy, Studebaker, winning $800.00
3. Bill Blair, Oldsmobile, winning $600.00
4. Tim Flock, Oldsmobile, winning $500.00
5. Neil Cole, Oldsmobile, winning $300.00
Others finishers of note were Earl Moss 6th, Herb Thomas 7th, Jim Paschal 8th, Lee Petty 9th, Fireball Roberts 14th, Jimmy Thompson 24th, and Curtis Turner 27th.
Marshall Teague had been the points leader going into that race, race number 5 of the 1951 season, but he did not enter as he was in Phoenix, Arizona preparing for a 150mile race scheduled there on the 22nd.
I think it is interesting that the main source I use for these articles (Greg Fielden's Forty Years of Stock Car Racing) points out that the weather was extremely threatening long before the race started yet 11,267 folks showed up to watch the 33 competitors battle it out. Even in 1951 those folks in Hillsborough, NC were dedicated to that track and their stock car racing. Still that way today. Join us there on September 28th of this year and see what I mean.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
NRA at Texas ,I will start it off.
Current NASCAR
This is what I have learned today about that whole situation.
1. NASCAR has decided to review it's procedure as far as approving sponsorson a going forward basis. Part of that was the out right blatant orders from a Connecticut politician for FOX to not televise the race. NASCAR has stated its policy for sponsorship is now under review.
2. By way of a "compromise" FOX agreed to mention the NRA sponsorship once per hour. I'm pretty sure they did that but I didn't really count the references.
3. This is sure to add fuel to the fire now that the news is out that a man committed suicide with a pistol in the infield near the end of the race. I have already read the reports from Texas and I imagine it will make national news by tomorrow if, in fact, it didn't tonight.
4. Friday I saw several news clips from the Texas race last year on National new broadcasts, all claiming NASCAR was allowing the NRA to advertise at a most inopportune time. As much negative publicity as possible was being fed to the National News outlets.
Hornaday Penalties After Bubba Rock Truck Hook Under Yellow?
Current NASCAR
I guess I haven't followed Wallace close enough to know he is known as Bubba. I've watched every race this year and just haven't heard him called that until the Rockingham event. Dave, thanks for pointing that out to me. From hence forth, he shall be known as Bubba here in the Lair. I like that better than Darrell, as you could guess. Oh, and I agree with your assessment of both his talent and his class. He gives a great interview.
Hornaday Penalties After Bubba Rock Truck Hook Under Yellow?
Current NASCAR
I am just a little lost in the "Bubba" Wallace matter. Is he not the same guy who was Darrell Wallace, Jr. at all the previous races and is now "Bubba" Wallace? What did I miss here? Was he being tagged as "D.W., Jr." and didn't like that or is he trying for "good old boy" status? I'm serious. Just don't know how I missed all that.
On the race, it was a really good race. That Larson kid is the real deal for sure. I do have a question in how he won the 11th NASCAR race he was in, and almost won the Bristol Nationwide race over Kyle Busch, yet a certain driver in NASCAR gets such accolades for a 12th place finish at Martinsville. Why is that? No one has to answer, I know the answer and that is just a part of what I consider so unfair in that situation. I hope Kyle Larson gets the marketing folks behind him like the other driver and then he'll be getting more coverage. After all, he WINS races.
Not racing - but sho nuff moment of pride
General
That is awesome Chase! Please be sure to congratulate him for me. I didn't make Eagle but my son-in-law did. We have had quite a number of boys in our church make Eagle and I've been to several of the ceremonies. Always impressive.
Oh, and congratulations to you for raising such a fine son.