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Racing History Minute - August 22, 1956

Stock Car Racing History

Norfolk, Virginia. A place with a Naval Base where I spent a lifetime once. I know it has grown so much since I was there in the sixties, but I'm wondering what it was like on August 22, 1956, when 14 drivers showed up to race 100 miles/250 laps on the .4 mile dirt track?

Ralph Moody would put his Pete DePaolo Ford on the pole with Fireball Roberts in a team car to his outside. Bill Champion would start third in a Ford, Joe Weatherly fourth in a Ford, and Rex White fifth in a Chevrolet.

Details of the race, in my source, are skimpy, but I do know that Herb Thomas had rear end problems in his Chevrolet and had to park it on lap 154, which caused him to fall 96 points behind Buck Baker in the season long battle for points. Lee Petty,who was, and remained third in the standings, crashed his Dodge but finished in 7th place in the limited field. The pole sitter, Moody, went out of the race on lap 10 with a broken idler arm but came back to finish 11th, 146 laps behind the winner.

Billy Myers, who had started his Mercury in 9th position, steadily worked his way to the front and for the second time in 1956 was a winner. Jim Paschal, in another Mercury, finished second for the seventh time in the season, giving Mercury a 1-2 sweep as the fortunes of the winged footed God of the Romans smiled on that make in Norfolk.

Top five finishers were:

1. Billy Myers, Guy Wilson Mercury, winning $850.00

2. Jim Paschal, C.U. Later Alligator Mercury, winning $625.00

3. Rex White, Chevrolet, winning $450.00

4. Buck Baker, Kiekhaefer Dodge, winning $350.00

5. Johnny Allen, A.M. Crawford Plymouth, winning $310.00

Sixth through fourteenth were Bill Champion, Lee Petty, Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly, Herb Thomas, Ralph Moody, Jim Watkins, Bill Rafter and Joe McGraw.

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

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

Racing History Minute - August 21, 1959

Stock Car Racing History

Recently, my good friend and contributor to this History series made the statement that he learns something he didn't know from almost everypost. I have learned so much I sometimes wonder if I EVER knew anything about stock car racing. Not long ago, I posteda History Minute about and "International" race where foreign sports cars were allowed (not the New Jersey event won by Al Keller in a Jaguar). Prior to that post, I was not aware of any "International" NASCAR races.

This morning, I came across an event held at the quarter-mile Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC, which was called at "Sweepstakes" race. Further reading told me that it was a "Sweepstakes" race because the regular Grand National hardtop cars were racing againt convertibles. But wait! In addition, a designation was included for NASCAR "short track" cars. What? There was a difference in "short track" and regular "Grand National" cars? I have never heard of this, or if I have, it is long filed away in that part of my mind no longer accessible to me. In any event, here we go to Bowman-Gray for a 200 lap/50 mile "Sweepstakes" race on this date in 1959.

Rex White, driving a "short track" 1959 Chevrolet qualified on the pole with a speed of 47.443 mph. Rex was driving one of four "short track" cars entered. The other three short trackers were Jim Reed, Dave White and Marvin Porter. Glen Wood in a 1958 Ford Convertible would start second. Lee Petty's Grand National Plymouth would start third with Joe Weatherly in a 1958 Ford Convertible fourth. Jim Reed in a 1957 Ford "stock track" car would start fifth. Got that?

Rex flat out jumped the field on the start and would never lose the lead. Lee Petty mounted a challenge and was running strong until just past the half way point when he started to fade to his eventual third place finish. Only two caution flags slowed the pace allowing Rex to average 44.085 for the race. Twenty of the twenty-four starters finished the race to the delight of the 11,500 fans in attendance, a record crowd, at the time, for Bowman-Gray.

Top five finishers:

1. Rex White, White short track Chevrolet, winning $1125.00

2. Glen Wood, Wood Brothers Ford Convertible, winning $600.00

3. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Grand National Plymouth, winning $595.00

4. Bob Welborn, Welborn Chevrolet Convertible, winning $425.00

5. Jim Reed, Reed Ford short track Ford, winning $290.00

Sixth through tenth were Ken Rush, Joe Weatherly, Roy Tyner, Tiger Tom Pistone and Fred Harb. G.C. Spencer would finish 11th, R. L. Combs 16th, Marvin Porter 17th, Brownie King 18th, Jim Paschal 21st, and Shep Langdon was in the 24th and final position.

If you would like to read a "Personal History Minute" go on down the page to the BLOG posts and look for my Personal History Minute for August 21, 1969. If you do read it, hope you enjoy it. Thanks.

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

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

August 20 Michigan Memories

Stock Car Racing History

Great pictures! Love this. Thanks, TMC.

Racing History Minute - August 20, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

Patsy, I think the quick comeback can be attributed to the fact that for Herb, racing was a necessity to put bread on the table while, for Tony, it is a well paying job whether or not he drives. That is not intended to slight Tony inany way, just saying things were different then.

Racing History Minute - August 20, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

The news of current NASCAR yesterday, is that Tony Stewart will miss the remainder of the 2013 season due to his injuries in a sprint car accident just over a month ago. I mention that in the History Minute this morning because I want to quote the official report of another injured driver from back in 1955.

Dateline: Charlotte Speedway, .75 mile dirt track, May 1,1955. Quoting now, as to an accident involving Herb Thomas. "Thomas, who had won the pole position, crashed heavily in the 41st lap (of 133) while running fourth. His Buick hooked a rut and flipped over several times. The two-time Grand National Champion was thrown from his car and rushed to Charlotte Memorial Hospital with a fractured leg, severebruises, a concussion, a lacerated arm and shoulder injuries. Thomas was expected to miss at least six months while recuperating". (Thanks to Greg Fielden's "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing" for the quote).

Now let's move forward to August 7, 1955 and a 100 mile race on the half-mile dirt track in Winston-Salem, NC, won by Lee Petty. Herb Thomas finished 21st in that race after losing the clutch in his Hudson. On August 14, 1955, in a 250 mile rae on the 1.5 mile dirt track in West Memphis, Arkansas, Herb would finish 14th out of 29 starters. So, here we are at August 20, 1955 and the boys are to run a 100 mile race on the 1 mile asphalt track in Raleigh, NC. Herb Thomas would qualify third for that race. Tim Flock claimed the pole, Fonty Flock second.

Tim Flock led the first three laps under the lights before his brother Fonty pushed his Chrysler to the front. On lap 36, Herb took the lead for the one lap before Fonty retook the lead. In fact, the lead changed hands four times between these three drivers beforeThomas took over for good on lap 76. Fonty wasstrong in second place but on lap 88 the blew a tire and lost a lap in the pits, giving second place to Bob Welborn at the time. With six laps to go, Tim Flock moved around Welborn and intosecond place. So, just a little over three months after what was supposed to have been his season ending accident, Herb Thomas returned to VictoryLane. Oh, and want to know a secret? In the Southern 500, run on Labor Day, September 5, 1955, Herb Thomas would celebrate another win in what was then the toughest race on the circuit!

Top five finishers:

1. Herb Thomas, Smokey Yunick Buick, winning $1,500.00

2. Tim Flock, Mercury Outboard Chrysler, winning $1,000.00

3. Bob Welborn, Chevrolet, winning $600.00

4. JimmieLewallen, Ernest Woods Oldsmobile, winning $500.00

5. Gwyn Staley,Hubert Westmoreland Chevrolet, winning $400.00

Sixth through tenth were Buck Baker, JuniorJohnson, Eddie Skinner, Fonty Flock and Jimmy Massey.Speedy Thompson was 11th, Jim Reed 13th, Joe Eubanks 17th, Lee Petty22nd, Elmo Langley 23rd, and Jim Paschal 26th.

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

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

August 19: Other racing memories

Stock Car Racing History

Boy oh Boy!!! You two guys are rocking this week. Great stories and great pictures. I'm loving it.

Racing History Minute - August 19, 1956

Stock Car Racing History

Here in Columbia, SC, where I reside, it has rained every day this summer it seems. Although that's not an "official statement" from the weather service, most of us know that hardly a 24 hour period has passed since the first of June that we haven't had at least one downpour. Yesterday morning, during church, the sun came out for the first time in three days and I think the congregation actually stiffened in shock expecting the Second Coming at that very moment. So, with all that rainy weather, why would I choose to go Convertible Racing this morning? Well, the simple answer is there are very few events from which to choose for this date and one was at Columbia Speedway, which I just did yesterday, and the other was a Petty victory which I leave to TMC Chase to cover. Sort of an agreement TMC and I have.

Today we will travel to Heidelberg Raceway located in a City of the same name in the State of Pennsylvania. A 100 mile/200 lap convertible event was run on the half-mile dirt track there on this date in 1956. Joe Weatherly, in the feared Pete DePaolo Ford parked the ride on the pole with Gwyn Staley in a Chevrolet to his outside. Curtis Turner would start third in another DePaolo Ford and Glen Wood took fourth starting position in a Ford. Jimmy Massey started a Chevrolet in fifth.

The race was Joe Weatherley's from the start as he led all 200 laps. However, just after halfway, Danny Letner, who had started 10th in a Dodge found himself chasing down the Clown Prince of Racing. With 15 laps to go in the race, Letner caught Weatherly and a battle ensued that brought the crowd to its feet. For four laps, the two battled side-by-side, rubbing and bumping, with Letner actually putting a fender out front several times but never at the line where it counted. With three laps to go, Weatherly and Letner tangled when Letner dove to the inside to pass and Letner's fender was pushed into the right front tire causing him to head for the pits. By the time it was over, Letner was credited with third place, three laps down. Those 10 laps had been some of the best racing Heidelberg fans had ever witnessed.

Bob Welborn, who came into the event as the series points leader, fell out on lap 158 with a failed wheel bearing. When the race was over, Welborn had a 280 point advantage over Larry Odo who finished 8th,and 592 points over Curtis Turner who had parkedh is Ford on lap 59 with fuel pump issues.

Top five finishers were:

1. Joe Weatherly, Pete DePaolo Ford, winning $650.00

2. Gwyn Staley, Hubert Westmoreland Chevrolet, winning $525.00

3. Danny Letner, Tom Harbison Dodge, winning $400.00

4. Jimmie Lewallen, Welborn Chevrolet, winning $320.00

5. Glen Wood, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $290.00

Sixth through tenth were Possum Jones, Don Oldenberg, Larry Odo, Bill Brown, and Bill Poor. Mel Larson finished 11th, Dick Joslin 12th, Jimmy Massey 13th, Bob Welborn 14th, Curtis Turner 19th, and Tom Pistone 20th. Twenty-two cars started the race.

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

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

randy tissot 1944-2013 RIP

Stock Car Racing History

My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends. I remember the name very well but I have no recollection of ever having met Randy. Would be strange if I never did because I was always where the drivers were when I could get there and believe me, I found more ways to get in the pits and into Victory Circle than D.W. has found to steal money from television networks.

Racing History Minute - August 18, 1960

Stock Car Racing History

I just called my Uncle Bobby to see what he remembered about the race and he does remember that they thought Richard had won. That is more than I thought I remembered. Maybe I had better give up this history stuff. Anyway, Uncle Bobby, who at 80 is still as sharp as they come in remembering details, said that he doesn't recall Rex having a flat tire either but he does remember all kinds of problems with the scoring. He said that he thought, I thought, and apparently Richard thought that Richard had won. Probably explains the smiling and laughing after the race on the part of Richard. I will be more careful, in the future, in adding my personal memories to these history minutes as apparently my memory is getting fuzzy.

Chase, as for the drain on the bank account, believe me, it will be more than you even imagine. Maybe I need to rush out and buy some stock in that "Just for Men" hair product.

Racing History Minute - August 18, 1960

Stock Car Racing History

Well, thanks Chase. Nice to know you're safe and secure after the weekend move. I don't remember a thing about Rex running five laps on a flat tire. I do remember, or at least think I remember, Richard was catching him but ran out of time. As I recall the race, if Rex was on a flat tire, he was really moving. Stay safe and hurry back! Missed you addition to the Minute all day.