That definition of "packed" apparently still applies when FOX makes that statement to a grandstand less than half full. The NASCAR spin to crowds. I have it on good authority that NASCAR is working on a new "spin" as to television racings. Brian was seen in deep conversation with Michael Waltrip and Clint Bowyer regarding such "spin".
It was not easy finding a date for the History Minute for this date that did not represent a win by either Richard or Lee Petty. March 5th must have been a great date for races if you were a Petty as the first four races I found on this date were Petty victories. I leave those races for my good friend TMC Chase as HE is the Petty Historian and does a fantastic job. Perhaps he will add one or more of those races to today's report.
Today we head out west to the 2.5 mile track known as Ontario Motor Speedway. All the photos and videos I've ever seen of that track indicates it was a beautiful facility, built somewhat on the design of Indy, but sort of in a class by itself.
A. J. Foyt, winner of the previous 500 at Ontario, parked his Wood Brothers Mercury on the pole with a qualifying speed of 153.217 mph. Even though the track was 2.5 miles, same length as Daytona, banking on the Ontario turns was practically non-existent, thereby giving such a lower speed. Bobby Allison, in a Richard Howard Chevrolet, would start second, Richard Petty in the Petty Enterprises Plymouth third, Buddy Baker in the Petty Enterprises Dodge fourth, and Bobby Isaac in the K&K Dodge fifth. There were 51 cars starting the race in rows of 3 abreast, akin to the Indy 500. There was more Indy influence there than just the track design.
A. J. Foyt would show Wood Brothers dominance by leading 145 laps of the 200. Others to lead were Bobby Isaac, Ray Elder, Bobby Allison, Benny Parsons, Buddy Bakerand Richard Petty. However, the other leaders were in front for just a few laps at a time before being overtaken by the flying Foyt. It was just a Wood Brothers kind of day. As dominant as Foyt was, the lead did change hands a total of 25 times between 7 drivers.
It was during this race that Richard Petty recorded a milestone event worth the noting. On the 80th of the 200 laps, Petty recorded his 100,000 mile complete in Cup racing. Although that was probably mostly overlooked at the time, it was a milestone not matched by anyone at that time.
On lap 45, Bobby Isaac hooked the left rear of Mark Donohue and both cars crashed hard into the wall. Donohue was unhurt, but Isaac climbed from his car, walked to the infield grass and collapsed. He was treated for a bruised shoulder in the infield hospital and released. Isaac accepted responsibility for the accident although he did point out that Donohue moved down to pass another car when Isaac was "there". That was the second new K&K Dodge destroyed in the new year.
A crowd of 68,498 watched the race under a bright California sun. The race was also televised, in part, by ABC Sports and it ran opposite a professional basketball game. The telecast drew a 8.3 rating for the first half hour but increased to 12.3 in the second part of the race. This is of interest as both races thus far in 2014 have drawn less than a 5.0 rating.
Finishing Order:
1. A. J. Foyt, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $31,695.00
2. Bobby Allison, Richard Howard Chevy,winning $16,945.00 (4.2 secs back)
3. Buddy Baker, Petty Enterprises Dodge, winning $11,670.00
4. Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises Plymouth, winning $9,970.00 (1 lap down)
5. Ray Elder, Fred Elder Dodge, winning $5,545.00 (6 laps down)
6. Hershel McGriff
7. James Hylton
8. Marty Robbins
9. Elmo Langley
10. Ramo Stott
11.Jimmy Finger
12. Jack McCoy
13. John Soares, Jr.
14. Benny Parsons
15.Bill Butts
16. Cliff Garner
17. Johnny Anderson
18. Dick Bown
19. J. C. Danielson
20. Bill Champion
21. Ben Arnold
22. Kevin Terris
23. J. D. McDuffie
24. Mike James
25. Dean Dalton
26. Raymond Williams
27. Jim Whitt
28. George Altheide
29. Bob Kauf
30. Carl Adams
31. Henley Gray
32. Charles Roberts
33. Chuck Bown
34. Les Loester
35. Ron Gautsche
36. Cecil Gordon
37. Dick Kranzler
38. Don White
39. Gene Romaro
40. G. T. Tallas
41. Red Farmer
42. Earl Canavan
43. Frank Warren
44. Mark Donohue
45. Bobby Isaac
46. Bill Osborne
47. Walter Ballard
48. Don Noel
49. George Follmer
50. David Ray Boggs
51. Jim Vandiver
PERSONAL MEMORIES: Actually, I don't recall seeing this race televised by ABC so either I wasn't keeping up with the television listings or it received very little advertisement here. But, being located in Columbia, South Carolina, it is a pretty safe bet to assume our local ABC affiliate had some college basketball game to televise. Our local affiliates for ABC, CBS, and NBC here in Columbia go overboard in coverage of college sports, be it football, basketball or baseball, in an effort to appeal to the major university fans of both Clemson and Carolina.
I do have special memories of the Ontario Motor Speedway though as every time I did see a video or picture from that track, and finally in the later years some televised races live from the facility, I always thought it a beautiful track and the competition was good, in my opinion. It was a shame to lose that track but we lost Riverside which I truly enjoyed and Ontario. That left us Somona which is passable as a road course and the Fontana debacle. While doing these History Minutes I have discovered several Grand National races run in California in the early days so the interest for the sport is there, or was there. Not sure where that interest may be now but thinking about it, all the Beach Boy songs were about drag racing and little old ladies in a hotrod superstock Dodge, with none about oval track racing. Perhaps, and just perhaps, that may be the problem, if, indeed, there is a problem.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
No problem at all Mr. Fulton. I got a laugh out of that because I had seen the report on the Asheville-Weaverville race and thought "that's a good one for tomorrow". I always appreciate what you do and the comments you make so please keep them coming.
I didn't realize Chargin' Charlie had come South that soon in his career either. Guess we all learn some fact or other from some of these History Minutes.
Well, there went my History Minute for tomorrow! lol
Race number six of the 1961 season came a week AFTER the Daytona 500. It was the 1961 Daytona 500 that effectively ended the career of Lee Petty and which also resulted in the number 43 car of Richard Petty being destroyed by an airborne exit from the track. So, of the 6,000 fans who showed up at Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds in Spartanburg, SC for a 100 mile/200 lap race on the half-mile dirt track, many were surprised to see Richard Petty roll out a year old Plymouth to compete while his father was still barely clinging to life in a Daytona hospital. But, as would be related so many times over the following years, in order for Petty Enterprises to survive, it was necessary to keep a car on the track.
Only 18 cars entered the race although 58 had raced Daytona a week earlier. Regardless of the small field, the crowd was thrilled when qualifying was over as sentimentally their hearts were with Lee Petty. Ned Jarrett won the pole in a B. G. Holloway Ford at a speed of 63.92. Junior Johnson in the Holly Farms Pontiac would start second, Richard Petty in the Petty Engineering Plymouth third, Cotton Owens in his own Pontiac fourth and Rex White in a Chevrolet fifth. The crowd then was torn between hometown favorite Owens, and sentimental favorite, young Richard Petty.
Junior Johnson wasted no time shoving his Pontiac to the lead where he would stay the first 102 laps before a pit stop allowed Cotton Owens to lead for the first time. Owens ducked into the pits on lap 109 and it was Johnson back out front. Johnson was running a rapid pace which kept him in front until lap 182 when his Pontiac broke a fuel line and forced Junior to the pits for good. Owens took over at that point and was prepared to fight off and challenge from a hard charging Richard Petty who had an unscheduled pit stop but was flying through the field to catch up. With 30 laps remaining, Petty spun to bring out the third caution flag and that spin put him a lap down to leader Owens.
The checkered flag waved over the number 5 Pontiac of Owens as the dust soaked crowd cheered their hometown favorite. This was the 5th Grand National win for Owens who had managed to win one race a year for the previous four years. The dust had been a huge problem for drivers and the crowd. It was said that no one left the track without carrying large portion of the real estate with them in their clothes, shoes and hair.
Finishing order:
1. Cotton Owens, Owens Pontiac, winning $800.00
2. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $525.00 (1 lap down)
3. David Pearson, Pearson Chevrolet, winning $375.00 (3 laps down)
4. Jimmy Pardue, Pardue Chevrolet, winning $275.00 (5 laps down)
5. Doug Yates, Yates Plymouth, winning $250.00 (7 laps down)
6. Ernie Gahan
7. Rex White
8. Herman Beam
9. HarryLeake
10. Junior Johnson
11. Curtis Crider
12. E. J. Trivette
13. TommyIrwin
14. Ed Livingston
15. Charlie Glotzbach
16. Ned Jarrett
17. Wendell Scott
18.Fred Harb
Average speed for the race was 59.152, slowed by 3 caution flags.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
I had a couple Plymouth Belvederes. Owned 1962 Galaxie for about 2 months. Neighbor bought a new Chrysler 300 every year from 1956 through 1962. I remember all the other models you list, Dave, but never owned them.
The 1957 season, more than any other season in those early days, was the season to see the invasion of "factory backed" cars and Detroit realized just how much performance automobiles meant to American men. The oft repeated "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" was in vogue for that season and although this early March race was only number 5 of the 1957 season, fans were ready to see what their brand of car could do against the competition. In fact, on a chilly day, at a half-mile dirt track in Concord, North Carolina, 11,000 fans showed up to watch the 100 mile/200 lap race that was to unfold there. There were, in fact, so many fans coming through the gates, that the race was delayed 30 minutes from its scheduled starting time to allow fans time to be seated. Before the green flag flew, it was standing room only.
Even with all the "factory backed" cars entered in the event, it was an independent Ford driver, Mel Larson, who captured the pole with a speed of 62.225 mph. Speedy Thompson, driving for Hugh Babb, in a Chevrolet, would start second, Billy Myers in a Bill Stroppe Mercury third. Marvin Panch would start a Pete DePaolo Ford fourth and Fireball Roberts in another DePaolo Ford fifth.
Speedy Thompson wasted no time in putting Larson behind him as Thompson would lead the first thirty laps. Fireball took over on lap 31 and led until lap 84 before yielding to Jack Smith as Fireball took his Ford in the pits for a scheduled stop. Smith led one lap before Thompson muscled his way back to the front of a lap. Smith would have none of that from Thompson and shoved his way back to the lead. Smith would lead the last 113 laps to win by six seconds over teammate Buck Baker in another Hugh Babb Chevy, who was able to hold off hard charging Thompson in yet another Hugh Babb entry. Babb cars swept the top three positions.
The only caution flag of the race flew on lap 78 when Glen Wood rolled his Ford. The yellow was out for two laps as the wrecked righted the crumpled Ford and pulled it to the pits. Wood was unhurt and would be credited with a 13th place finish in the 20 car field.
Finishing order:
1. Jack Smith, Hugh Babb Chevrolet, winning $650.00
2. Buck Baker, Hugh Babb Chevrolet, winning $525.00
3. Speedy Thompson, Hugh Babb Chevrolet, winning $400.00
4. Fireball Roberts, DePaolo Ford, winning $320.00
5. Mel Larson, Larson Ford, winning $290.00 (1 lap down)
6. Brownie King
7. Dick Beatty
8. Charles Creger
9. L. D. Austin
10. Cotton Owens
11. Doug Cox
12. Johnny Allen
13. Glen Wood
14. Billy Myers
15. Jim Paschal
16. Marvin Panch
17. Joe Weatherly
18. Curtis Turner
19. Ned Jarrett
20. Tiny Lund
Average speed for the race was 59.860 mph. Marvin Panch, who blew an engine on lap 57, left Concord with a 488 point lead over second place Jim Paschal.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
A field of 40 cars was expected for the Carolina 500 held at North Carolina Motor Speedway on March 2, 1975. However, only 31 cars showed up to qualify (reason unexplained). Buddy Baker would qualify the Bud Moore Ford on the pole with a speed of 137.611 mph. Richard Petty in a year old Dodge would start second, Darrell Waltrip in a Chevrolet owned by his wife, Stevie, would start third, Lennie Pond in the Ronnie Elder Chevrolet fourth and Benny Parsons in the L. G. DeWitt Chevy fifth.
A crowd of 31,500 watched the field roll off pit road ready for the start. The green flag waved and Buddy Baker, known to have a very heavy foot, flew out front with the field hot on his heels. On lap 8, Darrell Waltrip would move out front until lap 30 when David Pearson showed his hand and went out front. Pearson only led two laps before a flying Cale Yarborough took over. On lap 93, Richard Petty would take over the lead but, just as in the Daytona 500, the rapid Dodge developed overheating problems and he was forced to pit several times to top off the radiator.
Pearson and Yarborough fought between themselves for the lead from lap 129 through the end of the race at lap 492. Cale finally went in front for good on lap 463 and would cruise to a 13.5 second win over Pearson. Average speed for the race was 117.588, slowed by 4 caution flags for a total of 34 laps around the 1.017 mile track.
Yarborough's win was made easier when, on lap 300, D. W. rubbed against Benny Parsons and both cars spun sideways down the track. Lennie Pond and Dave Marcis crashed into the spinning duo, rendering Parsons unconscious. Parsons was transported to the local hospital for observation.
Finishing order:
1. Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson Chevrolet, winning $17,200.00
2. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $10,815.00 (13.5 seconds back)
3. Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises Dodge,winning $10,925.00 (9 laps down)
4. Dick Brooks, Junie Donlavey Ford, winning $5,200.00 (15 laps down)
5. Bruce Hill, Hill Chevrolet, winning $3,950.00 (17 laps down)
6. Richard Childress
7. Ed Negre
8. James Hylton
9.Buddy Arrington
10. Dean Dalton
11. Ricky Rudd
12. Elmo Langley
13.Carl Adams
14. David Sisco
15. Clyde Dagit
16. Travis Tiller
17. Walter Ballard
18.Frank Warren
19. Rick Newsom
20. Cecil Gordon
21. Darrell Waltrip
22. Benny Parsons
23. Lennie Pond
24. Dave Marcis
25. Buddy Baker
26. Coo Coo Marlin
27.Jabe Thomas
28. Donnie Allison
29. Bobby Isaac
30. Dick Skillen
31. Earle Canavan
A young Ricky Rudd, from Chesapeake, Virginia, started his first Grand National race that day. The 18 year old, looking more like a 16 year old, started 26th in a Ford owned by Bill Champion. Rudd would work his way to finish 11th, although he was 56 laps behind the winner.
PERSONAL MEMORIES: My family and a load of friends were there in the motorhome, parked just across the infield paved road from Victory Lane. We had gotten there early Saturday and had encircled our encampment with the other RVs of friends with whom we had built up a relationship over several races. We always pulled our RVs in such a way as to have an enclosed area where we set up food, chairs, and drinks. We always had plenty of food and drink and would sit before a camp fire late into the night "bench racing", each of us adding colorful stories to the races we had enjoyed over the years. Such occurrences were a way of life with our traveling group of race fans.
I remember spending over an hour of this race in the pits, right behind the Petty pits,watching several stops where Maurice (Chief) and Dale Inman tried to cool down the hot Dodge. Having already seen that scenario at Daytona only a couple weeks earlier I was thinking we were in for a long season if they couldn't get that problem resolved.
I had been in the pits for pre-race drivers' introductions. I have this distinct memory of seeing Ricky Rudd walk by and wondering how old he was. I found out later that day he was 18 but looks were most deceiving as he looked much younger. Of course we all know Ricky went on to a successful career in Cup racing.
I miss racing at "The Rock". I miss racing at North Wilkesboro too. Those two tracks should be used by NASCAR to give fans some really good racing. Thanks to Andy Hillenburg for what he tried to do for Rockingham.
I remember the sun was always setting, or many times had already set as we left Rockingham across the backstraight and headed through Hamlet onto to South Carolina. It was always a nice trip to and from Rockingham because, in my way of thinking, most of the trip was on highway US 1. Two lanes, little towns, a couple of speed traps, but more in tune with the way it was traveling with Uncle Bobby in the early days.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
The 1959 season is one of my favorite memories from the past and the track from today's History Minute is one of my favorite tracks, although I got to attend only one race there in the 60s. The track is Orange Speedway located in Hillsboro, North Carolina where a fine tribute to racing of the past is held each year in early fall. The Historic Speedway Group puts on one of the finest shows in historic preservation each year. But, for today, let's go back to a 99 mile race on the .9 mile dirt track.
Curtis Turner would start on the pole in the Delta Auto Sales T-Bird. Tiger Tom Pistone would start second in his Rupert Saf-Belt T-Bird, Lee Petty in an Oldsmobile third, Cotton Owens in W. H. Watson's Pontiac fourth, and Bob Welborn in his Chevrolet fifth.
Turner took the lead on lap one but was overhauled on lap two by Tiger Tom. Turner went by Tiger Tom to lead laps 3-13. Pistone would move back in front on lap 14 and stayed there until lap 50. It was Turner again on lap 51 of the 110 lap race and he would hold position one until lap 103 before Pistone could push his way by Turner to take over again for two laps.
On lap 107, Bob Welborn, is the Welborn Chevrolet, who had been lurking within sight of the leaders, moved out front. Welborn was in command but Turner was literally pushing the Chevy driver around the track, trying high and low, but unable to find a way around. The white flag was thrown and it appeared all Welborn had to do was fight off Curtis Turner for one more lap. Suddenly, without any warning, Welborn jerked his car to the inside of the racetrack as Turner sped by. It took the 7,500 fans in attendance only seconds to realize something was wrong with Welborn's car. He had run out of gas. So close to victory and no gas with which to get there.
As Welborn slowed, Turner sped by and Tiger Tom Pistone made a huge charge to overtake Turner, falling short by only three car lengths at the line. It was Turner's first win since April 18, 1958 when he won a race at Charlotte.
Finishing Order:
1. Curtis Turner, Delta Auto Sales T-Bird, winning $800.00
2. Tom Pistone, Rupert Saf-Belt T-Bird, winning $525.00 (3 car lengths back)
3. Bob Welborn, Welborn Chevrolet, winning $350.00 (1 lap back)
4. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Olds, winning $250.00 (1 lap back)
5. Buck Baker, Baker Chevrolet, winning $225.00 (1 lap back)
6. Glen Wood
7. Brownie King
8. Joe Eubanks
9. Cotton Owens
10.Jimmy Pardue
11.Roy Tyner
12. Harvey Hege
13. Speedy Thompson
14. Tiny Lund
15. Bobby Keck
16. Larry Frank
17. Elmo Langley
18. L. D. Austin
19. Junior Johnson
20. Tommy Irwin
21. Jimmy Lewallen
22. Bobby Rose
The average speed of the race was 81.862 mph, slowed by two caution flags. Curtis Turner's pole winning speed was 87.544 mph
PERSONAL NOTE: If you are anywhere near Hillsboro, North Carolina when The Historic Speedway Group holds its annual event in the fall, you really need to go by for the day. There is no admission charge although the event is worth more than probably any race run in current NASCAR today. You can meet many drivers from the golden era of the sport, see numerous historic race cars, and enjoy the company of many fans of the history of the sport.
When the move the cars to the track for the parade laps that always seem to turn into a mini-race, if your heart doesn't pound in your chest, you had best check in with your cardiologist because you're pretty close to death. Seriously, it is a wonderful event, one which I have attended the past five years. It gets better every year so I can't wait until this year's comes around.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
