Racing History Minute - November 3, 1963

Ah, Riverside California and the nine turn road course where the NASCAR Grand National Series would run many races, one of which would cost the life of Lil Joe Weatherly. But for today, it's 1963, two months before Lil Joe's fatal crash and the day of what was know at the "Golden State 400" to be run on the 2.7 mile road course for 148 laps, or 400 miles.

One bit of big news before the race even started was the refusal of USAC to allow any of its drivers to race, even though the race had approval of the FIA. Les Richter, the General Manager of Riverside had applied for FIA sanction which would allow any driver of any sanctioning body to compete. Literally hours before race time. USAC forced its drivers to withdraw. USAC drivers included the pole winner, Dan Gurney. Gurney turned over the pole winning Wood Brothers Ford to Marvin Panch. A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones and Roger Ward were also forced to pull out although they had all qualified for the race. Paul Goldsmith, also a USAC driver then, told USAC where they could park their decision and he stayed to race.

Paul said he owed it to the fans and to Ray Nichels, his car owner, to race. USAC suspended him indefinitely and advised him he would not be eligible to compete in the 1964 Indy 500. As it turned out, Paul crashed his Plymouth on lap 42 and was out of the race. He won $300.00. Overall, though, Paul Goldsmith was the fastest qualifier for the race but was not on the pole as his speed was a second day speed of 101.620 compared to Gurney's 101.050. But, remember now, Gurney had to give up his ride to Marvin Panch.

Marvin Panch did start the Wood Brothers Ford on the pole with Fireball Roberts in a Holman-Moody Ford second. Third place starter was Darel Dieringer in a Bill Stroppe Mercury with fourth place going to Fred Lorenzen in another Holman-Moody Ford. Fifth place starter was Rex White in a Louie Clements Mercury.

Lorenzen would lead the first 21laps with Dave MacDonald taking over on lap 22 to lead until lap 76. Dave MacDonald was driving a Wood Brothers Ford and had started 6th. Dieringer took over for 2 laps on lap 77 but was passed by MacDonald who would then hold the lead until lap 115 when he gave it back to Dieringer for 2 laps. MacDonald led lap 118 but Dieringer went back out front the next lap and stayed there until the checkered flag. This was the only win by Mercury for the 1963season. The Junior Johnson Mercury finished 5th, but Junior had turned over the driving to Richard Petty, who had parked his Plymouth on lap 5 with transmission failure. Richard did, in fact, run most of the race for Junior.

To further sweeten the win, Dieringer had only recently been released from his factory Ford ride and the ride in the Stroppe Mercury was something to prove for Dieringer. It was his first Grand National win and he did it in fine fashion winning by more than a full lap over second place, a factory Ford ride. .

Lil Joe Weatherly would finish 7th in this final race of the 1963 season and claimed his second consecutive Grand National Championship.

Finishing order:

1. Darel Dieringer, Bill Stroppe Mercury, winning $7,785.00

2. Dave MacDonald, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $4,655.00 (1 lap down)

3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $2,860.00 (1 lap down)

4. Fireball Roberts, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,775.00 (1 lap down)

5. Junior Johnson, Bill Stroppe Mercury, winning $1,300.00 (3 laps down)

Junior was relieved early by Richard Petty

6. Jack Smith

7. Joe Weatherly

8. Bill Amick

9. Bob Ross

10. Ron Hornaday

11. Ken Miles

12. Clem Proctor

13. David Pearson

14. Bill Clifton

15. Marvin Porter

16. Pete Brock

17. Don Noel

18. Jim Cook

19. Lloyd Dane

20. Eddie Grey

21. Dick Mitchell

22. Jimmy Pardue

23. Bob Perry

24. Gene David

25.Orin Prosser

26. Skip Hudson

27. Chuck Shore

28. Scotty Cain

29. Bob Bondurant

30. Frank Denny

31. Paul Goldsmith

32. Fred Lorenzen

33. Billy Wade

34. Ned Jarrett

35. Augie Pabst

36. Richard Petty

37. Rex White

38. Jack McCoy

39. Al Self

40. Al Brand

41.Bruce Worrell

The 1963 season ending points standings:

1. Joe Weatherly, started 53 races, won 3, total winnings $74,623.76

2. Richard Petty, started 54, won 14, total winnings $55,964.00

3.Fred Lorenzen, started 29, won 6, total winnings $122,587.28

4. Ned Jarrett, started 53, won 6, total winnings $45,843.29

5.Fireball Roberts, started 53, won 8, total winnings $73,059.30

PERSONAL NOTE: I remember having to listen to the Riverside races on the old A.M. station as we didn't have F.M. broadcasts back then. As the races were in California, it would be getting dark here in South Carolina before the end of the race and the AM stations had to cut back their signal strength pursuant to the FCC rules. Usually the last 100 miles or so of the Riverside races were hit and miss but we always managed to suffer through all the static to hear the race.

The first time I recall actually seeing what the Riverside track was really like was when the movie "Red Line 7000" came out in 1964. The movie starts there and ends there. "Red Line 7000" actually premiered here in Columbia during Darlington weekend and thanks for Ned Jarrett and Bondy Long, our little group were "special VIP guest" for the premier. That means we got to meet some of the actors and actresses in the movie. No, not James Caan, he didn't come, but the ones we met were all nice, especially the guy who played the team owner that gave the upstart a chance. He was a really nice guy. We had all those folks' autographs and a movie "brochure-booklet" from the premier, but all of that was part of all that was lost in the move 31 years ago. But, I do have the memories of that night.

Oh, and did you know that Elmo Langley bought one of those Fords used in that movie and it was in that car that he won two races.

I miss Riverside, although I never went there. I guess part of the reason I miss it is because of the history there. Read the names in the finishing order of the race we covered today. Is that not racing history at its finest?

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

Thanks for this most interesting post, Tim. I had completely forgotten about the USAC drivers being forced to withdraw from this race AFTER they'd already qualified.

I went to Riverside from January 1981 until it closed and had many really enjoyable moments, especially meeting the west coast fans and drivers. Those fans came down from Washington State and Oregon, from all over California, Nevada and Arizona to see big time NASCAR racing.

It was really eye opening to learn how knowledgable those west coast fans were and how good "their" drivers were.

Oh... I also ate my first burrito at Riverside, at the concession stand just outside the garage gate.

First Burrito, Dave? I can't remember my first one but it truly wasn't all that long ago.

I am fortunate that I got to see one road course race with the Grand Nationals at the Augusta, Ga. Road Course in 1963. To have an opportunity to actually drive around what is left of that track 50 years later was a touching experience for me. I envy your Riverside experience.

It has just occurred to me that this race "might" have historical significance to one of our frequent RR contributors.

Starting 18th and finishing 35th in his only career NASCAR start was accomplished road racer, Augie Pabst . Pabst was a former vice-president of the Pabst Brewing Company who left the beer business as a young man in the 1950s to concentrate on auto racing.

Around 1999, Pabst Brewing acquired a beer brand favored by a group of nomadic NASCAR devotees who have this ring of honor deal, etc. They can be spotted at the track wearing yellow shirts.

I only mention this stretched connection to the Schaefer Beer brand in case one of those devotees happens to read this particular post.

Augie Pabst can be seen in the photo below from Dave Westerman's Florida Stock Cars site wheeling a 1964 Holman-Moody-built Ford to a USAC road course win.

Augie Pabst in winners circle. From Augie Pabst collection published by Forza.

The link below will take you to a very interesting story about the young fellow who actually drove for a competing beer brand out of Chicago.

http://www.forza-mag.com/issues/124/articles/pabst-s-blue-ribbon#.U...

Boy Howdy! There is another stretched connection beyond Pabst's current ownership of Schaefer. Similar to Augie who left the beer business as a young man to concentrate on auto racing, we've kind of drifted away from racing as middle-aged men to concentrate on Schaefering.

Dave MacDonald (21) racing Fred Lorenzen (28). From rsm collection.

MacDonald leading Dick Mitchell and Lorenzen. rsm collection

I believe this is from same race. MacDonald goes inside an unknown car with 77 of Marvin Porter trailing. From Richard Guido collection.

Another from  rsm collection of MacDonald leading Billy Wade.

2nd place finisher MacDonald. rsm collection

And here is one Don Smyle shared months ago - though I think it was through his Smyle Media Facebook page vs. here. Its Richard Petty driving in relief of Junior Johnson. So 1969 was NOT the first time the future King piloted a car from FoMoCo.

Really neat 4 minute video with highlights from the race.

WOW!!!

The Henry Ford ArteHouse (sounds a bit snooty for NASCAR doesn't it?) has a remarkable set of Dave Friedman photos from this race. Too numerous to embed and credit here. Well worth browsing through them though.

Henry Ford ArteHouse GS400 Gallery

I will embed this one because Tim referenced in his text - Paul Goldsmith's wrecked car.

And 1 more from the Henry Ford collection of the winner.

Race program from Motor Racing Programme Covers

Richard Petty's Plymouth had a white hood with a thin white line running from it along the window line.

A few race related articles.

Gurney withdraws from Daytona Beach Morning Journal

Race preview from Daytona Beach Morning Journal

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

And column re: USAC drivers withdrawing based on pressure from that sanctioning body. I do love, however, how Paul Goldsmith managed to work a loophole to get around USAC's demands. From Daytona Beach Morning Journal .

RR member Don Smyle posted a gallery of photos from the 1963 Golden State 400 as part of his new role as a contributor for National Speed Sport News. Some really good ones here.

http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/media/photos/photos-1963-golden-state-400/

Thanks for the link to these photos, Chase. I particularly enjoyed seeing the Tarheel Speedway sponsorship on Jimmy Pardue's car all the way across the country at Riverside. I was wondering about the Greensboro location, though. Tarheel was in Randleman, right?

I've seen it referred to as being in Randleman. Not sure where Randleman's city limits end and Level Cross's begin. But the track was only a mile or two away from the Petty shops. Of course in 1963 when GPS devices could not have even been imagined, perhaps the larger town of Greensboro was used to get folks focused on the general vicinity.

I also ate at my first Denny's and Carl's Jr. in Riverside. And, one of my favorite restaurants on the circuit was a place in Riverside we'd always go with Earnhardt... the Cask 'n Cleaver . Lots of good racing AND eating memories from Riverside!

None of the 1963 competitors got to eat at the Cask 'n Cleaver, though, since it opened in 1967.

How did 5th place starter Rex White end up with a 37th place finish? Because of this on lap 2. Oof.