Racing History Minute - 1970 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Thanks for the comment Sandeep. Its a lot of fun putting these things together including the various photos and video clips.
Forum Activity for @tmc-chase
Stock Car Racing History
Thanks for the comment Sandeep. Its a lot of fun putting these things together including the various photos and video clips.
Racing History Minute - 1970 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
In today's racing, several of NASCAR's US born drivers drive a Japanese car brand. In 1970, the reverse was true. In the Citrus 250 Grand American race, Japanese driver Seiichi Suzuki raced a Mercury Cougar.
Racing History Minute - 1970 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
I've learned Pete was a big-time smoker. I don't know if he drank - beer or anything else. But he certainly had a plentiful supply of Falstaff if he did prefer the brew. - Pic from Jerry Bushmire
James Hylton won the Citrus 250 Grand American race. Wayne Andrews, father of RR members Dennis and Kevin Andrews, finished 2nd.
Wayne Andrews in #15 Cougar - Kevin Andrews
updated by @tmc-chase: 02/20/17 12:41:45PM
Racing History Minute - 1970 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
I originally blogged about Pete Hamilton's surprise win in the 1970 Daytona 500 a year ago.Thought I'd re-run much of it here as well as some addition content. My original blog post is here:
https://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/02/february-22-1970-pete-pockets-daytona.html
On February 22, 1970, Pete Hamilton from Dedham, Massachusetts wins the Daytona 500 in a winged Petty Enterprises Plymouth Superbird.
As the 1970 season opened in January, the Pettys fielded a second Superbird at Riverside's road course in the [ Motor Trend 500 ]. But it was for road course ringer Dan Gurney, the car wasn't originally built by Petty Enterprises, and the color and font of the number 42 didn't remind anyone of a Petty entry.
The arrangement with Gurney was a one-race deal. In the same month as the Riverside race, Petty Enterprises and Chrysler Corporation announced the hiring of Hamilton for a limited number of races the rest of the season, and Pete's car was assigned #40 - a number not previously fielded by PE and never used again after Hamilton's single season with the team.
Hamilton won honors as the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year, but he couldn't land a solid ride in NASCAR's top series in 1969. He was delighted to be hired by the factory-supported Petty team in 1970 and planned to make the most of his new gig.
With a team headed by Richard's brother and engine builder, Maurice "Chief" Petty, Pete didn't take long to make his presence known. He laid down a solid qualifying lap, started sixth in his 125-mile qualifying twin, and finished fifth in it - one spot better than his teammate, King Richard.
The front row was locked up by pole-winner Cale Yarborough in the Wood Brothers Mercury and Buddy Baker in Cotton Owens' winged Dodge.
The starting line-up for the 1st twin had a pair of non-winged cars from FoMoCo up front - Cale and David Pearson. Both Petty cars were in the first twin as was Bobby Isaac. Yarborough and Issac split all but 5 of the laps, and Cale won the twin by a comfortable margin.
Leading the 2nd twin at the start was Baker and Charlie Glotzbach.
The two cars led all but one lap - with Glotzbach leading 36 to Baker's 13 en route to the win.
During the second twin, Talmadge Prince was making his Grand National debut running a Mopar he'd bought from James Hylton.- from Thomas K. Craig 
Racing Charlie Glotzbach - from Bumpertag
Not quite half-way through the race, Prince spun and was center punched in the driver's side door by Bill Seiffert. Incredibly and sadly, Prince suffered fatal injuries in the accident in his one and only GN race. - from FindAGrave.com
Tiny Lund captured the Permatex 300 sportsman race on Saturday before Sunday's 500.- Brian Norton
Interesting how those Daytona oceanic winds seemed to whip only Tiny's hair. - from Ray Lamm
Finishes by Hamilton and Petty in the first twin placed them nose-to-tail, 9th and 11th, in the starting line-up for the 500. - Courtesy of Don Smyle from Smyle Media
In the 500, Pete lined up behind the two Fords of Lee Roy Yarborough in Junior Johnson's #98 and Donnie Allison in Banjo Matthews' #27. Ray Lamm
Chief was masterful as Hamilton's crew chief with solid pit strategy and keeping the young and relatively inexperienced driver calm as he made each stop. Note the lack of a window net for the driver. Use of the nets didn't come into favor until after The King's violent wreck at Darlington two months later. - Ray Lamm
And from Smyle Media
Hamilton and David Pearson, the two-time and reigning NASCAR Grand National champion, swapped the lead a couple of times over the last few laps. Coming to the white flag, Pearson gave it his all to dive under the 40. But his Holman & Moody Ford broke traction, his tires went up in smoke, and the Silver Fox did an incredible job regathering the wheel and regaining his pursuit. Hamilton pulled away for three-quarters of the lap. Pearson shoved his accelerator through the firewall in an effort to catch the Superbird. But Pete had too much and beat Pearson to the line by about 3 car lengths. - Ray Lamm
To the victor belongs the spoils such as:
The congratulatory embrace from your crew chief.
Hardware for the trophy case
And maybe best of all, nice snug hugs from the pretties, including from Miss Hurst Shifter, Linda Vaughn. - Ray Lamm
RR's Cody Dinsmore shared a photo of the winner's trophy on display at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville.
One of the individuals celebrating with Pete and the Pettys in victory lane later went on to race himself for the Pettys in a few late model sportsman races and was runner-up to Dale Earnhardt for Rookie Of The Year in the 1979 Cup series: Joe Millikan - shown here behind Pete's 7-Up can.
Parts of the race including the finish were aired on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Keith Jackson - better known for his Whoaaa Nellie college football calls - was the lead anchor, and the iconic Chris Economacki from National Speed Sport News on color.
The start of the race - with pole sitter Cale Yarborough setting a fast pace early... and an early departure by The King. He completed only seven laps, broke an engine, and finished 39th in the 40-car field.
And the finish - with the battle between Pearson's Ford and Pete's Plymouth.
RR member Jerry Bushmire shared this NSSN headline and article about the race.
Pete's surprise win earned him a feature article in the June 1970 issue of Stock Car Racing magazine.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Pete Hamilton | '70 Plymouth |
| 2 | David Pearson | '69 Ford |
| 3 | Bobby Allison | '69 Dodge |
| 4 | Charlie Glotzbach | '69 Dodge |
| 5 | Bobby Isaac | '69 Dodge |
| 6 | Richard Brickhouse | '70 Plymouth |
| 7 | Jim Hurtubise | '70 Ford |
| 8 | Ramo Stott | '70 Plymouth |
| 9 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | '69 Ford |
| 10 | Dave Marcis | '69 Dodge |
| 11 | Ray Elder | '69 Dodge |
| 12 | Neil Castles | '69 Dodge |
| 13 | Tiny Lund | '69 Dodge |
| 14 | Benny Parsons | '69 Ford |
| 15 | Friday Hassler | '69 Chevrolet |
| 16 | Roy Mayne | '69 Chevrolet |
| 17 | John Sears | '69 Dodge |
| 18 | Coo Coo Marlin | '69 Chevrolet |
| 19 | Dick Brooks | '70 Plymouth |
| 20 | Frank Warren | '69 Plymouth |
| 21 | Joe Frasson | '70 Dodge |
| 22 | James Hylton | '69 Plymouth |
| 23 | Butch Hirst | '69 Ford |
| 24 | Paul Feldner | '69 Dodge |
| 25 | Jabe Thomas | '69 Plymouth |
| 26 | Dick Trickle | '69 Ford |
| 27 | Buddy Baker | '69 Dodge |
| 28 | Elmo Langley | '69 Mercury |
| 29 | Buddy Arrington | '69 Dodge |
| 30 | Ron Grana | '69 Ford |
| 31 | Tommy Gale | '69 Mercury |
| 32 | A.J. Foyt | '69 Ford |
| 33 | Leonard Blanchard | '70 Ford |
| 34 | Ron Keselowski | '69 Dodge |
| 35 | Donnie Allison | '69 Ford |
| 36 | Don Tarr | '69 Dodge |
| 37 | Cale Yarborough | '69 Mercury |
| 38 | Jim Vandiver | '69 Dodge |
| 39 | Richard Petty | '70 Plymouth |
| 40 | Cecil Gordon | '68 Ford |
updated by @tmc-chase: 10/12/19 09:21:26AM
A VALENTINES E MAIL TO RACERS REUNION FROM DANICA
Current NASCAR
I don't think its going to happen. But if it does, I'll return to congratulate her on setting PInk Crow Records. Ha.
A VALENTINES E MAIL TO RACERS REUNION FROM DANICA
Current NASCAR
My hunch is Legend would prefer to have this made as a paper weight for his desk.
Racing History Minute - 1969 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Race program
National Speed Sport News cover page covering Yarbrough's win and MacTavish's death. - from Russ Thompson
Racing History Minute - 1969 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Some pics from RacersReunion photo collection - with a few others sprinkled in for good measure.
Smokey Yunich was back again with yet another USAC regular - this time it was Bobby Unser. - Ray Lamm
Another driver who raced a bit in both USAC and NASCAR, Swede Savage, hitched a ride in the 1969 500 in a second Wood Brothers entry.
Pete Hamilton in a Mopar - the year before he got the ride of a lifetime with the Pettys. - Brian Norton
The twin winners - The Silver Fox & Bobby Isaac
Saturday's Permatex 300 sportsman race is perhaps most infamously known for absolutely horrific wreck and death of Don MacTavish. I won't add the pics or video here. You've ever seen them - or chosen not to. But the race did run - and was completed.
Bugs Stevens in the 43, and Wayne Andrews in the 0 - Wayne's Daytona debut.- Dennis Andrews
Some action from the 300 - Ray Lamm
Lee Roy doubled up that weekend. He won the 500 as well as the sportsman 300 for car owner Bondy Long the day before.
A couple of other drivers made their Daytona debuts in 1969. Dave Sisco from Nashville TN ran the Sportsman race.
And Richard Childress - looking a tad bit like Johnny Cash here - made his Daytona debut in the Grand Touring event in a Camaro - presumably the same Camaro he'd race as a last minute entry in the inaugural Talladega 500 that summer.
Joie Chitwood Jr. - father of current DIS president, Joie Chitwood III - raced in the Grand Touring event as well.
Miss Permatex - nuff said - Ray Lamm
No tandem, pack or 2x2 racing here. Just spread 'em out and GO. - Ray Lamm
Yarbrough in victory lane. I'm sure he was delighted. But the look on his face looks a bit devious - like he was considering slapping some dignitary upside the head.
Need Information
Stock Car Racing History
Jimmy, not familiar with Wally Gore. But I did a quick search of Google's News Archives. There are several old news clippings from the Fredericksburg VA paper - the Free Lance-Star.
Go to http://news.google.com/newspapers , enter "wally gore" in the Google News search field, and search the archive. Will return the old newspaper articles vs. just what may otherwise be available on the web. Hope that helps.
