Today's Racing History Minute is close to home for me as it happened at Columbia Speedway which was, in 1968, a half-mile dirt track. It is one of the most historic tracks in the history for NASCAR for a number of reasons and is now being preserved as "The Historic Columbia Speedway". It was the track where I saw my first race in 1952 and drove my first race in 1969. It also played a huge part in the career of The King as I am sure my friend, TMC Chase, will document here sometime today. In fact, the first 3 historic races I found for this date were all won by a Petty! Anyway, time to get to the race which is the subject of this Racing History Minute.
The "Sandlapper 200" was set to run on a sultry Thursday evening. Columbia, South Carolina currently uses the marketing slogan "Famously Hot" and although this summer has quite lived up to the triple digit days, I do recall that the Thursday night of this race we were baking, broiling, and sweating in the heat and humidity. The twenty-four cars and drivers that showed up for this race were ready to tackle the track, the heat, and each other.
Buddy Baker would put the Ray Fox Dodge on the pole with a speed of 74.196 mph. Richard Petty had his Plymouth in second, Bud Moore (Lil Bud) started third in a Bondy Long Ford, with Bobby Isaac in the K&K Dodge in fourth. Fifth place starter was Neil Castles. Let it be noted that Lil Bud Moore was a regular competitor in the weekly Late Model Sportsman (Now Nationwide) events at the speedway. He was a master of the track and could probably have qualified a wheel barrow in the top ten. Lil Bud is active today in many RacersReunion events and is always a most fascinating individual with whom to spend some time.
Buddy Baker led the first two laps before Lil Bud used his Columbia Speedway expertise to move in front. He would lead until lap 32 when Buddy Baker moved around him to re-take the lead. On lap 73, Bobby Isaac put the red K&K Dodge in front and would stay there until lap 126. It was then that David Pearson took over in the blue and gold Holman-Moody Ford. David would lead the rest of the way to win by half a car length over Charlie Glotzbach. I recall watching from my usual vantage point in turn four and believing Glotzbach surely beat Pearson to the line, but that was not to be.
Bobby Isaac had suffered a blown tire on l ap 184 which put him into the wall and out of the race. Just before the Isaac crash, John Sears had launched his Ford over the guardrail in turn three and his Ford rolled end over end a couple times. John was hurt, but it took him a few minutes to gain some recognition of where he was.
With the win, Pearson regained the points lead and enjoyed his 11th win of the season and the 41st in his career which would continue until he won a total 105 Grand National (now Cup) races.
Top five finishers were:
1. David Pearson, Holman Moody Ford, winning $1.000.00
2. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $600.00
3. LeeRoy Yarbrough, Lyle Stetler Ford, winning $400.00
4. Elmo Langley, Langley-Woodfield Ford, winning $300.00
5. Neil Castles, Castles Plymouth, winning $275.00
Tiny Lund, another Columbia Speedway weekly racer, finished sixth, Clyde Lynn 7th, Wendell Scott 8th, Jabe Thomas 9th and Walston Gardner 10th. Bobby Isaac is credited with 11th, John Sears 13th, Henley Gray 14th, J.D. McDuffie 15th, Buddy Baker 16th and Bobby Allison 17th. Bill Seifert 18th, Ed Negre 19th, Earl Brooks 20th, Richard Petty 21st, Roy Tyner 22nd. and Lil Bud received 24th and last place money after his crash.
I am also posting a "Personal History Minute" for this date in the Blog Posts for today. I hope you'll take a minute to sign in and read the Blog post.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
