Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

Racing History Minute - September 23, 1962

Stock Car Racing History

Weekend of races preview from The Progress Index. I'm not sure yet who won Saturday's modified-sportsman race. Miss Virginia & Miss America contestant Patricia Jean Gaulding was scheduled to be the guest of honor and present the winner's trophy. She returned the following spring to present Richard Petty his trophy for winning the 1963 Virginia 500. ( See pic from Dennis Garrett here .)

As Tim noted in his text, Fireball won the pole. He apparently set the quickest time even after cracking a cylinder head during his run. From Danville Register.

The University of Virginia Library has about a minute of video footage from the race on-line here:

http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2303881

Racing History Minute - September 23, 1962

Stock Car Racing History

Cars being staged for the start as the crowd gathers.

Cars lined up on the pace lap awaiting the start. Fireball and Little Joe on the front row. Eventual winner Stacy qualified 3rd.

Race report from Free Lance Star of Fredericksburg, VA.

updated by @tmc-chase: 09/23/17 10:46:57AM

King and Kenseth trivia

Current NASCAR

The King's 500th start does have a bit of confusion around it - even controversy if you will. NASCAR's records show Richard started 1,185 GN/Cup races. Yet he only participated in 1,184 of them.

Petty qualified quickest for the August 25, 1965, race at Beltsville Speedway in Maryland. But he blew an engine in a subsequent practice session. As a result, he couldn't start the race and forfeited the pole to Ned Jarrett who went on to win the race. Richard was credited with 20th and last position. Even though his car was never put on the starting grid, he was credited with an official start for the race.

So techhhhhhnically, Trenton was NOT his 500th start. Instead, the 1970 Volunteer 500 at Bristol - the race AFTER Trenton - where the 43 finished 5th was. But hey, NASCAR says he "started" the race at Beltsville - so who am I to question it I guess? Plus, if his 500th start is challenged then that means his 1,000th start at Michigan on Father's Day in 1986 was race too early as well.

King and Kenseth trivia

Current NASCAR

With his win today at Loudon, Matt Kenseth joined Richard Petty as the only drivers to win in their 500th career GN/Cup start.

Kenseth's win in New Hamp'sha would likely have been considered part of the Northern Tour had it been run back in 1970. Interestingly, The King's win in his 500th start WAS part of the Northern Tour. His win came at Trenton Speedway in New Jersey in the ... yep, SCHAEFER 300.

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

Racing History Minute - September 22, 1963

Stock Car Racing History

Lorenzen's win was no real surprise to anyone. He was predicted by many to contend for the win even before qualifying began.

Source: Spartanburg Herald

Race program

The start - the 2nd row of Fireball Roberts on the inside and Rex White starting 4th is shown. The front row of pole-winner Junior Johnson and 2nd place qualifier Lorenzen is out of frame.

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

The winner in victory lane

updated by @tmc-chase: 09/22/17 12:04:14PM

So is Ryan Newman now the RR collective fave for the Cup?

Current NASCAR

Blehhhh, blehhh

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

Racing History Minute - September 21, 1957

Stock Car Racing History

Qualifying for the race was scheduled for the day before. I was bit surprised to learn the Shelby race was planned as a 2 day event. Perhaps the promoter wanted an extra day of racing entertainment for fair-goers and ticket buyers. As it turned out, qualifying was rained out on 20th. So qualifying and the race were compacted into a single Saturday afternoon after all.

Source: News and Courier

Race report from Spartanburg Herald

And a 'notes' column from a couple of days later discussing the 1957 championship and racing battles between Buck Baker, Cotton Owens and Marvin Panch.

Source: Spartanburg Herald

updated by @tmc-chase: 09/21/18 09:55:03AM

September 20, 1970: Richard Petty Doubles Up Dover

Stock Car Racing History

Dover uploaded this neat 24 minute video of highlights from the 1970 Mason-Dixon 300. Looks like the video runs somewhat in reverse. The King is shown in 'victory lane' pretty early in the video, followed by racing action, followed by what looks like qualifying or practice. All good stuff.

Don't adjust your speakers - the clip doesn't have any audio.

September 20, 1970: Richard Petty Doubles Up Dover

Stock Car Racing History

On September 20, 1970, King Richard won his 2nd consecutive race at Dover Downs International Speedway. His back-to-back wins also happened to be the first two GN events at the track. Driving a Ford, he won [ the inaugural Dover ] race a year earlier on July 6, 1969 - just TWO DAYS after the Firecracker 400.

Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers

I originally blogged about Petty's 1970 win in the Mason-Dixon 300 two years ago:

https://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-20-this-day-in-petty-history.html

But in keeping with the 2013 theme of posting about races on specific dates, I thought I'd repeat much of it here.

1970 - Richard Petty qualifies 2nd alongside Bobby Isaac, leads more than half the race, and wins his 116th career race in the Mason-Dixon 300 at Dover in the winged Plymouth Superbird.

A shot of the starting line-up taken by Schaefer Ring on Honor AND RacersReunion.com member Brian "200WINZ" Hauck.

Fin	Driver	Car
1	Richard Petty	'70 Plymouth
2	Bobby Allison	'69 Dodge
3	Charlie Glotzbach	'69 Dodge
4	David Pearson	'70 Ford
5	Benny Parsons	'69 Ford
6	Bobby Isaac	'69 Dodge
7	James Hylton	'69 Ford
8	Bill Champion	'69 Ford
9	Larry Baumel	'69 Ford
10	Cecil Gordon	'68 Ford
11	Buddy Baker	'69 Dodge
12	Bill Dennis	'69 Chevrolet
13	Frank Warren	'69 Plymouth
14	John Sears	'69 Dodge
15	Neil Castles	'69 Dodge
16	Bill Shirey	'69 Plymouth
17	Buck Baker	'70 Chevrolet
18	Joe Phipps	'69 Chevrolet
19	Elmo Langley	'69 Mercury
20	Earl Brooks	'69 Ford
21	Ben Arnold	'69 Ford
22	Lee Roy Carrigg	'69 Ford
23	Dave Marcis	'69 Dodge
24	Joe Frasson	'70 Plymouth
25	J.D. McDuffie	'69 Mercury
26	Henley Gray	'69 Ford
27	Tommy Gale	'69 Mercury
28	Ed Negre	'69 Ford
29	Cliff Tyler	'69 Chevrolet
30	Bill Seifert	'69 Ford
31	Roy Tyner	'69 Ford
32	Dick May	'69 Ford
33	Raymond Williams	'69 Ford
34	John Kenney	'68 Ford
35	Jabe Thomas	'69 Plymouth
36	Wendell Scott	'69 Ford

updated by @tmc-chase: 09/20/20 07:54:44PM

September 20, 1959: Lee Petty Hauls in Hillsboro

Stock Car Racing History

Per a comment on racing-reference.info "He was disqualified for having an illegal locked rear differential gear." If so, I guess that's a bit too technical to work into an AP wire story.