Well, Woody, J.T. had at least 3 of us pulling for him that day... you, me and my buddy, Frank. Frank shot 8mm film of me sitting in J.T.'s #19 car after that race that was lost by Dave Lindeman at Car & Track Productions in a 1997 fire. Dick flipped in the spring Richmond 250 that was aired by ABC's Wide World of Sports.
Jay's driver, Bill Elliott finished 34th that day and mine, Dale Earnhardt right behind him in 35th.
Richard, I can only say I wish I had been there with you in 1961. My first race didn't come until 3 years later at the same Strawberry Hill track in Richmond - the spring Richmond 250 won by David Pearson in a Cotton Owens Dodge. I was completely and thoroughly hooked during practice the very first time Tiny Lund came broadsliding out of turn 4 throwing a roostertail of dirt up into the $5 bleachers where I was sitting. That race started Sunday afternoon and finished under the lights on Tuesday night after rain before the half-way mark.
Wonder if those watches might have originated at Hayes Jewelers in Lexington, NC and been given to the Petty team? Hayes had a long relationship with Petty teams dating way back and often supplied items such as those featured in the two stories below from The Lexington Dispatch in Lexington, NC.
Was our own Billy Biscoe at PE during the 1971-1972 time period?
For instance, LENNIE POND was the 1971 NASCAR Virginia State Late Model Sportsman Champion and I "believe" also the 1971 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman champ at Richmond's Southside Speedway.
That would give you two NASCAR 1971 champs off the top of my head with initials LP. Now, who can tell us what Lennie's middle name is?
It could be a track Limited Sportsman champ for the year, etc. at any one of the tracks NASCAR sanctioned in 1971 in any NASCAR points division that ran at any track producing a 1971 season champion. I wouldn't limit my thinking to series.
Wonder if it could be a state or track NASCAR champ for the 1971 season and not a major series national champion?
I remember Bob Tullius in a Dodge Dart at the 1968 Richmond GT event. Ugly yellowish/orange car.
