66 Years Ago on the "Real" Columbus Day
Stock Car Racing History
What a great story!
Forum Activity for @dave-fulton
66 Years Ago on the "Real" Columbus Day
Stock Car Racing History
Not to get too deep into politics and violate the Rules of Engagement, but if you know anything about Columbus Day, you know that it was created in the late 1930s by Franklin D. Roosevelt to woo the Italian-American vote. For many years Columbus Day was celebrated on October 12, until Federal Government employees campaigned to have many Federal holidays observed on Mondays, resulting in 3-day weekends.
66 years ago on the original "real" Columbus Day - October 12, 1946, the first race of any kind was held at the current site of Richmond International Raceway.
A 20-lap AAA-sanctioned Champ Car / Big Car feature race closed the State Fair of Virginia on the beautiful new 1/2-mile dirt layout known as Strawberry Hill on the grounds of the Atlantic Rural Exposition. The event was won by AAA champion Ted Horn, who established a new 1-lap 1/2-mile dirt track record in the process.
1 1/2 years later, the same track would host the first ever NASCAR race to be staged in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a May 16, 1948 NASCAR Modified event won by Red Byron over Bill Blair and Fonty Flock.
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Mount Airy Speedway - Elusive Ghost Track Aerials
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
You guys are unbelievable when it comes to your historical research. What wonderful stuff.
Andy Granatelli's Big Heart-Aches Didn't Get Him Down
Stock Car Racing History
Andy cut an iconoclastic path at Indy, as well as in NASCAR with his STP sponsorship of the #43. Those of us who followed racing at the time will never forget all the controversies surrounding the "whisper" cars and the resulting rules changes.
As exciting as it was for Andretti to win in '69 for Granatelli, my heart ached for poor Lloyd Ruby who led the race until the fueling problem, leaving the pits with the hose attached.
Ruby tried for so many years and was so well respected by his fellow competitors that it was just heart wrenching that day to have him again be denied the swig on the milk jug.
Dale, Jr. : "I Dont Even Want to go to Daytona and Talladega Next Year"
Current NASCAR
By the way.... Jeff Gordon expressed the opinion that the fans should have been lined up to the highway to see the Talladega show (they used to), but here's what the Associated Press had to say about the attendance at Talladega:
NASCAR's estimated crowd of 88,000 was the smallest since figures have been provided, and was down by 20,000 from the previous low of 108,000 in May, and coming at a track that used to pull in more than 300,000 people for its two annual events.
Dale, Jr. : "I Dont Even Want to go to Daytona and Talladega Next Year"
Current NASCAR
Luv the "nicknames" - right on the money, Jim.
Dale, Jr. : "I Dont Even Want to go to Daytona and Talladega Next Year"
Current NASCAR
Having pulled in the past for my hometown area driver, Denny Hamlin, I was embarrassed and frustrated to watch him immediately fall to the rear of the field and "points race." I've never cared to watch strokers and he sure was one all day... as was JJ for most of the "show."
I want to see "my" driver(s) race to the front and race to win, not to avoid the big one. The only thing worse than the Talladega race was watching the Carolina Panthers lose on the 1 foot line for the second consecutive week in the final minute of their NFL telecast with the Seahawks.
It was a terrible afternoon to watch Cup racing or the Panthers. What a waste. I guess BZF Just keeps counting all those empty seats that used to be full and wondering why..
Don't Bring Kids To Race ~ per ~ Rusty Wallace
Current NASCAR
During some of the carnage at Talladega, I thought how thankful I was for the addition of the tethers that to a great degree have kept some of parts and pieces from winding up in the grandstand.
Don't Bring Kids To Race ~ per ~ Rusty Wallace
Current NASCAR
I tell you what I really have a problem with.... all these drivers and wives bringing tiny, newborn infants around the race cars.
Not too long after Darrell and Stevie Waltrip's first daughter, Jessica was born in 1987, my wife and I watched in horror as Stevie toted her around the pits and garage around the fired up race cars.
Studies or no studies, common sense tells me that these tiny, little infants have absolutely no business whatsoever being exposed to the noise and vibrations of those cars. Who knows what sort of damage might result to their little nervous systems or other physiological systems.
Of all the people at the time around Winston Cup racing, I would have never figured DW and Stevie to do that.
Now it is commonplace.l
I think anyone is an idiot to take an infant around fired up race cars.
Montreal Road Circuit Off NASCAR 2013 Nationwide Schedule
Current NASCAR
Oct 5, 1:29 PM EDT
Montreal off NASCAR's 2013 Nationwide schedule
By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
NASCAR will not return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneueve in Montreal next season, ending a six-year run for the Nationwide Series.
Promoter Francois Dumontier announced Friday the end of the agreement, which had been operated on a year-to-year basis.
NASCAR said it wanted to return to Montreal, but could not work out a sanctioning agreement with Dumontier's promotion group.
NASCAR hopes to still be racing in Canada next season, possibly with the Truck Series. One potential venue for NASCAR is Mosport International Raceway in Toronto.
NASCAR also plans to fill the void left by Montreal in its 33-race schedule, which has yet to be announced. NASCAR's preference is to explore new markets where it's not currently sanctioning national series events.
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM