I plan to bequeath it as an endowment to a to-be-built Schaefer Hall Of Fame building. Figure it'll draw a half-dozen folks or so a month. But at least it would be competitive with NHOF numbers. HEEYYY-OHHHH
Martinsville hosted its annual Cardinal 500 Classic modified-late model sportsman races on October 29, 1978. - Thomas Craig
Geoff Bodine set a track record in winning the pole for the modified race. Maynard Troyer qualified 2nd, and eventual season champion Richie Evans timed third. - Schenectady Gazette
A day later, the LMS cars hit the track for qualifying. Bodine's track record lasted less than 24 hours as Butch Lindley set his own track record to nab the pole for his 250-lap event. - Spartanburg Herald
The start of the 250-lap modified race with Geoff Bodine on the pole. - Getty
Bodine won in a rout. He got an early jump from his top starting spot, set the pace and led all 250 laps en route to a dominating victory.
Darrell Waltrip spent an off-weekend from the Cup series to race in the Cardinal 500 and qualified second alongside Lindley. Lennie Pond - whose Cup history was often linked to Waltrip going back to 1973 - started 3rd as he too enjoyed a weekend away from the Cup series to race in his home state. The start of the LMS 250-lap feature. - Getty
Waltrip coming off turn 4 as Lindley (16) leads followed by Jimmy Hensley (63). - Getty
Several photos from the late model sportsman race have been shared here on RacersReunion by Dennis Beck including:
A young Sterling Marlin who drove up from Columbia, TN
Geoff Bodine who pulled double duty by racing in both events
And Dale Earnhardt one season before he began racing the Cup series full-time as a rookie.
The LMS race was far more competitive than the modified race with 10 lead changes throughout the day. Sam Ard came from a deep starting spot in the field to navigate many cars and cautions. Ard battled all race, finally took the lead for the first time with about 35 laps to go, and narrowly nipped native Virginian Hutchins for the win.
The two winners pose with the trophy. I'm guessing each eventually got one of their own. I'd hate to think the two of them had to pull a single trophy apart like the pulley bone after a chicken dinner. - Getty
Race report - Schenectady Gazette
Race report from Free Lance Star
I haven't found a complete run-down for either race. But I've tried to cobble together starting and finishing positions as best I could. Hopefully someone like Dave Fulton or Jack Walker has the full finishing order.
| Modified Race | ||
| Fin | St | Driver |
| 1 | 1 | Geoff Bodine |
| 2 | 9 | George Summers |
| 3 | 5 | Ray Hendrick |
| 4 | ? | Bugs Stevens |
| 5 | ? | Charlie Jarzombek |
| 6 | ? | Satch Worley |
| 7 | ? | Don Biederman |
| 8 | ? | Gil Hearne |
| 9 | ? | Wayne Anderson |
| 10 | ? | Tom Gush |
| 11 | ? | Ed Flemke |
| 12 | ? | Fred Harbach |
| 13 | ? | John Rosati |
| 14 | ? | Gary Cretty |
| 15 | ? | Brian Ross |
| 16 | ? | Bryan Osgood |
| 17 | ? | Mark Newton |
| 18 | ? | Cliff Tyler |
| 19 | ? | Ron Bouchard |
| 20 | 3 | Richie Evans |
| 21 | 10 | Paul Radford |
| 22 | ? | Billy Hensley |
| 23 | ? | Allen Wipple |
| 24 | 2 | Maynard Troyer |
| 25 | ? | Ray Miller |
| 26 | ? | Merv Treichler |
| 27 | ? | Bill Cane |
| 28 | ? | Jerry Cook |
| 29 | ? | Jamie Tomaino |
| 30 | ? | Junior Hanley |
| 31 | ? | Tom Green |
| 32 | 4 | George Kent Jr |
| 33 | 7 | Chuck Ciprich |
| 34 | ? | David Brewer |
| 35 | ? | Robert McCreadie |
| 36 | ? | Bob Vee |
| 37 | ? | Dutch Hoag |
| 38 | ? | Melvin Chilton |
| 39 | 8 | Greg Sacks |
| 40 | 6 | Ken Bouchard |
| LMS Race | ||
| Fin | St | Driver |
| 1 | 23 | Sam Ard |
| 2 | ? | Sonny Hutchins |
| 3 | ? | J.E. Beard |
| 4 | 7 | Morgan Shepherd |
| 5 | ? | Joe Thurman |
| 6 | ? | Monk Tate |
| 7 | ? | Jody Ridley |
| 8 | ? | Satch Worley |
| 9 | 5 | Bob Pressley |
| 10 | 6 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 11 | ? | Geoff Bodine |
| 12 | ? | Mike Porter |
| 13 | 2 | Darrell Waltrip |
| 14 | 9 | Jimmy Hensley |
| 15 | ? | Harmon Dragon |
| 16 | ? | Sterling Marlin |
| 17 | ? | Gene Glover |
| 18 | ? | Joey Arrington |
| 19 | ? | Harry Gant |
| 20 | ? | John Settlemyre |
| 21 | 1 | Butch Lindley |
| 22 | ? | J.D. McDuffie |
| 23 | 20 | Jack Bland |
| 24 | ? | Billy Smith |
| 25 | ? | Dickie Boswell |
| 26 | ? | Dick McCabe |
| 27 | 10 | Paul Radford |
| 28 | ? | Roy Hendrick |
| 29 | ? | Johnny Allen |
| 30 | ? | Jack Ingram |
| 31 | ? | Tommy Ellis |
| 32 | ? | Chuck Bown |
| 33 | ? | Bobby Ballentine |
| 34 | 8 | Ray Hendrick |
| 35 | 3 | Lennie Pond |
| 36 | ? | Jay Hedgecock |
| 37 | ? | Bill Dennis |
| 38 | 4 | Tommy Houston |
| 39 | ? | Charlie Pressley |
| 40 | ? | Bobby Fleming |
Tim shares a birthday with Upland, CA's Joe Ruttman. To think had the stars aligned just a tad differently, Tim's driving career may have put HIM in a Schaefer racer rather than Ruttman.
HAVE A GOOD 'UN TODAY TIM!
Nice add with the 2nd round qualifying report!
David Allio has a nice photo of Ray Hendrick chasing down Harry Gant in the LMS portion of the 1974 Cardinal 500.
http://www.racingphotoarchives.com/classic/2014/10/27/martinsville-1974-ray-hendrick-harry-gant-cardinal-500/
And Jim Donnelly posted a couple of photos from the race including Harold Fountain in the 00 and Ray Hendrick in the Thomas Bros Hams 14.
http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2007/12/01/hmn_feature9.html
This post will be a "Sgt. Joe Friday" one by me: Just the facts ma'am. I'm hoping Dave Fulton and others can fill in more details.
I've never been to Martinsville - though I'd like to. While I grew up watching many of the Late Model Sportsman drivers come through Nashville occasionally, I didn't see all the greats including Ray Hendrick. And modifieds? Barely heard of them down here. I was aware of guys like Richie Evans and Jerry Cook, but we didn't get any coverage in The Tennesseean. My multi-year subscription to Southern MotoRacing in my teens and 20s helped educate me a bit more on those distant LMS guys, the modified drivers and their marquis events such as the Cardinal 500 at Martinsville.
Forty years ago today, the teams from the two ranks visited Martinsville's half-mile for the 1974 fall classic held on October 27th.
Conventional wisdom held that the 250-lap modified race would be a duel between Evans and Cook. From the start though, both drivers and the rest of the field would have to get by pole winner Geoff Bodine. - Tom Knox
In the late model sportsman side of the bill, Virginian & multi-time Martinsville winner Ray Hendrick was top dog on qualifying day. - Spartanburg Herald
The starting line-ups for the 2 races.
Bugs Stevens modified - Tom Knox
Drivers from the two races lined up 4-wide for pre-race ceremonies. That had to have have been a sight to behold.
Jimmy Griffin (12), Jack Bland (41), Dave Mader III (8), Jack Ingram (11), - Tom Knox
Gene Glover (10), Tiny Lund (22), Ray Hendrick (1 modified), Roy Hendrick (33) - Tom Knox
Ray Hendrick rolling off for the start in the modified first-half of the 500. - Tom Knox
When the dust settled on the modified race, neither Evans or Cook were in victory lane. Neither was pole-winner Bodine or the ol' vet Hendrick. Instead, the young'un from Fitchburg, Massachusetts - Ron Bouchard - took the checkers. The result was a bit more predictable in the LMS race as Ray Hendrick won yet another Martinsville event.
Bouchard and Hendrick posed their duo photo-op with Martinsville's traditional grandfather clock "trophy". - Getty
Race report - Spartanburg Herald
Top 10 finishers in LMS race. I have not yet found a complete finishing order for either race.
Fair re: 2 more chances to recover in a 3-race round. Though still an uphill battle whether you finish 35th on the hook at Talladega - or 35th at Kansas with a blown right front & into the wall.
Dave - I was shaking my head at the thoughts of a Danica win. Many would LOVE it. I would have given her props if she'd pulled it off (knowing she wouldn't). But I also shuddered at the thought of her crying in victory lane as she exclaimed "I just wanted to win this one so bad for Ricky" - only to have ESPN cameras catch slinking him away in embarrassment.
Spotted on Twitter Sunday. I'm still laughing.
Some writers asked NASCAR if Logano's late-race blocking action on the 48 to help his teammate was against the "100% effort" rule. Joey clearly wasn't trying to win the race - just prevent Jimmie Johnson and others from doing so. NASCAR said "no violation".
Yet I didn't read anywhere about the press asking the same question about Kyle Busch. He was obviously trying to just ride the day out in hopes of coasting into the next round. As it turns out, that strategy didn't work out because of his wreck. But was the 18 giving it all up until then? Hardly.
