Twice postponed, the "Wilkes 400" was finally run on this date in 1971. The North Wilkesboro, NC track is/was a .625 mile asphalt track located in the Brushy Mountains of North Carolina. It would be a cool a breezy fall day for the running of what was called a "mixed" race. The "mixed" indicated that both the full size Grand National Cars, and the Grand American cars, which consisted of Camaros, Mustangs and Firebirds, would run together. Although the Grand American cars were lighter and smaller, and believed to have an advantage on the short tracks, those teams were required to use narrower tires and were only allowed three crewmembers over the wall on a pit stop. The only times the smaller cars could run with the bigger brothers were on tracks one mile or smaller, although Big Bill had allowed them to run the first Talladega race when several of the teams pulled out.
The Wilkes 400 would take the green flag with Charlie Glotzbach on the pole in a fi;; size Richard Howard Chevrolet. Second place starter was Richard Petty in a full size Plymouth with third place going to Bobby Allison in a full-size Ford. Fourth place would be Richard Brown in a full size Chevy. Fifth place was Dave Marcis in a full size Dodge. The highest qualifying Grand American entry was Tiny Lund, starting sixth in a Ronnie Hopkins Camaro.
Charlie Glotzbach led the first 41 laps before yielding to Bobby Allison for six laps. Then it was Richard Petty's turn out front where he would remain until lap 74. Lap 75 went to Bobby Allison and then Tiny Lund put the Camaro out front for lap 76. Allison went back to the point on Lap 77 and held on until lap 79 when Richard Petty pushed his Plymouth back into number one position and would start to pull away.
The swift blue Plymouth broke a valve spring around lap 350 while holding a 2 lap lead and began to slow. On lap 360, with 40 to go, Glotzbach caught the ailing Plymouth and took over the first place. Charlie had only to look in his mirror to see a hard charging Tiny Lund, who had been four laps down at one point, pushing that Camaro to the front in a fantastic run. With FIVE laps to go, Tiny shoved that number 55 Camaro out front and took the checkered flag with a 6 second advantage.
Brushing off the criticism of his win by some who claimed the smaller Camaro had a distinct advantage, Tiny reveled in the victory. Junior Johnson, team manager for the Richard Howard Chevy driven by Glotzbach said after the race that a piece of the rear end suspension had broken with 10 to go and if there had been two or three more laps to run, Charlie would probably have lost the right rear wheel. The average speed for the race was 96.174, slowed by 3 caution flags for 19 laps. There were 9,500 fans on hand to witness the exciting finish.
Finishing Order:
1. Tiny Lund, Ronnie Hopkins Camaro, winning $3,875.00
2. Charlie Glotzbach, Richard Howard Chevrolet, winning $3.525.00
3. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $1,650.00
4. Dave Marcis, Marcis Dodge, winning $1,175.00 (2 laps down)
5. Benny Parsons, L.G. DeWitt Ford, winning $1,000.00 (6 laps down)
6. Buck Baker (Firebird)
7. James Hylton
8. Frank Sessoms (Camaro)
9. Cecil Gordon
10. Elmo Langley
11. Bill Champion
12. Neil Castles
13. Walter Ballard
14. Joe Dean Huss (Camaro)
15. J. D. McDuffie
16. Ed Negre
17. Wendell Scott
18. John Sears
19. Jabe Thomas
21. Bob Williams (Camaro)
22. Frank Warren
23. Jimmy Vaughn (Mustang)
24. Bill Dennis
25. Raymond Williams
26. Bill Seifert
27. Randy Hutchison (Camaro)
28.Eddie Yarboro
29.Earle Canavan
30. Richard Brown
31. James Cox
PERSONAL NOTE: Bobby Allison won a race in a Mustang at Bowman Gray Stadium which NASCAR has NOT recognized in his overall win count although Lund received credit for Cup wins twice in the Camaro. At one point, NASCAR reversed itself and gave Bobby the win in the record book. Then they reversed again and took it away. The point here is that by allowing Bobby the win at Bowman-Gray, Bobby would be ONE victory ahead of that D.W. guy. It is my understanding, from more than one source, that D.W. was the force behind NASCAR taking the win back. Of course, as with everything else in NASCAR, youcan't prove it. But in my book, and the books of many fans, Bobby Allison should be credited with one more win.
As for Tiny Lund, I watched him race so many times on the short tracks, many weekly events at Columbia Speedway, that I can remember the solid determination on his face every time he got behind the wheel of a race car. I was NOT at Wilkesboro in 1971, but I would bet that determination was engraved in that face as he saw his chance to chase down Glotzbach and Petty and win that race. And, knowing Tiny, it is not likely that anyone enjoyed that win, or any win, more. Rest in peace, Tiny, you sure left a lot of good memories in this only heart and mind of me.
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
