October 24, 1954: A tragic day in Wilkesboro
Stock Car Racing History
That is a sad day and it introduced me to a name I had not heard before.
Forum Activity for @tim-leeming
Stock Car Racing History
Winchester 400 Red Eye Road Trip
Local and Regional Short Track Racing
Nice adventure!!! Sounds like some of those road trips I used to make. Thanks for posting Patrick.
Racing History Minute - October 24, 1965
Stock Car Racing History
Great picture! That is some good racing there for sure.
Racing History Minute - October 24, 1965
Stock Car Racing History
As has often been pointed out in this series, the 1965 season was a season dedicated to the advancement of Ford Motor Company's racing efforts after NASCAR outlawed the Chrysler "hemi" engine. Ford was winning everything, of course, as the only competition was between the much talented field of Ford drivers. Included in that stable for Ford drivers was a gentleman from Iowa named Dick Hutcherson.
When the attendance at races fell off as the Mopar fans stayed home, NASCAR relented and allowed Chrysler Corporation back and allowed the hemi to be run on tracks one mile or less. While there was some success from the Mopar camp with the late entry into the season, Ford was still the dominant force on the track for most races. Today we travel back to the .9 mile (on 1 mile by some stats) dirt track located in Hillsborough, NC, the track known as Orange Speedway. On this date in 1965, the boys would run 100 miles/112 laps on the super fast dirt track.
Dick Hutcherson led the field of 20 qualifiers with a speed of 98.810 mph in his Holman-Moody Ford. Junior Johnson put his Ford in second starting spot, Ned Jarrett in the Bondy Long Ford was third, Jim Paschal in a Petty Engineering Plymouth would roll off fourth and David Pearson in the Cotton Owens Dodge started fifth.
The green flag waved and Hutcherson and Johnson roared off racing door to door. The bumper of Junior's Ford found the right front tire of Hutcherson's car and cut the right front tire, forcing "Hutch" to the pits to change tires. He returned to the track running one lap down to the leaders but determined to get back out front.
Meanwhile, as Junior and Dick had their encounter of the close kind, David Pearson had moved around them both to lead the first 24 laps. Junior ran down David by lap 25 and went back out front. On lap 57, while extending his lead, the A-frame on the Johnson Ford broke causing the car to sag and the left front wheel to lean in at a 45 degree angle. Still, Johnson was leading the race and actually slowly extending his lead when NASCAR determined the situation was unsafe and blackflagged a very unhappy Johnson. Johnson hit the pits and found the A-frame situation could not be and he was out ofthe race.
Dick Hutcherson took over when Johnson pitted, but David Pearson was mounting a formidable challenge until mechanical problems forced him to slow his pace substantially. Pearson watched helplessly as "Hutch" moved away and one by one, four other drivers would slip by him to relegate David to a sixth place finish.
There were three caution flags for a total of 14 laps which slowed the winner's average speed to 87.462 mph. It should be noted that 1965 was Dick Hutcherson's rookie year in NASCAR Grand National competition although he was unable to run for Rookie of the Year honors.
Finishing order:
1. Dick Hutcherson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,000.00
2.Tiger Tom Pistone, Glen Sweet Ford, winning $600.00 (3 laps down)
3. Jim Paschal, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winnint $400.00 (3 laps down)
4. Cale Yarborouch, Kenny Myler Ford, winning $300.00 (6 laps down)
5. PAUL LEWIS, Lewis Ford, winning $275.00 (7 laps down)
6. David Pearson
7. Darel Dieringer
8. Bob Derrington
9. Worth McMillion
10. Neil Castles
11. Buddy Baker
12. Clyde Lynn
13. Ned Setzer
14. Wendell Scott
15. Junior Johnson
16. Ned Jarrett
17. G. C. Spencer
18.Buddy Arrington
19. Wayne Smith
20. Jimmy Helms
For members reading these posts for the first time and wondering why fifth place finisher, PAUL LEWIS, is prominent in all upper-case letters, it is because Paul is the reason this site exists. The relationship between Paul and JeffGilder (the site's founder) is a long one and it was Paul who helped Jeff have a successful career behind the wheel.It is Paul's hope that the history of this sport and those who made that history happen never be forgotten. To that end, Jeff established RacersReunion.com and everything you see here on the site is the result of the influenceof PAUL LEWIS. Paul is truly one of the finest individuals you will ever meet.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
October 23, 1960: Speedy's Final GN Win
Stock Car Racing History
Great post. I remember watching Speedy race many times but it was just in seeing him on the track. My Uncle Bobby, my mentor in racing, was not such a big fan of Thompson after the Herb Thomas incident in 1956. At the time, I didn't understand the issue because I was seeing cars wreck all the time and many times it appeared one would take out the other intentionally. It was long after the fact of the 1956 incident that it realized what Speedy did ended the career (and almost the life) of Herb Thomas.
Racing History Minute - October 23, 1956
Stock Car Racing History
These days many of us lament the influx of huge dollars that we consider has "ruined the sport". I am most guilty of that while realizing that stock car racing has NEVER been cheap. We are also not that far removed from the now infamous Richmond incident wherein the race finish was "manipulated" which resulted in huge fines to a certain racing team. But, as we will find out today, NASCAR was always easily approachable when the encountered was preceded by big bucks.
In 1955, a very odd individual with millions of dollars earned with Mercury Outboard Motors, ventured into NASCAR racing. He came with a brand new Chrysler and was looking for a driver at the beach event in 1955, expecting to sign Hershel McGriff who was recommended by Big Bill personally. However, McGriff decided to return to his Oregon home without participating in the February event so this millionaire owner approached Tim Flock who was looking to get back into racing after walking away the previous season in a dispute with NASCAR. The "odd" individual was Carl Kiekhaefer. He had the money, the cars, the drivers, and the power to pull Big Bill's strings.
One reason for the heavy influence over Big Bill was the fact that Chevy and Ford were spending millions in NASCAR participation while Chrysler Corporation choose not to do so. Kiekhaefer brought the Chrysler Corporation nameplate into the sport without costing Chrysler the first cent.
At the end of the 1955 season, Kiekhaefer had won the championship with Tim Flock and was as happy as one could be at the moment. His teams had won almost every race they entered, or so it seemed, so he was looking forward to the 1956 season and anothe championship.
With only three races remaining on the 1956 schedule, however, Kiekhaefer's number one driver, Buck Baker, was NOT the points leader. Herb Thomas was.Kiekhaefer determined that another race on the schedule would enhance Baker's chances for the title so, 10 days beforethe event, Kiekhaefer leased the Cleveland County Fairgrounds track inShelby, NC and guaranteed the purse. Big Bill set the race and the event was on. Whether or not this would enhance Baker's chance for a Championship was still doubtful, but Kiekhaefer was confident. As it turned out, he had every reason to be.
Doug Cox surprised the rail birds by winning the pole on the half-mile dirt track at a speed of 58.479 mph.Cox was in a Ford as was second place starterMarvin Panch. Jack Smith started a Ford third, Speedy Thompson, also a Kiekhaefer driver, started fourth and Buck Baker would start 5th.
The 100 mile/200 laps race was underway. Herb Thomas,the points leader, was running right at the front of the pack. For the record, Thomas had quite Kiekhaefer, as had Tim Flock, for reasons you can research todiscover. Certainly the way Thomas was running, it was going to be hard to deny him his third championship.
On lap 109, Thomas took second place from SpeedyThompson and was preparing to run down leader Buck Baker but as the cars exited turn two, Thompson cut left, hooking Thomas on the right quarterpanel and throwing the independant Chevy hard into the rail where it stuck in the wooden barrier as the oncoming pack of leaders impacted with the car. Those involved in the accident included Tiny Lund, Jack Smith, Billy Myers, Ralph Moody, Lee Petty, Billy Carden and George Green.
As the dust settled, Herb was not moving in his car. The rescue squad removed him from the wreck, placed him on a strecher and headed for Charlotte Memorial Hospital. Thomas suffered from a fractured skull, badly lacerated scalp, a ruptured ear drum and internal injuries. Although lying in the hospital when the race ended, Thomas still had the points lead by 118 points but the three remaining races left 900 points on the table for Buck Baker to go after.
The fans erupted in a huge protest over the actions of Thompson and Kiekhaefer, convinced Kiekhaefer had "ordered" Thompson to wreck Thomas to make Baker's run for the points more successful. For weeks the fans reacted very negatively towards Speedy Thompson and Carl Keikhaefer. Baker was cleared of any wrong doing but NASCAR never took any action against Thompson or his car owner.
Buck Baker would go on to win the "Kiekhaefer Special event" at Shelby and he would also win the championship for his nefarious owner. Even without competing in the final three events, Herb Thomas finished second in the points in 1956. When the 1957 season dawned, there were no Kiekhaefer teams on the track. Wonder why that was?
Finishing Order for the race:
1. Buck Baker, Kiekhaefer Chrysler, winning $850.00
2. Bill Amick, DePaolo Ford, winning $625.00
3. Marvin Panch, Tom Harbison Ford, winning $450.00
4. Speedy Thompson, Kiekhaefer Dodge, winning $350.00 (3 laps down)
5. Joe Eubanks, Ford, winning $310.00 (9 laps down)
6. Billy Carden
7. Johnny Dodson
8. Johnny Allen
9. Bobby Keck
10. Jim Paschal
11. Jimmy Pardue
12.Fireball Roberts
13. Tiny Lund
14.Jim Donovan
15. Jesse Taylor
16. Pete Yow
17. Herb Thomas
18. Jack Smith
19.Billy Myers
20. Ralph Moody
21. Lee Petty
22. George Green
23. Ralph Liguori
24. Brownie King
25. Doug Cox
26. Bill Rafter
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
The 43 will NOT race at Martinsville this weekend
Current NASCAR
This is an awesome tribute to "The Chief".
An ebay auction just for Tim Leeming
General
Andy, that is an awesome comparison. That never occurred to me but you are so right!!!!
An ebay auction just for Tim Leeming
General
That does look like the racing D.W. in the middle. But I've watched that show and that Darrell AND the other Darrell are smarter by far than the race driving, mouth running D.W.