Forum Activity for @tim-leeming

Racing History Minute - September 18, 1964

Stock Car Racing History

Today we head for Virginia to the historically important town of Manassas. By "historically important" I am referring more to the events there in the 1860s than the 187.5 mile race run there on this date in 1964. Of course, for those of us who gather here, the race is the important subject of the day.

Twenty cars and drivers came to Manassas to qualify for the race of 500 laps on the track known as "Old Dominion Speedway". When qualifying was over, David Pearson in the Cotton Owens Dodge number 6 would be on the pole. Richard Petty would start second , Ned Jarrett third, Elmo Langley fourth and Jimmy Pardue fifth.

Pearson led the first six laps before yeilding to Richard Petty. On lap 27, Ned Jarrett moved into the lead and stayed there through lap 248 when Pearson once more put the red and white Dodge out front. On lap 299, Ned found himself in the lead again and he would stay there until the end of the race. This would be Ned's 12th win of the 1964 season in the 54th, yep, 54th race of the season.

Now the interesting sidebar to this win is that the race was run almost entirely in THE RAIN. No, there were no rain tires, but the situation was that the weather was providing a "light mist" of rain falling on the asphalt track but NASCAR observed that the cars keeping the track hot were, it seemed, keeping the track dry enough for a race. No reports of drivers complaining but I am guessing it was easier for the flagman to wear a raincoat than it was for the drivers to complain. I'm not exaclty sure when the "slick" racing tires came on board but I am thinking that the tires in 1964 were still treaded tires which probably benefitted the drivers. But when you think of the pole winning speed by Pearson being 74.262 mph on a .375 mile track, that is sort of really "getting around the oval". Race average speed was 68.842 mph. There were no crashes reported, although 10 of the 20 starters failed to finish for due to one mechanical issue or another.

Top five finishers:

1. Ned Jarrett, Bondy Long Ford, winning $1,500.00

2. David Pearson, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $1,000.00 (1 lap down)

3. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $725.00 (4 laps down)

4. Larry Thomas, Herman Beam Ford, winning $600.00 (20 laps down)

5. Bert Robbins, Ford, winning $400.00 (33 laps down)

Sixth through tenth were Wendell Scott, Worth McMillion, Elmo Langley, Roy Tyner and Curtis Crider. Remaining ten finishers were, in order, Gene Hobby, Neil Castles, Earl Brooks, Jimmy Pardue, Dennis Zimmerman,, Bob Derrington, Jack Anderson, Steve Young, Don Branson and Joe Coates.

Several of the drivers listed in this race should be at the annual Celebration of the Automobile at Occoneechee/Orange Speedway in Hillsborough on Saturday, September 28th. I can almost guarantee you can ask these guys about this race and they will have personal memories to share. Don't believe me? Ask Gene Hobby. He probably remembers what he had for breakfast that morning, he's that good.

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

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

UTTER DISAPPOINTMENT

Current NASCAR

Yes, I was shocked to see Joey interviewed Saturday night withOUT his Coke. I kept waiting for a crewman to hand him one. Imagine the disappointment of falling out of the race AND losing the money for NOT having the Coke in his hand at the interview. Guess it was just too late at night to think clearly. He should have gone to see that lying cheater for some 5-hour.

Racing History Minute - September 17, 1961 with a bonus

Stock Car Racing History

Thanks guys. I appreciate you jumping in for me. I had written what I considered to be a nice tribute to J.D. McDuffie in the piece I wrote, as well as a good piece on how Pearson won at Atlanta but the old computer just locked up, then deleted everything I had spent an hour typing. I will learn, from now on, to post a paragraph or two and save and keep doing it that way. I am really sorry we lost what I had written but you two did an absolutely outstanding job making a great "Minute" out of nothing.

Racing History Minute - September 17, 1961 with a bonus

Stock Car Racing History

I had entered a long and descriptive History Minute for this date in 1961 and the Atlanta Race, and 1978 for the Dover Race. However, when I tried to add it to the site, something happened and the entire post was lost. It took me over an hour to prepare the History Minute and it was gone in a flash. I have errands and appointments for today so I am hoping that TMC Chase and Dave Fulton can add some information about those two races as both were very interesting. The 1978 race was especially important as the pole winner for that event was one of the true journeymen racers of the day, J.D. McDuffie.

Sorry I have to leave. Computers and I never have gotten along.

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

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

Darlington's 2014 Date?

Current NASCAR

Yep, Southern 500 in the DAYLIGHT, I'm there. At night, I'll watch on television. You know, if Darlington Raceway wants someone to endorse that for them they need only to look right here. The Legend is ready!

Darlington's 2014 Date?

Current NASCAR

That would be fantastic!!!!!!!!! Maybe NASCAR does listen to some of us.

September 16, 1972 - "Jaws" Wins Nashville USAC Race Over 3 Plymouths & Chevelle; RR Member "Winding" Wayne Andrews Places 9th

Stock Car Racing History

Too bad he didn't stay in USAC.

Racing History Minute - September 16, 1973

Stock Car Racing History

September 16th is not a popular date for NASCAR racing, evidently, as I had to come all the way to 1973 to find a Grand National Race on this date, although there was a convertible division event on this date in 1956 at Memphis-Arkansas Speedway in LeHi, Arkansas which was won by Curtis Turner. I chose the Grand National date for the "Delaware 500" run at Dover Downs International Speedway on September 16, 1973.

Forty cars started the race with David Pearson on the pole in the Wood Brothers Mercury at a speed of 124.649 mph. Benny Parsons would start second in the L.G. DeWitt Chevy, Bobby Allison in a Chevrolet third, Richard Petty in a Dodge fourth and Donnie Allison in the DiGard Chevrolet fifth.

Much as the crowd of 25,000 expected, Pearson took the lead at the start and stayed out front until lap 55 when Richard Petty moved in front for two laps. Bobby Allison took over on lap 57 and led until lap 64. The lead then began to swap between Pearson, Petty and Bobby Allison, joined by Buddy Baker and Benny Parsons with no one able to stay in front for too long before being displaced.

On lap 349 of the 500 laps on the one mile oval Pearson had a lap lead over second and holding steady in typical Silver Fox fashion. Dick May, who was driving in relief for Henley Gray, spun going into turn one. Cecil Gordon got into Gray as he was spinning and this caused Gordon to slide into the path of a flying Cale Yarborough. The result of the powerful impact of those two cars sent both behind the wall but the problem for Pearson was Dick May sliding down the steep Dover banking into the right front fender of Mercury. The fender was ripped from the beautiful Wood Brothers machine and, as David would comment after the race, that was the first time he "had put a scratch on that car". David went on to say he was IN the wreck before he even SAW the wreck.

It took the swift Wood Brothers crew two laps to make repairs to the number 21 so David was now one lap behind leader Bobby Allison and second place runner Buddy Baker. Pearson went to work. On lap 442, Pearson was back on the lead lap but almost the full one mile behind but it was then that Eddie Pettyjohn spun and brought out the seventh caution flag which put Pearson right on the bumper of the two lead cars.

When the green flag flew again Pearson went to work in the damaged Mercury. Although he would say after the race that the car was "a handful to drive" David was in the mirrors of Allison and Baker and it soon became a matter of when, not if, Pearson was going to make a move for the lead. He made that move with 17 laps to go and was back in front. David would win with a 1.8 second lead on Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker was pushing Bobby for the position when the race ended.

It should also be noted that Toby Tobias, a Sprint Car driver of fame entered the race in the Norris Reed Mercury. He qualified 29th but suffered a blown engine on lap 50 of the race which relegated him to a 38th place finish.

Top five finishers:

1. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $16.325.00

2. Bobby Allison, Allison Chevrolet, winning $10,125.00

3. Buddy Baker, K&K Insurance Dodge, winning $7,050.00

4. Benny Parsons, L.G.DeWitt Chevrolet, winning $4,175.00 (7 laps down)

5. J.D. McDuffie, McDuffie Chevrolet, winning $3,275.00 (16 laps down)

Sixth through tenth were Coo Coo Marlin, Richard Petty, Elmo Langley, Lennie Pond and Eddie Pettyjohn. Donnie Allison finished 12th, Mel Larson 13th, Jabe Thomas 14th, Richard Childress 16th, James Hylton 19th, and Darrell Waltrip 20th. Cale Yarborough would claim 25th, Cecil Gordon 27th, G.C. Spencer 30th, John Sears 31st, Ron Keselowski 32nd, Earl Brooks 33rd, and D. K. Ulrich 35th. Buddy Arrington would finish 40th after falling out on lap 33 with engine issues.

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

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

An Unexpcected Legend Adventure - Reliving the 1963 Augusta 510

General

I was fortunate to attend the event in Augusta, Georgia this weekend, presented by the Augusta International Raceway Preservation Society. The 10th Annual Hall of Fame Inductions included Dink Widenhouse, James Burnett, Jack Cosnahan, Leonard Sharpe and Big John Arrington. It was great to see Leonard Sharpe again, and it is always a pleasure to hang around with Dink Widenhouse and hear his stories. Great to see Dink's wife Frances as well.

Saturday, the weather was as perfect as it could possibly be for an outdoor event. Plenty of sunshine, a very slight breeze, and although some may have considered it on the warm side, I think it was only in the lower 80s.

The "Adventure" really began when I was sitting at the autograph table with Eddie Spurling and Rex White and Rex mentioned driving around the old Augusta Road Course, which ran only ONE Grand National race, in November, 1963, which would become the last victory for Fireball Roberts. I, along with several members of our recently "Chartered" Richard Petty Fan Club of Columbia made the trip that Sunday in a 1956 black and white Plymouth Station Wagon, two door no less. We claimed a spot in the infield near what was a large pond, or commonly referred to as a "lake" by Augusta standards. We planted our "Plymouth 43 flag" on the fence. We spent a large part of the race walking around the infield boundary so we could see as much of the track as possible and watch the cars in different places. That was, and remains to this day, the ONLY road course race I have witnessed in person other than rush hour traffic around Columbia. We were as close to the start finish line as we could get when Fireball's lavender Ford number 22 took the checkers. As usual, we hung around as long as we could get away with talking to drivers and just breathing in the air of the race track.

Rex mentioned, during a break in the autographs, that he and Eddie had just ridden around what was left of the track. Upon hearing that, my ears immediately perked up and I ask for further information. Rex and Eddie filled me in on exactly how to do it. As soon as autographs were over, I walked out, jumped in my van and headed to the track, along with Luke Thompson who agreed to lead me through the distance in his truck.

I guess it took me a good 30 minutes to circle the track with all its twists and turns. Partly because most of the track is now faded to dirt, or dirt and very loose gravel, but there are places where the very rough asphalt remains. There are a couple of the turns still paved and the degree of banking was quite a surprise. I did not recall the banking being so steep when watching from the infield.

Part of the track runs along the remaining pond (Lake) and that part is now entirely loose gravel and dirt. I stopped there for just a few minutes, turned off my engine, leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes. My over active imagination could see the tail lights of Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly, Richard Petty and Rex White as they headed down to the up coming turns. I was back in 1963, I was a teenager again, and the heroes of my youth were racing the Augusta 510 on a Sunday afternoon.

Luke came back to find me and make sure I wasn't lost so I was awaken from by dreams of an earlier time in racing history. As we traveled back to Diamond Lakes where the Reunion was held (on site at the speedway) we traveled down the last remaining section of the track, now entirely dirt and running down a narrow passageway with pine trees on both sides. As Luke disappeared ahead of me in the blinding dust, the sun coming through the trees reflected on the beams of that dust as if to say "come back again, I'll be here and you can once again remember what happened here in 1963".

It truly was an adventure, but then everytime I'm able to be around the history of this sport, it is an adventure. Looking forward to Occoneechee in two weeks!

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

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

A SPECIAL ANOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE IN THE DRIVERS MEETING TODAY

Current NASCAR

Interesting race in Chicagoland (stupid name). I know the weather will get the blame for no shows but I had to fight more people in the check-out line at Publix than were in the stands at that race. Pathetic. Then, how about NASCAR's official costing Jimmie Johnson 2 seconds on a stop when there was nothing wrong but NASCAR did nothing to rectify their screw up. Then, Dale Jarrett points out, correctly, that Kyle Busch slows on a restart to prevent someone getting a run and he was not supposed to do that. It is more and more difficult to explain this sport.