Racing History Minute - April 2, 1967

Race number 10 of 47 for the 1967 season, was the "Atlanta 500" to be contested on the 1.5 mile high banked Atlanta International Raceway. A field of 44 drivers would start the race in what would turn out to be a total domination by Cale Yarborough and the Wood Brothers Ford.

Cale won the pole with a speed of 148.996 mph. Richard Petty would start his Petty Enterprises Plymouth second, Fred Lorenzen in the Holman-Moody Ford third, David Pearson in the Cotton Owens Dodge fourth and A.J. Foyt fifth in the Banjo Matthews Ford.

Cale led the first 60 laps before a scheduled pit stop which allowed Darel Dieringer to take over for 6 laps and Fred Lorenzen for 1 lap before Cale stormed back out front. Cale was leading on lap 99 but Lorenzen slipped by to lead lap 100. On lap 101 it was Cale again where he would remain for the next 50 laps.

Mario Andretti, driving a Holman-Moody Ford had kept the crowd entertained while driving within inches of the outside guardrail lap after lap. He finally made everything work for him out there and took the lead on lap 152. Mario stayed for 5 laps and then it was Yarborough again. On lap 180, Richard Petty, who had been lurking behind Yarborough but not truly contesting the lead, slipped out front on a pit stop exchange. Petty led until lap 196 when Cale took over for good. Petty would be out of the race 15 laps later with a blown engine in the Plymouth.

Andretti's continuous flirtation with the outside guard rail finally bit him on lap 152 when a tire blew and he bounced off the rail. He pitted and returned to the race after an extended pit stop and the crowd of 70,000 cheered lustily as he roared back onto the track. On lap 265, the dance with the rail ended when Andretti piled into with enough force to end the day for his Ford.

With Petty and Andretti both behind the wall, the race belonged to Yarborough completely. In fact, when the race was over, Cale had led 301 of the 334 laps and finished over a lap ahead of second place Dick Hutcherson. From Victory Lane, Cale related how his week had almost ended on Wednesday practice when Curtis Turner went by him. Turner was driving for Smokey Yunick in a "special" Chevy. Coming off turn four, Turner hit the wall with Yarborough right behind. Cale said "I saw Turner's car flipping in front of me and suddenly it was gone. I knew it was in the air over my head. It hit the pavement right behind me. He couldn't have missed me by more than three inches". This was only the second Grand National win for the 28 year old Yarborough.

Curtis Turnerhad flipped end over end an estimated three times before the car went into a series of violent "barrel rolls". Turner was removed from the car and transported to the local hospital where he was checked and released. Speaking of the accident the next day Turner said "I have so many bruises I can't find a place to lay on to sleep at night". A week after all the action with the Chevy, Yunick and Turner each went their own way with Smokey saying "I don't want to build the car that kills Curtis Turner. I want him to retire so we can still be friends".

The average speed for the 500 miles was 131.328 mph, slowed by six cautions for 39 laps. James Hylton, who came into the race as points leader under the convoluted points system of that era, left the race with a 4,098 point lead over Richard Petty who had moved into second as Fred Lorenzen fell to third.

Finishing Order:

1. Cale Yarborough, Wood Brothers Ford, $21,035.

2. Dick Hutcherson, Bondy Long Ford, $8,600.00 (1 lap down)

3. Buddy Baker, Ray Fox Dodge, $4,900.00 (2 laps down)

4. Charlie Glotzbach, K&K Insurance Dodge, $2,750.00 (7 laps down)

5. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge, $1,875.00 (8 laps down)

6. James Hylton

7. Friday Hassler

8. John Sears

9. Bobby Allison

10. G. C. Spencer

11. J. T. Putney

12. Donnie Allison

13. Sonny Hutchins

14. Buddy Arrington

15. Jim Paschal

16. Bill Champion

17. PAUL LEWIS

18.Sam McQuagg

19. Mario Andretti

20. Tiny Lund

21. David Pearson

22. Richard Petty

23. Darel Dieringer

24. Don White

25. Wayne Smith

26. Elmo Langley

27. A. J. Foyt

28. Fred Lorenzen

29. Roy Mayne

30. LeeRoy Yarbrough

31. Paul Goldsmith

32. Bay Darnell

33. Jack Harden

34. Neil Castles

35. Bobby Johns

36. Frank Warren

37. Eldon Yarbrough

38. John Martin

39. Clyde Lynn

40. Wendell Scott

41. Gordon Johncock

42. Dick Johnson

43. Bill Seifert

44. Blackie Watt

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

Ticket from Ed Sanseverino

Race program

As another Chrysler NASCAR boycott loomed, NASCAR's officials amp'd up technical inspection - especially on the Mopars. Retribution? Nahh. Never from Big Bill, right?

Validating templates on a stock Mercury Cyclone - what a novel concept that today's racing could learn from.

Templating Darel Dieringer's Junior Johnson Ford.

Pearson's Dodge getting the once and twice over.

What remained from Curtis Turner's practice crash - Ray Lamm

Ray Lamm

Early in the race, Jimmy Crawford spun and nearly took out Soapy Castles with him. Both continued.

Cale takes the checkers - Ray Lamm

Cale and the Woods in VL

Race report from Tuscaloosa News

And this column from Spartanburg Herald describes how close Cale was to being out of racing - and of having his Atlanta weekend ruined.

Sept 1967 issue of Stock Car Racing magazine

If you have this magazine in your collection, be sure to read the story on the Rebel 400. In that story you will see the pace car taking Richard to the press box after the race. On the hood is Johnny Reb with the Stars and Bars. Sitting on the back is Richard, and on the trunk is yours truly with our "Plymouth 43" flag. Before going into the press box, Richard autographed the flag for me.

I think they are still using those same grain scales at Bowman Gray. How did that picture slip in the mix for Atlanta?

Wouldn't be the first time I've been burned by photo captions at Getty Images. Sometimes I can quickly tell a photo is mis-captioned. Other times it's not as clear. I admit I gave the distance shot of the 43 on the scales a 2nd look because of all the trees. What I DIDN'T notice at the time - DOH! - was Pearson's 6 in the foreground that is clearly not from the same year. Unfortunately, I can't edit replies so my goof will be there for the eternity of RR. Ha.

Great Pitchers Cale was lucky i think Richard won about every thing that year i no 10 in a row

Great photos!

The Golden Boy, Fast Freddy Lorenzen, crashed and matched his car number in the final finishing order: 28. He effectively retired after this race - his final one in the famed Holman & Moody 28 Ford. He returned to run the 28 a handful of times between 1970 and 72 for owners Richard Howard, Ray Fox and Hoss Ellington - but the H&M days for him ended at Atlanta.

Don't forget Fred Lorenzen's 1971 Southern 500 attempt in #21 for the Wood Brothers as reported in the Spartanburg paper:

Bump