April 21, 1963 - King captures Virginia 500

A couple of years ago, I blogged about Richard Petty's win in the Virginia 500 at Martinsville.

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-21-this-day-in-petty-history-part.html

I thought I'd repeat the text of if it here on RR this year and add a bit to it.

Starting 8th, Richard Petty leads the final 41 laps and notches his 18th career victory with a one-lap win over Tiny Lund in the Virginia 500 at Martinsville.

The pace lap before the start - with Rex White starting from first (his final career pole) and Fireball Roberts alongside him on the front row. Petty started on the outside of the 4th row.

Junior Johnson was the first car out of the race. He lost a right side tire and took a hard lick into the fence. Completing only 23 laps, Junior finished 33rd and dead last.

Holman & Moody driverFireball Roberts dominated the early part of the race. He led the first 177 laps from the drop of the green. But a blown tire and wreck into the fence ended his day at lap 223.Fred Lorenzen dominated most of remaining part of the race by leading the next 282 laps. But he stumbled with a broken axle near the end and finished 5th six laps down to Petty.

Petty Enterprises teammate Jim Paschal suffered heat exhaustion and needed help from a relief driver. The observant and appreciative crowd roared when the old man - Lee Petty - took over the #41 Petty Plymouth and soldiered it home to an 8th place finish. Lee had raced only once since a near-death accident at Daytona in February 1961 ( video ).

Richard had to play the fuel mileage game and eked out enough laps from a quickly emptying tank to get the 43 to the checkers. Like Paschal, Petty too was wiped out after a long-day of racing on an usually hot April day. He collapsed briefly after getting out of the car but quickly recovered to enjoy the victory celebration.

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

I've not been successful in finding a victory lane photo. The above article references, however, that Richard was greeted in victory lane by the reigning Miss Virginia, Patricia Gaulding. She went on to participate in the Miss America pageant.

I found a T. Taylor Warren Victory Lane photo of 1963 VIRGINIA 500 winner Richard Petty, Linda Petty, and Miss Va. Patricia Jean Gaulding.

I found (3) race program pages on 1963 VIRGINIA 500 T. TAYLOR WARREN PHOTOS.

1963 VIRGINIA 500 T. TAYLOR WARREN PHOTOS PAGE 1.

Thanks for any information or photos posted.

Dennis Garrett

Richmond, Va. USA

I found (3) race program pages on 1963 VIRGINIA 500 T. TAYLOR WARREN PHOTOS.

1963 VIRGINIA 500 T. TAYLOR WARREN PHOTOS PAGE 2.

Thanks for any information or photos posted.

Dennis Garrett

Richmond, Va. USA

I found (3) race program pages on 1963 VIRGINIA 500 T. TAYLOR WARREN PHOTOS.

1963 VIRGINIA 500 T. TAYLOR WARREN PHOTOS PAGE 3.

Thanks for any information or photos posted.

Dennis Garrett

Richmond, Va. USA

Dennis - Those 4 images are fantastic. Glad you were able to round them up & add them to this post.

Dennis, I really enjoyed this page of media and pr rep photos of so many folk I worked with years later.

edit: never mind

Bump