Racing History Minute - May 1, 1955

The Grand National drivers and their limited crews had an exhausting April in 1955. Over a month's time, the cars were trailered from North Wilkesboro to Montgomery Alabama to Langhorne Pennsylvania and back down to Charlotte.

That stretch of races equaled about 2,000 miles. And that was just the travel miles. Additional mileage was banked for the races themselves plus any side trips from any of those races back to a home place or trips to a local garage or parts store between races for needed service. (I mapped the distance without highways as many interstates were not fully built in 1955.)

On May 1, the teams completed the grueling travel schedule with a 133-lap, 100-mile race at Charlotte Speedway. Two time Grand National champion Herb Thomas won the pole in his #92 Buick. The GN champion from 1952 - and eventual 1955 champ - Tim Flock started second. Junior Johnson and Speedy Thompson timed 3rd and 4th. Dink Widenhouse and Jim Paschal rounded out the first three rows. - Jim Wilmore

The early-race attrition was pretty heavy with 5 cars exiting the race by lap 40 - including Junior Johnson. On lap 42, however, a serious accident affected not only the pole winner but also his career.

Herb Thomas apparently hooked a rut in the dirt surface. Doing so caused him to lose his car. He flipped badly and suffered serious injuries - enough to cause him to miss several summer races. - Getty

Despite Thomas' serious accident, the race continued. Tim Flock dominated the majority of the race leading all of the first 112 laps. But with only 21 laps to go, Buck Baker got by Tim and ran the point to the checkers.

Jim Ord wrecked on lap 110. Unlike Thomas, he wasn't seriously injured. But my guess is that Baker got by Flock following what would have been a caution period for Ord's accident.

Baker's victory is believed to have been the first Grand National win for General Motors' Buick brand. Flock finished second - the only other car on the lead lap with Buck. Dave Terrell finished third, two laps down to Baker.

Thomas was badly injured yet seemed committed to getting well again to return to racing. Three months after the accident, he declared he would return on August 7 for the GN event at the Forsyth County Fairgrounds in Winston-Salem.

Thomas did return on August 7 though he exited early with a failed clutch. He did a bit better with a mid-pack finish the next race at Memphis-Arkansas Speedway. And then, his healing was completed with a win in his third race back at Raleigh Speedway, a race Tim Leeming [ posted about here ].

Unfortunately, Thomas was seriously injured again about a year later in a controversial incident with Speedy Thompson in Shelby, NC. - a race [ Tim also posted about ].

Finishing order for May 1, 1955 Charlotte race.

I always thought 14th place finisher, Arden Mounts of Gilbert, West Virginia had an interesting name. It would seem to me that when the P.A. announcer would call his name, you'd expect him to be getting on a horse.

The photo below of Arden Mounts posed with his #18 Hudson was taken at Charlotte Speedway on May 1, 1955.

That would have been fantastic if PA announcers drew the crowd's attention to "Arden Mount's Hudson Horsepower!"

Race ad and preview

And how mentally tough was Buck Baker? He raced in the [ modified-sportsman race at Darlington ]on Saturday, May 1, was in a plane crash with his wife as they left after the race to head for home, and then returned on Sunday, May 2 to win the race in Charlotte.

[quote="Dave Fulton"]

I always thought 14th place finisher, Arden Mounts of Gilbert, West Virginia had an interesting name. It would seem to me that when the P.A. announcer would call his name, you'd expect him to be getting on a horse.

The photo below of Arden Mounts posed with his #18 Hudson was taken at Charlotte Speedway on May 1, 1955.

[/quote]

Noticed that  Arden Mounts of Gilbert, West Virginia was selling Hudson Autos in Gilbert, West Virginia.    There's an  "Mounts Hudson Sales, Gilbert, West Virginia" advertisement painted on back fender of #18 Hudson race car.

Bump