Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

Hail To The Chief

Stock Car Racing History

Some well deserved names made it to the short list today. Whether they get the votes to get inducted is a different story. Along with the positive vibe of hearing the name of Rex White or perhaps the begrudging acceptance Bruton Smith does belong, I was very pleasantly surprised to learn The Chief, Maurice Petty, made the cut of 25.

In my completely unbiased, totally obective, impartial, but with welllll some Petty Blue-tinted view towards things, I really believe Chief belongs in the HOF along with The King and Dale.

Like his father, Maurice was a bit gruff. Well, a LOT gruff. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the hall considering the number of race winning Cup and LMS engines he built for Petty Enterprises and piloted by Richard, Buddy Baker, Jim Paschal, Pete Hamilton, Marvin Panch and Joe Millikan.

Hail to the Chief! (pic from Ray Lamm collection)

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

Rex White

Stock Car Racing History

I may waffle some - and someone might convince me to modify my list. But with the 25 noms we have, I think my early choices for 2014 will be:

• Raymond Parks - France wouldn't have been able to keep NASCAR afloat without Parks' help. Plus his record as a pioneer car owner merits induction.
• Ralph Seagraves from RJR - T. Wayne had best marketing ideas, but Seagraves got the Winston deal rolling with France Sr and Jr.
• Tim Flock - first 2x GN champ - 2nd highest winning percentage. But he frequently clashed with France and even got himself banned along with Curtis Turner in early 60s. Could keep him out for another year or two.
• Joe Weatherly - 2x GNchamp. 2nd title was won by driving for NINE car owners. Sadly killed at Riverside in January 1964 as reigning GN champ. Would love to have seen him go toe-to-toe with Richard in the year of the hemi. Would he have been 1st driver to win 3 straight titles a dozen years before Cale? Or would RP still have prevailed?
• Clay Earles - His efforts at Martinsville should be recognized before Bruton gets in.

For consideration in 2015-2017 range:2015-2017 range

• Curtis Turner - popular, talented, won some, but no championships. Has to wait.
• Fireball - ditto
• Lorenzen - ditto
• Bruton Smith
• Maurice Petty
• Rex White
• Benny Parsons
• Red Byron

Much, MUCH Longer

• Anne France
• Wendell Scott
• Les Richter
• Dale Jarrett
• Bobby Isaac
• Childress &Hendrick
• Ray Fox

The more I look at my list, the more I'm convinced Curtis and Bruton should be included in the same class. Would be appropriate especially with the ceremony held in Charlotte. Would be verrrry interesting to see how Bruton might address Curtis - particularly if they were recognized on the same night.

All this Talk about the Convertible Division, How about the Short Track Division?

Stock Car Racing History

Regarding Dave's comment about Princess Anne Speedway.

I found an issue of Illustrated Speedway News on ebay earlier this week & zoned in on some of the page excerpts at the bottom of the listing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/July-7-53-ILLUSTRATED-SPEEDWAY-NEWS-Racing-Newspaper-PICTORIAL-EDITION-/161003869995?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

A couple of articles quickly caught my eye. One, a 4th of July Junior Johnson win - at DARLINGTON! Apparently it was run as a 200 miler on Independence Day 1953.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ImYsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PcsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7177%2C428466

The race wasn't a NASCAR sanctioned GN event. The GN series ran on July 4th in Spartanburg, I guess Darlington paid better than Spartanburg. (Incredibly, the GN cars ran the day before on July 3rd in Rochester NY. Many drove all night to make the Spartanburg and Darlington events.)

I also noticed an article about Lee Petty winning the "first GN race" at Norfolk's Princess Anne Speedway in a 400-lap, 100 miler in late June 1953 (actual date looks like 24th). Officially, it seems only 1 GN race was held at Norfolk - a 200 lap, 100 miler - and was won by Herb Thomas in November 1953. So far, no luck in finding anything on Google - including the news archive.

(Sorry for poor resolution. Best I could do from the limited view of the auctioned paper.)

Something doesn't make much sense. First GN race - yet no official results? And either the article was wrong about the laps - or the track was lengthened from a quarter-mile to a half-mile in less than 4 months. I even checked the convertible series records and they didn't race at Norfolk then either.

I'm wondering if the event was part of this Short Track Division you've mentioned.

A Racing History Minute - April 10, 1971

Stock Car Racing History

Bringing back a post from the past. Here are Raymond Williams, Dave Marcis and Walter Ballard on the starting grid. Can anyone help me with the sponsor on Williams' 47? Looks like it could be a ketchup or barbecue sauce bottle - or maybe it is some sort of oil or fuel additive.

A Racing History Minute - April 10, 1971

Stock Car Racing History

The pace lap before the green.

A Racing History Minute - April 10, 1971

Stock Car Racing History

And here is a link to the longer race recap article penned by Gene Granger for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Its a bit too long to easily screen cap and upload here.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=13wsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uswEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6130%2C1915236

A Racing History Minute - April 10, 1971

Stock Car Racing History

As you noted Tim, Isaac wasn't originally scheduled to race at G-P. Its truly interesting considering he was the defending NASCAR Grand National champion competing in the first year of what then became known as the Winston Cup Series. Perhaps Bill France and the G-P folks called Nord to strongly suggest the NASCAR champion participate - especially with ABC in town.

So he did race - and he did win. But because of his last minute entry, he missed the deadline for earning points in the race. He lead the most laps, dominated the day, and won the race - but fell a spot in the standings because he earned zero points.

Source: Ocala Star Banner

A Racing History Minute - April 9, 1961

Stock Car Racing History

Lorenzen enjoying the rewards of victory lane.

A Racing History Minute - April 9, 1961

Stock Car Racing History

We've made a full lap from 2013 to 2014 since Tim posted about the April 9, 1961 Martinsville race won by Lorenzen. As he referenced, the cars returned to Martinsville on April 30 that year. Here is the link to the April 30 / part 2 post.

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/23105/racing-history-minute-april-30-1961

updated by @tmc-chase: 04/09/17 10:15:42AM

A Racing History Minute - April 9, 1961

Stock Car Racing History

And here is the program cover from the April 9th race.

Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers