Racing History Minute - April 1, 1961

Race number 10 of the 1961 season was held at the half-mile dirt track known as Greenville-Pickens Speedway, a track with a great history. Twenty-one cars showed up, along with 5,000 fans, for a 100 mile/200 lap race.

Junior Johnson would start the Holly Farms Pontiac on the pole with Emanuel Zervakis in Monron Shook's Chevrolet on the outside front row. Jack Smith, in his Pontiac started third, Rex White in the White-Clements Chevrolet fourth and Richard Petty in the Petty Engineering Plymouth fifth.

Johnson took the lead on the green flag and stayed in front for the first sixty-nine laps. It was on the 69th laps that Junior's Pontiac developed fuel pump problems and that sent him behind the wall to become a spectator. Rex White took over upon Junior's departure.

Rex White, David Pearson and Emanuel Zervakis were running nose to tail with Rex leading the tight three car pack. On lap 175, the pack raced into turn three where White hit a huge hole in the track with Pearson right behind him. The two cars tangled and spun as Zervakis shot through and opening to take the lead he would hold the rest of the way. Rex was able to straighten his Chevy and ended up third, one lap behind the first two finishers. Pearson finally got his car going again but ran out of gas with 19 laps to go. Pearson was out of the race on lap 181 and did not return.

Finishing Order:

1. Emanuel Zervakis, Monroe Shook Chevrolet, $800.00

2. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, $525.00

3.Rex White, White-Clements Chevrolet, $475.00 (1 lap down)

4. G. C. Spencer, Chevrolet, $275.00 (1 lap down)

5. Buck Baker, Baker Chrysler, $250.00 (4 laps down)

6. Jimmy Pardue

7. Fred Harb

8. George Green

9. Bobby Waddell

10. David Pearson

11. Curtis Crider

12. Doug Cox

13. Herman Beam

14. Ned Jarrett

15. Roy Tyner

16. Junior Johnson

17. Tommy Irwin

18. Bob Barron

19. Jack Smith

20. PAUL LEWIS

21. Doug Yates

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

Nice to read about the "Golden Greek" winning. Manuel went on to have quite a career.

Manuel had a horrible accident in his modified at Southside Speedway and gave up driving.

From his Southside Glass Shop on Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. Route 1 ) in South Richmond (where Geoff Bodine once lived in the parking lot in a Winnebago while driving the #99 "White Tornado") , Manuel built winning Late Model Sportsman cars for Sonny Hutchins, Butch Lindley and Geoff Bodine. His Monte Carlo driven by Sonny even sat on the front row at Martinsville beside Richard and led the first 70 laps of a Cup race there. Zervakis also built many winning cars for other teams.

When Harry Gant became "Mr. September" , it was Manuel who had been hired as contract chassis specialist and had that Skoal Bandit really dialed in.

Manuel even promoted Southside Speedway while fielding those beautiful baby blue #01 cars for Sonny Hutchins and gave Southside Speedway the best run it ever had. Before his death, Manuel had purchased Stock Car Products and moved it from California to Richmond as a huge racing parts supplier.

Manuel's son, Butch is an RR member.

Emanuel Zervakis with the #85 Monroe Shook 1961 Chevy.

Here's a few photos of Emanuel Zervakis later in his career as posted at RR by his son, Butch Zervakis:

Emanuel Zervakis beside Harry Gant as his contract chassis specialist.

Emanuel Zervakis' #01 Monte Carlo Cup car driven by Sonny Hutchins beside Richard Petty on Martinsville front row.

A fleet of Emanuel Zervakis owned and built #01 LMS cars at his South Richmond shop.

Emanuel Zervakis in Richmond winner's circle with his driver Butch Lindley and Miss Wrangler Teresa Dennis

Emanuel Zervakis as promoter at Richmond's Southside Speedway receiving award from track owner J.M. Wilkerson

Here is a link below to all Emanuel Zervakis related photos posted at RR by his son Butch Zervakis:

http://racersreunion.com/butch-zervakis/gallery/butch-zervakis/all

Race preview- Spartanburg Herald

Race report - Spartanburg Herald

Emanuel Zervakis had an interesting 1961 season. He'd win another GN race at Norwood Arena, but also return to his Modified roots in May as noted in the story below:

Then in June he put his GN car into the grandstands in the only NASCAR GN event ever run at Hartsville, SC. Good thing they didn't have a full house!

April Fool's Day 2015 is the 54th anniversary of Emanuel Zervakis' first Grand National win.

Bump