December 4, 1971: Two driver exit their cars under different circumstances

The 1971 season-ending Texas 500 GN race was scheduled for Sunday, December 5th. The race was rained out, however, and was rescheduled for a week later on December 12th. (The race, by the way, was won by The King.)

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/29426/december-12-1971-the-king-claims-texas

Though the GN/Cup race was rained out, the late model sportsman drivers were able to complete their race. Darrell Waltrip won the pole for the Permatex 200 - which was scheduled as part of the 1972 season for LMS points. - Times-News

Waltrip was the early rabbit. Around the midpoint of the race, however, he broke an engine and was done for the day. Fifth-place starter Bobby Allison picked up where Waltrip left off, and he pretty well dominated the second half of the race. He easily pocketed the win with a 3-lap victory over second place Jack Ingram. James Hylton, Jimmy Finger and Frank Warren rounded out the top 5 finishers. - Tuscaloosa News

While Allison joyously exited his car in victory lane in Texas, another driver exited his car in Virginia under vastly different circumstances.

On Saturday night December 4th, Buddy Arrington was stopped by law enforcement in Martinsville, VA and arrested for running moonshine. Though the article doesn't say specifically what kind of car Arrington was driving, it sounds an awful lot like it may have been one of his Mopar race cars.

I guess Buddy was able to work things out pretty well because he raced at Daytona in February and competed in about 2/3 of the races in 1972.

Spartanburg Herald

Tip to Russ Thompson for noting a few pics from the 1971 Texas Permatex 200 race were featured on the cover of the December 8 issue of National Speed Sport News. Russ also noted the glaring mistake made in the article about Waltrip's pole-winning car. Bloys Britt said Waltrip was in a 1966 Chevelle vs. the former Holman Moody Mercury he raced in the event.

WOW Never heard about that

Chase, When I saw Tiny and H.B. Bailey in the Alamo 200 lineup I thought it might have been a Grand American race I had never heard of but turns out it was an IMSA GT race held at night on the road course, muchlike the Grand American Paul Revere 250 at Daytona.

1 Juan Izquierdo, Daniel Muniz, Mustang

2 Peter Gregg, Hurley Haywood, Porsche

3 Dan Moore, Gary Bishop, Mustang

4 Dick Durant, Mustang

5 Jim Locke, Porsche

6 Pete Conrad, Bill Cuddy, Porsche

Grand American regular H.B. Bailey finished 15th and Buck Baker finished 17th, both driving Firebirds.

1971 Grand American Champ Tiny Lund was there in his #55 Camaro but recorded no laps and was credited with 23rd andGA part timerRoy Stamey was 24th.

In '68 some road course events ran the SCCA TransAm cars and Grand Touring cars together. While not exactly the same the cars they were a closer match than the '71 GA cars and the IMSA cars. In '72 the Talladega GA race was a combination event.

Arrington's arrest was a brief wire service report in many papers. But it was front page news for the Danville Register!

Sounds like the fastest ride, with the best suspension thatBuddy ever had.