And Duck Boy's Point Was...????
Current NASCAR
Quack, quack.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
Oct 27, 1996 & 1997: The 43 returns to victory lane
Stock Car Racing History
I did truly like Bobby Hamilton. When he was going through the last stages of cancer, his wife and I were exchanging e-mails once or twice a week. I truly wish I had told my boss at the time to "KMA" and gone to Bobby's funeral. He was truly a racer.
Racing History Minute - October 27, 1957
Stock Car Racing History
The final race of the 1957 season, race number 53 for the year, was 250 laps on the .333 mile dirt track at Central Carolina Fairgrounds in Greensboro, NC. Thirty-one cars started the race with Ken Rush on the pole. Other starting positions are not provided in my source but I will point out that Rush lasted only 340 laps before he crashed out when he spun on the backstraight while leading. He collected Possum Jones, Speedy Thompson, Gywn Staley, and Marvin Panch. Panch's car flipped completely end over end, landing on its wheels and continuing on it's way. Panch made 16 more laps before having to park his Ford.
In fact, there were several crashes, referred to as "bone jarring crashes". Roy Tyner lost control of his Ford and plowed directly into the "judges" stand. Neither Tyner nor the occupants of the tower were injured.
Curtis Turner arrived at the track without a ride. He approached Bob Welborn about driving Bob's car but Bob was reluctant to allow Turner to do so. Whatever magic Turner used (probably money) Welborn finally relented but told Turner to at least "bring back the steering wheel". Turner fell out of the race on lap 50 and returned the steering wheel AND the race car to Welborn.
There were four lead changes between two drivers, Buck Baker and Lee Petty. Petty led the first 154 laps, then Baker was out front for 5 laps before Petty retook the lead. On lap 191 Baker would overtake and past Petty and would lead to the checkered flag.
The win was the 10th of the year for Baker and capped off a good season with his second consecutive championship. Baker had a 760 point lead over Marvin Panch to claim the championship.
Finishing order:
1. Buck Baker, Baker Chevrolet, winning $900.00
2. Speedy Thompson, Thompson Chevrolet, winning $575.00
3. Joe Weatherly, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $375.00
4. Jack Smith, Smith Chevrolet, winning $290.00
5. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Oldsmobile, winning $245.00
6. Paul Goldsmith, Smokey Yunick Ford
7. Huck Spaulding, Dodge
8. Brownie King, Jess Porter Chevrolet
9. Bill Morton, Ford
10. Johnny Dodson, Ford
11. Fred Harb
12. Johnny Allen
13. R. L. Combs
14. L. D. Austin
15. Whitey Norman
16. George Green
17. Bill Benson
18. Rex White
19. Bill Poor
20. Herman Beam
21. Marvin Panch
22. Possum Jones
23. Curtis Turner
24. Neil Castles
25. George Parrish
26. Roy Tyner
27. Bobby Keck
28.Ken Rush
29,Gwny Staley
30. Roger Clemmens
31. Max Berrier
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Martinsville Truck Race
Stock Car Racing History
I haven't heard that one but I did hear that he walks away from RCR after today's race and takes over the 14 for the remainder of the season. Of course, with all the rumors flying around after yesterday there is no guessing as to what will happen. I understand NASCAR is highly, highly ticked about the incident because it has dominated the press rather than Darrell Wallace winning and "proving" NASCAR is onto something with their "race for diversity".
Racing History Minute - October 26, 1958
Stock Car Racing History
The final race of the 1958 season was a 150 mile event staged on the one-mile dirt track in Atlanta, Georgia. known as Lakewood Speedway. It was race 51 on the schedule of a very active and eventful1958 season which had seen Fireball Roberts come fully to the front as a NASCAR driver, as if he hadn't already established that fact with all of his accomplishments prior to the '58 season.
There were 40 entries in the event, some driving convertibles who would earn NO points toward the championship. One of those convertible entries was Lee Petty with a year old Oldsmobile convertible but he would win the championship without earning any points in this event.
Glen Wood started his Wood Brothers Ford on the pole. Tiny Lund would start second in a Ford, Billy Carden in a Chevy would roll off third, Junior Johnson in a Ford was fourth fastest qualifier and Larry Frank in a Mercury captured the fifth starting spot.
Fireball Roberts dominated the early running, maintain a constant lead, fighting off challenges from several drivers. With 15 laps to go, Junior Johnson was able to muscle his way around Roberts to take the lead for those final laps.
The one-mile track was described as "very rough", even "choppy" and was causing real problems for the drivers and cars. Charley Griffin, Elmo Langley and Jimmy Massey were all eliminated in single car crashes caused, mainly, by the sloppy track conditions. Jack Smith, Speedy Thompson Tiny Lund and Rosco Thompson all broke axles in their mounts, also the fault of track conditions. Tim Flock, who enter this race as a part of his limited schedule, actually had to park his Mercury on lap 98 because the track had beaten up his car so badly it could no longer be steered with the ability necessary to race.
In on incident on the track, caused once more by the track conditions, Bill Morton, a driver from Tennessee, driving a Ford convertible, crashed on lap 112 and his convertible flipped, throwing Morton out and onto the track. Fred Harb, a rookie in the race, saw Morton lying on the track and threw his Mercury into a broadslide to stop completely and block the track to prevent Morton from being run over by the field as they came roaring down the track. Fred returned to the competition when Morton was safe and he actually garnered a 16th place finish out of the 40 starters. Fred was awarded the John Naughton Sportsmanship award for his actions.
Finishing order:
1. Junior Johnson, Paul Spaulding Ford, winning $1.925.00
2. Fireball Roberts, Frank Strickland Chevrolet, winning $1,200.00
3. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Oldsmobile convertible, winning $950.00
4. Joe Weatherly, Ford convertible, winning $650.00 (1-lap down)
5. Charlie Mincey, Chevrolet, winning $550.00 (2 laps down)
6. Shorty Rollins
7. Joe Lee Johnson
8. Larry Frank
9. Brownie King
10.Glen Wood
11.Wilbur Rakestraw
12. Gene White
13. Buck Baker
14. Roy Tyner
15. Joe Eubanks
16. Fred Harb
17. Harvey Hege
18. L. D. Austin
19. Buddy Ragsdale
20. Bill Poor
21. Shep Langdon
22. Bill Morton
23. Elmo Langley
24. Jimmy Massey
25. Gober Sosebee
26. Tim Flock
27. Charlie Griffin
28. Jack Smith
29. Speedy Thompson
30. Billy Carden
31. Chester Barron
32. Roscoe Thompson
33. Bill Blair
34. Carl Tyler
35. Richard Petty
36 Doug Cox
37. Benny Rakestraw
38. Tiny Lund
39. Johnny Gardner
40. Neil Castles
Only 21 of the starters were running at the finish. The track had taken its toll on cars and drivers.
As stated already, Lee Petty would claim the championship for 1958 having started 50 races, winning 7, finishing in the top 5 a total of 28 times with 44 top 10 finishes. His total winnings for the season were $26,565.00.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Can't Make This Up, Legend - "Other Brother" Darryl Works at NASCAR Hall of Fame
Trivia
Dave! This is the guy who was standing by the exit of the Hall when you and I left and I got hung up because a fan had asked him a question about something and he was sort of at a loss so I stepped him and told the fan what he wanted to know. Jon was very grateful and said he was trying to learn all the history but he gets asked questions all the time that he has to look up later. He was a great guy to talk with. You know, I still watch that old Newhart show from time to time. It's on one of the cable channels in the evenings. I must say that the "other brother, Darryl, is MUCH, MUCH more intelligent than the D.W. with who we are forced to contend with in race broadcast, which I absolutely refuse to do. When FOX is televising, the mute button and the radio are my best friends for the day.
RIP to the co-owner of the Skoal Bandit, Hal Needham
Stock Car Racing History
I am saddened at Hal's passing and offer my prayers and sympathy to his family and friends. I had several encounters with Hal Needham while he was involved with NASCAR and Harry Gant. It was because of Hal that I got to meet Burt Reynolds. No, he did not introduce me to Loni Anderson. Hal was always soft-spoken and had a ready smile. First time I encountered him, if I had not already known what he looked like, I would have assumed he was any other race fan in the pits.
Hillenburg Confirms Rockingham Has Lost Truck Race for 2014
Current NASCAR
I am certainly wishing Andy the best. The "Rock" is an important track to me and to many NASCAR fans. I have many wonderful memories of events there and one or two not so good, but those weren't the fault of the track. Hoping things will work and Andy will get not only a truck date but a Nationwide (or whatever that will become) in the future. That track is too great to go into the ghost tracks file.
Hawaii Raceway Park photos
Stock Car Racing History
Those are some greats photos. Do the drivers wear grass skirts when racing?
Racing History Minute - October 25, 1959 - Lee Kirby Memorial
Stock Car Racing History
Lee Kirby was a sportscaster and although I am not personally familiar with him, the 44th and final race of the 1959 NASCAR Grand National season was a memorial race for Lee. The race would be 300 laps/150 miles on a half-mile dirt track in Concord, NC. Even then, Bruton Smith was promoting races in that area as he was the promoter for this event.
Thirty-four cars showed up to race and starting positions were determing by the drivers drawing for positions. Fred Harb drew pole position where he would start his 1957 Ford. Second went to Cotton Owens in the Thunder Chicken T-Bird, third to Buck Baker in a Chevrolet, fourth to Bill Morton in a Ford and fifth to Rex White in a Ford.
Cotton Owens put the Thunder Chicken (I love typing that) in the lead on lap one and he would stay right there, clucking along, until lap 90 when Jack Smith would slip past and lead the rest of the way to take the win.Owens was forced to park the Thunder Chicken on lap 111 when a water hose burst overheating the Chicken. Bruton Smith offered Jack either $1,500.00 or a brand new 1960 Ford as top prize. Jack chose the Ford and was presented the keys to the car by Janice Smith. daughter of Lee Kirby.
Lee Petty would finish second and he would win his third and final Grand National title with total winnings for the year of $49.219.15 and total points of 11,792 to second place finisher Cotton Owen's 9,962 points and total season winnings of $14,639.35. Quite a bit of difference in dollar amounts back then over what it is today.
Buddy Baker finished fourth in this race and it was noted that it was his best performance to date although he was nine laps off the pace. Buddy did not get his career off to a sterling start but did make up for it in later years.
It should also be noted that Curtis Turner had returned to driving after undergoing back surgery. He drew 22nd starting spot and had moved up to fifth place by lap 150 when on lap 159 transmission failure forced his Ford out of the race.
Finishing order:
1. Jack Smith, Bud Moore Chevrolet, winning $1,500.00
2. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $1,000.00 (1 lap down)
3. Buck Baker, Baker Chevrolet, winning $700.00 (7 laps down)
4. Buddy Baker, Buck Baker Chevrolet, winning $500.00 (9 laps down)
5. Glen Wood, Tom Vernon Ford, winning $400.00 (12 laps down)
6. Shep Langdon
7. Richard Petty
8. Speedy Thompson
9. Tiger Tom Pistone
10. L. D. Austin
11. Tiny Lund
12. Roy Tyner
13.Herman Beam
14.Rex White
15. Larry Frank
16. Bobby Keck
17. Junior Johnson
18. R. L. Combs
19. Bill Taylor
20. Brownie King
21. Bill Scott
22. Ken Rush
23. Joe Lee Johnson
24. Curtis Turner
25. Richard Riley
26. Tommy Irwin
27. Buck Brigance
28. Cotton Owens
29. E. J. Trivette
30. G. C. Spencer
31. Fred Harv
32. Bill Morton
33. Bunk Moore
34. Ned Jarrett
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 08/15/18 05:38:38PM