BAMA 200
Alabama International Speedway
Saturday, August 22, 1970
Race #28 of the 1970 season brought the Grand American Challenge Series to Talladega. I found one report that said last years Bama 400 was to be the Bama 500 this year and that it was originally scheduled for September 7 but was rescheduled to be part of the Grand National Talladega 500 weekend and would now be the Bama 200.
Personal note: I got to go to this race with high hopes that the above article would prove prophetic but as you read on you will see that the disappointment continued. Looking back it seems amazing that dad was second in points with all the engine problems he had been having. I still remember coming up out of the tunnel under 3 and 4 to see a pack of Superbirds and Daytonas on what looked like banking that went almost straight up. What a sight! The headline contradicts the text in the body of the article which correctly notes the event as the Bama 200.
Personal note: As a teenager I had no clue of the politics in racing and was unaware that the Mustang Pistone brought to the track for Bill Ward was arranged by Bill France to compete in a France sanctioned event on a France track. If dad or Reid had any concerns about it they never complained in front of me. It was rare that dad ever complained about what the competition did. His attitude was always that if he had been faster it would not have mattered what they did. I always admired that. The only complaining I remember would have been directed at NASCAR but then everyone did that and still raced on. One thing I learned from this article was the history of that Mustang. Several news reports say it was a 70 Cougar but pictures clearly identify it as a Mustang. I had assumed it was the old Cougar Tiger had fielded last year with new sheet metal hung on it but this states it was the 68 Mustang Donnie Allison drove for Huggins in 1968. Because of the similar paint scheme I had thought the car Harry Gailey was driving could have been the Huggins car or maybe Ernie Shaw had ended up with it. According to this article all of my ideas were wrong.
The pole winner was obviously a Mustang although it appears to be a cross between a 68 (windshield back) and a 69 (front clip).
Off into turn one with #59 Bill Ward and #49 David Pearson side by side with #14 Jim Paschal looking up the middle. #36 H. B. Bailey and #15 Wayne Andrews go by #01 Tommy Andrews with #07 Bob Burcham and #43 Harry Gailey coming on strong.
David Pearson in the Melvin Joseph Holman-Moody prepared Mustang led the first 19 laps before he, Jim Paschal in the American Performance Center Javelin and Harry Gailey in his 68 Mustang swapped the lead ten times until the half way point when Pearson went back out front for ten laps. Pole sitter Ward dropped back as far as seventh place but was in sight of the leaders. Gaileys banner day continued as he took command of the field for the next 13 laps before Ward who had been steadily gaining ground since pitting for fuel made the pass for the lead just before the second and last caution flew with 11 laps remaining. On the restart with 6 laps to go Ward floored the Boss 302 and pulled away from Paschal and Gailey to a half mile advantage at the checkers. Paschal was second with Gailey a car length behind in third.
Ward collected $3,475 of the $18,225 purse. There were 2 cautions for 10 laps before a crowd of 8,500.
Fin. St. Driver # Car Laps Status
1 1 Bill Ward 59 70 Mustang 76 Running
2 3 Jim Paschal 14 70 Javelin 76 Running
3 8 Hary Gailey 43 68 Mustang 76 Running
4 9 Bob Burcham 07 69 Camaro 75 Running
5 Gene Felton 37 69 Camaro 69 Running
6 Aubrey Cox 65 70 Mustang 68 Running
7 Jimmy Lee Capps 90 69 Camaro 68 Running
8 Bobby Fleming 54 69 Camaro 68 Running
9 10 Randy Hutchinson 2 68 Camaro 67 Running
10 David Boggs 86 70 Firebird 64 Running
11 Buck Baker 87 70 Firebird 62 Running
12 Ernie Shaw 17 68 Mustang 58 Running
13 2 David Pearson 49 70 Mustang 56 Engine
14 Richard Childress 26 68 Camaro 53
15 Jerry Hufflin 27 68 Camaro 50
16 Tiny Lund 55 70 Camaro 49
17 6 Wayne Andrews 15 70 Cougar 36 Engine
18 4 Tommy Andrews 01 69 Mustang 27
19 5 H.B. Bailey 36 70 Firebird 26
20 Phil Gibson 34 68 Camaro 17
21 Bobby Brewer 19 69 Camaro 16
22 Jimmy Vaughn 7 69 Camaro 15
23 Paul Tyler 92 69 Camaro 14
24 Johnny Allen 97 70 Mustang 14
25 Bobby Wilson 24 68 Camaro 11
26 Joe Dean Huss 33 69 Camaro 7
27 Earl Canavan 31 69 Javelin 6
28 T.C. Hunt 88 68 Camaro 6
29 Stan Starr Jr. 9 68 Camaro 1
30 Doug Aldridge 3 68 Camaro 1
31 7 Gary Myers 41 70 Mustang DNS
Personal note: As you can see from the results dad had more engine failure, a dropped valve. It was not often you would see him upset. Normally calm, cool and collected. Always on an even keel, taking everything head on. That is why I remember him being so frustrated and mad on this occasion. Without cursing he suggested there was a place in the human anatomy those valves should reside. Much more than he would normally say in front of me. Always aware that someone was watching him, wanting to be like him. Thanks dad.
updated by @dennis-andrews: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM