Character limits force me to add the remaining finishers as a reply.
Fin Srt Car # Driver Car Laps Reason out
11 16 41 Richard Childress 68 Camaro 273 Running
12 17 22 Larry Wallace 68 Camaro 271 Running
13 7 9 Stan Starr, Jr. 68 Camaro 265 Running
14 10 28 Russell Nelson 68 Camaro 260 Clutch
BLUEGRASS 300
Owensboro, Ky. April 20, 1969
The 4th Grand Touring race of 1969 was held at Ellis Speedway and was 300 laps on the 1/4 mile paved oval. T.C. Hunt started on the pole and led the first 186 laps. Charlie Blanton then took over the lead thru lap 236. T.C. Hunt led laps 237 thru 292 then Blanton went back out front on lap 293 and stayed there to the checkers. Blanton ended up with a lap on the field when Hunt ran out of gas in the later stage of the race. The first four races of 1969 had four different winners. There were 5 cautions for 19 laps and only nine cars were running at the finish.
Fin Srt Car # Driver Car Laps Reason out
1 3 10 Charlie Blanton 68 Camaro 300 Running
2 1 88 T.C Hunt 68 Camaro 299 Running
3 9 87 Buck Baker 68 Camaro 298 Running
4 4 44 Ken Rush 68 Camaro 294 Running
5 2 25 Pete Hamilton 68 Camaro 294 Running
6 5 16 Tiny Lund 68 Cougar 289 Bln Eng
7 11 08 Billy Yuma 68 Camaro 288 Bln Eng
8 6 37 Bill Hemby 68 Camaro 284 Bln Eng
9 14 97 Mike Adams 67 Mustang 279 Bln Eng
10 13 21 Frank Sessoms 68 Camaro 276 Out gas
Andy,
As we go thru the '68 season we may see a Barracuda driven by a Racers Reunion member but you are right, very few were run in GT. The series was named Grand Touring in '68 and '69. It was changed to Grand American for the '70 season and remained that until the end in '72.
Yes Dave, That was the Northern Tour that comes later in the year. He drove a different car in those races. Thanks for the input.
Thanks Chase, I'm thankful that you and Dave Fulton are helping record the history of this series. Keep up the good work.
The Grand Touring Racing History Minute is being posted today as I will not be able to do it on Sunday which is the anniversary date.
MODEL CITY 500
Kingsport, Tn. April 13, 1969
The 3 rd Grand Touring race of 1969 was held at Kingsport Speedway and was a grueling 500 laps on the 4 tenths mile paved oval. Tiny Lund started on the pole and led the first 84 laps. Charlie Blanton then took over the lead thru lap 126. T.C. Hunt led laps 127 thru 135 then Blanton went back out front thru lap 202. On lap 175 Hunt became sick and pitted to hand the car over to crew member Russell Nelson. By lap 203 Nelson had taken the lead and held it thru lap 253. Blanton was back in the lead on lap 254 and stayed up front to lap 347. Nelson recaptured the lead on lap 348 and held it the rest of the way to give Hunt his first series victory. The first three races of 1969 had three different winners. There were 12 cautions for 73 laps and only nine cars were running at the finish.
Fin Srt Car # Driver Car Laps Reason out
1 7 88 T.C. Hunt 68 Camaro 500 Running
2 5 08 Billy Yuma68 Camaro 491 Running
3 1 16 Tiny Lund68 Cougar 486 Running
4 17 0 Martin Sharpe 68 Camaro 484 Running
5 11 36 Bill Hemby 68 Camaro 465 Running
6 10 21 Frank Sessoms 68 Camaro 455 Running
7 18 97 Mike Adams 67 Mustang 437 Running
8 24 41 Richard Childress 68 Camaro 429 Wrecked
9 20 44 Ken Rush 68 Camaro 397 Bln Eng
10 23 54 Bobby Flemming 68 Camaro 393 Running
11 2 10 Charlie Blanton 68 Camaro 384 Wrecked
12 15 87 Buck Baker 68 Camaro 383 Running
13 13 9 Stan Starr, Jr. 68 Camaro 381 Rear End
14 21 3 Jim Vandiver 68 Camaro 347 Rear End
15 3 22 Larry Wallace 68 Camaro 337 Wrecked
16 14 74 Al Straub 69 Mustang 272 Bln Eng
17 26 4 Joe Childress 68 Camaro 250 Oil Press
18 12 25 Pete Hamilton 68 Camaro 234 Steering
19 16 01 Tommy Andrews 68 Mustang 219 Wrecked
20 22 2 Randy Hutchison 68 Camaro 192 Steering
21 19 17 Ernie Shaw 68 Mustang 163 Brakes
22 6 27 Jim Paschal 69 Javelin 95 Oil Press
23 9 04 C. B. Gwyn 68 Cougar 82 Wrecked
24 8 94 Bud Moore 69 Javelin 49 Wrecked
25 8 19 Al Lemmons 67 Chevy II 47 Handling
26 4 67 Joie Chitwood, Jr. 68 Camaro 46 Wrecked
T.C. Hunt in his #88 Camaro earlier in '69 on the grid at Daytona
Thanks Perry,
I thought when I wrote it that I should check it out in your last book but did not take the time. Thanks for the correction.
Need to catch up one race for the '68 and '69 season of the Grand Touring division.
CITRUS 250 1968
Daytona International Speedway
February 21, 1969
The first Grand Touring race of 1969 would take place on the 3.81 mile road course at Daytona International Speedway. The first annual Citrus 250 featured American Sports Sedans (Group 2) and under two liter International Sports Cars but only 5 of the 37 cars were in the under two liter class. It would be the last time that we see the under two liter class in 1969.
Best I can tell Jim Murphy, Richard Crebs, Bobby Mausgrover and Ed Hessert did not make the starting grid. Wilbur Pickett, Al Straub, Dennis Wherrell, Jimmy Vaughan, Sandy Smith, Bob Grossman, Tiny Lund and Ray Putnam did not make qualifying runs and started in the rear of the field in the order they signed in at registration.
Coming off the grid
Parade lap
#15 Parnelli Jones, #4 John Martin, #41 Richard Childress
Dan Moore with large pit board and Seiichi Suzuki getting buckled in.
#87 Buck Baker, #22 Larry Wallace, #76 Ed Hinchcliff
1969 Citrus 250 Results
Fin. St.Driver# Owner CarLaps
1 1 Don Yenko11 Mike Sommers69 Camaro67
3 23 Larry Wallace 2268 Camaro64
4 14 Seiichi Suzuki 16 Bud Moore68 Cougar64
5 18 Peter Gregg 59 Brumos68 Porsche63
6 10 Bob Tullius 94Hurst Performance 69 Javelin 62
7 Wilbur Pickett 8667 Porsche61
8 3 Larry Brock 0568 Camaro 60
9 Al Straub 74Al Straub69 Mustang 59
10 15 Jack Ryan 3667 Porsche 59
11 25 William Lowell 50Lowell Racing 68 Mustang 59
12 16 C. B. Gwyn 04C. B. Gwyn 68 Cougar 58
13 8 Richard Childress 41 Judy Childress 68 Camaro 57
14 26 T. C. Hunt 88T. C. Hunt 68 Camaro 56
15 24 Les Covey 56Jack Mercer 68 Camaro 54
16 Dennis Wherrell 49Richard Crepps 67 Alfa Romeo 52
17 27 Bill Hemby 37Kenneth Hairlston68 Camaro 51
18 29 Frank Sessoms 2168 Camaro 50
19 17 Ken Rush 44 68 Camaro49
20 13 Billy Yuma 08 Billy Yuma 68 Camaro49
21 33 Johnny Lawrence 38 Holiday Car Rental 69 Fiat 48
22 7 Lloyd Ruby 25 69 Camaro 46
23 Jimmy Vaughan 7Jim Vaughan 68 Camaro 44
24 Sandy Smith 6668 Camaro 42
25 22 Ed Hinchcliff 76Sonny Hall 68 Mustang 37
26 Bob Grossman 5C. O. Pendly 68 Camaro 32
27 6 Don White 2 69 Javelin 23
28 21 Ernie Shaw 17 Ernie Shaw 68 Mustang 22
29 11 Charlie Blanton 10Byers & Appling 69 Camaro 21
30 2 Parnelli Jones 15Bud Moore 69 Mustang 20
31 Tiny Lund 0168 Mustang 11
32 20 Buck Baker 87Buck Baker 67 Camaro 9
33 4 John Martin 469 Javelin 8
34 9 Joie Chitwood Jr. 67Joie Chitwood 69 Camaro 8
35 31 Joe Childress 23 68 Camaro 8
36 Ray Putnam 19 67 Chevy II 5
37 12 Jim Paschal 27 Ross Huggins 69 Javelin 3
