Two Pure Oil Company gasoline tankers are shown unloading gas for the NASCAR stockers competing in the 1953 Southern 500 at Darlington, SC. Photo posted at French stock car racing site
www.stockcar-world.com
In a 2006 News Release, Darlington reported finding old Pure Oil Co. Signage on the Tunnel walls during the track renovation.
Pure Oil
Also buried under years of paint at Darlington was signage promoting Pure Oil. Pure Oil can be traced back to 1887. In 1948, the company went to the brand-new sanctioning body known as NASCAR with an idea of promoting their brand in exchange for fuel to be used at races on the NASCAR circuit. This deal, made with Bill France, Sr., turned Pure Oil in the "official gasoline of NASCAR." In 1965, after experiencing some financial difficulty due to the price wars of the 1950s, Pure Oil merged with Union Oil. Union later became Union 76, and eventually Unocal.
Wow! Great find Dave!
MAN, THAT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES. I DROVE FOR PURE OIL IN 1966. EVEN THOUGH I ONLY DELIVERED FUEL OIL AND GAS TO SERVICE STATIONS AND HOMES, I WORE THAT UNIFORM WITH PRIDE. IF ANYONE CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED..THE QUESTION IS:............I'M BEGINNING TO SEE PURE OIL STATIONS AGAIN POPPING UP IN N.C. AND S.C. ........IS THIS A BREAK OFF OF THE ORIGINAL PURE OIL...DID UNION 76 RELEASE THE NAME OR SELL IT OFF SO SOMEONE COULD AGAIN START THE "PURE OIL COMPANY"? THE SIGNS ARE THE SAME AND IT SURE DOES MAKE ME HOMESICK FOR THE 50-60's
Randy, Pure Oil Jobbers Cooperative of Rock Hill, SC has resurrected the name. Their web site is www.besurewithpure.com The web site gives this historical info: It was 1965 when the Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) purchased PURE Oil, converting PURE branded sites to the Union 76 brand. But when Unocal announced it was pulling out of the Southeast in 1992, this provided an ideal opportunity for a group of independent petroleum marketers to purchase and resurrection of the PURE brand and Firebird trademark, which Unocal had long since abandoned.