Before we get into the History Minute for today (February 22nd), let us remember that it was on this date in 1959 that the very first Daytona 500 was run. The story lines from that race are legion and we did recap some of those in our Racing History Minute that began the Daytona series here earlier this month. If you haven't heard the stories, or seen the pictures, you need to go back and check our post on the first 500.

The first 125 mile qualifying race for the 1977 Daytona 500 caused all the drivers not named Petty, to tremble in their cars. Richard Petty went around David Pearson on the 8th lap of the 50 lap event and was gone. Even after a 10.6 pit stop on lap 34, Petty was 28.5 seconds ahead of second place finisher, David Pearson, in a caution free race.

After the race Pearson said "We're all in big trouble Sunday. Nobody can even drat Petty. The Wood Brothers have my Mercury running great but I can't even hold onto his draft".

Top five finishers were:

1. Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises Dodge

2. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury

3. Bobby Allison, Allison Matador

4. Dave Marcis, Roger Penske Mercury

5. Donnie Allison, Hoss Ellington Chevrolet

The second 125 saw A. J. Foyt start from the pole in his own Chevrolet. Although A. J. led two laps, he withdrew from the race after some slow pit stops rendered him out of contention.

The only caution flag was out for three laps when Terry Ryan blew an engine with three laps to go, so the race ended under caution with Cale Yarborough benefitting. Even with the win, Cale was not exactly a happy young man. He said, from Victory Lane, "These races should count as official wins and be credited in the points standings. They should also pay more prize money. It's bad enough to run a race that doesn't count and doing it for nothing is worse". Ironically, the 125 were considered "official" events through 1972 and points were awarded.

Top five finishers:

1. Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson Chevrolet

2. Benny Parson, L. G. DeWitt Chevrolet

3. Buddy Baker, Bud Moore Ford

4. Darrell Waltrip, DiGard Chevrolet

5. Ramo Stott, Lou Viglione Chevrolet

Race day dawned bright and sunny but the wind was really whipping around the huge 2.5 mile speedway. Gusts of up to 30 mph were blowing sand, trash and race cars all over the track. Ramo Stott stated, without reservation, that "the wind blew me right into the wall" after he crashed on lap 107. Several cars experienced over heating problems from paper blown onto the track that became plastered to the grills of the cars at speed.

Richard Petty, the driver all assumed would blast into the lead from his third starting spot, pulled out of line on the pace laps and headed for the pits. The Petty crew repaired a loose oil line and Petty roared back onto the track to run down the field.He was helped by a caution on lap three when Bobby Wawak's car caught fire due to a ruptured fuel line,and as the huge fireball rolled down towards the infield grass, Bobby unbuckled and bailed out while the car was still moving at approximately 40 mph. Wawak was transported to the local hospital. He described the incident as akin to "sitting in front of a blow torch".

It was Donnie Allison leading the first lap with A. J. Foyt taking over on lap 2. Lap three saw David Pearson leading and then Cale took over for a few laps. A very tight pack of cars swapped the lead back and forth between Cale, David, A.J., Dave Marcis and Buddy Baker. Frank Warren led lap 34 as the leaders pitted, then Donnie Allison and Darrell Waltrip had their opportunity up front.

All the while, Petty was flying through traffic making up the huge deficit from his early pit stop. A crowd of 135,000 watched as the Petty blue and STP red Dodge sliced through traffic to take over first place on lap 61. But Petty would lead only 3 laps before the Yarborough, Foyt and Baker trio took over again.

Petty blew the engine in the rapid Dodge on lap 111 and was done for the day. Petty was not the only one of the favorites to suffer engine woes as Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison and David Pearson were all parked behind the wall before the end of the 500 miles.

As the race was winding down, Cale looked in his mirror to see a Chevrolet driven by Benny Parsons tucked right in behind him. Parsons had used the draft to win the 500 in 1975 and he surely knew the tricks of the trade. Cale was trying every trick he knew to shake Parsons, but nothing worked. Finally, running into a pack of lapped traffic, Cale "moved around" on the track enough to break the draft and he was home free to win by 1.38 seconds over the persistent Parsons.

Cale left Daytona with a 76 point lead in the National Standings over second place Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip had finished seventh. Buddy Baker had managed to recover from a spin with Salt Walther and finish third.

Finishing Order:

1. Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson Chevrolet, winning $63,700.00

2. Benny Parson, L.G. DeWitt Chevrolet, winning $38,835.00 (1.38 seconds back)

3. Buddy Baker, Bud Moore Ford, winning $28,075.00 (1 lap down)

4. Coo Coo Marlin, Cunningham-Kelley Chevrolet, winning $17,825.00 (2 laps down)

5. Dick Brooks, Junie Donlavey Ford, winning $18,100.00 (2 laps down)

6. A. J. Foyt

7. Darrell Waltrip

8. Jimmy Means

9. Bob Burcham

10.James Hylton

11.Frank Warren

12.Janet Gutherie

13.J. D. McDuffie

14.D. K. Ulrich

15.Bobby Allison

16. Tighe Scott

17. Cecil Gordon

18. Terry Ryan

19. Walter Ballard

20. Jim Vandiver

21. David Pearson

22. Ricky Rudd

23. Richard Childress

24. Salt Walther

25. Bruce Hill

26. Richard Petty

27. Ramo Stott

28. Dave Marcis

29. Ed Negre

30. Donnie Allison

31. Sam Summers

32. Ron Hutcherson

33. Jimmy Lee Capps

34. Grant Adcox

35. Jim Hurtubise

36. Skip Manning

37. Neil Bonnett

38. Buddy Arrington

39. Roy Smith

40. Elliott Forbes-Robinson

41. Johnny Rutherford

42. Bobby Wawak

PERSONAL MEMORIES: I actually don't recall any specific incident impressive about this race. This was our first trip to Daytona in the family motorhome so we were on top of the motorhome in the press parking area behind the pits. We saw Richard dive in on the pace lap and couldn't figure that out but our headset radios (the Winston Radios) told us what was going on. We saw the Wawak fireball but didn't realize he had bailed out.

I ventured in and out of the pits but because we had such a good view from top of the motorhome I was spending most of my time there. After the race we all hit the pits, as you could do in those days, and that was one event where we collected a ton of those "hero cards". Also, we happened upon a guy who worked for STP and we talked to him for quite a while. He ended up giving us a case of STP (12 cans I think) and a case of STP stickers (must have been 500 in that box). Wasn't long after we got home that STP stickers were seen everywhere in the neighborhood. No one had to wonder from where they appeared!

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

Like you Tim, I don't remember a ton about this race though I was a TV viewer vs. being there. I do recall my jaw dropping when I learned of the 43's issues on the Wide World of Sports recap. Petty was RIGHT THERE a year earlier and was so close to beating Pearson for the win. With his speed and performance in the twin that I'd read about in the Tennessean newspaper, I was convinced he'd be there again in 1977. So to have him out of it was an altogether different type of disappointment.

King dominated the series in 1975 but then had only an average season in 1976 as Pearson dominated the wins and Cale dominated the points. For whatever reason, I never really disliked Pearson even as he piled up all those wins in 76. But because Cale was so consistent race to race AND because he'd become THE guy to beat at Nashville, I found myself disliking him and his chicken car. While Benny's win in 75 was a feel good victory and Pearson's win in 76 an instant classic, I was seething in 77 when that yeller 'leven crossed the finish line P1. - Richard Guido

As a race team, the Pettys always handled losing with far more grace than I did as a new, teenage fan. They'd slough off a loss, man up, and try again next week. As for me, I could sulk for days if 43 failed to win or if a driver I didn't like got on a hot streak. Ha.

I know so many folks thought it was a travesty when the solid Petty blue was 'soiled' with the STP day-glo red. But as someone who found racing in the 70s, its the only combo I knew at the time. I don't think there was a better looking car on the track from 1974-1977 than that 1974 Dodge Charger - especially with those chrome wheels, grill and bumper. - Don Smyle

Many of us have soured on the overwhelming amount of advertising that's now an inseparable part of racing. But an element of is has always been there. First and foremost, its a business for all those involved ... except the fans. And the Frances were as good as anyone at knowing how to sell, Sell, SELL! - Mike Ettinger

Janet Guthrie made history by becoming the first woman to start the Daytona 500. She was making 2nd her Daytona start after having raced in the Firecracker the previous summer. - Craig Bontrager

Ricky Rudd started his first 500 in his family-owned Chevrolet. He DNQ'd for the 1976 500 and made his first Daytona start in the 76 Firecracker. But 1977 was the first time he finished well enough in his twin to transfer to the 500. I'm not up on my Rudd trivia - but this car looks like it could have once been a pre-Gatorade, DiGard car. Anyone one know if that's the case? - Ray Lamm

The starting grid for the second qualifying twin with Donnie Allison in Hoss Ellington's Hawaiian Tropic Chevy on the pole and Petty starting alongside him. - Ray Lamm

The photographer from  the Daytona paper captured this stunning set of photos of Wawak's accident and fire - including his run towards medical help.

Cale in victory lane

Even with a disappointing finish, the King found his way to congratulate the winner. Included with them is Miss Winston and Richard's future daughter-in-law, Pattie Huffman.

Cale's win earned him the cover of the next issue of Sports Illustrated. - Ray Lamm

...and the cover of Stock Car Racing magazine in May. - Russ Thompson

Though the Petty team faltered in the 500, they had other Speedweeks success. Woody Fisher won the ARCA 200 race in a Petty Enterprises built and crewed Dodge Charger. The car was supposedly built to the same specs and with the same set-up as the 43 Cup car. I blogged about Fisher a few years ago here:

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/01/woody-fisher.html

And Petty crewman and part-time driver Joe Millikan qualified 2nd and finished 4th in the Petty built #04 Charger in the Permatex 300 late model sportsman race. I'm guessing he raced the same Charger he used to win the 300 a year earlier. - Jerry Bushmire

Jerry Bushmire

The sportsman race was won by Donnie Allison. - Danny Quick

And Handsome Harry Gant from Taylorsville, North Carolina won the 200-mile modified race.

Video highlights

As is often the case even today, Daytona seems to draw some unique and even questionable celebrities. In 2014, we've seen CNN's Larry King and rapper 50 Cent. In 1977, Billy Carter - the beer swilling brother of the recently inaugurated President - was welcomed by the NASCAR folks.

Tim - I thought of 1977 16th place finisher Tighe Scott today as I watched the pre-race show for the season opening Nationwide race from Daytona.

Tighe raced out of Pen Argyle, Pennsylvania and I loved the alliteration of the radio announcer pronouncing his name, his hometown of Pen Argyle, Pa. and his Russ Togs sponsor. I always pictured Tighe wearing Russ Togs and argyle socks!

Tighe Scott & RussTogs ride - Robbie Solesbee collection

The reason I thought of Tighe Scott today was due to the heart warming (and heart breaking ) feature story ESPN did about the dying Pen Argyle race fan who made his "bucket list" wish trip to Daytona, then passed in his camper in the infield. Anybody who missed that report needs to catch it in a rerun or from YouTube if posted. Amazing.

Lehigh Valley

Former Pen Argyl native Mitch Zanette's story to be featured on ESPN

Mitch Zanette will be featured on an ESPN story. (Express-Times File Photo | TIM WYNKOOP)

By Express-Times sports staff February 22, 2014

0

ESPN will run a feature story on former Pen Argyl native Mitch Zanette this Sunday on SportsCenter shows throughout the day. The story will first air during the 10 a.m. edition of the show and re-air during the day.

Zanette, a terminally ill NASCAR fan, had a "bucket list" dream of spending Speedweeks at Daytona.

Last February, Zanette made the trek from Pen Argyl to Daytona Beach, Fla., but died on the infield at the famed track.

In 1998, as part of a series on the 50th Anniversary of NASCAR, Tighe Scott's local Pennsylvania newspaper caught up with him and wrote this story:

Wow. Not sure what more I can say. Will definitely be looking for the full airing on TV or YouTube. Might need to propose inducting Mitch posthumously into the Schaefer Hall of Fame.

Wonderful story, even though sad with Zenette's passing. But what is it they say when a driver is killed in a crash? "He was doing what he loved" or some variation of that statement. Perhaps that is the best line to serve at Mr. Zanette's induction to the Hall of Fame.

Bump