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Racing History Minute - November 8, 1959

Stock Car Racing History

No, for once I did not make a typo. The November 8, 1959, race at the Charlotte Fairgrouds Speedway was the FIRST race of the 1960 NASCAR Grand National Season. I never was sure why NASCAR would switch seasons back in the day beginning with the first of November. Nevertheless, 28 cars and drivers (of course) would sign in to run 200 laps/100 miles on the half-mile dirt track.

Buck Baker put his 1959 Chevrolet on the pole with Marvin Panch in a Tom Vernon 1959 Ford on the outside of the front row. Jack Smith in a '59 Chevy qualified third, Tiger Tom Pistone in a '59 T-Bird was fourth and Junior Johnson in a Paul Spaulding 1959 Dodge slipped in a 5th.

Marvin Panch led the first 9 laps before Buck Baker took over for 7 laps. Panch would lead laps 18-30, then it was Baker again until lap 57. On lap 58, Bob Welborn, in the Ogden-Ridgeway '59 Chevy took over and would lead through lap 133. On lap 134, Jack Smith slipped his Bud Moore Garage Chevrolet into the lead where he would remain until the checkered flag dropped.

This was Jack Smith's 12th career win in the Grand National series. There were 6,000 fans on hand to see the lead change hands six times between the four drivers. However, those fans were treated to even more thrills as Buck Baker and Richard Petty tangled on lap 109 and Baker lost 4 laps in the pits repairing damage to his car. Petty fell out of the race on lap 174 when the axle broke in his '59 Plymouth. Marvin Panch, who had led early, crashed on lap 66 and his day was done. On lap 124, the T-Bird of California driver Scotty Cain, burst into flames going down the back straight and although it took the rescue squad more than 10 minutes to extinguish the flames, Cain suffered only minor burns.

Finishing Order:

1. Jack Smith, Bud Moore Garage Chevrolet, winning $800.00

2. Bob Welborn, Ogden-Ridgeway Chevrolet, winning $525.00 (1 lap down)

3. Buck Baker, Baker Chevrolet, winning $375.00 (2 laps down)

4. Roy Tyner, Tyner Chevrolet, winning $275.00 (4 laps down)

5. Speedy Thompson, Bruce Thompson Chevrolet, winning $250.00 (7 laps down)

6. Brownie King

7. Lee Petty

8. Buck Brigance

9. Tiny Lund

10. Tiger Tom Pistone

11. G. C. Spencer

12. Richard Petty

13.Joe Lee Johnson

14.Rex White

15. Richard Riley

16. Shep Langdon

17. Bobby Waddell

18. Scotty Cain

19. Jim Paschal

20. Barney Shore

21. Tommy Irwin

22. Marvin Panch

23. Bunk Moore

24. Bud Parnell

25. Fred Harb

26. Ned Jarrett

27. Buddy Baker

28. Junior Johnson

So, on this date in 1959, the forty-four race 1960 season got underway. Almost a year later, October 30, 1960, the season would end on the new constructed 1.5 mile track in Hampton, GA, known as Atlanta International Raceway. It would be an interesting season with some really great racing.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Dillon County Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

Awesome post Dennis!!!!! Thanks.

Hartsville Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

You wife has good tastes when it comes to Dennis. No further comment! lol

Hartsville Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

Wasn't it the Hartsville track used as the dirt track for scenes in the movie "Thunder in Carolina"? I'm thinking it was but need minds with better memories to confirm that.

Hartsville Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

Dennis,you are really in the "zone" this morning. I am enjoying this. Keep it up!

Racing History Minute - November 7, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Race number 55, the final race of a wild and crazy 1965 season, was held at the .333 mile track in Moyock, NC, known at Dog Track Speedway. The distance was 300 laps equating to 100 miles on the paved bull ring. Bobby Isaac, driving the Junior Johnson Ford for the first time, qualified on the pole with a speed of 68.143 mph. Ned Jarrett, in the Bondy Long Ford, number 11 would start second. Third place qualifier was Tiger Tom Piston in the Glen Sweet Ford. Jim Paschal would start fourth in a Petty Engineering Plymouth with J.T. Putney in Herman Beam's Chevrolet starting fifth.

A field of 25 took the green flag and Bobby Isaac immediatley took the lead in the swift Ford with Ned Jarrett on his bumper and in hot pursuit Ned moved around Bobby on lap 57 and from that point on it was literally and paint-swapping duel between the two Ford drivers with first Ned, then Bobby, the Ned and so on, back and forth. The racing was so close that the lap leader information merely indicates it was a Ned-Bobby slugfest until lap 246 when Ned took the lead for good and would take the checkers just over a lap ahead of second place Isaac.

An interesting side light to this race was the entry of Gloria "Goldie" Parsons, described as a "24 year old blond out of Clemmons, N.C.". She was driving an Oldsmobile belonging to Buck Baker. Gloria said Buck told her to "stay to the inside and keep out of trouble. That's what I tried to do". The further described as "perky" Parsons managed a 14th place finish, 58 laps behind Jarrett, after spinning out twice.
The win was the 50th of Ned's career which tied him with Junior Johnson for second place on the all time win list. Jarrett averaged 63.773 mph for the 100 mile contest. This last race of the season saw Ned win his second National Championship,the first coming in 1961.

Finishing Order:

1. Ned Jarrett, Bondy Long Ford,winning $1,111.00 *

* Odd that Ned's car number was 11, huh? But even more, this purse putNed one dollar ahead of Fred Lorenzen in season winnings. Conpiracy? Maybe!

2. Bobby Isaac, Junior Johnson Ford, winning $600.00 (1 lap down)

3. Buddy Baker, Buck Baker Oldsmobile, winning $400.00 (3 laps down)

4. Jim Paschal, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $300.00 (3 laps down)

5. Tiger Tom Pistone, Glen Sweet Ford, winning $275.00 (5 laps down)

6.Doug Cooper

7. J.T. Putney

8. Sam McQuagg

9. Neil Castles

10. John Sears

11. Bob Derrington

12. Worth McMillion

13. Wayne Smith

14. Goldie Parsons

15. Roy Tyner

16. Bobby Johns

17. Gil Heane

18 Bill Champion

19. Jim Tatum

20. Joe Holder

21. Elmo Langley

22. Wendell Scott

23. Darel Dieringer

24. Buddy Arrington

25. G. T. Nolan

Grand National Season ending standings for top five:

1. Ned Jarrett, started 54, won 13, total winnings $93,624.40

2. Dick Hutcherson, started 52, won 9, total winnings $57,850.50

3. Darel Dieringer, started 35, won 1, total winnings $52,213.63

4. G. C. Spencer, started 47, won 0, total winnings $29,774.72

5. Marvin Panch, started 20, won 4, total winnings $64,026.29

For information purposes, Fred Lorenzen, finished 13th in the standing but the total amount of winnings at the end of the season were quite a bit less than the ONE dollar the Dog Track press wrote about. Ned's championship winnings boosted him to a little more than $13,000.00 more than Fred.

It should also be made known that our very own PAUL LEWIS, the man responsible for this website, finished 14th in the National Standings just a little over 300 points behind Lorenzen.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

19.

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Ervin Carpenter update

Stock Car Racing History

So sad to hear of the passing of Ervin Carpenter. Prayers for his family and friends.

Racing History Minute - November 6, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

Chase, you are exactly right and I do apologize. Dennis had asked me about posting this as a History Minute for today and it had been my intention to fully research every detail of the race before doing the story so I could do justice to the event. However, some last minute circumstances with foot specialist over Ann's foot problem means we have an early appointment this morning so I came out here when I had time last night to put up the post just knowing that you, Dennis and/or Dave would add a great deal to the story. At least we now have all the addition so it is more complete. Thank you for your assistance.

Racing History Minute - November 6, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

Thanks Dennis. I enjoyed this but I wish I had been able to do more research.

Racing History Minute - November 6, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

The 1955 NASCAR Grand National season had ended on October 30th with a 100 mile race on the 1 mile dirt track at Hillsboro (now Hillsborough) NC which was won by Tim Flock. The top five finishers for the championship were:

Tim Flock, starting 38 races, winning 18 and a total purse of $37,779.60

Buck Baker, starting 42 races, winning 3 and a total purse of $19,770.90

Lee Petty, starting 42 races, winning 6 and a total purse of $18,919.29

Bob Welborn, starting 32 races, winning none and a total purse of $10,146.76

Herb Thomas, starting 23 races, winning 23 and a total purse of $18,023.47

However, althought the Grand National Season was over, Bill France decided to promote a 150 lap feature race on Sunday, November 6, 1955, in partnership with Alvin Hawkins. The track of choice was Champion Raceway in Fayetteville, NC. The race was billed as including "All Late Model Stock Cars with America's Top Drivers". The program was to also include two 25 lap heat races.

The track was a high banked asphalt one-thirdmile and the competition was expected to be hot and heavy between the Fords and Chevrolets as well as the local track speeders versus the Grand National drivers expected to appear.

The high point of the event for some fans was the expectation that Joe Weatherly would show up with his "purple pig" to go along with his purple and white Ford. the story of the pig started when Joe was racing and ran off the track and disappeared from sight some three weeks before the Champion Speedway event. Miraculously, Lil Joe came bouncing back up on the track. Joe said he had found a"pig trail" off track and it led him back on track and to a decent finish. Lil Joe, being the one who always believed in good luck charms and omens, obtained himself a pig, painted it purple and put the number 9 on its side and led him around on a leach at North Wilkesboro where he stormed to a fourthplace finish in a hotly contested race. The following week, Joe left the pig at home and went over the embankment at Hillsborobut claimed he used "pig tactics" to remain in that race. So, it was without a doubt that the purple pig would accompany Joe to Fayetteville.

There were, in fact, four National Champions for NASCAR divisions slated to race. Tim Flock, Grand National Champion, Jim Reed, short track late model champ, Bill Widenhouse, national modified champ and Bill Myers national sportsman champ as well as the sportsman champ at the Fayetteville track.

Other entrants were Bill Blair, Eddie Skinner, Johnny Dodd , Jr. and Sr. Bud Geisel, Eddie Cole, Glen Wood, Dink Windenhouse, Jimmy Thompson, Tom Pistone, Jim Paschal and Lee Petty. Buck Baker was also entered.

References used for this Minute don't include a great deal of details as to the actual race but I do have the top 15 finishers. My source does not include car makes or money won or laps completed.

Top Fifteen finishers were:

1. Herb Thomas

2. Joe Weatherly (and pig)

3. Jim Reed

4. Bill Myers (more commonly known as Billy Myers)

5. Tom Pistone (more commonly known as Tiger Tom Pistone)

6. Jim Paschal

7. Lee Petty

8. John McVitty

9. Bud Geiselman

10.Fred Harb

11.Bill Odell

12.Jimmy Dodd

13.Buck Baker

14.Curtis Turner (from Virginia like Weatherly, but pigless)

15.Eddie Cole

PERSONAL NOTES: Member Dennis Andrews, someone whom I deeply respect and appreciate, provided me with the information for this History Minute. I had intended to further research this race but my issues with time lately seems to work against me in such endeavors. I do appreciate Dennis offering this information for a little different History Minute.

It seems that NASCAR, for whatever reason, readily acknowledges that many of the records of the Late Model Sportsman, Limited Sportsman and other divisions were summarily hauled to the dump in Daytona quite a number of years ago. It is only through the contributions and efforts of folks like Dennis that we can recall such special events as this very special race at the end of the 1955 season.

Having watched Lil Joe race and Curtis Turner as well, I can only imagine the show that was put on at the Champion Speedway in Fayetteville that Sunday afternoon. Herb Thomas may have "brought home first place bacon" but I have a feeling that Lil Joe, finishing second with his purple pig in the pits, actually got the better of the bacon deal.

Thank you, Dennis Andrews, for providing such a wonderful experience for this Racing History Minute for this date.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM