Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

Racing History Minute - July 28, 1966

Stock Car Racing History

Race report from Knoxville Journal as included in [ Paul's photo gallery ].

updated by @tmc-chase: 07/28/20 08:16:03AM

Racing History Minute - July 28, 1966

Stock Car Racing History

It's July 28th - once again the anniversary of Paul Lewis' win at Maryville. As Tim referenced a year ago, the 43 of Richard Petty lasted only 17 laps and finished dead last. Perhaps the PE team's minds were elsewhere. I learned this afternoon that one of Dale Inman's daughters was born that evening. I'm still trying to learn if Dale was back in NC with his wife Mary - or in Maryville.

But Petty's dead last finish was his last one for a long while. After finishing 29th on July 28, 1966, Petty remarkably didn't finish dead last again in a GN/Cup race until he finished 28th / last in the October 12, 1975 Capital City 500 at Richmond - a streak of 9+ years. Pretty amazing.

Racing History Minute - July 28, 1966

Stock Car Racing History

So a car the Pettys BUILT won the race, but the car a Petty DROVE finished dead last. How 'bout that. Wonder if 43's steering problems were attributed to a pair of vice grips that just needed tightening.

updated by @tmc-chase: 07/28/20 08:02:13AM

Racing History Minute - July 27, 1956

Stock Car Racing History

Judging by this poster, it looks like the race was originally scheduled to run July 26th. I haven't found an article yet to determine if the race was rained out on Thursday and moved to Friday the 27th.

Source: Cleveland County Fair, page 38

And Ralph Chichester shared a photo of his poster  earlier this year in the Cleveland County Fairgrounds group.

updated by @tmc-chase: 07/26/17 12:12:47PM

Turning for Home: Today's Junior Johnson

Stock Car Racing History

Just found an Outside The Lines column on ESPN.com about Junior Johnson. I think it may be a couple of years old by now, but I'm just now finding and reading it. Its remarkably well written. The writer does a great job of comparing the Junior of day - a doting parent and loving husband, a man who is looking forward vs. backward - and the young Junior of Wilkes County decades ago.

Its a must-read - albeit a long one.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=110906/JuniorJohnson

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

Racing History Minute - July 26, 1959

Stock Car Racing History

The GN cars made their return to Charlotte just a week later at the quickly scheduled sequel. Tim posted about the August 2nd race here:

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/25873/racing-history-minute-august-2-1959

updated by @tmc-chase: 07/25/17 11:01:05AM

Racing History Minute - July 26, 1959

Stock Car Racing History

Beat me to the punch Dave. Here is the clipping from the July 29th Spartanburg paper about the hastily scheduled "Charlotte Chequel".

Perhaps it was pretty simple and a no-brainer to schedule a repeat visit to the fairgrounds since the track was centrally located to the teams and drivers from Virginia down to Georgia. I'm not so sure the sequel would have been booked had the barn burner been somewhere like Rochester or Langhorne.

Imagine if NASCAR could be so nimble today. With the seemingly unanimous positive opinion of the trucks at Eldora, imagine if NASCAR and Smoke suddenly announced "See you again in 3 weeks!"

Racing History Minute - July 26, 1959

Stock Car Racing History

Race preview and race report from Spartanburg Herald Journal.

Racing History Minute - July 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Getting off course a bit I know, but here is Nelson Stacy's Plymouth from the 1965 Firecracker 400. Supposedly owned by Red Vogt. Supposedly built by Petty Enterprises. Entered under the name of Sam Fletcher. Driven by Stacy in his last GN start. Set-up at track by Maurice Petty.

And that Sam Fletcher feller? He fielded another Plymouth - again supposedly built by the Pettys - for a driver making his return later that season vs. making his final start: Curtis Turner in the 65 Southern 500.

updated by @tmc-chase: 07/25/17 10:13:34AM

Racing History Minute - July 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Drag racing was also going on that weekend in Nashville. The King must surely have been whipped by sundown Sunday night.

Friday day: practice/qualifying Bristol

Friday evening: fly to Nashville for drag racing

Friday night (or Saturday morn): fly to Bristol

Saturday morning: practice Bristol

Saturday afternoon: fly to Nashville for drag racing

Saturday night (or Sunday morn): fly to Bristol

Sunday afternoon: race in Volunteer 500 ... 6+ hours elapsed time

(Source: Charleston's News and Courier )