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Racing History Minute - 1973 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

Great post Chase!!! Excellent History Minute as we get closer to the 2014 Daytona 500.

My memories of this race center mainly around how we (our group of Petty fans) had consigned ourselves to our guy finishing second. As so many times over the years, it was those late race incidents that changed everything. Where we were parked (near the Lake Lloyd fence), we could see Baker running down The King and we were trying to determine whether or not Buddy could catch Richard before the checkers. One of our group figured out that Baker would catch him with two to go. Don't ask me how he figured that but that's what he said. But, as the story states, Baker blew and Petty flew home with the win.

When we walked over to Victory Lane, we couldn't get near enough to see anything until Richard boosted his young daughter up on his shoulders and we could see her. It was absolute chaos around Victory Lane. We hung around a little and then hit the road back to Columbia.

1973 looked like it was going to be a good year for Richard and a good year for me. In December, 1972, a group of guys who owned a Ford racing team had asked me to drive for them in 1973. I would be paid for driving, get a split of the purse, and have the benefit of a large beach house one of them owned in Myrtle Beach (actually Surfside Beach). After my lackluster and limited schedule in 1972 I was looking forward to a banner 1973. Well, Richard went on to have a good year. On June 23, 1973, my career as a driver ended in a crash at Myrtle Beach Speedway that injured an infield spectator. I could not emotionally handle doing that much damage to another person.

Although my driving career ended and I finally realized I would never drive for Petty Enterprises, my love for racing never lessened. I found so many ways to be involved with the sport and those ways to be involved are culminated by this website. Although I have no ownership in racersreunion, nor am I a more than a small part of the existence, it is through things like these History Minutes that the accurate history of the great sport is recorded with stories, pictures, videos and newspaper articles with some really great contributors. I'm proud to be a part of RacersReunion.

Racing History Minute - 1972 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

The "Twins" in 1972 were 125 mile dashes for starting positions in the Daytona 500, as always. This year, however, the first 125 would claim the life of a very popular driver, Raymond "Friday " Hassler. It was the 18th lap of the race when, on a restart, a tire on the Dodge of David Ray Boggs went flat and as he slowed on the back straight, 13 cars began to pile into each other, with Jimmy Crawford slamming into the passenger's door of Friday's car. Friday Hassler was pronounced dead as he was removed from the wreckage. Records indicate Hassler was the 17th driver killed in Grand National competition since the first race in June, 1949.

When the green waved after the cleanup, Bobby Isaac ran away from all competition as he drove his K&K Insurance Dodge to a 44 second lead over second place at the finish line.

Top five finishers:

1. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge

2. Coo Coo Marlin, Cunningham-Kelley Chevrolet

3. Richard Brown, Ralph McNabb Chevrolet

4. Frank Warren, Warren Dodge

5. Jim Hurtubise, Richard Hammond Chevrolet

The second 125 miler was a Bobby Allison benefit race as he passed pole sitter, A.J. Foyt on lap 2 and never looked back as he ran away with the race. Allison would beat A.J. to the finish by 6 seconds in a race run without a caution flag. Bobby Johns, a favorite from the 60s, was attempting a comeback at Daytona, but overheating problems caused him to fall out of the 125 and he was unable to earn a start berth for the 500.

Top five finishers:

1. Bobby Allison, Richard Howard Chevrolet

2. A. J.Foyt, Wood Brothers Mercury

3. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge

4. Jim Vandiver, D. L. Nixon Dodge

5. Mark Donohue, Roger Penske Matador

The first 81 laps of the 500 were worth the watching as A.J. and Richard Petty battled for the lead. The battle also, at times, included Bobby Allison in the very early going, but it came down to Foyt and Petty. Petty was leading on lap 80 when the valve train in his Plymouth began to experience problems. On lap 81, Petty was behind the wall and A.J. was out for a Sunday ride. By the 300 mile mark of the race, it was all Foyt.

The factories had allegedly "pulled out of racing" again, and some say it was for that reason that there was no real competition for Foyt. He was, after all, driving for the Wood Brothers who had already won the Daytona 500 twice, 1963 with Tiny Lund and 1968 with Cale Yarborough. A.J. Foyt had five Grand National Victories before this race, and, as he was quick to let you know, he had won Indy and the 24 Hours of LeMans, so he wanted this Daytona 500 victory. A. J. said the Daytona 500 is the greatest stock car race there is.

There were only 3 caution flags for atotal of 17 laps which allowed Foyt to average 161.550 mph for the 500 miles, making this 1972 renewal of the 500 the fastest run thru 1972.

After the race Foyt said that he had to fight boredom after Petty fell out. He said "when it's close you race heads-up all day but after Petty fell out there was no competition". He went on to say "it may have looked easy, but it wasn't" as if to explain running at the speed required at Daytona would keep one on his toes.

Pole winner Bobby Isaac was having problems getting his Dodge up to speed at the start and by lap 19 he was behind the wall and out of the race. Buddy Baker, expected to compete for the win, crashed with Walter Ballard on lap 18 when he ran up on Ballard to lap him and simply ran into Ballard. Baker was driving the white Petty Dodge.

Finishing order:.

1. A. J. Foyt, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $45,400.00

2. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $16,250.00 (1 lap down)

3. Jim Vandiver, D. L. Nixon Dodge, winning $10,475.00 (6 laps down)

4. Benny Parson, L. G. DeWitt Mercury, winning $7,150.00 (6 laps down)

5. James Hylton, Hylton Ford, winning $5,925.00 (9 laps down)

6.Cale Yarborough

7. David Sisco

8. Jabe Thomas

9. John Sears

10. Vic Elford

11. Tommy Gale

12. Elmo Langley

13. Richard Brown

14. Henley Gray

15. George Altheside

16. Bobby Allison

17. Ben Arnold

18. Frank Warren

19. David Ray Boggs

20. Dr. Ed Hessert

21.Larry Dickson

22. Jim Hurtubise

23. Bill Dennis

24. J. D. McDuffie

25. Coo Coo Marlin

26. Richard Petty

27. Dave Marcis

28 Ron Keselowski

29. Bill Seifert

30. Red Farmer

31. Jimmy Finger

32. Buddy Arrington

33. Bobby Isaac

34. Buddy Baker

35. Mark Donohue

36. Walter Ballard

37. Ramo Stott

38. Bill Champion

39. Cecil Gordon

40. Raymond Williams

PERSONAL MEMORIES: When I think about this race, all I really remember is how long it seemed to last with both Petty cars out of the race by the half way point. I was not a big fan of the Wood Brothers back then because they were major competition for my driver. I have, thankfully, since learned to appreciate what wonderful people they are and the major contributions they made to the sport. Funny how even I can seem to get at least a little wiser with age.

I do remember I was very happy the race was over. We made it a practice to NEVER to leave a race before the checkers, but we were already right at the tunnel exit when the flag fell on Foyt and we headed right out and back to Columbia. We weren't quite as smart as we thought we were though because about 70,000 of the 98,000 in attendance had already seemingly hit the road. We did make it back without consequence after a long night on the road.

About the only A. J. Foyt story I have is one that seems so out of character for him on the one hand, but so much the showman on the other. At one of the Daytona races, had to be a summer race because I remember it was really hot that day, probably the 1974 or '75 Firecracker, a couple of us had walked over to the little hill in the infield that was by the tunnel entrance-exit. We were standing there watching the cars come by from that view when I looked and A. J. was in his rental car headed out of the track. He was stopped in the traffic. I pointed at him and punched my friends to say "That's A. J. Foyt". A.J. apparently read my lips and parked his rental car, got out, and came walking over. We tried to talk but it was just too loud. We all shook hands and he got back in the rental car and left.

I did hear one A. J. Foyt joke circulating back in those days. It goes like this: A race fan died and went to heaven. As Saint Peter was showing him around the many race venues he could enjoy for eternity, an Indy car went by at blinding speed. All the fan could see was "A.J." on the back of the car. The fan remarks to Saint Peter, "I didn't know A.J. Foyt was dead". Saint Peter said "Oh, that's not A.J. That's God. He just thinks he's A.J. Foyt".

No sacrilege intended, but I think that joke sort of defines A. J. Foyt. He was good, he knew it and didn't mind letting you know it. Records back him up.

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

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

Racing History Minute - 1971 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

While I hesitate to go into great detail of my memories of this race, I do remember the cold of which Bobby speaks in his post here. Briefly, my situation was that several guys had become fans of mine from my racing at the Columbia Speedway, and by extension became huge race fans and fans of Richard Petty. For this particular race, four of those guys accompanied me on the trip for 1971. We had booked a room in a motel in St. Augustine as those rooms were much cheaper than in Daytona. We had a nice place on the main drag in St. Augustine. We arrived there Saturday afternoon thinking we could get in some sun and swimming since I had called the motel Wednesday of race week and it was warm, sunny, and folks were splashing in the pool. When we parked and got out to check in, all thoughts of swimming were forgotten.

The guys and I explored some of St. Augustine before heading in for supper just after dark. Wasn't long afterwards we were in the room watching tv. Sunday morning, up early and hit I-95 south for Daytona. Arrived at the track about 6:30 a.m. and found a parking place against the fence by Lake Lloyd. This was getting to bea habit hanging out by that fence.

After the race, we went over to Victory Lane but couldn't really get close. Went into the pits and my buddies collected several autographs and we got several of the "hero cards" before heading back to our parked Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus to head home.

We had a great time watching the race, a lousy time getting out of the track as it seemed traffic control was practicing for future events in Atlanta in case of snow. It was awful. We were finally on I-95 North by 8:00 p.m. I will never understand how we got through Georgia that night without a speeding ticket as I had that Plymouth in mach one all the way back. We stopped somewhere in Georgia to get something to eat at a Waffle House, as I recall. My many experiences with the Waffle House (or Waffie House as my grandson once called it when he was 3) were always good whether I had breakfast food or otherwise. I recall, very vividly, that I had a cheeseburger that night with a double order of hash browns. I recall it so vividly because that meal ranks right up there with the worst food I have ever eaten. Funny how such things stick with you but that meal did.

When we got back home everyone was exhausted but really happy about the race outcome. As it would happen, two of the guys who went on that trip found an 8 track tape of the highlights of that race and for Christmas, 1971, they gave me that as a gift. As I sit here I can see their faces as they watched me unwrap that gift. We played that tape many times of trips back and forth to races as it really had some good highlights.

Chase, as always, a wonderful job!!!! Thank you for all the hard work you do keeping these History Minutes rocking. I guess the 1972 Daytona 500 will be mine to write about tomorrow.

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

CHEVY IMPALA OWNERS CAN RELAX

Current NASCAR

Boy, Dave, read the MSN, Yahoo, MSNBC and a dozen other news feeds. It's all over there. It is trending number 3 on Yahoo behind the Olympics and the Daytona 500. But, however it goes, it's more attention to NASCAR. Now if we can just get King Richard to say something about Sparkle Pony starting that fire, we would be good for a week of good NASCAR press.

Daytona Beach Road Course Re-enactment photos by Bill McPeek 2/15/2014

Stock Car Racing History

Absolutely AWESOME!!!!! Beautiful pictures and it appears a great crowd was on hand. Thanks, Bill for taking the photos and thank YOU Dave for being astute enough to know how to post them. My heart and spirit was right there as it will be through all the historical events through Wednesday.

ANY QUESTIONS?? was the statement heard after the checker waved

Current NASCAR

Dave, I long ago quit trying to place the blame for those accidents unless it was downright an act of doing something on purpose, such a Duck Boy launching Brad K. at Atlanta awhile back. I won't lay blame on young Mr. Silver Coors either but every replay I saw showed the touch. He can say what he wants, but I think the young man is going to make himself a hard row to hoe, but we shall see.

ANY QUESTIONS?? was the statement heard after the checker waved

Current NASCAR

It was truly a different kind of racing tonight. I like the racing, just not the winner.

Do RC, DW, Bozo & Ronald McDonald Use Same Hair Colorist?

Stock Car Racing History

I ain't about to touch this one!

Tracks and Quakes

General

I just discovered it was NOT the quake I felt. I had my cell phone on vibrate and Brian was calling.

Tracks and Quakes

General

I was sitting here in The Lair, working on a short story I'm writing (not for publication here). Things in The Lair started to rattle and several of my die cast cars began to roll off the shelves. Sounded like one of those Hemis from the 1964 Daytona 500 rolling past just outside the window. Not sure how long it lasted but must have been about 10 seconds as I had time to jump up and grab the #43 Superbird just before it rolled off its pedestal.

My next througt was that it was a jet or helicopter that flew over too low but about that time our phone rang and it was our daughter asking if we had felt anything. She said it was an earthquake. We turned on the television and thanks for WLTX and their fine staff, we got all the details right away.

My next and final thought before going to bed was that in less than three days we had experienced sleet, snow, freezing rain, sunshine, a full moon, and now an earthquake. What next? The wicked witch flying over the house with her flying monkeys trailing behind her?