Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

63 Years Since NASCAR's First Female Top-10

Stock Car Racing History

It's been 63 years since the late Sara Christian of Atlanta scored the fist top-10 in NASCAR Cup history by a female driver on September 11, 1949 at Langhorne, Pennsylvania in what was called the Strictly Stock Division by NASCAR that first year.

Driving for husband, Frank Christian, Sara finished 6th, ten laps down to winner Curtis Turner in the 200 lap event on the treacherous Langhorne dirt mile. "Pops" Turner was so impressed that he asked Sara to join him in victory lane. Certainly a different reception than some of the later female drivers in NASCAR received. Never let it be said that Virginian Turner didn't practice southern chivalry. Louise Smith and Ethel Flock Mobley were also in the field that day.

Above - Sara Christian in Frank Christian's #71 - NASCAR Photo Archive

Above - Sara Christian & Hershel McGriff - Legends of NASCAR Photo Archive

NOTE: Photo above was taken in 1954 after Hershel scored one of his 4 1954 Cup wins in Sara's husband's car - See photo below of Hershel with the #14 car and the Dahlonega, Georgia affiliations on the car:

Earlier in 1949 Sara and husband Frank became the first and to date ONLY husband/wife duo to start a NASCAR Cup race when they both competed at Daytona. I no longer recall, but does anyone remember if Elton Sawyer and wife, Pattie Moise raced together in Busch/Nationwide after they married?

On Columbus Day ( October 12 ) 1949, Sara finished 5th at Pittsburgh's Heidelberg Raceway, STILL the best finish by a female driver in NASCAR's top series.

Sara ran just 1 race in 1950 and retired. She scored one top-5 and two top-10s in her six 1949 rookie season starts. Just for the sake of stirring the pot, Danica Patrick is scheduled for her 6th start this Saturday night in Richmond. To date, she has zero top-5s and zero top-10s.

Results 1st Female NASCAR Top-10 Finish BY Female Driver (Racing Reference)

NASCAR Strictly Stock race number 4 of 8
September 11, 1949 at Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne, PA
200 laps on a 1.000 mile dirt track (200.0 miles)

Time of race: 2:52:54
Average Speed: 69.403 mph
Pole Speed: 77.482 mph
Margin of Victory: 20 sec
Attendance: 20,000

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 11 41 Curtis Turner Hubert Westmoreland '49 Oldsmobile 200 2,250 running 60
2 6 7 Bob Flock Bob Flock Garage (Frank Christian) '49 Oldsmobile 200 1,000 running 1
3 1 22 Red Byron Parks Novelty (Raymond Parks) '49 Oldsmobile 199 800 running
4 33 44 Frank Mundy Sam Rice '49 Cadillac 196 500 running
5 4 46 Bill Blair Sam Rice '49 Cadillac 196 350 running
6 21 71 Sara Christian Frank Christian '49 Oldsmobile 190 300 running
7 25 42 Lee Petty Petty Enterprises '49 Plymouth 188 250 running
8 22 89 Al Keller W.O. Taylor '49 Ford 185 200 running
9 17 6 Al Bonnell Don Rogalla '48 Oldsmobile 183 150 running
10 34 52 Lou Volk '47 Buick 182 125 running
11 41 61 Bill Bennett '49 Kaiser 181 100
12 30 39 Budd Olsen Walt Frank '49 Mercury 180 75
13 26 14 Dick Zimmerman Don Gallagher '47 Mercury 178 50
14 23 59 Bill Rexford Julian Buesink '49 Ford 177 50
15 40 23 Erwin Blatt '46 Ford 176 50
16 38 94 Louise Smith Louise Smith '47 Ford 175 50
17 44 4 Don Cecchini '49 Nash 173 50
18 28 48 Lee Schmidt Lee Schmidt '49 Buick 171 50 crash
19 2 50 Gober Sosebee Cherokee Garage (Leon Chester) '49 Oldsmobile 170 100
20 9 25 Ken Marriott Moyer Co. Special (Dailey Moyer) '49 Lincoln 169 50
21 12 62 Ed Tyson Hudler Motor Co. '49 Ford 169 50
22 37 77 Ken Schroeder Ken Schroeder '49 Buick 168 50
23 24 91 Tommy Coates W.O. Taylor '49 Ford 167 50
24 8 8 Wally Campbell Wally Marks '49 Oldsmobile 166 25
25 31 86 Harvey Hilligas '49 Ford 162 25
26 35 20 Dick Linder LaBelle Motors '49 Kaiser 162 25
27 39 31 Ben Cannizzaro '46 Ford 159 25
28 45 9 Len Brown Len Brown '47 Ford 158 25
29 19 13 Pat Kirkwood Pat Kirkwood '49 Oldsmobile
30 14 2 Jimmie Lewallen Sam Rice '49 Lincoln
31 5 90 Tim Flock Buddy Elliott '49 Oldsmobile wheel
32 13 32 Jim Rathmann '49 Oldsmobile
33 15 88 Pepper Cunningham Pepper Cunningham '49 Lincoln 134 crash
34 32 35 John Belgard John Belgard '47 Ford
35 10 27 Buckshot Morris Frank Christian '49 Oldsmobile
36 7 3 Johnny Rogers Anthony Davella '49 Oldsmobile
37 36 69 Chick DiNatale '46 Ford 96 crash
38 18 51 Jack O'Brien Rocco Janette '47 Buick
39 27 73 Tony Genove '47 Hudson
40 43 11 Jim Delaney '49 Ford
41 20 5 Felix Wilkes Felix Wilkes '49 Lincoln
42 29 43 Jack Russell Ken Whitney '48 Ford
43 16 49 Walter Minx '49 Buick 25 crash
44 42 92 Ethel Mobley Charles Mobley '48 Cadillac
45 3 47 Fonty Flock Ed Lawrence '49 Buick 2 engine

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

How 'bout Dem Georgia Cops?

General

'magine that!

How 'bout Dem Georgia Cops?

General

You may have heard that we've been having a little party in Charlotte this week and that traffic is a mess with the Democratic National Convention in town. In fact, the Prez and 1st Lady are staying just down the road from our subdivision in the southeast suburb of Ballantyne and all of my usual routes to get to the grocery store, Target and the mall are closed.

All is not lost, however, thanks to my friends like Johnny, Tommie, Jay, Cody, PattyKay and all of you other current RR Georgia residents.

To help us out here in Charlotte directing traffic this week, you guys have sent a number of Clayton County, Georgia Sheriff's Department deputies. They have become the big hit of the convention mess here. By golly, maybe after Bruton Smith sees them performing here in Charlotte, he'll hire them to direct traffic at Atlanta Motor Speedway next year.

Just when we needed a little levity here in Charlotte, you Cracker folks from the Peach State sent it our way. Many thanks!!

Traffic jammin officers a hit uptown
Officers directing traffic draw a crowd with dance moves
By Lukas Johnson
ljohnson@charlotteobserver.com
Thursday, Sep. 06, 2012

Georgia Deputies turn traffic control into comedy act

CHARLOTTE, N.C. A handful of Clayton County Sheriffs Office employees are creating quite a reputation for themselves while directing traffic in uptown this week.

The Georgia deputies shake their hips, they escort ladies across the crosswalk and they drop to their knees and wave their arms frantically as vehicles pass on each side.

The officers call their impromptu moves traffic jammin. And the crowds love it.

Were just having fun here, said officer Michael Johnson. We dont do this on a daily basis, but were having a good time and actually doing a good job.

Were keeping the pedestrian and vehicle traffic moving, everybodys happy. Theyre loving it, giving us high-fives, cheering, taking pictures. Ive even been signing autographs. Its been a whole lot of fun for us.

The group of five sheriffs office employees said they started dancing kind of on a whim on Monday as a way to have fun during their long shifts. They said theyve never directed traffic this way before.

Since were going to be on a post for 12 hours, we thought we might as well have some fun doing it, said Johnson. Theyre all impromptu moves, but we each kind of have a signature move that weve all come up with on our own. I do a Michael Jackson move.

Deputy William Cooley said he likes to hop on one foot backwards as his signature move.

The moves kind of just come with the moment, said Cooley.

The passersby arent the only ones having fun.

You know what, were having a blast, said Cooley. This is an opportunity of a lifetime to be able to come out here, serve the community and represent our home community.

Cooley said their antics have gotten a lot of unexpected attention.

Actually, we didnt intend on this picking up like it did, he said. Were just a couple guys working some traffic on the back street and it blew up and next thing you know -- now, we cant quit. Everybody comes expecting something, so you have to put something on.

Meka Vallier and her friends, Chelsea Rowssey and Kramer Grach from High Point University, took a photo with the dancing officers.

Its awesome, said Vallier. You never see cops let loose. Theyre always so serious all the time, so its nice to see them shake their butts like this.
Johnson: 704-786-2185

Clayton County Sheriff's Deputy William Cooley, and about five of his coworkers, created quite a buzz around Charlotte with their "Traffic Jammin.'" The officers busted out in impromptu dance moves while directing traffice and onlookers quickly grabbed their phones to document it.

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Recap of good times in Atlanta

Current NASCAR

Terrific, Chase! Thank you so much for the wonderful report. Haven't had the opportunity to meet "our" Cody, but appreciate hearing of his good manners and firm handshake. Don't you just hate to have a limp dishrag offered to you. That was usually the beginning of the end of the applicant if I was conducting a job interview back in the day.

Neat photos, too. So glad you were able to make the trip and also have the "Petty" experience.

CONTAINING YOUR MO-JO

Current NASCAR

Mo-Jo.... that's a second cup of java, right?!

NO CURE FOR STUPID

Current NASCAR

CMS used to be the guiltiest of the guilty for blacking out races. My Richmond boss, Paul Sawyer, used to tell Humpy & Bruton how stupid he thought that was. His opinion was you were building the NASCAR brand and enticing folks to come visit your track if you were televising good races.

1st DIRT NASCAR Grand National Road Course Race

Stock Car Racing History

From NASCAR.com 2009 article comes this:

WILLOW SPRINGS

The nine-turn, 2.5-mile road course about an hour north of Los Angeles was constructed in 1953. There is some dispute over the type of surface that was in place when NASCAR visited for the first time three years later. Originally designed with an oiled dirt surface, making it a rare dirt road course at the beginning, Marvin Panch contends that the track had already been paved with asphalt by 1956.

In any case, Willow Springs was one of the California native's favorites. He finished second to Chuck Stevenson in 1956, then won the race the following season as teammate Fireball Roberts made it 1-2 for the DePaolo Engineering factory Ford operation.

"I was very fortunate out there," Panch said. "I was able to win the race. It was a good road course. I liked it, naturally because I won there. You had a backstretch, a long straightaway, then you had to go through a series of esses. It wasn't too much different than Riverside."

The track continues to host a full schedule of events, including racing schools and vintage sports car and club racing.

The mystery continues.....

1st DIRT NASCAR Grand National Road Course Race

Stock Car Racing History

I just learned something new. Was re-reading my 1998 "Thunder of America" coffee table book celebrating NASCAR's 50th anniversary.

In the history section, NASCAR historian, Jonathan Mauk related that the first ever NASCAR race on a DIRT road course was held in 1955 at Willow Springs road course in Lancaster, California.

The road course was an oiled, dirt 2.5 mile layout and the race was the third of the 1956 season.

Here are the results from Racing Reference, which doesn't mention dirt. Anybody have a Greg Fielden writeup that tells of the dirt road course??

NASCAR Grand National race number 3 of 56
November 20, 1955 at Willow Springs Speedway, Lancaster, CA
80 laps on a 2.500 mile road course (200.0 miles)

Time of race: 3:00:25
Average Speed: 66.512 mph
Pole Speed: 76.556 mph Cautions: none
Margin of Victory: 500 feet
Attendance: 17,000
Lead changes: 7

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 2 22 Chuck Stevenson Carl Dane '56 Ford 80 1,570 running 54
2 3 98 Marvin Panch Tom Harbison '56 Ford 80 1,130 running 26
3 5 15 Johnny Mantz Bill Stroppe '56 Mercury 79 1,130 running 0
4 1 7 Jim Reed Jim Reed '56 Chevrolet 79 580 running 0
5 4 2 Allen Adkins Gus Davis '55 Dodge 78 445 running 0
6 24 99 George Seeger Oscar Maples '56 Ford 78 350 running 0
7 12 10 Scotty Cain Scotty Cain '56 Ford 77 260 running 0
8 8 34 Sherman Clark Sherman Clark '55 Chevrolet 77 215 running 0
9 10 56 Chuck Meekins Jim Rush '55 Chevrolet 77 165 running 0
10 32 47 Lloyd Dane Lloyd Dane '55 Mercury 76 150 running 0
11 23 8 Jim Sills '55 Mercury 76 150 running 0
12 18 89 Jim Blomgren Lorrin Bates '54 Mercury 76 160 running 0
13 9 49 Bob Ruppert Ellingham Body '55 Chevrolet 76 115 running 0
14 11 33 Bill West Jim Dane '53 Hudson 76 110 running 0
15 16 96 Danny Letner Coz Concilla '56 Oldsmobile 75 110 running 0
16 14 45 Eddie Pagan Eddie Pagan '55 Chevrolet 75 110 running 0
17 25 5 Gordon Campbell Don Oliver '53 Oldsmobile 74 75 running 0
18 6 25 Erick Erickson Erick Erickson '54 Buick 74 90 running 0
19 29 55 Mel Larson Mel Larson '56 Ford 74 75 running 0
20 17 12 Bill Stammer Bill Stammer '55 Chevrolet 73 85 running 0
21 27 30 Fred Steinbroner Fred Steinbroner '55 Chevrolet 72 40 running 0
22 34 77 Bob Stanclift Herb Eberhart '54 Dodge 72 40 running 0
23 7 26 Ed Brown Ed Brown '55 Chevrolet 72 55 running 0
24 35 40 Elgin Holmes '55 Oldsmobile 71 50 running 0
25 26 27 Don Stanyer Jack Chatenay '55 Plymouth 70 40 running 0
26 13 37 Bill Stacy '55 Ford 70 50 running 0
27 21 91 Jim Cook Art Krebs '55 Plymouth 70 40 running 0
28 31 210 Tom Francis '54 Ford 68 40 running 0
29 19 6 Bill Hyde Herb Eberhart '54 Oldsmobile 67 50 running 0
30 36 53 Herb Crawford '53 Studebaker 63 40 running 0
31 33 90 Dick Getty Dick Getty '51 Ford 62 30 running 0
32 15 95 Clyde Palmer '54 Oldsmobile 61 40 running 0
33 28 48 Bill Moore Bill Moore '56 Ford 46 30 head 0
34 22 41 Ernie Young Walt Palozi '52 Plymouth 25 30 overheating 0
35 20 43 Len Fraker Floyd Johnson '51 Hudson 10 30 crankshaft 0
36 37 80 Arley Scranton Arley Scranton '51 Ford 9 30 brakes 0
37 30 71 Fred Bince Ralph Briggs '53 Hudson 3 30 rod 0

updated by @dave-fulton: 04/30/21 03:10:37AM

So,nobody is talking about Sunday nites affair I see

Stock Car Racing History

Here's the Vegas Oddsmakers line this afternoon for the Richmond win:

Odds to Federated Auto Parts 400
DRIVER ODDS
Kyle Busch 5-1
Denny Hamlin 6-1
Jimmie Johnson 8-1
Tony Stewart 8-1
Jeff Gordon 9-1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10-1
Kevin Harvick 12-1
Kasey Kahne 12-1
Brad Keselowski 12-1
Clint Bowyer 18-1
Greg Biffle 20-1
Carl Edwards 20-1
Matt Kenseth 20-1
Mark Martin 20-1
Martin Truex Jr. 25-1
Joey Logano 40-1
Ryan Newman 40-1
Sam Hornish Jr. 75-1
Jamie McMurray 75-1
Marcos Ambrose 80-1
Jeff Burton 80-1
Kurt Busch 100-1
Paul Menard 100-1
Juan Pablo Montoya 100-1
Field (all others) 500-1

So,nobody is talking about Sunday nites affair I see

Stock Car Racing History

Been wondering 'bout your trip, Chase and waiting for the detailed reports from you and Jay and Cody and any of our other folk who was there up close and personal to watch that Virginia boy win his 2nd in a row.

Been wondering how many seats were filled?

Hope ya didn't get no nosebleeds up there in the cheap seats, lol!