Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

GT 200 - May 3, 1969

Stock Car Racing History

Brief race report from Times-News of Hendersonville NC

1st 5 Talladega Ford Wins in Bud Moore Cars; May 2nd 38th Anniversary of Buddy Baker's 3rd in Row

Stock Car Racing History

That same weekend, Ford was the only star of the show. Dodge Chargers claimed the front row for the 500 with Dave Marcis and the King running the quickest. Woody Fisher in his Petty Dodge won the pole for the ARCA race. And on Saturday, May 1, Paula Murphy became the quickest female on a closed course. She blazed around Talladega at 172+ in a ... Petty built Dodge.

1st 5 Talladega Ford Wins in Bud Moore Cars; May 2nd 38th Anniversary of Buddy Baker's 3rd in Row

Stock Car Racing History

Race program

The day before the 500, Johnny Halford won the ARCA 200. Woody Fisher started from the pole in his Petty built Dodge Charger. Unfortunately for Fisher, he ended up 22nd with a failed engine.

Actor Jackie Cooper was a guest of the track for the weekend and was the grand marshal

Buddy in action in Bud's car

Buddy in victory lane - Gadsden Times

Running door-to-door at 180 MPH in intense heat? Not a problem. Getting sprayed in the face with champagne after a victory? ARRRRRRGH!! - Daytona Beach Morning Journal

May 1, 1977: Waltrip goes to Talladega victory lane with a hitchhiker

Stock Car Racing History

The calendar has now turned to May - a spectacular month for racing of all flavors. Talladega and Charlotte on the NASCAR front (that used to be considered 2 of the big 4 to win), the Indy 500, Monaco for the F1 crowd, Englishtown for the straight liners, etc.

In 1977, NASCAR got started early in the month with the running of the Winston 500 at Talladega. Super Tex A.J. Foyt won the pole - the ninth and last of his abbreviated but very relevant Cup career. Later in the month, Foyt would win his 4th and final Indianapolis 500.

Dave Marcis and David Pearson enjoyed a good pre-race laugh.

The day before, Ray Hendrick won the Sportsman 300. His car got pit service during the day by Bud Moore's GN crew. Finishing behind him in the top 5 were Randy Tissot, Waltrip, Connie Saylor and Joe Frasson. - Ray Lamm

Janet Guthrie made her first of three Talladega starts. She started a respectable 13th but finished 32nd after losing an engine. Because of pressure from her car owners, however, Guthrie really had no plans to race hard as a rookie. Put between a rock and a hard place, she announced before the race she planned to turn her car over to Lennie Pond. Her Indy 500 car owner was fearful she may be injured at Talladega which would affect Janet's ability to race in the Indy 500. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! - Times News

Foyt's pole win was about the only glory for him that weekend. He lost an engine early in the race and went from 1st to a 38th-place finish. Even worse was local favorite Bobby Allison. He lost an engine in his Matador after 11 laps and finished 40th. Bobby would park the Matador at the end of the season, join forces with Bud Moore for 1978, and enjoy a career renaissance.

The last couple of laps were epic NASCAR. Four cars separated themselves from the field after an afternoon of racing. Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Benny Parsons, and Donnie Allison all were in contention. As the 88 took the white flag, the cars began jostling for position. Unlike many Talladega races, however, there was no 'big one'. All of the cars made it back to the line and were swapping positions all the way until the end.

But as the cars came through the tri-oval, Waltrip was able to gap the others by a little bit. He hustled it down towards turn 1 with his Robert Yates built engine to take the checkers for his first Talladega win...and the 1st GN-Cup win for Chevrolet at Talladega. Cale, Donnie and Benny hurtled across the line 3-wide with Cale barely nudging out Parsons and Allison.

A tired but joyful Waltrip made his way to victory lane to receive this trophy, a kiss from his wife and various photo ops.

But what's that? An interloper in the pic too? Who could THAT be. Oh wait - it's Tim Leeming !

Waltrip's win was one of the races featured in the August 1977 issues of Stock Car Racing magazine. - Russ Thompson

A few days after the race, Waltrip presented the Governor's Trophy to Ray Blanton - the then governor of Tennessee. The award was not for his 500 win - but as a representative for the cumulative solid finishes by drivers from Tennessee over other states in the sportsman race. Tennessee drivers in the race included Waltrip, Connie Saylor, Sterling Marlin, L.D. Ottinger, Grant Adcox & Larry Utsman (I think I got them all).

Unfortunately for us as residents of the great state of Tennessee, Blanton was a rotten politician. He was run out of office less than 3 years later for selling liquor licenses and pedaling pardons. - Spartanburg Herald Journal

Also in the days after the race, NASCAR made it known it was none too pleased about Guthrie's ploy to leverage a veteran driver - especially when she was earning Rookie points. - Spartanburg Herald

Fin	Driver	Car
1	Darrell Waltrip	Chevrolet
2	Cale Yarborough	Chevrolet
3	Benny Parsons	Chevrolet
4	Donnie Allison	Chevrolet
5	Dave Marcis	Mercury
6	Ron Hutcherson	Chevrolet
7	Dick Brooks	Ford
8	Coo Coo Marlin	Chevrolet
9	Terry Bivins	Chevrolet
10	Sam Sommers	Chevrolet
11	Ramo Stott	Chevrolet
12	Peter Knab	Chevrolet
13	Frank Warren	Dodge
14	Ferrel Harris	Chevrolet
15	Tommy Gale	Ford
16	Cecil Gordon	Chevrolet
17	Tighe Scott	Chevrolet
18	James Hylton	Chevrolet
19	Buddy Arrington	Dodge
20	Richard Petty	Dodge
21	Richard Childress	Chevrolet
22	David Pearson	Mercury
23	Skip Manning	Chevrolet
24	Joe Frasson	Chevrolet
25	Butch Hartman	Chevrolet
26	J.D. McDuffie	Chevrolet
27	Bruce Hill	Chevrolet
28	Ricky Rudd	Chevrolet
29	Neil Bonnett	Dodge
30	David Sisco	Chevrolet
31	D.K. Ulrich	Chevrolet
32	Janet Guthrie	Chevrolet
33	Buddy Baker	Ford
34	Jimmy Means	Chevrolet
35	Terry Ryan	Chevrolet
36	Dick Skillen	Chevrolet
37	Grant Adcox	Chevrolet
38	A.J. Foyt	Chevrolet
39	Henley Gray	Dodge
40	Bobby Allison	Matador
41	Ed Negre	Dodge

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

April 27, 1975: USAC's Trenton Twin Bill

Stock Car Racing History

Good point Andy re: WSOP. Hadn't thought about that one as the most contemporary example. Yes, the NFL is ridiculous with it's micro-enforcement of the phrase Super Bowl.

April 27, 1975: USAC's Trenton Twin Bill

Stock Car Racing History

On April 27, 1975, the NASCAR Cup teams raced on the half-mile paperclip at Martinsville. King Richard won the Virginia 500 to claim his 14th victory at the track.

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-27-this-day-in-petty-history-part.html

About 450 miles northeast of Martinsville, USAC ran a twin bill at the famed, kidney-shaped Trenton Speedway billed as the World Series of Auto Racing. (I'm curious as to how they may have secured the rights to use the name World Series. Or did they?)

From Motor Racing Programme Covers

The day featured two 100-lap, 150-mile races for the 'champ' cars and USAC stock cars. The races had short fields - 12 in the Indy car event and 10 in the stock car race. Apparently this was by design. Long before the days of NASCAR's The Winston but akin to the early years of IROC, participation in the WSoAR was by invitation only.

Johnny Rutherford won the open wheel race with a one-lap victory over second place Gordon Johncock.

In the stock car race, Super Tex A.J. Foyt continued to show his versatility in all forms of auto racing. The skills he'd honed on USAC's stock car circuit as well as his periodic starts (and wins) in NASCAR paid off again at Trenton. Driving a #28 Hoss Ellington prepared Chevy, he led all 100 laps and cruised to the victory.

What interests me about the race, however, is the SECOND place finisher. Bobby Unser - known more for his champ car results than his stock car career - drove a Norm Nelson early 70s Plymouth to a second place finish, the only car on the lead lap with Foyt. Unser's sponsor? Schaefer beer.

Race report from Reading Eagle

Fin	Driver	Owner	Car
1	A.J. Foyt	Hoss Ellington	1974 Chevrolet
2	Bobby Unser	Norm Nelson	1972 Plymouth
3	Roger McCluskey	G.W. Pierce Auto Parts	1974 Dodge
4	Jim McElreath	WAM Racing	1975 Chevrolet
5	Pancho Carter	Tom Adams	1975 Chevrolet
6	Johnny Rutherford		1972 Dodge
7	Billy Vukovich	Tony Bettenhausen Jr.	1973 Chevrolet
8	Johnny Parsons	Darnell-Timan Inc.	1974 Dodge
9	Jimmy Caruthers	Tom Adams	1974 Chevrolet
10	Steve Krisiloff		1972 Dodge

updated by @tmc-chase: 04/27/18 11:53:10AM

Doesnt look like anyone watched the show Sat. nite

Current NASCAR

A driver named Cole Cluster won the K&N race in car #00.

Another driver named Nick Drake raced a #15 Toyota and with the same sponsor as Cluster (guessing they're teammates).

Hmm, where have we seen that sponsor, manufacturer and two car numbers before?

And young Chase Elliott is lighting it up with 2 wins and a second place in his last 3 starts. And his sponsor?

Yep, NAPA seems to have turned the corner and is back to winning ways.

A Petty Anniversary Remembered as King Returns to NASCAR at Richmond

Stock Car Racing History

About a month ago, I posted about that jaw-dropping turn of events on Easter weekend of 1989.

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/31529/march-26-1989-a-dismal-day-for-petty-enterprises

Though Richard's better racing days were behind him, no one could have expected him to miss the show. His DNQ cut deeper because of his winning days over the years at Richmond (though the 1989 race was on the new 3/4 mile surface). Plus, the race was the Pontiac Excitement 400 - and no one could have been excited about seeing the 43 Pontiac loaded up on Friday.

Truly hard to believe its been a quarter of a century. When the teams returned to Richmond that fall for the Miller High Life 400, things weren't much better for the Level Cross team. The 43 made the field, but he DNFd with a failed clutch and damage to the rear end.

I prefer to think of brighter 25th Year Petty moments such as his 25th year in racing in 1983 and 25th year with STP in 1996 with Bobby Hamilton as driver.

updated by @tmc-chase: 03/23/17 03:12:45PM

April 23, 1962 - Good fortune rains down on Rex White

Stock Car Racing History

On Monday following Easter Sunday, the Grand National cars participated in a one-day event at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem.

General Motors products captured the first five starting spots with Rex White laying down the quickest lap in his Chevy followed by Junior Johnson (Pontiac), eventual 1962 GN champion Joe Weatherly (Pontiac), reigning GN champ from 1961 Ned Jarrett (Chevy) and Jack Smith (Pontiac).

From the jump, Johnson was the class of the field. He built a comfortable lead and lapped every car in the field except White's #4 Chevy.

As the 200-lap race neared the half-way mark, Johnson's luck turned sour as he blew a left front tire (which seems odd by contemporary racing trends that really punish the RIGHT front). He tried to stay out, make laps, and eke out a decent finish because rain was beginning to fall. He realized he race could soon well be called official. But by lap 100, he could go no further & had to pull into the pits.

Then on lap 104, Wendell Scott spun to bring out the caution. As Wendell spun, the rainfall began to increase. NASCAR ran 4 more laps under caution before calling the race official at lap 108.

By the time of Wendell's spin and the resulting yellow, three cars were able to get their lap back - but none did so in time to get around Rex White. As the checkers fell on the slowed field, Rex was declared the winner. Smith, Weatherly and 7th place starter George Run finished 2nd thru 4th on the lead lap. Richard Petty finished 5th, the first car 1 lap down.

White's win was his fourth consecutive GN win at the quarter-mile stadium track having also won there three times in 1961. The victory was also his sixth and final one at the track with the other two coming in 1959.

Junior's dominating performance was for naught. He went from leading, to lapping all but 1 car, to having a rain-shortened victory almost in hand ... to blowing a tire and ending up 15th in the 19-car field. Of course, that often seemed to be the M.O. throughout much of Junior's driving career. Show up, drive it as fast as she will go, take no prisoners, and win or suffer "blowed up" trying.

Race report from News & Courier

Fin	Driver	Car
1	Rex White	'62 Chevrolet
2	Jack Smith	'61 Pontiac
3	Joe Weatherly	'62 Pontiac
4	George Dunn	'62 Chevrolet
5	Richard Petty	'61 Plymouth
6	Jimmy Pardue	'62 Pontiac
7	Ned Jarrett	'62 Chevrolet
8	Jim Paschal	'62 Pontiac
9	G.C. Spencer	'60 Chevrolet
10	Fred Harb	'61 Ford
11	Larry Thomas	'62 Dodge
12	Herman Beam	'60 Ford
13	Curtis Crider	'60 Ford
14	Tom Cox	'60 Plymouth
15	Junior Johnson	'61 Pontiac
16	Wendell Scott	'61 Chevrolet
17	Neil Castles	'60 Ford
18	Bill Delaney	'62 Pontiac
19	Billy Wade	'61 Pontiac

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Nashville: a fan amongst competitors

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

Had an enjoyable lunch today. Russ Thompson invited me to join his regular yet infrequent racers' lunch. With only an email to a few and a handful of phone calls, word spread wide enough to rally up 40 folks or so from Nashville's racing past to gather for lunch and story swapping.

I grew up as a young teen going on many Saturday nights to local feature races at the fairgrounds. I did make it to a couple of Cup events. But my primary interest back were the heroes who ran the mini-stock, limited sportsman and late model sportsman races. Even when NASCAR's touring Late Model Sportsman division came to town for a 200 lap feature, I was generally more interested in a 25 or 50 lap undercard late model race featuring the local guys.

Back in the day, I knew cars and drivers' names. But because we simply arrived, sat in the stands, watched the races, and then headed for the exits, I didn't really know faces of drivers nor other folks such as owners, chassis & engine guys, officials, etc. So that nugget plus the number of years that have passed put me at a real disadvantage on knowing folks in the room. Nonetheless, I met a few folks and simply observed the good times folks seemed to be having.

A few notable memories however included:

• Meeting Walter Wallace, 2x speedway late model champion (67, 75). In the late 70s, Walter put his driving days behind him and worked for about 25 years as a NASCAR official in Cup and trucks. At 82 years old, he is about to relocate to Washington state.

• Meeting Earl Owens again. Earl continues to run a race shop near my house in Franklin. He also built the #45 cream colored Pontiac Grand Prix Joe Ruttman raced in the 1989 Daytona 500 and sponsored by ... Schaefer Beer.

• Meeting Ronnie Robbins, son of Marty Robbins, and listen to some racing stories of his own and of his dad.
• Meeting the soon-to-be 90 years old Mark Parrish (I believe that was his name). He along with Bill Donoho Sr and Bennie Goodman signed the lease with the city of Nashville to develop what became known as Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
• Meeting Randy Binkley, son of Charlie Binkley. Randy is an RR member though not as active as he once was here. He is very active, however, in collecting Nashville racing photos and sharing them through Facebook.
• Having Harry Dugan point out a few key individuals who impacted Nashville racing. Harry not only was a crewman for Marty Robbins back in the day but also is active today with the Boy Scouts troop in which my son was involved. He helped him immensely with his Eagle project. Harry would point and say "that one was an engine man - he build motors for Coo Coo" and "that one was a chassis builder" and "that's Blossom, he has crewed for everyone, and I don't even know his real name." Ha.

Russ has held several of these lunches in recent years. Unfortunately, my schedule always conflicted with them - until today. Hopefully it won't be the only one I attend.

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:09:31PM