October 31, 1957: Weatherly Weathers Columbia
Stock Car Racing History
Wow, Chase, some great info here for sure. But I think you need to get a job writing Newspaper headlines. Your headline is very clever considering the circumstances.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
Stock Car Racing History
Racing History Minute - October 31, 1965
Stock Car Racing History
Lol, Dave. Jesse James was a Legend in the bank robbery department. I was just doing my job and got caught in the police chase. When I saw the van a few days after the fact, I wondered how I had survived that. Funny thing though is that I was NOT wearing a seatbelt in that accident (not sure the van even had one) but if I had been I would have probably suffered more sever injuries or possibly have been killed. Yet I never start a vehicle without fastening that seatbelt. They don't have to threaten me with that assinine "click it or ticket" campaign. They can "stick it" on that one. I have sense enough to know to click that belt.
Racing History Minute - October 31, 1965
Stock Car Racing History
Boy, Jack, me too! I was there at most of the races down south and I love watching the videos.
Racing History Minute - October 31, 1965
Stock Car Racing History
Maybe Raytona and his little car could replace Johnny!
Racing History Minute - October 31, 1965
Stock Car Racing History
Happy Halloween Race Fans. Time to trick or treat yourself to a minute of NASCAR History. Today we are going to the one-mile track in Rockingham, NC, that became known as "The Rock" and was robbed of its Cup dates by greed and selfishness. In spite of the efforts of Andy Hillenburg to bring action back to the track, he has been thwarted by requirements for more and more expenditures to make "The Rock" race safe. But today is not the day to lament the current situation of the facility, although it breaks my heart, but to return to that sunny Sunday afternoon in 1965 when it was indeed a treat for a race fan to be at that track for the event that unfolded.
There were 43 entries to start the race, one of those being Curtis Turner. Curtis had been one of the earliest stars of NASCAR but was "banned for life" by Bill France when Curtis attempted to "unionize" the drivers in order to obtain a loan from The Teamsters Union to help the finally strapped Charlotte Motor Speedway, which had been the brainchild of Turner. When NASCAR outlawed the Mopar teams in 1965, attendance hit rock bottom for the sport, so in an effort to draw more fans, Turner was reinstated. Oh, and just a side note to that statement is that Turner was involved in establishing a circuit to compete with NASCAR and it is believed by many that France was afraid of what Turner could do with such a circuit. But for this race in Rockingham, Curtis would take the wheel of a red and white number 41 Wood Brothers Ford. It would be Turner's 7th start since being reinstated by Big Bill.
Richard Petty, who had been allowed to return to tracks one mile or less in length, put his Plymouth on the pole with a speed of 116.260 mph. Junior Johnson would start second in a Ford, David Pearson in Cotton Owens' Dodge qualified third, Curtis Turner fourth and Marvin Panch in another Wood Brothers Ford fifth.
Junior blasted his Ford to the front when the green dropped and he would stay there for 45 laps before Curtis Turner took over for one lap. Panch then held the front spot for 3 laps before Johnson moved out front again. Bobby Isaac led lap 82 but was overhauled by Johnson on lap 83. Isaac pushed his Ray Nichels Dodge back in front to lead from lap 90 to 99. On lap 100 it was Turner again and he would lead the pack until lap 145 when teammate Panch took over for 29 laps.
In the first 175 laps of the race, Richard Petty had been involved in a 5 car crash on lap 58 which parked the 43 behind the wall. He would take over the number 42 being driven by Jim Paschal. The number 42 was 2 laps in arrears when Richard got in the car on lap 126. David Pearson and Gene Black were also involved in the crash that took out the 43.
Turner was back in front on lap 176, but most of the crowd was watching the Petty blue number 42 as Petty was literally slicing his way through the field like a hot knife would cut butter. On lap 376, the number 42 took the lead and was pulling away from the field as if on a track of its own. On lap 359 the Plymouth experienced ignition problems and headed to the pits to the attention of "the Chief" and soon returned to the track although laps down by that point.
With Petty's pit road ignition replacement, Curtis took over the front spot again for 4 laps before Junior Johnson once more took over. Cale Yarborough got into the mix on lap 439 and would lead until lap 473 until Turner passed him and led the last 26 laps of the race.
There is some discrepancy in the record of this race from my source. It clearly shows Junior Johnson out of the race with engine failure on lap 154, yet it shows Junior leading laps as late as lap 378. It also, properly, indicates that it was Jim Paschal leading laps 276-359 although it was Richard Petty doing the driving. As the car was started by Paschal, the finishing position and points would go to Paschal.
Curtis said, from Victory Lane, that "I was driving as hard as I could go" explaining why he tagged the wall twice during the race, including the late stage battle with Cale Yarborough. Curtis said the Wood Brothers car was so perfect that even bouncing it off the wall twice didn't hinder the performance.
Finishing Order:
1. Curtis Turner, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $13,000.00
2. Cale Yarborough, Banjo Matthews Ford, winning $6,450.00
3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $4,010.00 (2 laps down)
4. G. C. Spencer, Spencer Ford, winning $2,450.00 (10 laps down)
5. Jim Paschal, Petty Plymouth (Richard relieving) winning $2,000.00 (14 laps down)
6. J. T. Putney
7. Dick Hutcherson
8. Elmo Langley
9. Buck Baker
10. PAUL LEWIS
11. Larry Hess
12.Bobby Johnson
13.Worth McMillion
14.Wayne Smith
15. Jimmy Helms
16. Ned Jarrett
17. Bob Derrington
18. Jabe Thomas
19. Neil Castles
20. Wendell Scott
21. Bobby Isaac
22. Frank Warren
23. Sam McQuagg
24. Buddy Baker
25. David Pearson
26. Roy Tyner
27. Fred Lorenzen
28. Lionel Johnson
29. Junior Spencer
30. E. J. Trivette
31. Roy Mayne
32.Junior Johnson
33. Stick Elliott
34. Tom Pistone
35. Doug Cooper
36. Richard Petty
37. Darrell Bryant
38. Gene Black
39.Rene Charland
40. Don Hume
41. Buddy Arrington
42. John Sears
43. Darel Dieringer
PERSONAL NOTE: My friends and I had been looking forward to this race for months in anticipation of seeing a new speedway for NASCAR. The Rock is only about a 2 hour drive from home. We had everything prepared for a weekend adventure, even to some heavy plastic paint tarps we intended to extend from the infield fence to our car. We had no doubt we would claim a place against the fence in turn fouras we planned to be there when the gates opened Saturday.
At the time, I worked in the parts department of Burnside Dodge, the local Dodge dealer and part of my duties was to drive the 1965 Dodge delivery van to pick up and deliver parts around the city. If you remember those vans, the nose was flat and the battery was actually in a metal box mounted behind the driver's seat in the utility vans such as the one I was driving.
About 3:00 p.m. that Friday afternoon, I needed to make a run to the Oliver Motor Company, the Chrysler-Plymouth dealer in town, about 5 miles across town to pick up a brake master cylinder for a car our mechanic was working on. I jumped in the van and headed out, taking my usual route to Oliver Motor Company which took me through the less traveled part of the city. I had just passed our Township Auditorium down town and was going through the green light just past that. Meanwhile, some "brothers" had robbed a bank and were running from law enforcement in a 1964 Chevy Impala.
I never really knew what hit me until I woke up lying on the sidewalk with EMTs (were they called that back then) trying to clean me up. The bankrobbers had run the red light at a speed estimated to be around 60 mph and hit the van right in the passenger's door. It knocked the van so high in the air it took down the wires for the traffic signals. Witnesses said the van came down nose first into the pavement and rolled over on its top. Witnesses pulled me out, covered in blood, broken glass and battery acid from where the battery had exploded on impact and covered me and the inside of the van with the contents. I had glass particles from the broken out windshield imbedded all in my face, neck, arms and hands.
I was transported by ambulance to the local emergency room (about 5 blocks from the accident) and they worked on me for a couple house getting the glass out and taking care of the burns from the acid. Then it was off to x-ray for the very bloody knee I had. After about 4 hours of being looked at by everyone in the city who had a white coat, the word came down that I would need to stay a day or two for "observation". I remember quite the discussion between me and those doctors before my mother got involved. I'm not sure of what all she said but I did hear something about the race in Rockingham. When she finished instructing the doctors in the proper practice of medicine, I was released with a huge bottle of pills for pain and orders to come in Monday for further examination.
So, come Saturday morning, it was off to The Rock with me still wearing a bandage around my head where several deep cuts has suffered the battery acid burns. There were five of us who set up camp, sure enough against the fence in turn four. We had a great time but it was cold that Saturday night and when I went to unzip the sleeping bag Sunday morning I could hardly move.
Mama and Daddy showed up about 10:00 a.m. as they did not come for the campout. Of course Mama had to closely examine "her boy" and it was determined a new bandage had to be put on as the cuts on my face had bled a little overnight. So, Doctor Mama took care of that and we set about getting ready for the race to start.
To say that I was in pain that day would be an understatement. I didn't tell anyone but the pain was awful in my knee and my back was so sore I could hardly get around. After Richard got wrecked I felt even worse but then he got in the 42 and I had reason to cheer again. Somewhere around 300 laps I couldn't stand the pain anymore and although Richard was leading in the 42, I agreed to take a couple of those pain pills and lie down in the back seat of Daddy's car. Within minutes I was out like the proverbial light.
With about 10 laps to go, Mama was shaking me awake saying the race was about to win. I sat up rubbing my eyes and looked at the track just in time to see the number 42 go flying by. I was sure he was leading as he was blowing them off the track when I "passed out" but, alas, Richard had lost all those laps with ignition problems. My attention then turned to Curtis Turner.
Having grown up watching Curtis race I was happy to see that he was making a comeback and it felt good, even at my young age then, to know that a childhood "hero" could still get the job done. Our group walked over to the pits after the race, or more accurately describing my efforts as hobbling. When we encountered Richard Petty and he saw the bandage he said something about someone finally getting to me. We all laughed that one off but learning how much I have aggrevated him his entire career, he could have perhaps been hoping someone had bounced a tire iron off my head!
The sun was setting as we got back in the car and for one of the few times in my race traveling history, I climbed in the back seat and the last thing I remember was us entering the tunnel. I slept all the way back to Columbia and they had to shake me to pieces to wake me.
I was so impressed with the track at Rockingham, that I wrote a letter to the track. When the little pamplet came out for the next race, they had printed part of my letter in that brochure. I was, indeed, thrilled to see my name in something actually associated with a NASCAR track.
Rockingham has changed since that first race. They increased the banking and made other improvements around the property. I still love that track but it was that first race that will forever be deep in my heart. On that Halloween in 1965, there were no tricks, only treats.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - October 30, 1955
Stock Car Racing History
The season ending event for the 1955 Grand National Season was a 100 mile/100 lap race at Orange Speedway in Hillsboro (now spelled Hillsborough) NC. The 1955 season had been "one for the books" with Tim Flock roaring his way to the Grand National title. When the Hillsboro race was over, Tim had won 16 of the 45 races that season, leading flag-to-flag in 11 of those races. He had garnered 18 poles along the way and his season winnings were $37,779.60. All of these accomplishments were records at the time. Tim would win the Championship for the second time with his first title coming in the 1952 season.
Tim qualified his Mercury Outboard Chrysler on the pole with a speed of 81.673 mph. Speedy Thompson would start second in a Hudson. Thompson had won two of the late season races. Jimmie Lewallen in that Hellzafire Oldmobile would roll off third, Herb Thomas in his Motoramic Chevy fourth and Donald Thomas in a Herb Thomas Buick fifth.
Listing lap leaders for this race doesn't require many strokes of the keyboard. It was all Tim Flock from the drop of the green to the drop of the checkers. There were 3 caution flags which slowed his average speed to 70.465 for the race. Speedy Thompson, who had seen success in two of the recent races, ruptured a fuel tank in his Hudson and was parked on the 70th lap.
Finishing order:
1. Tim Flock, Mercury Outboard Chrysler, winning $1,100.00
2. Curtis Turner, Schwam Motor Co. Ford, winning $700.00
3. Buck Baker, DePaolo Engineering Ford, winning $475.00
4. Herb Thomas, Motoramic Chevrolet, winning $365.00
5. Dave Terrell, Terrell Oldsmobile, winning $310.00
6. Joe Weatherly
TOP SIX FINISHERS ON LEAD LAP
7. Dink Widenhouse
8. Gwyn Staley
9. Jimmy Massey
10. Bob Welborn
11. Marvin Panch
12. Fred Harb
13. Ted Cannady
14. Bobby Waddell
15. Jimmie Lewallen
16. Eddie Skinner
17. Bill Gross
18. Ed Cole, Jr.
19. Jim Paschal
20. Ralph Liguori
21. Speedy Thompson
22. Donald Thomas
23. Lee Petty
24. Dick Hallock
25. Woody Arrington
Just wondering if Woody Arrington is related to Buddy Arrington? Also, just for the record, there were seven cars with THREE digit numbers; Tim Flock in 301, Dave Terrell in 198, Dink Widenhouse in B-29, Bill Gross in 121, Ed Cole in 460, Speedy Thompson in 297, and Dick Hallock in 136. I just thought that was interesting and may draw some comments.
PERSONAL NOTE: The widow of Tim Flock, his adored wife Frances, worked tirelessly to keep the memory and legacy of Tim Flock alive and well in the racing world. She did everything she could do to have Tim inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and this year her efforts have been rewarded. Tim will join the elite list of those in the Hall of Fame, a well deserved honor for Tim and a tremendous compliment to a fine lady who would not allow the racing world to forget her husband who had contributed so much. I can't wait to see the beam from the face of Frances Flock at the induction ceremony.
I have had the good forture to tour the Hall of Fame with Frances and several of our RR members and to see the radiance from her face as she talks about Tim on the floor where all the historic artifacts are displayed, including a mock Chrysler 300 like the one Tim was driving in the featured race today is obvious to anyone. I am so happy for Frances!
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - October 29, 1967
Stock Car Racing History
Wow, Chase! Great History Minute with so much information and so many great pictures. Thanks for taking over and making sure we had a "Minute" for the 29th. Thank you for mentioning my Uncle Bobby as well. Great job!
October 29, 1950: Lee Petty wins but woulda, coulda, shoulda
Stock Car Racing History
Dave, you are right on the money with that statement. Way to go!
Racing History Minute - October 28, 1961
Stock Car Racing History
The 1961 season, which had started on a sad note with Lee Petty's career ending crash in a qualifying race at Daytona in February, was winding down when the drivers arrived at Greenville-Pickens Speedway for a 200 lap/100 mile race on the half-mile dirt track.
Buck Baker qualified his Chrysler on the pole with a speed of 66.667 mph. Joe Weatherly would start second in his Bud Moore Pontiac, Junior Johnson third in the Holly Farms Pontiac, Jimmy Pardue in his own Chevy would roll off fourth and Fireball Roberts in another Holly Farms Pontiac would start fifth. There were only 18 entries to the event.
Buck Baker would take the lead right off and stay there for 98 laps before the clutch in his number 86 Chrysler gave it up and forced the Charlotte driver to park it for the remainder of the race. Junior Johnson took over at that point and would lead until lap 116 before giving way to Joe Weatherly in that speedy Pontiac. Weatherly would continue to build a lead and, with 10 laps to go, appeared certain to win the race.
With 8 laps remaining, the number 8 Pontiac of Weatherly bobbled and wiggled as Lil Joe fought to hold on to it as a tire blew. Joe bolted into the pits and changed the flat tire but lost a lap in the process. With 7 laps remaining, he roared back onto the track in a cloud of dust but he didn't have enough time to run down Junior. Junior averaged 63.346 mph winning the race.
With only one race remaining on the schedule for the season, Ned Jarrett, who wound up sixth in this race left Greenville-Pickens still leading the points. Ned would finish third in the race at Orange Speedway the next day to claim the 1961 title, his first of two.
Finishing order:
1. Junior Johnson, Holly Farms Pontiac, winning $950.00
2. Joe Weatherly, Bud Moore Pontiac, winning $625.00 (1-lap down)
3. Rex White, White-Clements Chevrolet, winning $425.00 (2-laps down)
4. Richard Petty Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $275.00 (5-laps down)
5. Curtis Crider, Crider Mercury, winning $250.00 (8-laps down)
6. Ned Jarrett, Chevrolet
7. Maurice Petty Plymouth
8. Wendell Scott, Chevrolet
9. Joe Lee Johnson, Chevrolet
10. Jim Paschal, Pontiac
11. Herman Beam
12. Lee Reitzel
13. Fred Harb
14. Jack Smith
15. Joe Jones
16. Fireball Roberts
17. Buck Baker
18. Jimmy Pardue
For those interested in certain information, Richard Petty drove the number 42 Plymouth while brother Maurice drove number 43. Also, Jim Paschal was driving a Pontiac owned by Julian Petty.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM