November 4, 1979: The Dixie 500
Stock Car Racing History
And I may see very little of this Sunday's race from Phoenix. Have a really important something to do this Sunday.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
Stock Car Racing History
November 4, 1979: The Dixie 500
Stock Car Racing History
I remember that race quite well and the conversation we had with The King after it was over. Even then I could not stand D.W. and while I won't assume to speak for Richard, I don't think he had much use for him either. Our little group was pretty well assured that Richard was going to send that dude back to Tennessee with a bottle of GatorAide where the sun doesn't shine. He did it too, in spite of all the attempts to manipulate the outcome by D. W.
Oh, Chase, I absolutely love how you pointed out that the points racing was great, most years, before the infernal Chase ever started. Judging from the stands in Texas Sunday, fans don't seem to care too much for the Chase either. In fact, I only saw the last 60 laps because I had much more important things to do.
1995 Daytona Twin 125
Stock Car Racing History
I recall the face but not the name. I'll work on that for you but surely someone here is going to know that right off. Plenty of real historians here with good memories.
Racing History Minute - November 4, 1951
Stock Car Racing History
The 1951 season was certainly the playground of the Hudson Hornets, or so it seemed most of the races. Herb Thomas was the rising star of the Hudson ranks, but it was Marshall Teague who was unilaterally recognized as Hudson's "main man".
When 22 starters arrived at Jacksonville Speedway in Florida on this date in 1951 for a 100 mile/200 laps race on the half-mile dirt track, it was a cloudy and blustery day, even for November in Florida. Herb Thomas, who was making a run for the 1951 Grand National championship was having problems with his Hudson Hornet, the FABULOUS Hudson Hornet and his prospects for a good run on the Florida sand were not looking good. Teague stepped up and provided a new Hudson from his fleet for Thomas to drive in race number 38 of the 1951 season.
Herb made good use of his "new" Hudson by winning the pole at a speed of 64.818 mph. Frank Mundy would start second in his Perry Smith Studebaker. Most of the remainder of the starting lineup has been lost to history as has so much of NASCAR's early days. Record keeping back in the early days was not a priority and how much we have missed because of that is not even measureable.
The records for this race, however, do reflect that Herb Thomas "streaked" to victory and padded his point lead with only 3 races remaining in the season. We do know that he averaged 53.412 mph for the 100 miles.
Finishing order, with the note from my source that "positions listed for 11th through 22nd are not necessarily in correct finish order". I use Greg Fielden's amazing and wonderful "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing" as my source. The effort Greg made to recognize the history of this sport should be applauded by every race fan everywhere. His books fascinate me with the information they contain. Greg is quite the expert.
Ok, finishing order;
1. Herb Thomas, FABULOUS Hudson Hornet, winning $1,000.00
2. Jack Smith, Hudson Hornet, winning $700.00
3. Fonty Flock, Red Devil Olds 88, winning $400.00
4. Bill Snowden, Snowden Ford, winning $300.00
5. Frank Mundy, Perry Smith Studebaker, winning $200.00
6. Tommy Moon
7. Lee Petty
8. Jimmy Lewallen
9. Buddy Shuman
10. Billy Carden
11. Eddie Anderson
12. Jesse James Taylor
13. Tim Flokc
14. Buck Baker
15. Leonard Trippett
16. Lloyd Moore
17. Billy Myers
18. Jim Paschal
19. Joe Eubanks
20. Bill Blair
21. Donald Thomas
22. Jimmy Florian
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Uba, Uba!
General
I noticed, watching the truck race and the Nationwide race, that there are at least two different underwear makers now advertising during the races. One of the commercials is somewhat disgusting if you catch the implication. Must be all that Sparkle Pony influence having everyone around racing strip as far as legeally possible.
Racing History Minute - November 3, 1963
Stock Car Racing History
First Burrito, Dave? I can't remember my first one but it truly wasn't all that long ago.
I am fortunate that I got to see one road course race with the Grand Nationals at the Augusta, Ga. Road Course in 1963. To have an opportunity to actually drive around what is left of that track 50 years later was a touching experience for me. I envy your Riverside experience.
Racing History Minute - November 3, 1963
Stock Car Racing History
Ah, Riverside California and the nine turn road course where the NASCAR Grand National Series would run many races, one of which would cost the life of Lil Joe Weatherly. But for today, it's 1963, two months before Lil Joe's fatal crash and the day of what was know at the "Golden State 400" to be run on the 2.7 mile road course for 148 laps, or 400 miles.
One bit of big news before the race even started was the refusal of USAC to allow any of its drivers to race, even though the race had approval of the FIA. Les Richter, the General Manager of Riverside had applied for FIA sanction which would allow any driver of any sanctioning body to compete. Literally hours before race time. USAC forced its drivers to withdraw. USAC drivers included the pole winner, Dan Gurney. Gurney turned over the pole winning Wood Brothers Ford to Marvin Panch. A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones and Roger Ward were also forced to pull out although they had all qualified for the race. Paul Goldsmith, also a USAC driver then, told USAC where they could park their decision and he stayed to race.
Paul said he owed it to the fans and to Ray Nichels, his car owner, to race. USAC suspended him indefinitely and advised him he would not be eligible to compete in the 1964 Indy 500. As it turned out, Paul crashed his Plymouth on lap 42 and was out of the race. He won $300.00. Overall, though, Paul Goldsmith was the fastest qualifier for the race but was not on the pole as his speed was a second day speed of 101.620 compared to Gurney's 101.050. But, remember now, Gurney had to give up his ride to Marvin Panch.
Marvin Panch did start the Wood Brothers Ford on the pole with Fireball Roberts in a Holman-Moody Ford second. Third place starter was Darel Dieringer in a Bill Stroppe Mercury with fourth place going to Fred Lorenzen in another Holman-Moody Ford. Fifth place starter was Rex White in a Louie Clements Mercury.
Lorenzen would lead the first 21laps with Dave MacDonald taking over on lap 22 to lead until lap 76. Dave MacDonald was driving a Wood Brothers Ford and had started 6th. Dieringer took over for 2 laps on lap 77 but was passed by MacDonald who would then hold the lead until lap 115 when he gave it back to Dieringer for 2 laps. MacDonald led lap 118 but Dieringer went back out front the next lap and stayed there until the checkered flag. This was the only win by Mercury for the 1963season. The Junior Johnson Mercury finished 5th, but Junior had turned over the driving to Richard Petty, who had parked his Plymouth on lap 5 with transmission failure. Richard did, in fact, run most of the race for Junior.
To further sweeten the win, Dieringer had only recently been released from his factory Ford ride and the ride in the Stroppe Mercury was something to prove for Dieringer. It was his first Grand National win and he did it in fine fashion winning by more than a full lap over second place, a factory Ford ride. .
Lil Joe Weatherly would finish 7th in this final race of the 1963 season and claimed his second consecutive Grand National Championship.
Finishing order:
1. Darel Dieringer, Bill Stroppe Mercury, winning $7,785.00
2. Dave MacDonald, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $4,655.00 (1 lap down)
3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $2,860.00 (1 lap down)
4. Fireball Roberts, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,775.00 (1 lap down)
5. Junior Johnson, Bill Stroppe Mercury, winning $1,300.00 (3 laps down)
Junior was relieved early by Richard Petty
6. Jack Smith
7. Joe Weatherly
8. Bill Amick
9. Bob Ross
10. Ron Hornaday
11. Ken Miles
12. Clem Proctor
13. David Pearson
14. Bill Clifton
15. Marvin Porter
16. Pete Brock
17. Don Noel
18. Jim Cook
19. Lloyd Dane
20. Eddie Grey
21. Dick Mitchell
22. Jimmy Pardue
23. Bob Perry
24. Gene David
25.Orin Prosser
26. Skip Hudson
27. Chuck Shore
28. Scotty Cain
29. Bob Bondurant
30. Frank Denny
31. Paul Goldsmith
32. Fred Lorenzen
33. Billy Wade
34. Ned Jarrett
35. Augie Pabst
36. Richard Petty
37. Rex White
38. Jack McCoy
39. Al Self
40. Al Brand
41.Bruce Worrell
The 1963 season ending points standings:
1. Joe Weatherly, started 53 races, won 3, total winnings $74,623.76
2. Richard Petty, started 54, won 14, total winnings $55,964.00
3.Fred Lorenzen, started 29, won 6, total winnings $122,587.28
4. Ned Jarrett, started 53, won 6, total winnings $45,843.29
5.Fireball Roberts, started 53, won 8, total winnings $73,059.30
PERSONAL NOTE: I remember having to listen to the Riverside races on the old A.M. station as we didn't have F.M. broadcasts back then. As the races were in California, it would be getting dark here in South Carolina before the end of the race and the AM stations had to cut back their signal strength pursuant to the FCC rules. Usually the last 100 miles or so of the Riverside races were hit and miss but we always managed to suffer through all the static to hear the race.
The first time I recall actually seeing what the Riverside track was really like was when the movie "Red Line 7000" came out in 1964. The movie starts there and ends there. "Red Line 7000" actually premiered here in Columbia during Darlington weekend and thanks for Ned Jarrett and Bondy Long, our little group were "special VIP guest" for the premier. That means we got to meet some of the actors and actresses in the movie. No, not James Caan, he didn't come, but the ones we met were all nice, especially the guy who played the team owner that gave the upstart a chance. He was a really nice guy. We had all those folks' autographs and a movie "brochure-booklet" from the premier, but all of that was part of all that was lost in the move 31 years ago. But, I do have the memories of that night.
Oh, and did you know that Elmo Langley bought one of those Fords used in that movie and it was in that car that he won two races.
I miss Riverside, although I never went there. I guess part of the reason I miss it is because of the history there. Read the names in the finishing order of the race we covered today. Is that not racing history at its finest?
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - November 2, 1969
Stock Car Racing History
November 2nd of any year is/was getting late in the racing season, but there were and are still races on which we can base a History Minute. Today, our travels take us to Jefferson, GA, to a track known as Jeffco Speedway. Jeffco was a half-mile paved track and the event on this date in 1969 was known as the "Jeffco 200". A great deal of imaginative marketing went into the naming of the event.
There were 27 entries in the 200 lap/100 mile event. David Pearson in his blue and gold number 17 Holman-Moody Ford would claim the pole with a speed of 89.565 mph. Bobby Isaac in the K&K Dodge, 71, would start second, Richard Petty, driving a Ford, 43, would roll off third LeeRoy Yarbrough in his Junior Johnson Ford fourth, and Neil Castles in his independent Dodge fifth.
Some 7,000 fans watched Pearson lead the first 62 laps before the red K&K Dodge driven by Bobby Isaac roared into the lead. Bobby would lead the remainder of the laps, fighting off repeated bids by Pearson to retake the lead. It was the 16th win of the year for Isaac out of the 52 races thus far run in the 1969 season. Bobby said after the race "Our Dodge has been running real good on the short tracks. If we stay out of trouble and steer away from mistakes, we usually win".
Second place finishing David Pearson would wrap up the season points championship at this race. This made him a 3 time champ. His remarks after the race left little doubt he would NOT defend the title. He said "It's quite a relief to win the championship a third time. It is demanding and nerve-wrecking (his word). I don't intend on going through this again."
Of the 27 starters, 21 finished. Isaac's winning average speed was 85.106, slowed only once by caution for 4 laps when James Hylton crashed on lap 98.
Finishing order:
1. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge, winning $1,350.00
2. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $950.00
3. Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises Ford, winning $500.00 (2 laps down)
4. LeeRoy Yarbrough, Junior Johnson Ford, winning $350.00 (4 laps down)
5. Neil Castles, Castles Dodge, winning $325.00 (9 laps down)
6. Elmo Langley
7. Friday Hassler
8. Bill Champion
9, Henley Gray
10. Jabe Thomas
11.E. J. Trivette
12. Cecil Gordon
13. J.D. McDuffie
14. Wendell Scott
15.Johnny Halford
16.Earl Brooks
17. Bill Seifert
18. Ben Arnold
19. Larry Baumel
20. John Sears
21. Pete Hazelwood
22. Dave Marcis
23. Frank Warren
24. James Hylton
25. Roy Tyner
26. Mack Sellers
27.James Cox
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - November 1, 1953
Stock Car Racing History
Sixty years ago, on this date, the 5th season of Grand National racing would close out at the one mile dirt track in Atlanta, Ga., the track known as Lakewood Speedway. Be sure to check out Lakewood Speedway in several different areas of RacersReunion as there is much information included on this site about the unique track.
The field would be set with 28 cars attempting to qualify. When the qualifying runs were over, Tim Flock had put his Ted Chester Hudson on the pole. Other starting positions are not available in my reference source (Greg Fielden's "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing"). Tim captured the pole with a speed of 73.580 mph.
The first lap was let by Tim Flock and he would remain a contender until lap 50 of the 100 laps when his Hudson began to overheat and he was forced to park it for the day. His brother, Fonty Flock, had taken the lead on lap 2 and he kept his Hudson out front until lap 27 when Herb Thomas shoved his Hudson Hornet into first place. Herb's car began to experience mechanical issues and on lap 79, Buck Baker took over first place in the Griffin Motors Oldsmobile. Buck would lead the remaining laps to end the season in style with his fourth win of the 37 race season. Buck's win was not without drama however as Lee Petty made a tremendous charge to take the lead on the last lap and spun his Dodge coming off turn four, falling short of win but recovering enough to finish third.
On lap 12 of the race Lou Faver flipped his Kaiser but was not hurt. On lap 33, Don Versure flipped his Hudson in a serious looking accident but he too, thankfully, was uninjured. There were some 9,000 fans in attendance to watch Buck Baker gain his fifth victory in the series.
Finishing order:
1. Buck Baker, Griffin Motors Olds 88, winning $1,000.00
2. Fonty Flock, Frank Christian Hudson, winning $700.00
3. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Dodge, winning $450.00
4. Jim Paschal, Big Bear Dodge, winning $350.00
5. Jimmie Lewallen, Olds 88, winning $200.00
6. Johnny Patterson
7. Pop McGinnis
8. Joe Eubanks
9. Bob Welborn
10. Ewell Weddle
11. Gober Sosesbee
12. G. H. Dingler
13. Edsel Massey
14.Herb Thomas
15. Ralph Dutton
16.Curtis Turner
17. Chick Housley
18. Tommy Thompson
19.Roscoe Thompson
20. Tim Flock
21. Ray Erickson
22. Bill Blair
23. Don Vershure
24. Charlie Causey
25. Bill Nash (drove an Oldsmobile, not a Nash)
26. Lou Faver
The top Ten in Points for the year were:
1. Herb Thomas, 12 wins
2. Lee Petty, 5 wins
3. Dick Rathman, 5 wins (missed the final two races)
4. Buck Baker, 4 wins
5. Fonty Flock, 4 wins
6. Tim Flock, 1 win
7. Jim Paschal, 1 win
8. Joe Eubanks, 0 wins
9. Jimmie Lewallen, 0 wins
10. Curtis Turner, 1 win
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 11/26/20 03:28:29AM
Why Today's Sports Experts Need Racers Reunion
Administrative
A couple of years ago I pointed out that a writer for the Orlando, Fla newspaper, part of the McClatchy Newspaper empire, called Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and second generaton race driver. That really got to me as I remember so many races where I had watched Dale, Jr.'s GRANDFATHER compete and win. Although I am not a specialist in geneology, that would make Dale, Jr. a THIRD generation driver.
Today, I turn to my sports section in The State, another McClatchy rag, and find a great write up about Darrell Wallace, Jr.'s victory in the truck race this past weekend and how he was able to get the trophy at the race, rather than 50 years later as was the case with Wendell Scott's Victory in Jacksonville in 1963. It was a well written article by George Diaz, although a little overly dramatic in emphasizing NASCAR's Diversity Program. But, and here we go again, George tells us that it was Buddy Baker who was given the win and the trophy that day in 1963. Really? Buddy Baker? Damn, George, if you are so great in going back 50 years in an effort to once more point out the disservice done to Wendell Scott that day, the very least you could have done was note that it was BUCK BAKER who received the trophy and was credited with the win until several hours later.
All of this is a part of racing history which we here at RacersReunion work so hard to preserve. It's a simple error really, just looking quickly at the report from 1963 and exchanging the name Buddy for Buck, and Lord knows I make my share or errors in the History Minutes, but to me it is inexcuseable for a professional writer being paid for his writing to make such an error.
George, if you read this, get it right next time please. Call me, or Bill Blair, Jr., or a couple dozen other folks on here and we'll help you.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:57PM