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Racing History Minute - September 3, 1962
Stock Car Racing History
Awesome memory Dave and a nice tribute to Danny Lee. And, for the record, I did note the reference to the 426 Hemi. Thanks.
Racing History Minute - September 3, 1962
Stock Car Racing History
Choosing a Southern 500 to feature for this date was easy for me as it would have been a great injustice to overlook the tremendous feat of Larry Frank in winning this race, not to mention the influence of Lil Joe Weatherly in having the 13th Annual Southern 500 become the "12th Renewal Southern 500". You see, Lil Joe was very supersitious and refused to sign an entry blank containing the heading "13th Annual" so Bob Colvin accommodated him by renaming the race as the 12th renewal. Joe immediately completed the newly adorned entry blank.
Labor Day in Darlington was always hot and 1962 was no exception. Forty-four starters lined up with Fireball Roberts in a Pontiac on the pole. The swift Pontiac of Junior Johnson would line up in second spot, Fred Lorenzen in a Ford in third, Bobby Johns in a Pontiac was fourth and Lil Joe would roll of fifth. The 1962 Pontiac was one fast race car as Fireball had proved at Daytona in February.
Fireball Roberts took the point on the green flag and moved away from the field, no seriously challenged for the first 58 laps. Fireball would be involved in a crash on lap 74 which eliminated him from the event.On lap 59,it was Bobby Johns in a Pontiac taking over the lead, until Richard Petty led a single lap on the 76th circuit. Jim Paschal took over on lap 77 in a second Petty Plymouth and would stay in front until Bobby Johns went back in front on lap 86.
Ford's Fearless Freddie Lorenzen, the heartthrob of most female fans (yes there were women fans of the sport from the beginning) put the Ford in front on lap 126. On lap 157 Richard Petty went back in front but was quickly displaced from first place by the fast Pontiac of Junior Johnson. Petty went back in front on lap 190 and is credited with leading through lap 279. Somewhere in this part of the race scoring became a mess and it appeared no one in scoring was certain as to who maintained the first three places.
The race had several minor accidents, including Junior Johnson bouncing off the wall the pushing the fender into a tire. It was at that point that Junior lost two laps in the pits while his crew repaired that damage. By far, the most spectacular action of the day happened when Johnny Allen perched his Pontiac on top of the guard rail where it slid along for more than 100 feet ripping open the gas tank before coming off the rail, rolling over and bursting into flames on lap 275. Darel Dieringer already had the "fire experience" on lap 196. Both drivers escaped uninjured.
The checkered flag fell on Junior Johnson and his white Pontiac as Larry Frank coasted under the checkers with a broken wheel. Some believed Richard Petty in the familiar Petty Blue Plymouth had actually won although he blew a left front tire going into turn one with three laps left and rode it out without stopping.
Larry Frank got out of his Ford on the infield grass and stopped to shake the hand of a fan in the infield who allegedly said to Larry "you won this thing". Larry walked by Victory Lane where Junior and his crew celebrated. Larry got into his car and drove to his motel in Florence with blisters on his eyes and suffering dehydration while knowing he had won the race. It was NOT Larry Frank who filed the protest but it was Poppa Lee Petty. Lee was convinced that Richard had more than a two lap lead on Junior when Richard's tire let go and even riding on three wheels, Richard still beat Johnson to the line.
NASCAR began a recheck of the scoring cards and hours after the event it was determined that Frank had led the last 60 laps of the race and rather than being almost a lap behind Junior, he was actually 5 seconds ahead of Junior when the race ended.
By the time the announcement was made, all press reports had been filed and most Tuesday morning papers proclaimed Johnson the winner. Larry was asked to come back to the track and pose for some "fake photos"in Victory Lane and he and Miss Southern 500 did just that. However, some of the documentary folks weren't satisfied with the sparse look of what was supposed to be a happy celebration. Enter early day "photo shopping". The geniuses in the press took the face of Larry Frank and put it on Junior Johnson's body in the original Victory Lane photos and that's how there are existing photos showing Larry Frank in a crowded Victory Lane. Someone today may not realize that Johnson was probably 240 pounds while Frank may have weighed in at 150 soaking wet. But the important thing is that the record accurately reflects that a fine gentleman and journeyman raced, Larry Frank, won the 12th Renewal of the Southern 500. This was Frank's only Grand National win.
PERSONAL HISTORY NOTE. Our group occupied its usual spot against the turn three fence for this race. While we were not versed in scoring, between Uncle Bobby and me, we pretty well kept up with where Richard Petty was runnning. We were convinced that he was in the lead by at least a lap over Junior Johnson with ten laps to go. I went running through the infield to be a Victory Lane when he won. I was pressed against the fence of the gate that separated the infield from the track where the access road came in over turn one watching for Richard to come down the straight with three to go. Just in front of me the left front tire exploded and I could hear it over the sound of the engines. Richard came by the next time on the flat with sparks flying from the wheel and I knew he was going to keep going. I watched for Junior, who I assumed to be in second knowing he was a lap and the distance behind (in my mind). I must admit I was shocked when they waved the checkers over Junior. I seriously had no idea Larry Frank as in the hunt.
After the race, they whisked Richard off to the press box but I hung around the pits until he came down. As always, the familiar smile but I remember a look in his eyes (he didn't wear the shades then) that said he knew he should have won that race. Our local paper, the next day, had a feature story on Richard with the headline "I run this track so good.... so good".
Top ten finishers:
1. Larry Frank, Ratus Walters Ford, winning $21,730.00
2. Junior Johnson, Ray Fox Pontiac, winnign $10,155.00
3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $5,150.00
4. David Pearson, Cotton Owens Pontiac, winning $3,325,00
5. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $5,450.00
6. Jim Paschal, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $2,025.00
7. Nelson Stacy, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $1,525.00
8. Ned Jarrett, B. G. Holloway Chevrolet, winning $1,575.00
9. Rex White, Louie Clement Chevrolet, winning $1,355.00
10.Joe Weatherly, Bud Moore Pontiac, winning $1,025.00
Buck Baker was 11th, Jimmy Pardue 12th, Emanuel Zervakis 13th, Bob Welborn 14th, and Sherman Utsman 15th. Elmo Langley finished 16th, PAUL LEWIS 18th, Tiny Lund 19th,, Curtis Crider 23rd, Fred Lorenzen 24th, and Johnny Allen 26th. Fireball Roberts got credit for 36th, Buddy Baker 37th, Cale Yarborough 38th, Bill Champion 40th, with Stick Elliott in 41st.
OTHER SOUTHERN 500s run on Labor Day from 1950 - 1983
1951:
1. Herb Thomas, Hudson
2. Jesse Taylor, Hudson
3. Buddy Shuman, Ford
4. Hershel McGriff, Oldsmobile
5. Fireball Roberts, Ford
1956:
1. Curtis Turner, Ford
2. Speedy Thompson, Chrysler
3. Marvin Panch, Ford
4. Jim Reed, Chevrolet
5. Paul Goldsmith, Chevrolet
1973:
1. Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet
2. David Pearson, Mercury
3. Buddy Baker, Dodge
4. Richard Petty, Dodge
5. Benny Parsons, Chevrolet
1979:
1. David Pearson, Chevrolet
2. Bill Elliott,, Mercury ??????
3. Terry Labonte, Chevrolet
4. Buddy Baker, Chevrolet
5. Benny Parsons, Chevrolet
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - September 2, 1957
Stock Car Racing History
The 1957 Southern 500 would result in the first on-track casualty for the still young Darlington Raceway. But let's back up just a minute to cover the absolutely confusing circumstances involved in qualifying for the race. Follow closely now.
Lee Petty was unable to qualify his car for reasons I have not discovered, so he had Bobby Myers qualify the number 42. Bobby also qualified his own car, number 4. Paul Goldsmith has Curtis Turner, his Smokey Yunick teammate qualify his car. Curtis also qualified his own car. The pole went to Cotton Owens in a Pontiac with Bobby Myers putting the Petty Olds in the middle of the first row. That's right, Darlington started them three abreast then. Curtis Turner qualified HIS Smokey Yunick Ford third fastest for the outside front row while Paul Goldsmith started 6th in the other Yunick Ford qualified by Turner. Confused yet?
Now we come to Herb Thomas, already a two time Southern 500 winner, arrived in Darlington ina visibly shaken state. The reason Herb was so nervous was not discussed, but he finally gave up his ride to Fonty Flock stating that he was just too nervous to drive the race. Fonty would start the Herb Thomas car in 15th position in the 50 car field. Fonty had problems in the Herb Thomas Pontiac almost immediately upon the start of the race and spent a few laps in the pits almost on the green flag lap. He returned to the race and began his attempt to make up for lost ground in the long race ahead. Unfortunately, his run would end on lap 27 of the race.
Fonty spun the black Pontiac at the end of the backstraight, just at the entrance to turn three and was stalled near the outside guardrail. Bobby Myers was racing Paul Goldsmith down the backstraight. Bobby was driving a Petty Olds, number 2, and, it is said, was watching Goldsmith in his mirror to head off a pass attempt expected as they approached turn three. Bobby never saw the black car sitting there and plowed into it head-on at full speed. The impact was so severed, the engine of Myers car came out and rolled down the enbankment toward to the infield.Fonty was severely injured, Paul Goldsmith was injured but not as severely as Flock, and Bobby Myers was killed.
We need to go back to just June of 1957 when the American Automobile Association began to put pressure on auto manufacturers to pull support for auto racing as it was believed such association was adverse to the interest of the general public. Auto racing, stock car racing especially, was enjoying fan association with sponsors no other sport could claim. Companies like Pepsi were advertising the "punch of Pepsi" with racing stock cars in the background. Companies just as Grey Rock (brake linings), Champion (spark plugs) and Pure (gasoline) was closely tied to NASCAR stock car racing and advertised their successes far and wide. Now NASCAR had a fatality in its then only major 500 mile race.
The Southern 500 had already brought about the rule change that pitcrew members must wear shirts rather than go topless. An award was established for the "best dressed crew". The pit gas tanks, 55 gallon drums raised on a platform, were banned in the interest of safety. After the Flock-Myers-Goldsmith crash, NASCAR outlawed black cars with the belief that if the Flock car had not been black, it would have been more easily seen by Bobby Myers and evasive action could have been taken.
As for the race, Cotton Owens took the lead on the green flag from his inside front row position. He would lead the first 6 laps. Curtis Turner led laps 7 - 10, and Paul Goldsmith 11-13. Bobby Myers led lap 14, then Turner took over for two laps. Owens went back in front on lap 17 and would stay there until lap 29 when Lee Petty took over. Petty would lead until lap 40 before yeilding to Fireball Roberts. Petty and Roberts would exchange the lead between laps 70 and 100 when Jack Smith took over. On lap 110, Speedy Thompson (true first name Alfred) moved out front and stayed there until lap 170 when Curtis Turner went back out front. Turner was able to maintain the lead until lap 216 before Thompson moved back in front to stay. Speedy would win the Southern 500 by 3 laps over Cotton Owens.
Other "highlights" of the race involved, for one Joe Caspolich, driving in his first Grand National race. On lap 67, Joe hit Bill Blair as Bill was spinning, and the Caspolich Ford was destroyed on the guardrail. Although Joe climbed out under his own power, he collasped and was transported to the hosptial where it was discovered he had sustained multiple fractures and a bruised heart. He was in critical condition.
During the middle of the race, Lee Petty and Curtis Turner were involved in a heated, door-to-door duel for the lead. Lee got into Curtis, barely touching the left rear quarterpanel, but enough to put Curtis into the wall. Curtis spent quite some time in the pits replacing the punctured radiator and returned the track to finish 11th, although 18 laps behind the winner. The story here, however, involves Turner's good friend and party buddy, Joe Weatherly. Joe roared out of the pits and chased down Lee Petty and flat out wrecked the former Grand National Champion. It is safe to assume Lee was waiting for Lil Joe when that race was over.
Top ten finishers were:
1. Speedy Thompson, Thompson Chevrolet, winning $13,590.00
2. Cotton Owens, Stephens Pontiac, winning $6,100.00
3. Marvin Panch, Panch Ford, winning $3,745.00
4. Jim Reed, Reed Ford, winning $2,155.00
5. Buck Baker, Baker Chevrolet, winning $1,650.00
6. Billy Carden, Westmoreland Chevrolet, winning $1,225.00
7. Billy Myers, Myers Ford, winning $1,125.00
8. Johnny Mackison, Camp Hill Special Ford, winning $975.00
9. Possum Jones, Welborn Chevrolet, winning $775.00
10.Jack Smith, Smith Chevrolet, winning $785.00
Curtis Turner finished 11th, Johnny Allen 12th, Jimmie Lewallen 14th, Bobby Johns 16th, Tiny Lund 20th, Brownie King 21st,, and Roy Tyner 23rd. Lee Petty, although knocked out of the race on lap 281, is credited with 24th. Rex White was 28th, Fireball Roberts 33rd, Jim Paschal 35th, Bill Blair 38th, Joe Weatherly 40th, Banjo Matthews 41st. A very young Cale Yarborough is credited with 42nd completing 31 laps. Paul Goldsmith was 44th, Gwyn Staley 46th, Fonty Flock 48th, and Neil Castles 49th. Finishing 50th, completing only 3 laps was T.A. Toomes.
I will limit my personal comments and memories today. My Uncle Bobby and I had attended the Spring race at Darlington in 1957, the first convertible race there. It was so much fun we decided to come back for the Southern 500, which would start my consecutive visits there each Labor Day until 1967 when the U.S. Navy had need of my services elsewhere. Although having already visited Darlington in the Spring, I still remember, vividly, the thrill I had as we pulled into the infield and parked near the third turn fence on Sunday afternoon. This was THE SOUTHERN 500. The race I had been listening to with my uncle and grandfather on the front porch of my grandfather's country home (it was country then) since at least 1952. Now I was there, against the fence, as the three abreast parade laps commenced. I heard the engines start over on the front straight, but I was not really prepared for the sight of the 50 cars rolling before me. Oh, I had seen that in the Spring, but this was THE SOUTHERN 500. The tingling excitement I felt holding on to that fence was amplified by the vibrating wire as the cars rolled by.
The wreck that took Bobby Myers' life happened literally right in front of me. To show you how the human mind deals with things, my 11 year old brain did not realize I had just witnessed the death of a race driver. Even after finding this out later, I refused to acknowledge it. What should have been an abiding nightmare for me every night was blocked from my mind without my realizing it. It was not until three years ago when I was visiting my friend, Ronnie Sharpe, that I saw that wreck again on a DVD of the 1957 Southern 500 Ronnie had. When I saw the accident on DVD, I felt both the cold chills of surpressed memory as well as the heat of the Labor Day South Carolina Pee Dee weather as I stood next to that third turn fence at Darlington.
Just a couple weeks ago, while visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte with Randy Myers, nephew of Bobby and son of Billy Myers, we stopped in to chat with Chocolate Myers, Bobby's son and legendary crewman for Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Even as we stood there in the radio studio, I couldn't help but think back to that 1957 Southern 500. Oh, I didn't mention it to Chocolate, but I'm reasonably sure that each Labor Day serves as a memory of his father. I am most honored to include Randy Myers as a good friend. Randy's father, Billy, was a true pioneer in the sport and would die at a race track but not as the result of a crash. The Myers family had contributed its very life blood to the growth of the sport.
OTHER SOUTHERN 500s run on September 2nd.
1963:
1. Fireball Roberts, Ford
2. Marvin Panch, Ford
3. Fred Lorenzen, Ford
4. Nelson Stacy, Ford
5. Darel Dieringer, Mercury
1968:
1. Cale Yarborough, Mercury
2. David Pearson, Ford
3. Buddy Baker, Dodge
4. Charlie Glotzbach, Dodge
5. Paul Goldsmith, Dodge
1974:
1. Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet
2. Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet
3. David Sisco, Chevrolet
4. Dave Marcis, Dodge
5. James Hylton, Chevrolet
I chose to go only through the 1983 season in the Southern 500 week as commencing 1984 the race was moved to the Sunday before Labor Day.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
WILD THING I THINK YOU DID IT
Current NASCAR
Kyle really ran a great race as the crew kept making the car better on every stop. Then getting him out first on that last stop was the clincher. Kyle earned it and I thought his Victory Lane interview was the best he has ever given.
A FAMILIAR FACE beside an old car that looks VERY FAMILIAR
Stock Car Racing History
Johnny, that is such an excellent picture. I sit here and look at the car and look at you and realize how wonderful our lives have been because of racing and because we raced each other once upon a time a re-discovered a friendship after 40 years. Thanks for posting.
Racing History Minute - September 1, 1975 - Southern 500
Stock Car Racing History
But Dave, if we had all drowned, who would be telling all these stories? Just think of what you would be missing!!!!! lol
Racing History Minute - September 1, 1975 - Southern 500
Stock Car Racing History
At 4:05 of this video, that is, I believe, our motorhome with the folks still on top of it as I described in my story. Almost sure that is it.
Racing History Minute - September 1, 1975 - Southern 500
Stock Car Racing History
Top five finisheres of other Southern 500s run on September 1st, Labor Day:
1952
1. Fonty Flock, Oldsmobile
2. Johnny Patterson, Hudson
3 Herb Thomas, Hudson
4. Bub King, Hudson
5. Banjo Matthews, Hudson
1958
1. Fireball Roberts, Chevrolet
2. Buck Baker, Chevrolet
3. Shorty Rollins, Ford
4. Speedy Thompson, Chevrolet
5. Marvin Panch, Ford
1969
1. LeeRoy Yarbrough, Ford
2. David Pearson, Ford
3. Buddy Baker, Dodge
4. Donnie Allison, Ford
5. Bobby Allison, Dodge
1980
1. Terry Labonte, Chevrolet
2. David Pearson, Chevrolet
3. Harry Gant, Chevrolet
4. Benny Parsons, Chevrolet
5. Neil Bonnett, Mercury