On this date in 1955, Twenty-two cars and drivers arrived at the .625 mile dirt track in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina to race 160 laps/100 miles. Dink Widenhouse won the pole at a speed of 77.72 mph with Buck Baker inthe Griffin Motors Oldsmobile started second. Incredibly, my source for these reports (Greg Fielden's "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing") does not list a third place starter. I'm sure that is an oversight in NASCAR records. Junior Johnson started fourth in the B&L Motors Oldsmobile, and the fifth place starter was Fonty Flock in the Frank Christian Chevrolet.
Some 10,000 fans gathered for the race and saw Buck Baker jump into the lead on the green flag. Second place starter, Widenhouse, tried valiantly to hang on to Baker, but the engine in the Widenhouse Oldsmobile went south and he was out of the race on lap 56.
Although Buck Baker would lead every lap, it was in the latter stages that eighth place starter, Dick Rathmann, began a charge after the first place spot. With a lap to go, Rathmann was there! Baker was watching his mirror as Rathmann tried low, then high, and then low again. When the checkered flag fell, Baker had a mere three feet lead over Rathmann in what was, until that time, the closest finish in the sport's history. Further, in the eight races of the 1955 season, Baker became the sixth different winner. Lee Petty was the only multiple race winner with three victories, Jacksonville, Savannah, and High Point.
Finishing order:
1. Buck Baker, Griffin Motors Oldsmobile, $1,000.00
2. Dick Rathmann, Blue Crown Hudson, $650.00 (3 feet behind)
3. Curtis Turner, Parks Cigarette Oldsmobile, $450.00 (4 laps down)
4. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Chrysler, $350.00 (5 laps down)
5. Eddie Skinner, Frank Dodge Oldsmobile, $300.00 (6 laps down)
6. Dave Terrell
7. Jimmie Lewallen
8. Gene Simpson
9. Joe Million
10. Blackie Pitt
11. Tommy Ringstaff
12. John Dodd, Sr.
13. Tim Flock
14. Herb Thomas
15. Jimmy Thompson
16. Jim Paschal
17. John Dodd, Jr.
18. Junior Johnson
19. Dink Widenhouse
20. Fonty Flock
21. Ralph Liguori
22. Boyce Hildreth
Average speed for the race was 73.126 mph.
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
