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Historical Moments

Jeff Gilder
@jeff-gilder
15 years ago
1,783 posts
Part of the purpose of RacersReunion.com is to capture, preserve, and enjoy the history of racing. Been thinking about this for a while...let's start an on-going list of things we think are the most important moments in racing history. Anyone can add anything they think is important. It can be comment, photo, a story, a race, and organization, a sponsor, etc.,...in any order from the early 1900s til now.Lets see how long we can keep this topic alive.I'll start with ...the invention of the automobile...lol that was a little obvious...and lame wasn't it. Ok...how about the speed records set on the beach in Daytona.


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Founder/Creator - RacersReunion®
updated by @jeff-gilder: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Paul Zappardino
@paul-zappardino
15 years ago
40 posts
how about Smokey yunick's outlawed Chevelle that was the first to hit 180 MPH at Daytona?
Melissa Bleier
@melissa-bleier
15 years ago
6 posts
Heck! I think that the invention of the automobile isn't a lame choice at all!!Where would we be without it!?A moment huh!? Its hard to think of one!How about moving the land speed competitions to Utah, forcing the folks in Daytona to come up with something else to do with all that sand..
Pete Banchoff
@pete-banchoff
15 years ago
279 posts
Although I'm a huge Ford fan, I'd have to say the biggest development was the Chevrolet 265 c.i. small block (the Mighty Mouse engine). It could be put in anything and be fast and was light weight. The 265 grew and became the racing engines of today.Pete Banchoff
Karl Stark
@karl-stark
15 years ago
2 posts
I would have to go back to the Ford Flathead. From what I can gather looking at old racing papers and photos, despite Big Bill France driving a Hollywood Ghrame, most of those prewar beach races were won by Flathead Fords. Ed Samples the first national champion of what would become NASCAR was driving 37-39 Fords. Raymond Parks team cars driven by Bob and Fonty Flock were Flatheads.
Pete Banchoff
@pete-banchoff
15 years ago
279 posts
1965 and 1966... The development of the Fuel Cell (bladder) and Inner liners for tires helped safety a lot. Although 2 talented drivers Jim Pardue and Billy Wade were killed in the development of tires, many more lives were saved because of their sacrifice. The racing world owes them a lot and no one should ever forget them. One again, though, it took the death of good drivers in super fast race cars with monster motors and very little safety equipment to get action taken.Pete
joe smithson
@joe-smithson
15 years ago
3 posts
I don't know the specific incident that caused Bill Simpson to start developing safety equipment, but I consider that a significant moment.
Pete Banchoff
@pete-banchoff
15 years ago
279 posts
Joe, I think Bill Simpson was huge in improving driver safety. For years, t-shirts were the garb and that wasn't good in a fire. I think Bill started his safety stuff in drag racing, but I'm not sure. I remember seeing Simpson drag chutes in the early 60's.Pete
drflavio309
@drflavio309
15 years ago
1 posts
I can't believe no one has mentioned roll bars........ and something I have been putting in dirt cars for years that NASCAR jumped up and claimed the idea and that is side panels inbetween the door bars on drivers side. it helps strengthen the door area....but in general driver safety has come along way!!!!!!the dr.
Paul Zappardino
@paul-zappardino
15 years ago
40 posts
You are right Dr. Roll bars are a big step,
J.C. HAYES
@jc-hayes
15 years ago
37 posts
HOW ABOUT BILL ELLIOTT SETTING SPEED RECORD AT DAYTONA AND TALLADEGA . WINNING 11 SUPERSPEEDWAY RACES
J.C. HAYES
@jc-hayes
15 years ago
37 posts

HOW ABOUT BUDDY BAKER FIRST MAN TO BREAK 200 MPH
Jon Clifton
@jon-clifton
15 years ago
26 posts
The detachable steering wheel on cars today. (Gaston Chevrolet's 1920 Frontenac that won the Indy 500 that year was the first car equipped with one).Safety lights around the track are invaluable considering in the early days all you had was a flagman in one spot.Sadly, it took too many people (mostly spectators) being killed before tracks built better walls/fences around the track.Fire suits and helmets were one of the best innovations. There are many drivers who would have lived a lot longer if they had the opportunity to have worn one. And to think that helmets were not required at Indy until 1935 and fire suits and roll bars were not mandatory at Indianapolis until 1959.Roof flaps have been a great addition in Nascar.
Jim Wilmore
@jim-wilmore
15 years ago
488 posts
Though some folks are reluctant to talk about it, I would say that the Moonshine Runners and the Mechanics that built the shine runners for endurance and speed are the single most important factors in stock car racing. Note I said "single" and "factors" (plural) in the same sentence because, there wouldn't have been one without the other.
Mopurr
@mopurr
15 years ago
9 posts
The Aero Wars of the late 60's early 70's The corporations building the cars to win on "Sunday"The Dodge Charger 500Ford's Talladega that Chrysler answered with the Dodge Daytona the car that Buddy Baker broke the 200 MPH barrier with. (pictured in a post above)Then a year later the Plymouth Superbird and we also cannot forget Mercury's Cyclone SpoilersThe speeds that they made....Then the decision by France to outlaw them.
Gail Flowers
@gail-flowers
15 years ago
1 posts
How about the first time products and services were displayed on a car,(sponsership).With out it most of these drivers from humble beginings could not have perticipated in "official" races. Can someone tell me who some of the first sponsers were?
Jeff Gilder
@jeff-gilder
15 years ago
1,783 posts
STP was one of the first National sponsors. Up until then it was the local garage....or grocery store...or car dealers.


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Founder/Creator - RacersReunion®
Bill Hupp
@bill-hupp
15 years ago
32 posts
I think the top moments in NASCAR, the moments that changed everything, have to start with the first flag-to-flag live telecast of the Daytona 500, with the famous Allison-Yarborough dustup, which started spreading NASCAR's popularity, and the death of Dale Earnhardt, which instigated the unrelenting push for more safety.I also wonder how much the Indycar split of the mid-90s contributed to NASCAR's explosion.Other possible contenders:The first Daytona 500Richard's 200th winMillion-dollar Bill ElliottNixon hosting Petty and other racers at the White House (1971?)
Leon Phillips
@leon-phillips
15 years ago
626 posts

Well i know i am late with this but how about Wendell Scott he was ahead of his time if he were here right now he would be in a winning car with his talent

Pete Banchoff
@pete-banchoff
15 years ago
279 posts

This goes back to almost the beginning of the auto idustry, but how about Ford vs. Winton in Michigan, 1902.
Henry Jones
@henry-jones
15 years ago
31 posts
Well Jeff in a little over a week you and a lot of other Motorsports fans will be in Augusta at the former 3 mile road circuit.On November 17, 1963 the second longest scheduled NASCAR race in history took place with Glenn "Fireball" Roberts as the winner. The race was shortened due to a time limit of FIVE hours. Just think about the boys of today doing a road circuit, or any other race, for FIVE hours?The longest race is the 600 miles in Charlotte (still can not say that other name for the track).