I have relied on memories of up to 72 years ago. If I made a mistake it wasn't intentional. I am happy to answer questions about how it was " back in the day". I was very close to the Nascar growth in North Carolina in the late 40s and early 50s.
Big Bill France had a strict policy of "you must be 21 years old to drive NASCAR" in 1948. I had to wait a year just to drive around the track at Creedmore, NC.Here is a cut and paste from Jayski's.NASCAR lowers age limit for some series: NASCAR...
MARCH 8, 1953: Harnett Speedway, Spring Lake. A crowd of 7,000 showed up on a Sunday afternoon at the half-mile dirt track. The local fans didn't go home disappointed, as Sanford's Herb Thomas led all 200 laps and won with three to spare over...
Fat Boy's parking lot was full.To most of them Kyle Petty was an "old time driver".Mention Bobby Allison and they had a blank look on their face.Fonty Flock, never heard of him !I've decided to (while I'm alive) spread the word.
One of the main safety rule was " only cars that had factory installed all metal roofs", this eliminated all Fords from 36 back and Chevys from 34 back.Only engines from the same manufacture could be used. No Chrysler in Fords or GMCs in...
In the late 40s and early 50s in order to race as much as possible we drove at any "outlaw" track we could. You didn't have to be 21 years old, your car didn't have to have its doors secured shut, seat belts were barely optional, in fact my friend...
Big Bill allowed the Modified's Engines to have just about anything, but Sportsman Cars were only allowed anything you can't see (Limited Sportsman had to be under 300 ci).Modified Engines had aluminum heads, multiple carbs unlimited CIs, aluminum...
Sitting around talking before and after the race was a good time for a young driver to learn.About a 1/2 dozen of us were discussing what to do after a slam bang contact race.It was then we kids heard from an expert, Curtis Turner.1: Don't jump...
A friend of mine Crawfish Crider and 6 other drivers went to England in the Spring of 1955 with 7 cars. They went on the Queen Mary out of New York, drivers, cars, trailers and spare parts. Before it was over the promoter cheated them out of their...
There was a building frenzy of small dirt tracks in the South. Anyone with 20 acres of land and road grader could and did build a stock car racing track. Most lasted a year or two. Then a new form of promotion took place. A promoter would lease...
Back in the middle to late 50s Big Bill tried to start another Stock Car Racing Division. The Stock Engined Speedway Cars had failed, so he brought in a Convertible Racing Association out of the Midwest. At first he tried to race them separately,...
but after reading Tom Leaming's comment to Robbie Solesbee's Sept 13th post it needs to be told.It took place at an Outlaw Track in Henderson NC. The 2nd Heat Race was one by Wendell Scott and I had finished 2nd in the consolation. The fifty lap...
The first and only track in the late 40s was Occoneechee Speedway at Hillsboro (sp) NC. The Drivers and Cars were mostly from Up North, Atlanta Ga, Western Va & NC.There were no drivers from Eastern NC until early 50s and most of the were poor...
After racing in the Amateur Division for two years, we decided it was time to move up to the Sportsman class.We scraped enough money to buy a crankshaft assembly that was stroked with pistons that were as large we dare use. We bought a used Cam...
