We did an "O'le Days" story on the Randy Ayers NASCAR modeling website about the Dale #19 (4th career start) at Charlotte on Oct. 9, 1977. We realized that the diecast of it had at least (1) obvious error and we were able to learn some details on the car from Henley's son of how it looked but as we have come to realize there are NO known photos of Dale's #19-DNF, just (25) laps or ANY photos of the #19 Laguna from Aug-Nov. 1977. During the 1977 season, after Johnny Rutherford was in the car as #77, it was used by 1976 ROTY Bruce Hill as #47 for a series of races with "t. edwards'" sponsorship. After the summer Talladega race, the car was returned to Johnny Ray and within a month, the Henley Gray accident occurred at Michigan and Johnny Ray generously offered free use of his car to the Gray team for the rest of the 1977 season. Several drivers also helped out and drove the car for Henley, including Dick May, Bob Burcham and of course Dale. What we are asking is if members can check their race photos for the Aug-Nov. 1977 period to see if they may have an ontrack photo of the Johnny Ray #19. We have this photo that was recently found that shows the car as the #47, when Bruce Hill was driving. This should be the basic look of the car as #19 but would have "Belden Asphalt" on the rear quarter. One problem is that Bruce Hill repainted his own Laguna is the same basic scheme, so if there is a partial photo that doesn't show the car #, it could be the #47 after August 1977......It seems so far, that this is the also the only missing photo for Dale's early NASCAR starts. We have (1) of the #77-Dale's (pre-crash) at Atlanta in 1976 but so far NO photo of the 4th Dale race..... Thanks!
Hope a shot will turn up.
From what we were told by Steve Gray, before the Dale #19 Diecast was issued, the company did show him a photo of the actual #19, possibly from North Wilkesboro, so we know there is at least (1) photo of it! Bobby Wawak used his own Laguna as the #19 for at least (1) race (there is a photo of that car-just a crudely painted #19 on his Yellow Laguna) until the Johnny Ray car was ready, so should be a least (7) starts for the Johnny Ray Laguana as #19 during the last (3) months of 1977....Robert Gee (Dale's then Father-in-law) had the car in his shop to prepare for Dale's start and then the Henley Gray team got it back after Dale's race. For some reason this car has been overlooked, especially with the Dale connection. No doubt Dale was not a star yet and this was his first start in almost (1) year since the Atlanta accident but since the car raced for (3) months, should be some photos.........Thanks
Have tried this website? http://s648.photobucket.com/user/johnevanich/media/47to19doc-Small_zps685bee97.jpg.html Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Dennis, that is my Photobucket. That's the Photoshopped image we created, using Johnny Ray's car that Bruce Hill was using for the "t.edward's" deal. Was hoping by now something would turn up. This #19 was in just about all the races from August to November 1977! John