Racing History Minute - 1975 Winston Western 500

What can be said about the 1975 trip to the 2.62 mile, 9 turn road course at
Riverside, California, that doesn't simply scream "Bobby Allison and that Matador"? First, Bobby wins the pole in the Roger Penske AMC Matador at a speed of 110.382 mph. David Pearson would qualify the Wood Brothers Mercury in second place and the Wood Brothers had a long history of winning the 500 out west. Third place starter was Richard Petty in the Petty/STP Dodge and Petty had shown he could negotiate the twisting track, having won before. Fourth place starter was Benny Parsons in the L. G. DeWitt Chevrolet while Chuck Bown in the Dick Bown Dodge would take the green flag in fifth place.

Bobby Allison jumped into the lead on the green flag and stayed there until lap 11 before Richard Petty could push by him. Petty led 3 laps and then Allison took over but while Petty and Allison were fighting for the position, David Pearson had moved his Mercury into position to take over. Pearson did lead lap 17 but Bobby went right back by him and led until lap 34 when Sonny Easley took over on pit stops. Ray Elder, a previous 500 winner, led lap 37 but then Allison went back to the point and was pulling away. When Allison made a scheduled stop on lap 64, Pearson had a one lap turn out front but Bobby went right back to the lead on Pearson's stop. Although Pearson and Allison traded the lead on pit stops, it was truly all Allison the rest of the way. In fact, Bobby led all but 18 of the 191 laps making up the race.

The checkered flag waved first on the Matador and Bobby Allison won his 45th Grand National Race. It was the third win for the Penske Team. David Pearson would cross the line 22.6 seconds behind Allison for second place. Although lap leader records don't reflect it, the number 43 of Richard Petty applied most of the serious pressure to Allison during the early stages of the event but on lap 33, Petty got off course and backed into the turn nine wall. He lost 19 laps in the pits while having his STP Dodge repaired. After the race, Bobby said, "Idon't know what happened to him (Petty). In the mirror I could see Richard going low and then up into the wall.

Petty said, afterwards, that he "got off in the dirt a little and I had my foot on the brake pedal, clutch and the gas all at the same time. My hands were full of steering wheel - then I was in the wall". Petty did rally to finish 7th, still 19 laps behind.

The noticeably absent Junior Johnson - Cale Yarborough team was one of the most discussed topics in the crowd of 55,000 as well as in the garage area. Cale had finished second to Petty in the 1974 Championship and was expect to try for the 1975 title.

The average speed for the race was 98.627 mph having been slowed by 5 caution flags for 29 laps.

Finishing Order:

1. Bobby Allison, Roger Penske Matador, winning $14,735.00

2. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $11,135.00 (22.6 secs back)

3. Cecil Gordon, Gordon Chevrolet,winning $8,535.00 (7 laps down)

4. Dave Marcis, K&K Insurance Dodge, winning $8,235.00 (8 laps down)

5. Elmo Langley, Langley Ford, winning $4,535.00 (13 laps down)

6. James Hylton

7. Richard Petty

8Gary Matthews

9. Ed Negre

10. Hershel McGriff

11. Richard Childress

12. Don Puskarich

13. Ray Elder

14. J. D. McDuffie

15. Larry Esau

16. Bill Osborne

17. Chuck Wahl

18. Bill Schmidt

19.Richard White

20. Don Reynolds

21. Sonny Easley

22.Ron Esau

23. Hugh Pearson

24.Benny Parsons

25. Glen Francis

26. Pete Torres

27. Chuck Bown

28. Chuck Little

29 G. T. Tallis

30. Dick Bown

31. Walter Ballard

32. Harold Jefferson

33. Jimmy Insolo

34. Carl Adams

35. Ivan Baldwin

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

Once you got past 2nd place Pearson, the next closest finisher to Allison (Flash Gordon- 3rd) was over 18 miles behind the winner.

Race program- from Motor Racing Programme Covers

Race report - from Daytona Beach Morning Journal

Jimmy Insolo won the preliminary late model sportsman race, the Permatex 200. Driver Bill Spencer was sadly killed during the race. From Spartanburg Herald .

Yeah, Dave. Cecil was walking. Oh, and by the way, I really missed you not being around for the Tuesday night show. Hope you weren't sick.

Another death at Riverside. I didn't even know about this one. Thanks for putting up all the information Chase.

Bobby's win in the Matador was featured on the cover of the June 1975 issue of Stock Car Racing.

The 1975 Winston Western 500 was the first race under the Latford points system - one that served NASCAR well for a quarter-century. Until...

Bob Latford was a good racing friend to many and always worked my press boxes. Bob Myers wrote an excellent remembrance of Latford upon his passing in 2003:

http://www.hotrod.com/features/history/stories/ctrp-0312-bob-latfor...

If you read the article, you'll note Myers points out that NO representative from NASCAR attended Latford's visitation.

The establishment where Latford jotted out the basis of his points system proposal on a napkin in the company of Joe Whitlock - the NASCAR News Bureau Director and Phil Holmer - former NASCAR News Bureau Director and then PR Director for Goodyear Stock Car Racing Tire Division - was the Boot Hill Saloon in Daytona.

Unknown to many at the time was the fact that Holmer then owned the Boot Hill Saloon!

Latford was a numbers genius, always taking charge of qualifying lineups in our infield media centers during NASCAR's pre-computer days. I urge you to read the Bob Myers remembrance of Latford.

Bob Latford with winner Jeff Burton in my Richmond Press Box - 1990s.

Phil Holmer with driver, Johnny Benson.

Race report from San Bernardino County Sun re: January 18th Permatex 200

Bump