July 31, 1959: Petty Picks Greenville-Pickens' Green

July 31, 1959: Lee Petty wins his second and final career NASCAR Convertible Series race in a 200-lap, 100-mile race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina. Lee's win in his familiar #42 Plymouth came in his 28th and final start in the Convertible Series over a three-year period. Son Richard Petty struggled mightily in the race and finished 19th in the 22-car field.

Read on for more:

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/07/july-31-1959-petty-picks-greenville.html

Hmm, a new book about Greenville-Pickens soon to be released? Wonder if it'll have any pics from the 1959 race.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/greenville-pickens-speedway-south-carolina-scott-keepfer/1116088745?ean=9781467110990&isbn=9781467110990

Are those Grand Touring or Grand American cars on the cover?

Well, well. I didn't know about the book coming out, but I hope to get my hands on a copy. Probably next time I'm at Memory Lane Museum in Mooresville. Alex Beam keeps his shop stocked with racing books. I love to browse there. Last time I was there, he even had "The Best Damn Garage in Town" so I finally got a copy. Haven't had time to read it yet, but I'm hoping soon.

As for the convertible race in 1959, Uncle Bobby and I were there. If you remember, Richard Petty had just won at Columbia Speedway in a convertible a week or so before this race but Uncle Bobby still wasn't impressed with the younger Petty. He was a Lee Petty fan through and through. When I visit with him these days we still talk about things like that. Uncle Bobby never comes out and admits he was flat-out wrong, but he does now at least allow that Richard accomplished alot. He wasn't impressed with Elvis too much at first either!

What are his feelings on these? Ha ha

Chase, I think Uncle Bobby would be impressed by all of those pictures you just posted. He is NOT an old grumpy man. He is just someone who knows what he likes and what he doesn't like and he doesn't mind expressing it. Maybe that's where I got my outspokeness from????? If you want a real opinion that you can't print anywhere, ask him about our current President. Or the current Congress.