Today's Minute took a little extra looking to find a race I could report on. You see, TMC Chase and I have an agreement that he does all the reporting on victories by Petty drivers, including Richard and Lee, and I do the other races. The first three June 25th dates I looked at, a Petty had won. Then, I come to 1966 and find the report on the 1966 race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.
Eighteen drivers entered the 200 lap/100 mile event on the half-mile dirt track located just outside of Greenville, SC. David Pearson won the pole in his Cotton Owens Dodge, but the circumstances surrounding the rest of Pearson's race are sort of reminescent of certain drivers competing in the sport today. You see, David was qualifying and had completed his first lap fast enough to grab the pole. On his second lap, the axle in the Dodge snapped and the Cotton Owens crew went to work to repair the car in time for the start of the race. However, when the scheduled start time was reached, Pearson's car still was not ready. NASCAR delayed the start of the race until repairs could be completed. The remaining 17 starters, all independents, were livid and raised their voices in unified protest, to no avail.
Pearson did start on the pole. Second was John Sears, third Tiny Lund. Fourth and fifth place starters were Bryant Wallace and Buddy Baker, respectively. RacersReunion member and big supporter, Lil Bud Moore, started 15th in a Ford.
David took the lead on the green flag and was never passed, although Tiny Lund and John Sears were able to hang with him in the early laps. This only added fuel to the discontent of the independents still stinging from the delay of the start to accommodate Pearson. Tiny blew an engine on lap 147 and John Sears had a lengthy pit stop which left Pearson in a very comfortable position. In fact, at the end of the race, he had a four lap lead on second place, Tiger Tom Pistone.
Back to Lil Bud Moore for a second. He was an experienced Greenville-Pickens veteran, having run many Late Model Sportsman (Now Nationwide) races at the track. In 35 laps, he came from his 15th place starting spot to fourth and was going after Pearson when the steering locked up on his Ford and he encountered the wall and was out of the race.
After finishing second to Pearson, Tiger Tom asked the rhetorical question "I wonder if they would have held up the race if it were me trying to fix an axle?". Valid question in my way of thinking, but then my personal issues and opinions are getting involved here. Oh, and for the record, I was a huge fan of anything Cotton Owens did so my issue is not so much with that. I just have issues with favortism shown in the sport, but it has always been that way and always will.
Top five finishers were:
1. David Pearson, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $1,000.00
2. Tom Pistone, Pistone Ford, winning $600.00
3. Elmo Langley, Gene Black Ford, winning $400.00
4. Stick Elliott, Toy Bolton Chevrolet, winning $300.00
5. Henley Gray, Gray Ford, winning $275.00
Sixth through tenth were J.D. McDuffie, Johnny Wynn, John Sears, Jeff Hawkins and Tiny Lund. Remaining finishers, in order, were Neil Castles, Roy Tyner, Clyde Lynn, Buddy Baker, Bryant Wallace, Bud Moore, Jimmy Helms and Sonny Lamphear.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
