A couple of weeks ago, Gary Nelson was in the mood to reflect back a bit about the 1982 Daytona 500 - on Twitter. I happened to be on-line at the time and provided him a picture of Allison's car to help illustrate his point. I found it to be a really neat use of Twitter vs. insulting people or tweeting meaningless things (which I frequently do!). I'll post screen shots to retain them vs. linking to the actual tweets in case they fall away over time.
In the Racing History Minute for 1981 Daytona, we posted about Bob Ballantine's wild wreck, his recovery, and his desire to race again later in the year at Charlotte. His recovery didn't allow him to return to Charlotte - nor to any other NASCAR sportsman races.
But he DID return to racing in 1981. And he DID return to Daytona in 1982 - as a car owner for the #99 Pontiac driven by Geoff Bodine who qualified 2nd and finished 5th. - DBMJ
1982 was the year of the J.D. Stacy ego trip. New to the NASCAR scene in 1977, Jim Stacy as he was known then bought Nord Krauskopf's #71 team led by crew chief Harry Hyde and driver Neil Bonnett. By mid 1978, he was all but broke and had to lease cars from Rod Osterland to keep Bonnett on the track. By 1979, he was gone. He then resurfaced in mid 1981 with the purchase of Osterland's #2 team led by reigning Cup champ, Dale Earnhardt. At 1982 Speedweeks, he plastered his name on 7 cars in the 500 - a sixth of the field. His name was on the sides and back of Terry Labonte, Joe Ruttman, Benny Parsons, Ron Bouchard, Jim Sauter, Jody Ridley and Dave Marcis. - Ray Lamm
Benny Parsons talking the cowboy hat wearing, cigar chomping Stacy.
Ruttman was making his 2nd start at Daytona but his first in the 500. Though Stacy was eccentric, he fielded a solid team. In his first 500, Joe finished 3rd to Allison and Cale. Depending on who you believe about Allison's bumper, Ruttman lost a fair shot of winning the race. And his crew chief? Oh just someone who may enjoyed a bit of success over the years at Daytona: NASCAR HOFer Dale Inman.
NASCAR HOF driver Rusty Wallace made his first start in the 500 in 1982 driving car number 72. Four years later, he would move to Raymond Beadle's team and earned his first win in a Pontiac with the digits reversed to 27. - Thomas Craig
Tim Richmond was looking to make his 2nd start in the 500. He raced for fellow driver/car owner Billie Harvey. The car had a very different look vs. Harvey's traditional electric blue and chrome-laden cars. - Thomas Craig
Richmond did not finish well enough in his 125 to make the 500 for the 2nd time. But he did win the 2nd annual consolation race for the cars that didn't make the big show.
Richmond's car owner Harvey also made Speedweeks as a driver. He raced his traditional #31. While his Buick was entered under his own name, its clear the car was once owned and fielded by Henley Gray.
Gary "Hot Shoe" Balough shared interests with Harvey beyond just racing. Both were arrested and charged in 1981 for drug trafficking related charges. But both Harvey and Balough were back at Daytona in February 1982. Bobby Allison dominated 1981's Speedweeks in a Pontiac LeMans (except for that near miss 2nd place finish in the 500). Bob Rahilly and Butch Mock's Rahmoc team brought a powder blue LeMans of their own in 1982 for Balough to drive. - Ray Lamm
Joe Millikan - who raced for Rahmoc in the 1981 500 - raced for Cliff Stewart's #50 team in the 1982 500 as another attempt to extend his driving career. - Jerry Bushmire
But in the 500 as Tim referenced, Millikan wrecked when he hit the bumper that fell off Allison's 88. Marion Cox's #50 team was involved in accidents in several 1970s sportsman races at Daytona. Perhaps that bad mojo transferred to Millikan's #50 Cup ride in 1982.
Sterling Marlin was attempting to make his 2nd 500 start and his 1st by qualifying on his own terms. (His first start was in 1979 in the car qualified by Coo Coo.) He raced an Olds sponsored by the upcoming 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN. He wrecked during his qualifying twin and would have to wait yet another year to make the show. Note the Coors cap Sterling is wearing. He had local sponsorship from Coors through the Nashville distributor on his late models he ran here. Interesting that he later was sponsored by them on a larger scale when he raced for SABCO. - Craig Bontrager
Mel Tillis was in town as one of many celebrities. I think this was around the time the timeles, cinematic classic Stroker Ace was being filmed or about to be released. Some of Tillis' music was in the movie, and he had a minor - but memorable - role in the film.
I have more to add but will do so in a new reply. Need to get some work done! Plus, I'm expecting Dave Fulton to chime in about another winner during Speedweeks in what became the inaugural race of a re-designed, beer-sponsored NASCAR series.
The generically-named Sportsman 300 race got the green flag on Saturday. But after only 10 laps, the rains moved in to wash out the rest of the day. The remainder was run on Monday - the day after the 500.
Bob Ballantine had a terrible crash. He caught big air like Connie Saylor in the 125 mile Cup qualifier. But unlike Saylor, Ballantine suffered some serious but not life-threatening injuries. - DBNJ
Ballantine recovered, but he didn't race again in any of NASCAR's prominent seriesfrom what I can tell. The 1981 300 at Daytona became his one and only start in NASCAR's late model sportsman division. But he did attend the 2nd Maryland Stock Car HOF gathering in 2008. - Troy Curtis
The ol' veteran David Pearson won the race by narrowly beating the upstart midwestern driver Rusty Wallace. - DBMJ
This column by Lydia Hinshaw was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at Adam's possible future based on his being about 7 months old. In retrospect, its stunning to think Adam was lost about 7 months before the calendar turned to 2001. - from DBMJ
February 15, 1981 - Driving an STP Buick Regal, Richard Petty wins his seventh and final Daytona 500 for his 193rd career Winston Cup victory.
Ticket stub scan courtesy of Jerry Bushmire
Beginning with the second race of the 1981 season (Daytona), the teams were required to run newer, 110-inch wheelbase cars. The cars more closely matched the models of what the Detroit manufacturers were selling. Gone were the longer, sleeker cars such as the 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo, 1978 Olds Cutlass 442, and 1974 Dodge Charger. Most teams ran models with notch-back windows such as the Buick Regal, Pontiac Grand Prix, a re-designed Monte Carlo, Olds Cutlass, Ford T-Bird and even a Dodge Mirada.
After switching to General Motors' Chevy and Olds cars in 1978 and campaigning them through 1980, Petty Enterprises contemplated a return to Dodge for the 1981 Daytona race. They took a Mirada to January testing. - from RR member and fellow Schaefer HOFer Ron Willard
The team wasn't satisfied with the testing results. When Petty Enterprises returned for Speedweeks a month later, they brought two cars skinned as STP Buick Regals. One was for King Richard... - Jerry Bushmire
... and the other was for son Kyle who was making his first start in the Daytona 500.
The winter tests ginned up several nagging questions for Ron and me - and we hope to get answers one day.
Was Petty Enterprises prepared to run 2 Miradas for Richard and Kyle if the numbers had been there?
Would they have fielded a Mirada just for RIchard and a 'throwaway' car for Kyle who had only 1 ARCA and 1 Cup start at Daytona?
Was PE prepared to switch to Dodge for all of 1981- or just run them at tracks such as Daytona and Talladega?
Would the Miradas have been painted similar to the Chargers and Magnum vs. the scheme ultimately used on Regal?
After two seasons with Harry Ranier - including a win in the 1980 Daytona 500, Buddy Baker moved to Hoss Ellington's #1 UNO team. Taking his place was veteran Bobby Allison who won the 1978 500 with Bud Moore.
Ranier's Waddell Wilson managed team noted one eligible model that escaped the view of the other teams - a Pontiac LeMans. The car had a slope-back window vs. a notch-back design. With Waddell's HP-heavy engine and a sleeker aero design, the team had a leg up on the competition from the jump.
As a result, Allison dominated Speedweeks. He laid down the fastest lap to win the pole for the 500, and led 33 of 50 laps to easily win his 125-mile qualifying race. Darrell Waltrip was also fast in the debut with HIS new team. After extricating himself from a contract with DiGard, he signed with Junior Johnson. The pair qualified 2nd to Allison's top speed, and he called Allison - and raised him - by winning the 2nd qualifying twin AND the 3rd Annual Busch Clash.
The team began the season with some sponsor named Tuf-Lon. I never was quite sure what it was. About a third of the way through the season, Hardee's was secured as a significant backer. The gray ghost paint scheme was then updated to an eye-popping orange and white.- Ray Lamm
In one of the preliminary events, Ohio native Tim Richmond won the ARCA 200. A week later, Richmond made his first Daytona 500 start in D.K. Ulrich's #99 Buick. - Craig Bontrager
Starting 37th in the race, but rallying to finish 6th in his first start at Daytona was second generation driver Davey Allison in one of his dad's venerable, hand-me-down AMC Matadors.
The photographer for the Daytona paper caught a shot that'll bring a lump to your throat. Bobby Dotter Sr tended to his son Bobby Jr. following an accident. Fortunately, neither were significantly injured. - DBMJ
In 1973, Benny Parsons won the Winston Cup championship with L.G. DeWitt's team. Parsons won the Daytona 500 in 1975 with the team. In 1979, rookie and former Petty Enterprises employee Joe Millikan was hired to replace Parsons on the well-established team. But by early 1980, the team's lack of sponsorship essentially killed the team. Rather than return for a strong sophomore year, Millikan found himself bumming for rides and even relief driving for Richard Petty in a few races. He returned to Daytona in February 1981 with Bob Rahilly and Butch Mock's Rahmoc team. But that relationship fizzled within a few races, and Millikan's Cup driving career was essentially over. - TMC archives
Over the years, Daytona's high banks drew many from the open wheel ranks who wanted the challenge their own skills vs. the taxi cab crowd. Wins in the 500 by Foyt and Andretti and in the qualifying race by Johnny Rutherford probably emboldened them all the more. In 1981, Indy regular Tom Sneva attempted to make the show driving for J.D. Stacy. But as drivers such as Dario Franchitti, Robby Gordon, Al Unser Jr, etc. found in the years to come, it ain't as easy as it may look. Sneva failed to finish well enough in his twin to make the 500. - Jerry Bushmire
A new celebrity-laden team made its debut at Daytona's 1981 Speedweeks. Stuntman and Hollywood producer Hal Needham teamed with actor Burt Reynolds and U.S. Tobacco Company to field the Skoal Bandit Pontiac for fellow stuntman turned driver, Stan Barrett. The #22 was chosen because it was the jersey number once worn by Reynolds when he played football for Florida State. The team added a second driver, veteran late model sportsman and 2nd year Cup driver Harry Gant, to its roster in car #33 in the spring. - Jerry Bushmire
Many Cup teams in the years since tried to launch with a celebrity investor / pitchman. Most failed. But Needham's team succeeded where others failed. Barrett didn't last the season but Gant did, and the Skoal Bandit became a Cup fixture for years.
After having about a decade with the previous sized cars, the teams were scrambling to get a handle on the newer models. Almost every one of them was squirelly in the wind with far fewer square inches on the rear deck for downforce and stability. During the first 125 mile twin, John Anderson survived a blowover and barrel roll in his car. A few laps later, Connie Saylor driving for G. C. Spencer had a spectacular view of the dirt as his car went airborne - a phenomenon not seen before at DIS.
The moment was captured and featured on the cover of the May 1981 issue of Stock Car Racing magazine.
Geoff Bodine made his Daytona 500 debut in 1979 driving Jack Beebe's #47 Race Hill Farms Olds. Having missed the 1980 edition, he returned for a second time in 1981 driving a #23 Pontiac for brothers Bob (who later built New Hampshire Speedway) and Dick Bahre (who later formed Bahari Racing with Chuck Rider and driver Michael Waltrip). As he looped the car coming out of turn 4, the spin suddenly took a frightening tone. He skidded through the grass, up an embankment, and down the other side before hitting a local news car. Folks standing nearby suddenly scurried.
John Betts captured this pic as Bodine's car headed up the rise before going down the other side. Incredibly, Bodine's crew was able to get the car back in the race where he finished 22nd.
As it turns out, no one was injured. I think it would have been truly funny - particularly since there were no injuries - if the call letters of the station had instead been WTFV.
Each time I see this pic, I laugh at the guy in the center of the photo. Everyone likely parted like the Red Sea but then returned to gawk at the wrecked car - except this guy. He remained seated on that bumper. I'm wondering as Bodine's car came skidding in there if the guy first said it - and then did it !
In the 500, Allison was the class of the field. As expected, he was a lap bully as he paced the field for 117 laps en route to what looked to be a convincing win. Despite the stunning aeronautical wrecks in the twins, the 500 itself was fairly calm. Aside from Bodine's off road excursion and a last lap wall slapper by Barrett, the cars pretty well held their own during the afternoon.
Kyle Petty's 500 debut was short-lived. He exited after 128 laps with oil pouring oil the bottom of the engine. But his day wasn't done. He took over as a relief driver for Don Sprouse and helped him earn a 20th place finish. Sprouse was making his 5th start of a 6-race Cup career and was driving the #37 car owned by Bob Rogers. Drivers such as Tim Richmond and Mike Alexander would later be hired by Rogers to take the wheel of his #37 team.
On his final pit stop, Allison's 28 team took a full load of fuel and tires . However, when NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman summoned the 43 to pit road a few laps later, he had a different strategy. Inman called for fuel-only and no tires . In about 7 seconds, the King was headed back to the track with a big lead on Allison because of the pit-time differential.
I still remember Ned Jarrett's call from the pits on TV - and jumping up and down in my folks' living room when I realized what Inman's call meant.
The gap was too much for Allison to overcome, and Inman's heads-up call was rewarded with the King's seventh trip to victory lane in the Daytona 500. No telling how many fist pumps and victory leaps I did in my parents' small house - especially since the victory came against Allison who I now disliked more than Pearson, Cale or DW. I was late to the Petty-Allison rivalry that ran from the late 60s through the early 70s - but I sure tried to make up for lost time.
From TMC Archives
Photo courtesy of Jerry Bushmire
The pivotal pit stops...
The finish, victory lane, and the toll on families...
An eloquent racer's wife and memories of a young Adam...
Found a few other pics - including some in my own collection.
I'm not sure the 1980 500 was the first time I'd seen the Goodyear blimp. But it was definitely the first time I saw it that up and close and covering an event vs. just passing through Nashville on the way to somewhere else. Also, if you'll look reallllly close in the center of the pic, you should see a neon speck. That was my 43 Olds. That little GAF 110 camera didn't have much of a zoom lens or many megapixels! And you can tell I wasn't the only one favoring the jean jacket that day.
I began to realize my transition was underway between being a dopey kid and a young adult. I got to see plenty of adult things from heavy drinkin', hootin and hollerin, a portable hot tub even in the cold air, etc. (Kind of wish it'd been much warmer to have my eyes opened by the bikinis that were certainly sported under the heavy jackets. Ha.) But I remember thinking one of the neatest things I saw was this little custom roadster made to look like a Busch beer can.
Here is my uncle Earl in the UT Vols hat and flannel, my uncle Ronald's girlfriend looking stylish in her Urban Cowgirl gear, and my new aunt Debbie huddled up and with a pained look on her face as if she'd been stored in a meat freezer.
Some pics from Jerry Bushmire.
Joe Millikan in one of his last few races with the L.G. DeWitt team before it fell apart that spring.
Richie Evans - winner of the final modified race held as part of Speedweeks
The 1980 'banquet' to present awards for the 1979 season. We're accustomed to seeing the King in a cowboy hat - and even Kyle with one in the early 1980s. Not sure we've seen many of Chief sporting one. Jerry had the good fortune to attend.
Richard Childress - no way could he have foreseen how his future would unfold as he did well to patch together a sponsorship package with CRC Chemicals for the 1980 500.
