February 5, 1950 - Harold Kite soars to victory in Daytona
Stock Car Racing History
Very cool. Nice to know trophy still exists - and complements the post perfectly. Thanks man.
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Stock Car Racing History
February 5, 1950 - Harold Kite soars to victory in Daytona
Stock Car Racing History
Tim Leeming is likely hard at work on his next installment about the Daytona 500. But I thought I'd inject this one about a pre-DIS Daytona GN race.
On February 5, 1950, Georgian Harold Kite defeated the heavy favorite and fellow Georgian, Red Byron, in the season-opening race on the Daytona Beach and Road Course. The event was Kite's first GN event. WIth 1950 being only the 2nd season of NASCAR's Strictly Stock / GN division, I imagine others made their debut in 1950 as well.
Read Brandon Reed's column about Harold Kite to learn more about him at Georgia Racing History's website:
http://georgiaracinghistory.com/2011/08/13/the-racing-legacy-of-harold-kite/
Race program from [ Motor Racing Programme Covers ]
Lloyd Moore plowing through the sand on his way to a 3rd place finish behind Kite and Byron - a spectacular picture from [ OldSchool59 ] collection.
Eventual winner Kite is shown leading Frank Luptow through the sand. Luptow finished 18th.
Kite's Lincoln.
From [ Daytona Beach Morning Journal ]
Kite raced in only 8 more GN events over the next 15 years before being killed in an accident during the National 400 at Charlotte.
Plaque along Daytona Beach from [ Backmaster at Deviantart.com ].
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Harold Kite | '49 Lincoln |
| 2 | Red Byron | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 3 | Lloyd Moore | '49 Lincoln |
| 4 | Al Gross | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 5 | J.C. Van Landingham | '50 Buick |
| 6 | Tim Flock | '48 Cadillac |
| 7 | Bob Flock | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 8 | Otis Martin | '49 Plymouth |
| 9 | Buck Baker | '49 Ford |
| 10 | Fonty Flock | '47 Buick |
| 11 | Curtis Turner | '49 Lincoln |
| 12 | Jim Rathmann | '49 Lincoln |
| 13 | Roscoe Thompson | '49 Lincoln |
| 14 | Cotton Owens | '49 Plymouth |
| 15 | June Cleveland | '48 Buick |
| 16 | Lee Petty | '49 Plymouth |
| 17 | Al Keller | '49 Ford |
| 18 | Frank Luptow | '49 Lincoln |
| 19 | Will Albright | '46 Pontiac |
| 20 | Jack White | '49 Lincoln |
| 21 | Alton Haddock | '49 Lincoln |
| 22 | Joe Jernigan | '49 Ford |
| 23 | Lee Schmidt | '47 Buick |
| 24 | Russ Lee | '49 Hudson |
| 25 | Larry Shurter | '49 Ford |
| 26 | Tommy Thompson | '49 Chrysler |
| 27 | Jack Smith | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 28 | Billy Carden | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 29 | Bill Rexford | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 30 | Gober Sosebee | '49 Oldsmobile |
| 31 | Bob Apperson | '47 Ford |
| 32 | Marshall Teague | '49 Lincoln |
| 33 | Fireball Roberts | '48 Hudson |
| 34 | Bill Blair | '49 Cadillac |
| 35 | Joe Littlejohn | '50 Oldsmobile |
| 36 | Dick Clothier | '47 Pontiac |
| 37 | Frank Mundy | '49 Cadillac |
| 38 | Slick Smith | '47 Hudson |
| 39 | Herschel Buchanan | '47 Nash |
| 40 | Joe Harrison | '49 Ford |
| 41 | Louise Smith | '49 Ford |
updated by @tmc-chase: 02/05/18 09:36:40AM
NASCAR puts muscle into the penalty system
Current NASCAR
Writing down the rules on the front page is good thing. But likely penciling in some exceptions on the back. Ha.
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Fireball and Jack Smith after their twin wins.
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Found some great pictures from the compact, GN qualifier, and modified-sportsman races on Getty Images
Lee Petty's compact Plymouth
Richard Petty's compact Plymouth on the track
Richard's car after his wreck
Compact race winner Marvin Panch
Curtis Turner's car after rolling over in the qualifying twin
Ralph Earnhardt's car sitting wrong side down after getting tangled in the 37-car wreck during the modified-sportsman race.
updated by @tmc-chase: 01/31/17 03:28:42PM
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
In the preliminary modified sportsman race, a still-standing record was set for a NASCAR race when 37 cars were involved in what could arguably be labeled as the first Big One.
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Before the twins and 500 got underway, DIS held a compact car race that was won by Marvin Panch. Curtis Turner didn't have quite the day he was seeking.
Of course, (future) King Richard didn't do much better in the compact race.
updated by @tmc-chase: 01/31/17 03:28:05PM
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Tim - I wonder how your Uncle Bobby might have reacted had he read this article. From Daytona Beach Morning Journal .
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Making his 2nd of 3 career GN starts in the 500 was Homer "Burrhead" Nantz. (His other 2 starts were the 100-mile qualifying race and the Gwyn Staley 160 at North Wikesboro a couple of weeks after Daytona.) He got a mention in the final paragraph of a notes column in the Daytona Beach Morning Journal.
Apparently Norris Friel from NASCAR believed Burrhead hit pit road too fast on lap 11 and parked him for the day as a penalty. Nantz apparently was bothered by the penalty as he'd burned up his clutch anyway - which was likely the reason for the pit stop anyway.
Racing History Minute - 1960 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Here is Banjo's 2nd car fielded for Speedy Thompson. From Danny Quick collection.
