Countdown to Daytona
Current NASCAR
Hilly Rife spins #30 at Marlboro, MD in 1953:
David Bentley had posted a B&W of the famed #33 fuel injected NASCAR Modified owned by Mechanicsville, Virginia's Robert "Blue" Burton and driven to hundreds of wins by such drivers as Al Grinnan and Bill Dennis . That's Blue on the left and Al on the right around 1965 in Mechanicsville. The color photo of the #33 is the restoration of the original, owned by Al and taken at Richmond International Raceway in the early 90s before his passing:
When they painted "I'm right here" beside the number on Pardue's car, it was in reference to the popular television show, "Car 54, Where Are You?"
If Ray Lamm (or anyone else) has a photo of the #35 "Rebel Racing" Pontiac driven in 4 Grand National races by Ray Hendrick in 1962 (Bristol/Richmond) and 1963 (Richmond/Richmond) I'd sure love to see it.
Alan Kulwicki's #35 Quincy's Steak House Ford Thunderbird enroute to a 15th place finish in the Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400 on September 7, 1986 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway:
H.B. Bailey's 1968 Pontiac #36:
Looking back at all these photos sure makes you want to get rid of today's ground effect cars and get back to something that at least marginally resembles a showroom model. Seems that was what NASCAR's founders had in mind back in the late-40s.
Here's Timberville, Virginia's late Bub Strickler on his roof at Darlington in 1965 in the #37. The "King of Cautions" may have spun, crashed and brought out more yellow flags per mile in his 20 Grand National starts than any other driver in NASCAR history. At Rockingham's inaugural (and final) Peach Blossom 500 in 1966, Strickler was parked by NASCAR after several lone car spins. When he was allowed to return to the race, he promptly spun again!
Bub was running at the finish of just 3 of his 20 Grand National starts. His final running at finish race came in his last year - at Richmond, in 1980. Although he finished, he still managed to cause two yellow flags!!!
Here's Butch Torrie at Hampton, Virginia's Langley Field Speedway in 1964 with the Desoto powered #37 NASCAR Modified fielded by the father of our late RR member, Jack Carter.