Forum Activity for @tim-leeming

October 18, 1959 - Lee Petty Wallops Wilkesboro

Stock Car Racing History

Yep, Chase, I had to pass that one up, but thanks for the great job you've done covering the Petty win. My History Minute today covers a Petty loss.

Joe Carver Pushed & Promoted Best Female Stock Car Driver I Ever Saw

Stock Car Racing History

Where did she learn her interview skills? Probably some politicians backroom somewhere. As she cannot give herself a "grade", may I do so? No, I'll think I'll past on that one. I will withhold the grades while NASCAR gives her those special 'restrict-me-not" plates. Thanks for the post Dave.

Joe Carver Pushed & Promoted Best Female Stock Car Driver I Ever Saw

Stock Car Racing History

I remember all three of these ladies. My top rated is Shawna. I thought she could get the job done anywhere, any time. Patty was good as well. I don't believe I ever actually saw Daine race but if you, Dave, think she was good, then I'm buying it. Just don't try to convince me of that with Sparkle Pony.

GO WEST YOUNG MAN

Current NASCAR

I, too,wish Martin much success. He is away from the idiot camp now. He's a good driver and I think a good man. We know Furniture Row is right on the edge of breaking through.

Racing History MInute - October 17, 1956

Stock Car Racing History

Sometimes we like to think the influx of money and power and big time sponsors into the sport is a relatively recent thing that has influenced the outcome of races and championships. But, today, we are going back to 1956 and review what turned out to be an absolutely tragic experiment in allowing big money to rule.

The 1956 racing season had been largely ruled by Carl Kiekhaefer and his fleet of powerful Chryslers and his seemingly ever changing roster of top flight drivers. Some drivers, Tim Flock and Herb Thomas, had walked away from the team for reasons of their own but most expressed as the good old southern boys not willing to be mechanized by big time greed and money. So, as the 1956 season was winding down, Kiekhaefers number one shot for the title, Buck Baker, was only second in the points behind Herb Thomas who was driving his own independantly financed Chevrolet. This, of course, did not sit well with the all-powerful Kiekhaefer.

Race number 52 of the 1956 season was held at the .75 mile dirt track known as Charlotte Speedway. This would have been one of the last three races of the season, but all powerful and very rich Carl Keikhaefer would alter that schedule, an event which will be addressed in a future Minute on October 23rd. But for this race in Charlotte, Buck Baker, in a Kiekhaefer Chrysler was chasing the independant Chevy driver, Herb Thomas in the points.

Twenty-seven cars and drivers arrived to qualify for the race. It was neither Thomas or Baker who snagged the pole but it was Ralph Moody in a Ford. Buck Baker would put his Chrysler in second starting spot, Speedy Thompson in another Kiekhaefer Chrysler third, Fireball Roberts, teammate to Moory in fourth, and Lee Petty in his Dodge would start fifth. Herb Thomas lined up sixth.

Speedy Thompson gunned his powerful Chrysler out front for laps 1 - 14 before Ralph Moody nosed his Ford out front. Buck Baker took over the lead on lap 30 and would not be moved from that spot. It was Baker's 12th win of the season and was the 26th win out of 51 races for the powerful Carl Kiekhaefer team of white Chryslers. Money and power talked the talk and walked the walk then, as now, but there is even more to come on the October 23rd History Minute

Finishing order:

1. Buck Baker, Kiekhaefer Chrysler, winning $950.00

2. Ralph Moody, DePaolo Ford, winning $675.00

3. Marvin Panch, Tom Harbison Ford, winning $475.00 (1 lap down)

4. Jim Paschal, C U Later Alligator Mercury, winning $365.00 (1 lap down)

5. Bill Amick, DePaolo Ford, winning $320.00 (3 laps down)

6. Speedy Thompson

7. Herb Thomas

8. Lee Petty

9. Tiny Lund

10. Fireball Roberts

11. Johnny Dodson

12. George Green

13. Brownie King

14. Jesse Taylor

15. Jim Donovan

16. Bill Champion

17. Ed Cole

18. Bobby Waddell

19. Jim Mundy

20. Bob Keck

21. Pete Yow

22. Johnny Allen

23. John Fite

24. Billy Myers

25. Billy Carden

26. Dick Beatty

27. Blackie Pitt

PERSONAL COMMENTS: I remember watching those Chryslers run in 1955 and 1956. I remember watching them come to the track in those closed trucks and when they unloaded they were as clean and white and new fallen snow. At the time, being a young kid, I had no idea what the power of money meant. When I got a dime from my Granddad on Fridays. I could get a huge bag of candy and bubble gum from Mr. Mac's store around the block. To me, then, a dime was all the money I though I would ever need in a week. My, how times change.

With what is tocome with the Kiekhaefer team in this 1956 season, anyone can see how huge investments of money, and huge egos can result in events which question the humanity of mankind. Be prepared for the October 23rd Minute because if you've never heard the story, you may be shocked. I actually got to hear that story from the mouth of Tiny Lund, a number of years ago when I used to hang around the shop here in Columbia from where Tiny raced the number 55 Ford. Even as I read it this morning, I could see Tiny shaking his head as he told me about how things changed in the racing world with the introduction of Kiekhaefer.

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

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

October 17, 1954 - Lee Petty Masters Martinsville

Stock Car Racing History

That is a nice race to recall and I'm really glad you posted it. I, of course, stayed away from it because of the winner!!!! lol

EVER HAVE A SCARY MOMENT ON TRACK THAT LEFT YOU OUT OF BREATH

Stock Car Racing History

That is a great memory, Johnny, now that it's history. I know you wouldn't want to go through that again. I can't recall any moment behind the wheel on the track when I had a very scary experience. The accident that ended my career happened so quickly and then I was knocked out, and when I came to there were many people crowded around the car. Then it was off to the emergency room. Probably would have scared me to death if I had been able to know what was happening rather than trying to figure out why I was flying through an infield fence with no brakes and no steering. Thanks for sharing that experience.

Racing History Minute - October 16, 1949

Stock Car Racing History

Today we go back to the very first season of the NASCAR Strictly Stock/Grand National/Cup/Premier Division. Yes, folks, "division" need not be used as plural as those names all encompass the one division which remains the best of the best (NASCAR's thoughts) of stock car racing. Things were different in 1949, of course but the racing was stock car against stock car and driver against driver. This was the 8th and final race of the season for the newly formed Strictly Stock Division which had first run an official race in Charlotte in June. There were two other races run at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, promoted by Sam Nunis, but those were non-points paying races not included in NASCAR's official first season records.

There were 22 entries for the 200 lap/100 mile race on the half-mile dirt track in North Wilkesboro, NC. Ken Wagner (remember him?) snagged the pole with a lap speed of 57.563 mph. Bill Blair, driving a Cadillac owned by Sam Rice. started second. My source has no other information as to starting positions. Bill jumped into the lead when the green flag was displayed and he stayed in front until lap 180 when the engine in the Caddy began to come apart and Bill once more was denied a sure victory.

With Bill Blair in the pits and out of the race, Bob Flock assumed the lead in an Oldsmobile and he would stay there the remaining 19 laps to win by 100 yards over a Plymouth wheeled by Lee Petty. As this was the last race of the season, Red Byron would become the first ever Strictly Stock/Grand National/Cup/ Premier Division champion with a lead of 117.5 points over Lee Petty.

Finishing order:

1. Bob Flock, Bob Flock Garage Oldsmobile, winning $1,000.00

2. Lee Petty, Petty Brothers Plymouth, winning $750.00

3. Fonty Flock, Ed Lawrence Buick, winning $400.00 (1 lap down)

4. Clyde Minter, Ford, winning $300.00 (1 lap down)

5. Herb Thomas, Ford, winning $200.00 (3 laps down)

6. Roy Hall

7. Ray Erickson

8. Raymond Lewis

9. Curtis Turner

10. Bill Blair

11. Bob Apperson

12. Sarah Christain

13. Slick Smith

14.H. F. Stickleather

15. Ken Wagner

16. Red Byron

17. Bobby Greene

18. Bill Greever

19. Tim Flock

20. Dick Linder

21. Otis Martin

22. Frank Mundy

Please note that all three of the brothers Flock, competed in this race as they did in several races in the early years. A true family affair. You may also want to note that Sarah Christain, finished 12th, a mere 12 laps behind the winner, in an Oldsmobile owned by her husband Frank.

Bill Blair, the pole started and the guy who led the first 180 laps of this race was truly one of the pioneers and early legends of the sport. We are most fortunate to have his son, Bill Blair, Jr., available to us to share his memories of the early days. Bill, Jr. was around the races from the earliest laps ever run and was involved in the sport deeply as a mechanic for some really fine drivers. I, along with other members of RacersReunion, have been honored to sit with Bill while he shares stories of those early days with such clarity as to rival watching those races on television. Bill attends many of the RacersReunion and other events and is currently deeply involved in a project to honor the early pioneers of stock car racing. When you have an opportunity, you need to meet Bill, Jr. and get him talking about those early days. That is a great and wonderful experience. My only problem is that everytime we get together, I don't want him to stop!

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

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

Racing History Minute - October 15, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

Today, our Minute brings us to Columbia Speedway, a half-mile dirt track that behaved as an asphalt track after getting "worked in" during practice. In 1955, twenty-one of the "boys" gathered at the site to run 100 miles/200 laps in the cool of a Columbia Fall evening.

Junior Johnson turned the track at 61.728 mph to grab to pole in his B&L Motors Oldsmobile. Tim Flock started a Chrysler second, Dink Widenhouse in a Ford third, Bill Widenhouse in a Chevrolet fourth and Buck Baker, who recently had signed on with Pete DePaolo's Ford teams started fifth.

Although Junior was expected to lead from the beginning, Tim Flock used his outside front row starting position to leap into the lead when the green flag waved. Tim's lead was short lived, however, as Buck Baker slammed his way to the front on lap 12. Baker held a steady lead, pulling away from Flock at times, but with 12 laps to go, the Baker Ford needed gasoline. Baker ducked into the pits for that "splash of gas" (please note I did NOT designate "Sunoco Racing Fuel) and he returned to the track to chase Flock for the remaining laps. But, alas, time ran out with Baker unable to catch Tim. To further complicate Baker's efforts to run down Flock Joe Weatherly, who was runniing third with 5 laps to go, broke an axle and his Ford flipped upside down. There was no green-white-checker rules in 1955.

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

This was the 41st race of the 1955 season. Lee Petty, who had led the standings for almost the entire season, suffered another of the heartbreakers he had been experiencing for four months. On lap 35, he and Joe Eubanks came together in a crash that put both cars out of the action. Another huge disappointment for the ultra-competitor from Level Cross, North Carolina.

Finishing order:

1. Tim Flock, Mercury Outboards Chrysler, winning $1,100.00

2. Buck Baker, DePaolo Ford, winning $700.00

3. Herb Thomas, Motoramic Chevrolet, winning $475.00 (3 laps down)

4. Gwyn Staley, Westmoreland Chevrolet, winning $365.00 (6 laps down)

5. Jimmy Massey, Westmoreland Chevrolet, winning $310.00 (6 laps down)

6. Bob Welborn

7. Junior Johnson

8. Joe Weatherly

9. Jimmie Lewallen

10. Jim Roland

11. Jim Paschal

12.Ed Cole, Jr.

13.Bill Morton

14.Clarence DeZaila

15. Eddie Skinner

16.Bill Widenhouse

17. Dink Widenhouse

18. Jimmy Thompson

19. Lee Petty

20. Joe Eubanks

21. Bunk Moore

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

Racing History Minute - October 14, 1951

Stock Car Racing History

Wow! I actually am looking at TWO Grand National races run on this date in 1951. In the overall scheme of mileage, even back in the day of two lane blacktop, the distance between the two tracks was not that great. We've seen dates before when they raced somewhere on the East Coast and the West Coast on the same day, but today there was a 100 mile/200 lap race on a half-mile dirt track known as "Pine Grove Speedway" in Shippenville, PA. and also a 100 mile/200 lap race on the half-mile dirt track in Martinsville, VA. Twenty cars started in Shippenville and 23 in Martinsville. So, let's look at Shippenville first.

It is noted that most of the field at Shippenville were NOT Grand National regulars as most of the "regulars" were racing at Martinsville. It is also noted that NASCAR had "reinstated" Billy Carden after suspension, noted, somewhat tongue in cheek that NASCAR needed him to help populate the field at Shippenville.

There are literally no records in my source of who won the pole, who led what laps, or anything whatsoever with the exception of the finishing order and the mention of Carden's reinstatement. So, let's go to the finishing order, many names you are not likely to recognize, or at least I didn't. We will all recognize the winner, I'm sure.

1. Tim Flock, Black Phantom Olds 88, winning $1,000.00

2. John McGinley, Walt Chapman Hudson, winning $700.00

3. Billy Carden, Sam Know Olds 88, winning $450.00

4. Jimmy Florian, Olds 88, winning $350.00

5. Lloyd Moore, Julian Buesink Ford, winning $200.00

6. Hep Jones

7. Ed Benedict

8. Bob Dietrich

9. Russ Hepler

10. Dick Stone

11. Bob Lillenthal

12. Wimpy Ervin

13. Charles Gattalia

14. Bill Rexford

15.Don Bailey

16. Jerry Groh

17. Joe Merola

18. Nook Walters

19. Quinton Daniels

20. Irving Leitch

Now on to Martinsville where we know Herb Thomas snagged the pole with a speed of 56.109 mph in FABULOUS Hudson Hornet. Bill Snowden would start second in a Ford, Frank Mundy in an Olds third, Billy Myers in a Hudson fourth, and Neil Cole in an Olds fifth.

Herb Thomas led the first 28 laps before the hard charging Curtis Turner assumed the lead when Herb slammed into the wall and ended his day. Turner would lead until lap 44 when a tie rod broke on his Olds, ending his day. Turner was making a strong bid to end a four month losing streak. Billy Myers took over when Turner left the track, and would lead to lap 67. It was on lap 68 when Leonard Tippett went out front and he would stay there until lap 86 when the drive shaft in his Hudson broke sending him to the pits for the day. It was at that point that Frank Munday took over and led the remaining 13 laps to take the win.

Finishing order:

1. Frank Mundy, Gray Ghost Olds 88, winning $1,000.00

2. Lee Petty Petty Special Plymouth, winning $700.00

3. Billy Myers, R. G. Shelton Hudson, winning $400.00

4. Bill Snowden, Snowden Ford, winning $300.00

5. Jimmie Lewallen, Plymouth, winning $200.00

6. Pappy Hough

7. Coleman Lawrence

8. Leon Sales

9. Dell Pearson

10. Cal Johnson

11. Leonard Tippett

12. Bill Blair

13. Donald Thomas

14. Curtis Turner

15.Jim Reed

16. Otis Martin

17. Neil Cole

18. Herb Thomas

19. Jim Paschal

20. Coleman Grant

21.Bob Walters

22. J.C. White

23. Jack Wade

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

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