NASCAR brought a national touring series to Chicago's Soldier Field for the third time in September 1956. The convertibles were back for a second time that season for a 500 lapper around Soldier Field's half-mile track.
Though the track was billed as a half-mile venue, I understand the distance around a normal, 100-yard football field is right at a quarter-mile. But never let the facts get in the way of great racing lore.
Tiger Tom Pistone won NASCAR's convertible debut at the track in June 1956. Fireball Roberts won the next event - the one and only GN race at the track - about a month later. Now many of the shoes were ready to race in what would become the house of Halas a third time that season.
Three-time Soldier Field late model champ, Tiger Tom, was ready to race again on his home turf. To repeat, he'd have to fend off big dawgs such as Curtis Turner, Bob Welborn, Joe Weatherly, etc.
Little Joe won the pole, and Glen Wood qualified alongside him. Turner timed third, and local racer and SF winner Dan Oldenberg qualified fourth. Tiger had a poor qualifying run and could only muster a 20th place starting position in a field of 22 cars.
The PA announcer's script for the preview of the race as noted in a book about Soldier Field.
Weatherly got the early jump and led the first 88 laps. His buddy Pops then passed him and led the NEXT 80+ laps. Almost as if the duo had planned it, Joe got back by Turner to lead another segment of ... yep, 83 laps.
As the race crossed its halfway mark, Turner decided to get busy. Perhaps he wanted to wrap up the race quickly so he could hit a joint along Michigan Avenue or Wabash. Either way, Pops led the rest of the way. He stayed on point for the remaining 244 laps to take the win - a one-lap victory over second place Weatherly.
Tiger just had a rotten day. After his poor qualifying run, the race itself was equally bad. Around the halfway mark, Pistone's engine went up in flames. Literally. Fortunately, he was able to stop the car and get out of it without injury or burns.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Curtis Turner | '56 Ford |
| 2 | Joe Weatherly | '56 Ford |
| 3 | Bob Welborn | '56 Chevrolet |
| 4 | Jimmy Massey | '56 Chevrolet |
| 5 | Jimmie Lewallen | '56 Chevrolet |
| 6 | Allen Adkins | '56 Dodge |
| 7 | Larry Odo | '56 Chevrolet |
| 8 | Bill Poor | '56 Chevrolet |
| 9 | Bob Beck | '56 Chevrolet |
| 10 | Norman Schihl | '56 Ford |
| 11 | Don Oldenberg | '55 Buick |
| 12 | Possum Jones | '56 Ford |
| 13 | Bill Lutz | '56 Ford |
| 14 | Glen Wood | '56 Ford |
| 15 | Bun Emery | '56 Mercury |
| 16 | Tom Pistone | '56 Chevrolet |
| 17 | Larry Frank | '56 Chevrolet |
| 18 | Mel Larson | '56 Ford |
| 19 | Art Binkley | '56 Plymouth |
| 20 | Billy Rafter | '56 Dodge |
| 21 | Sal Tovella | '56 Plymouth |
| 22 | Don Corley | '56 Ford |
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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM