July 24: A TN twosome for The King
Stock Car Racing History
Thanks Dave. Interesting how a reference to that factoid didn't surface elsewhere - including in Fielden's 40 Years book.
Forum Activity for @tmc-chase
Stock Car Racing History
Thanks Dave. Interesting how a reference to that factoid didn't surface elsewhere - including in Fielden's 40 Years book.
July 24: A TN twosome for The King
Stock Car Racing History
1970 - East Tennessee 200 at Smoky Mountain Raceway in Maryville, TN
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-24-this-day-in-petty-history-part-1.html
1971 - Nashville 420 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-24-this-day-in-petty-history-part-2.html
updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
July 23, 1967: Petty wins at Bristol
Stock Car Racing History
July sun
Daytime racing
Tennessee summer temps
Skinny bias-ply tires
No power steering
No cool suits
1st of only three Bristol wins by the King
http://www.bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-23-this-day-in-petty-history.html
updated by @tmc-chase: 07/23/18 09:31:17AM
July 20, 1969: Fast laps and a giant leap
Stock Car Racing History
Today July 20, 2014 - the 45th anniversary of the wondrous event of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.
On the same day in Bristol, Cale Yarborough started from the pole. - Getty
David Pearson had the flu and got relief from fellow Ford driver ... Richard Petty ... to help him win the race and break a tie for the second most wins with Lee Petty.
Race report from Spartanburg Herald
July 20, 1969: Fast laps and a giant leap
Stock Car Racing History
A re-visit of a great 2009 article by Tom Higgins about the events of July 20, 1969. The Grand National circuit was in Bristol. But the eyes of the world were fixed on the heavens.
http://web.archive.org/web/20150720134358/http://www.thatsracin.com/2009/07/19/13822/the-day-that-racing-took-a-back.html
updated by @tmc-chase: 07/19/17 01:34:51PM
Happy Birthday Pete Hamilton
Stock Car Racing History
Interesting Pete mentioned Bridgehampton as the place he suffered his neck injury. That's the site for today's Petty history moment - July 21:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-21-this-day-in-petty-history.html
Happy Birthday Pete Hamilton
Stock Car Racing History
Former Petty driver, Pete Hamilton, turned 70 years old today (Friday, July 20). NASCAR.com
NASCAR.com's Mark Aumann posted a nice historical piece about Pete a couple of days ago:
http://www.nascar.com/news/120719/maumann-retro-hamilton/index.html
I'm not much of an autograph hound. But Pete is one driver I really want to meet and/or just get his autograph. Yet the guy has just fallen off the face of the earth and seemingly has no interest in staying connected to interested racing historian fans like me. I've chased him for ages - and this dog seemingly just can't hunt anymore.
I've always found it interesting that Pete was essentially a '1-year wonder'. He was ROTY and had a few other wins. But everyone recalls that Superbird Super Year of 1970. I realize Chrysler's marketing and racing budget morphed a bit - including the elimination of the Bird for 71. But why not keep Pete on the payroll for 1971? Instead Buddy Baker was hired and put in a Dodge ride at Petty for 71 and 72. A good hire I suppose as Buddy won a couple of races in the white 11 in 1971 and then the red STP-sponsored 11 in 1972. Just interesting they didn't keep the blond New Englander in the seat.
But recently, I think I may have learned the reason why. Late in the 1970 season, Hamilton - a member of the National Guard - was ordered to report for duty by the U.S. Army. He apparently hadn't made a certain number of meetings, and therefore was activated for regular army. Finally, by the end of October, the army gave him an honorable discharge and said all the hullabaloo about missed meetings was due to 'clerical mistakes'. In the Army? Really? That could NEVER happen, right?
Either way, I wonder if Chrysler figured Pete would be unavailable for 71 and pulled the trigger on putting Buddy in the 2nd Petty seat.
October 19 - Link: Pete ordered to the army
October 22 - Link: Pete hoping for 1 more win before joining Army
October 28 - Link: Pete given honorable discharge
Pete did return in 1971, but by then the 2nd Petty seat was taken by Baker in a #11 Dodge to compliment Richard's #43 Plymouth. Buddy had been a long-time Dodge driver so its no coincidence Chrysler kept him in a Dodge. But it just seems strange to me that Pete was moved aside with the successful year he had in 1970 - and I think the uncertainly around his military call-up may have something to do with it.
I found a couple of short interviews with and about Pete. Not sure when this first one was recorded. May have been 2008 when living Daytona 500 champions gathered for the 50th anniversary of the race. But interviews with Pete are rare so enjoy it.
http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Media/Videos/D500HistoryVideos/pete-hamilton512Kflv.aspx
And here is a NASCAR podcast from 2007 with an extended interview with The Chief -Maurice Petty - about Pete's season with Petty Enterprises.
http://www.podcast-directory.co.uk/episodes/daytona-500-upset-1970-pete-hamilton-wins-11600865.html
updated by @tmc-chase: 07/20/17 09:34:49AM
Gomer Won't Sing, but "Dopey Opie" will Drive Indy Pace Car
Current NASCAR
I've got this memory at the back of my mind that simply won't come forward. But I'm thinking Opie has driven the pace car in the past. Maybe at the Indy 500 itself? Don't have time to Google right now - but that fugitive piece of info is tugging at me.