The Daytona 500 will be run this Sunday. Two historical NASCAR figures will not be in the field. Go back through the years and search for the Great American Race with Jeff Gordon or Richard Petty.
http://motorweeklive.com/the-daytona-500-without-petty-or-gordon/
so far I like what he's doing in the booth. He was a great driver.
There was no Petty or Gordon in the 1965 Daytona 500. That was the last, and only time, until this Sunday. Great read Patrick. There may be hope for you yet!!!!
Tim, you are, of course, correct. There was no Petty in the 1965 Daytona 500 field. It was the year of the Chrysler boycott and Ford/Mercury domination. The top finishing Plymouth in that year's 500 was Soapy Castles with a 17th place go in the independent Buck Baker ride.
I closely followed the Daytona 500 in the papers and on radio beginning in 1962 - 31 years before Wonder Boy appeared in the Hendrick Chevy Cup ride after deserting Bill Davis and Ford - so I've got many more 500s under my belt without Jeff than with him.
There's no doubt that Gordon changed (seemingly forever) the mold a sponsor sought inaNASCAR driver (for better, or possibly for worse) away from a possibly rough hewn guy who worked his way primarily on driving talentthrough NASCAR's weekly series at the local and regional level to a Late Model Sportsman or Busch Series ride. However, the King also shunned weekly NASCAR racing at the local level, so in that respect he and Jeff Gordon had a similar modus operandi.
Unlike a Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt, the well educated and wellspoken Gordon is able to parlay his driving talent and charisma to the broadcast booth. He'll do a good job there.
Whether he's in the 500 or not is no big deal to me. Not having Richard in it or Dale in it was a HUGE deal in these quarters.
Dave, I agree with most everything you said (surprise, surprise as Gomer would say). However, as to Richard working his way up I think that was more Lee keeping him out until he was 21 and then putting him in convertibles. The fact that Richard ran all the dirt tracks and short tracks until NASCAR booted those to the side should be a point in his favor, as if he needs me to defend him. I especially like your last sentence.
Take care my friend. We want ole Dave around for many, many more Daytona 500s
Count me as one of the fortunate ones to see Richard on dirt... but, never on your home Columbia track. Several times Richard would make his Saturday appearance at Richmond's Lawrence Plymouth after racing Friday night at Hickory. There wasn't time to wash the Hickory red clay off before his obligations for Richmond's Sunday dirt race. What I wouldn't give to watch some of today's fancy pants drivers transported back to those days and complain of no power steering, etc., etc., etc.
