1970 CAMP DOGWOOD 250

CAMP DOGWOOD 250

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sunday April 12, 1970

Race #5 was the second annual Camp Dogwood 250. A state wide project of the North Carolina Lions Club for the benefit of the North Carolina Association for the Blind. The proceeds from the event went to the Associations Camp Dogwood, a summer camp located on Lake Norman especially designed for the use and enjoyment of people who are blind or have major sight impairment.

There was a record number of 47 entrants for a Grand American race with 39 cars making qualifying runs. The first 10 positions were claimed on the first day of qualifying on Saturday. The rest of the field was set in the second qualifying session at noon on Sunday.

Tiny Lund claimed the pole position with a record lap of 35.59 seconds for a speed of 152.585 MPH in the Ronnie Hopkins prepared Camaro. The lap was almost 2 MPH faster than last years pole speed set by Pete Hamilton who had run 2 four barrel carburetors while Tiny had only one four barrel this year. Jim Paschal in a Warren Prout prepared Javelin started second with Larry Wallace in a Holman-Moody Mustang third and Modified ace Sonny Hutchins in Johhny Divers Camaro that James Hylton had driven to victory at Daytona in fourth.

Wayne Andrews, the fastest second day qualifier, in the Shaw Racing Enterprises Cougar entered the race with the point lead even with Tiny having won 3 of the first 4 races. After qualifying the normally care free Lund was a little worried that the worm is going to turn as he put it. Feeling that he had had his share of good luck in two of those wins he was hoping it would not run out in one of the richest races of the year.

There was excitement early with a power failure in the scorers stand and a brush fire off turn 3 during the 2:00 PM parade laps. With these problems quickly fixed Tiny set the pace early leading the first 54 laps when Ed Conner crashed his Camaro into the inside guard rail on the back stretch. Paschal went into the lead when Tiny pitted for gas. Tiny thought he may have fouled a plug so as the crew checked it out a plug wire was dropped. To keep from going a lap down he went out and came right back in to get the wire put back on. Thinking he had lost the chance to get tires he saw the wrecker was having trouble hooking up the wrecked car so he headed down pit road for the third time to get fresh rubber. With only 2 men allowed over the wall he had to blast out of the pits and only beat the pace car back on the track by a few feet. Tinys luck was still holding as the caution had lasted 9 laps.

On the restart Jim Paschal was out front thru lap 75 when Tiny went back to the lead. The second caution came on lap 97 but was only out for 2 laps when Paschal lost the engine in his Javelin. The third caution came quickly on lap 110 when Johnny Allen blew the engine in his Mustang. Sonny Hutchins went to the lead when Tiny pitted under the caution and led one green flag lap before Tiny regained the lead on lap 118. Tiny led the rest of the way with Hutchins getting close a couple of times but Tiny had a 4 second advantage at the end for his first Charlotte win. Wayne Andrews was third 4 laps down with Bobby Brack and Cales brother J.C. Yarborough fourth and fifth 8 laps down.

Attendance was reported as 15,000. There were 3 cautions for 18 laps with 21 of the 37 starters running at the finish. Tinys take of the $15,453 purse was $3,000.

Fin Srt Car # Driver Car Laps Reason out

1 1 55 Tiny Lund 69 Camaro 167 Running

2 4 48 Sonny Hutchins 70 Camaro 167 Running

3 11 15 Wayne Andrews 70 Cougar 163 Running

4 12 75 Bobby Brack 69 Camaro 159 Running

5 7 59 J.C. Yarborough 70 Cougar 159 Running

6 9 44 Ken Rush 69 Camaro 158 Ignition

7 8 77 Joie Chitwood Jr. 68 Camaro 157 Running

8 5 95 Butch Harben 68 Camaro 156 Running

9 23 8 Phil Wills 68 Camaro 154 Running

10 22 37 Bill Hemby 68 Camaro 153 Running

11 26 26 Richard Childress 68 Camaro 153 Running

12 24 54 Bobby Fleming 68 Camaro 151 Running

13 20 01 Tommy Andrews 68 Mustang 150 Running

14 21 0 Stan Starr, Jr. 68 Camaro 149 Running

15 31 88 T.C. Hunt 68 Camaro 143 Running

16 14 2 Randy Hutchison 69 Camaro 143 Running

17 29 24 Bobby Wilson 68 Camaro 140 Running

18 10 39 Earl Briggs 68 Camaro 138 Running

19 6 42 Charlie Blanton 69 Camaro 136 Engine

20 28 56 Les Covey 68 Camaro 136 Running

21 19 07 Bob Burcham 68 Camaro 135 Engine

22 34 9 Stan Starr, Sr. 68 Camaro 134 Running

23 33 72 Doug Easton 68 Mustang 129 Running

24 15 66 Phil Kendrick 68 Camaro 127 A frame

25 37 17 Ernie Shaw 68 Mustang 126 Running

26 13 97 Johnny Allen 69 Mustang 104 Engine

27 2 14 Jim Paschal 70 Javelin 97 Engine

28 16 21 Frank Sessoms 68 Camaro 81 Rocker arm

29 3 49 Larry Wallace 70 Mustang 72 Engine

30 18 31 Earl Canavan 68 Javelin 65 Engine

31 35 7 Jimmy Vaughn 68 Camaro 53 Engine

32 27 04 C.B. Gwyn 68 Cougar 34 Engine

33 17 62 Ed Conner 68 Camaro 34 Engine

34 30 71 David Boggs 68 Camaro 24 Oil leak

35 36 74 Al Straub 69 Mustang 7 Engine

36 36 87 Buck Baker 69 Firebird 6 Handling

37 32 12 Alvin Brown 68 Mustang 2 Oil leak

J.C. Yarborough goes by a spinning Butch Harben

I never knew that 2nd place finisher Sonny Hutchins, the Richmond restaurateur, ever drove a Grand American race. His Beltsville Speedway sponsorship was certainly appropriate since he won numerous Modified and Late Model Sportsman races at that Maryland venue. Dennis, do you know if this was a one and done for Sonny or whether he drove any other Grand American/GT races?

Ultimate Racing History's database includes 3 Grand American races for Hutchins.

• April 12, 1970 - Charlotte - P2
• April 26, 1970 - Beltsville - P17
• May 31, 1970 - Dover - P2

From Spartanburg Herald

Thanks, Chase.

Johnny Divers, owner of the 2nd place Sonny Hutchins #48 Beltsville Speedway Camaro is the same Johnny Divers from Northern Virginia who fielded the #44 Burton and Robinson Concrete Construction Late Model Sportsman Oldsmobiles for Lennie Pond and Bill Dennis in the mid - late 70s.

Mac Burton Collection

Camp Dogwood continues to operate on the shores of Lake Norman, north of Charlotte:

I was hoping you would find a different report than I have Chase. Your article does not record the first caution so it doesn't clear up the confusion I have over the results I posted. The article I have says Ed Conner crashed into the back stretch inside wall on lap 54 but the results list Conner as blowing an engine after only 34 laps. Can't tell which is wrong. Was the result wrong or was the first caution caused by someone else?

Sonny drove the #48 at Beltsville and it was a Camaro at Dover but I'm not sure if it was the same car.

Thanks, Dennis.

Here's a couple of race preview stories from the Spartanburg paper:

Maybe Ed had already lost 20 laps due to engine trouble, then blew his engine and crashed on his 34th lap, the leader's 54th lap.

That would explain it Robert. Could be the case.

This was the first race for the '70 body. Dad's notes on the race report they ran the Boss 302 turning 7 grand. Did not have time to work on set up. Car was loose but tire wear was good. Also noted that they ran without a rear spoiler but needed one.

Turns out that the North Carolina Lions' Camp Dogwood is still partnering with the racing community today as evidenced in this story by Deb Williams that appeared in Charlotte area papers in the past week:

NC Racing Hall of Fame and Museum gives tour for visually-impaired

The North Carolina Lions operate Camp Dogwood for the blind and visually impaired

North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Museum gives weekly tours for campers

3 of 3

Alvin Ricks of Fayetteville examines the replica of the 1959 Oldsmobile that Lee Petty drove to victory in the inaugural Daytona 500 with her right hand while exploring the 1994 Pontiac piloted by Kyle Petty with her left. DEB WILLIAMS

BY DEB WILLIAMS

Correspondent

Alvin Ricks slowly walks between a replica of the 1959 Oldsmobile Lee Petty drove to victory in the inaugural Daytona 500 and a 1994 Pontiac Kyle Petty piloted, feeling every inch of the race cars with her white glove-covered hands.

The Fayetteville womans right hand carefully examines the 1959 Oldsmobile while her left hand explores the 1994 Pontiac.

The paint is smoother on this one, she says, tapping the 1994 Pontiac, than on this one (the 1959 Oldsmobile).

Ricks, who is blind, had just discovered one of the key differences between the early stock cars housed in the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Museum and those raced in NASCARs modern era.

For adults at Camp Dogwood a camp the North Carolina Lions operate in Sherrills Ford for the blind and visually impaired weekly excursions to the Mooresville museum have been a new adventure. Theyve been so popular that each trip has been filled to capacity, Camp Dogwood Director Susan King said.

Just because you lose your sight doesnt mean you lose your interests, King said. If you were a race fan before you lost your sight, youre still a race fan.

Thats the case for Pam Brule, of Raleigh, who was accompanied by her service dog, Sasha. A Vietnam War veteran, the 64-year-old Brule deals daily with a cornea disease, but her lack of sight hasnt dampened her love of racing. A Thompson, Conn., native, she has followed the sport since her son, a former modified driver, was a toddler. When she celebrated her 60th birthday, her friends provided her with a NASCAR-themed party.

Dont bother me on Saturdays and Sundays because Im watching the race, Brule said with a smile.

A seven-year veteran of Camp Dogwood, Brule likes six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson because hes skilled at a lot of things as far as his athletic ability; thats what I key in on.

I really have a long list of (drivers I like), said Brule, who was in military intelligence. I still like Dale Earnhardt. I would like to see Jeff Gordon do well this year since its his retirement year. But I dont think you can forget some of the old-timers that have paved the way, either.

The excursions for Camp Dogwood residents were created following conversations that museum founder Don Miller had with Marilyn Green, the first Miss Winston, who has retinitis pigmentosa.

Larry Abruzzesa, the museums program director, worked with the camp to develop a special tour for its residents. It was tested about a year ago with a veterans group from the camp. It was such a big hit that it was implemented on a weekly basis this summer.

The tour begins with each camper receiving a pair of white gloves upon his or her arrival. They are then escorted to their seats in the museum. Abruzzesa explains the tours logistics and then Bob Hissom, the museums historian, talks about stock-car racings history. Once the tour begins, Hissom explains each race car to the camps 14 residents as they explore the car with their hands.

I think when a lot of people lose their vision or suffer severe vision impairment, they think they cant do the same things that they used to do, but they can. We just adapt them a little bit, King said. Larry, Tiffany (Ryan, museum director) and the folks here came up with the white glove tour so our folks who are totally blind or have real severe vision impairment can actually touch the exhibits and experience the exhibits without their sight. I love the fact that they do a personalized tour for the campers. They make a special effort to make this a very meaningful and rich experience for our guests.

A lot of these people live in rural areas where there are no museums. We encourage them to get out and try new things. Anthony (Lipscomb, of High Point), whos here today, isnt that interested in cars, but he loves to try new stuff.

Founded in 1967 by the North Carolina Lions, Camp Dogwood serves about 750 adults from ages 18 to 100 each summer. When the 10-week recreational camp concludes, the facility serves as a meeting and retreat center.