Who was it, Johnny someone, who one had a hit with the song "Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away"? Tillison or something like that was his last name, I think. Most of us who are older surely know that is true as it often seems we have hardly taken out the trash from the opened Christmas presents before we are putting up the tree for the next Christmas. Oh, and birthdays? Those were one a year apart. Now seems as if the birthday comes around once a week or so. But TODAY marks six months ago that we started the Racing History Minute.
I would like to think that many folks read these and don't comment, while we have some who do read and comment and certain TMC Chase and Dave Fulton add posts that really enhance the meager posting I make. This is providing this site with a truly wonderful historic record of stock car racing. Chase and Dave have added some videos that are really special.
So, to all who may read these posts, if you have a memory pertaining to the event chronicled, please add that memory to the post. This is YOUR website. The website for all fans who wish to connect with the history and the legends of the sport. Enjoy, be a part of this all.
Now, on to the History Minute for today. There have been several races run on this date but it seems most of those were Petty victories. I have an agreement with TMC Chase that he covers the Petty triumphs and he does that very, very well. I'm sure he'll be posting later on some of those Petty wins. As for us. we will be at the "Augusta 200" which was run on the half-mile asphalt track in Augusta, Georgia.
Bobby Allison, in the Friedkin Enterprises Plymouth started on the pole. He was flanked by Richard Petty in the Petty Enterprises Plymouth with David Pearson in the Holman-Moody Ford starting third. Bobby Isaac qualified the K&K Insurance Dodge fourth and Elmo Langley put the Langley-Woodfield Ford in fifth starting spot.
Bobby Allison would lead the first 108 laps while seemingly on cruise control. He had Pearson nipping at his heels, but Bobby just could not be passed. On lap 109 Bobby hit the pits for a routine stop but the crew had a difficult time changing two tires and he lost ground to David Pearson who assumed the lead on that stop. Sad thing is the race was under caution when Allison stopped. Allison would give chase, but he could not retake the lead from Pearson.
Richard Petty, who was clearly the fastest car on the track, had stopped on lap 22 for tires (apparently one didn't feel right to The King) and he lost a lap and a little more at that time. Richard made up the lap under green and was litterally rim-riding and flying around the high banks of that half-mile track but came up short.
Elmo Langley, the independant driver who started fifth, was running a stong fourth place when his engine blew on lap 33. Elmo was truly a gentleman racer and, as my old memory serves, who two Grand National races in his career. If you ever saw the movied "Red Line 7000", you may be interested to know that Elmo bought one of the cars used in that movie by "Mike Marsh" played by James Caan and it was in that car, I believe, that Elmo won the two races.
The win was the 46th for David Pearson who would go on to win a total of 105 races in NASCAR's top division and is now a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The 1968 season would see David win the Championship.
Top five finishers were:
1. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,000.00
2. Bobby Allison, Friedkin Enterprises Plymouth, winning $600.00
3. Richard Petty,Petty Enterprises Plymouth, winning $600.00
4. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge, winning $300.00 (1 lap down)
5. John Sears, L.G. DeWitt Ford, winning $275.00 (5 laps down)
Sixth through tenth were James Hylton, Dave Marcis, Clyde Lynn, J.D. McDuffie and Bill Siefert. Jabe Thomas would finish 11th, Roy Tyner 12th, Ed Negre 17th, Elmo Langley 18th, Frank Warren 19th, Earl Brooks 20th. Wendell Scott would finish last, in 21st position, after experiencing engine problems on the very first lap.
PERSONAL MEMORIES: I remember that several of my friends and I traveled to Augusta that day, all of us Petty Fans except for the one Junior Johnson fan who went because he loved racing so much. That was sort of special because Junior wasn't racing that day but all we guys sort of hung together and had been doing so since age 8 or 9.
All of us pulling for Petty thought the race was over for us on the 22nd lap when Richard went to the pits and he had no idea why. We saw the tire change and then he flew back onto the track. He was obviously so much faster (at least in our eyes) than everyone else we just knew he would win. Didn't happen, but we had a good time with Richard after the race. The good time went on even further as we left the track at the same time the Petty crew did and managed to follow them as far as Columbia on Highway US 1.
It was sometime around 1962 when I came to truly appreciate the "independant" drivers and teams in NASCAR. Because of that, I would always try to speak to as many of those drivers as I could anytime the opportunity presented itself. As I think back on the Elmo Langley disappointment that day, my memories of all my encounters with him reinforce the fact that he was a kind man who loved racing.
In 1992 I was working with a major television sports network putting together a special to be aired around Christmas. My camera man and I were sitting on the pitwall long after the finish of the October Charlotte race when the Pace Car pulled up. Elmo got out and came over to speak. After talking a few minutes, I asked Elmo if we could do an interview. He agreed, and we sat there for 45 minutes talking racing history. I have tried for years to obtain a copy of that video but have been refused. Last try, about 2004, I was told it no longer exists. I must say it was through the actions of that television network that I learned you do NOT trust television networks. You should see what they did to my interview with the King in December of that year. Yes, I have that on tape because the Producer was so upset at how I had been treated by the network he sent me the actual tape from the camera that day. But all is good. I have the memories and those are mine!
I also have the memory that less than one year after the event which is the subject of this "Minute" I would run my second race as a driver. In that race, I started fourth and took the lead coming off turn two on the first lap when the first two cars were too involved with each other to notice me. I led 7 laps before I experienced my first "bump and run" in turn four. I lost the lead, but as I remember, we ran third that night.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
1. David
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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
