Racing History Minute - 1970 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Great to see you back Sandeep. I haven't seen you around in awhile and you were missed. Welcome back.
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Stock Car Racing History
Racing History Minute - 1970 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
Awesome report Chase. Great pictures and videos and memories. Now for my personal memories of this race.
I had driven my first race in August of 1969. Between then and the end of the season at the Columbia, Augusta and Savannah Speedways, we had run about 16 feature races, finishing no worse than third in a couple and second in all the others. Because of such success with a Plymouth, of all makes, we were able to attract a couple really good sponsors, including Payne Heating and Air, a National outfit that gave us what was considered "big bucks" for that time and our team. Our number 83 was sitting in the garage, repainted, shined to the max, and awaiting a special cam we had ordered out of Florida. Everything else was readyso all we had to do was build the engine and get it in the car before the April season opener at Columbia Speedway. As I had not been to Daytona in three years, we were pumped to head out that Saturday night to drive all night for the 500.
When we got to the track, we parked along the fence that kept people out of Lake Lloyd. Had a great view of all the back straight (now I notice they call it the "super straight" or whatever). Could see the cars coming off turn two and going into turn 3. Although I had driven all night, I was not the least bit tired as I absolutely could not wait to see them race at Daytona again, after missing 3 straight 500s. I remember watching the pace laps and wondering how Richard was going to do. I really didn't give Hamilton a thought.
Chase has done a great job with pictures, descriptions, and videos, as always, so there is not much I can add to the race description except to say I remember how impressed I was with the speed of that number 40. You could see that red nose of that Superbird coming through turn two and when he hit that straight, it was like no one could touch him.
We walked over to victory lane after the race and I recall thinking to myself how young Hamilton looked. He could only have been a year or two older than I was then so I was thinking that maybe I had a chance to driver for Petty Enterprises! NOW NO LAUGHING HERE, ESPECIALLY YOU DAVE FULTON AND YOU BILL McPEEK. Just allow me to laugh at my silliness of youth. But I remember thinking that all the way back home which, I think, allowed us to return to Columbia in record time.
The cam didn't come in for the race car until early March so we build the engine, installed it and fired it up in our neighborhood garage to the total "delight" of our neighbors. It was 1:00 in the afternoon on a Saturday so I was surprised with the County Sheriff showed up outside our shop. He said they had received a complaint about the noise and although there was no law against it at that time of day, he had to make an appearance to show they were doing their job. I was able to obtain the information from him as to who had called and I was shocked. My neighbor across the street who had known me for my entire life and as sweet a widow lady as ever there was. I walked right across the street to apologize and when she opened the door she was crying.
To make a very long story short, her little dog had disappeared that morning when she had let it out to do his business. It just so happened that all of that occurred about the time I was unlocking our shop to get to work and I had seen a green Ford stop in front of her house, although I didn't know the dog was out. The car was stopped about 15 seconds and then gone. I told Essie (her name) that I think I know here the dog was so we got in my car and drove a couple blocks up the street where I knew the green Ford was parked. I may not have known all my neighbors, but I knew what car went with what house everywhere in the neighborhood. We knocked on the door and Essie's dog was barking like the devil on the other side of the door. We got the dog back and Essie never let the dog out again alone and we never had another complaint about the race car.
And the deputy called to the scene that day? He stopped by the shop almost every week and we would encounter him at Columbia Speedway almost every Thursday. He became a big fan of the 83. Sorry to have gotten off point of a very good Daytona 500, but that's just the way I think at times.
Don't forget to Honor the past, embrace the present, and dream for the future.
SAM ARDS ONLINE BIRTHDAY PARTY
Stock Car Racing History
Happy, Happy Birthday Sam!!!!! What wonderful memories I have to watching you show so many others how to get around those tracks! Hope you have a good one.
Racing History Minute - 1969 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
On February 20, 1969, for the first time at Daytona, a stock car broke the 190 mph wall with David Pearson turning the trick in a Holman-Moody Ford. Even with that qualifying speed, Pearson would start 15th in the first 125 mile qualifying race. The races had been increased from 100 miles to 125 miles under the premise that such a distance would require ALL cars to make a pit stop and there would be no more running out of gas on the last lap.
Pearson had qualified at 190.029 mph but would roll of as the 15th place starter in the 125 miler to determine the inside row for the Daytona 500. Just 18 laps into the race, Pearson took over first spot and pulled away. During the two caution flags totaling 15 laps, Pearson would make two pit stops. Pearson made a fantastic dash to run down Cale Yarborough and beat him to the line by 12 car lengths.
Top five finishers:
1. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford
2. Cale Yarborough, Wood Brothers Mercury
3. Donnie Allison, Banjo Matthews Ford
4. A. J. Foyt, Jack Bowsher Ford
5. Benny Parsons, Russ Dawson Ford
The second race would see Bobby Isaac in the K&K Insurance Dodge pull out a 3 car length win over Charlie Glotzbach in another Dodge, this one prepared by Cotton Owens. Most of the early laps were led by Bobby Allison in the Mario Rossi Dodge, but Bobby had to park the beautiful red and gold number 22 when the engine expired on lap 32. This 125 miler also had two caution flags for a total of 16 laps.
Top five finishers:
1. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge
2. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge
3. Paul Goldsmith, Ray Nichels Dodge
4. Bobby Unser, Smokey Yunick Ford
5. Swede Savage, Wood Brothers Mercury
The Daytona 500 went under the green with Buddy Baker on the pole in a Ray Fox Dodge with Bobby Isaac in the K&K Dodge to the outside. Third place starter was David Pearson in the Holman-Moody Ford, with Charlie Glotzbach starting four in the Cotton Owens Dodge entry. Fifth place starter was Cale Yarborough in the Wood Brothers Mercury.
Cale Yarborough, attempting to win his second consecutive Daytona 500, blew a tire on lap 103 and slammed into the fourth turn wall, ending his day and breaking his nose. Bobby Unser, Paul Goldsmith, Swede Savage, and Bobby Isaac were also involved in wrecks which ended their day. For Isaac, it was the problem of getting stuck behind a pack of slower cars and he got nailed by Richard Petty driving a very ill handling Ford. Petty accepted responsibility for the wreck but Isaac didn't blame Petty. Isaac complained about the slower cars being the way the entire time he was in the race, singling out Vic Elford and Richard Brickhouse as the major offenders.
On the last pit stop, with 14 laps to go, Herb Nab, crew chief for LeeRoy, elected to put a very soft compound tire on the left rear knowing the tire would not last long but would give excellent traction for the short distance remaining. Returning to the track, LeeRoy proved Herb right as the number 98 flew around the track and caught leader Glotzbach with one lap to go. The two cars came off turn four with Glotzbach leading but LeeRoy pulled the slingshot move and went around the Dodge. LeeRoy beat Charlie to the line by less than a car length.
After the race Glotzbach said there was no real defense to the slingshot other than to "run LeeRoy into the grass" and "I don't race like that". Glotzbach continued "besides, I could have wrecked us both and instead of second, I would have been last". LeeRoy was overjoyed as he exclaimed "It was all the pit crew and that decision on the tires on that last stop".
There were 19 lead changes with Cale, Buddy Baker, Jame Hylton, Donnie Allison, Bobby Isaac, A. J. Foyt, Charlie Glotzbach and LeeRoy Yarbrough all getting an opportunity to show the rear bumper of their cars to the field.
Finishing Order:
1. LeeRoy Yarbrough, Junior Johnson Ford, winning $38,950.00
2. Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $18,425.00 (1 car length back)
3. Donnie Allison, Banjo Matthews Ford, winning $13,275.00(1 lap down)
4. A. J. Foyt, Jack Bowsher Ford, winning $5,800.00 (1 lap down)
5. Buddy Baker, Ray Fox Dodge, winning $10,040.00 (2 laps down)
6. David Pearson
7. Benny Parsons
8. Richard Petty
9. Andy Hampton
10. Ray Elder
11. Vic Elford
12. Richard Brickhouse
13. Friday Hassler
14. Jabe Thomas
15. James Hylton
16. Neil Castles
17.Bill Seifert
18. Dave Marcis
19. Frank Warren
20.Elmo Langley
21. George Bauer
22. Dub Simpson
23. Bill Champion
24. Henley Gray
25. Dr. Don Tarr
26. E. J. Trivette
27. Cecil Gordon
28. Buddy Arrington
29. Wendell Scott
30. Bobby Isaac
31. Wayne Smith
32. Dick Brooks
33. Ramo Stott
34. Ben Arnold
35. Earl Brooks
36. Swede Savage
37. Dick Johnson
38. Cale Yarborough
39. J. D. McDuffie
40. Bobby Johns
41. Paul Goldsmith
42. Bobby Unser
43. Bobby Allison
44. Pete Hamilton
45. John Sears
46. Bill Kimmel
47. H.B. Bailey
48.Billy Taylor
49. Dick Poling
50. Roy Mayne
PERSONAL MEMORIES: For the third year in a row, I was NOT in Daytona for the 500. This time, however, it had nothing to do with snow, or serving my country in the Navy. I was not at all happy about certain issues with the race. Let me explain.
I had been a fan of Richard Petty since his very first race, the convertible event at Columbia Speedway in 1958. Most of that loyalty was because Richard was always really nice to me and very easy to talk with. Part of that loyalty was the fact that he drove a Plymouth. Back in those days of racing, a person's loyalty to a brand make of car was one of the biggest parts of being a race fan. The crowd I hung with absolutely detested Ford and Mercurys. Those brands were absolutely trash in our eyes and after the FoMoCo folks were successful in paying off NASCAR to outlaw the Hemis, which the Fords couldn't beat on the super speedways, we had even more reason to think of the blue oval folks as crybaby cheaters.
I think, if memory serves, it was November 26, 1968, when Richard announced they were going to Ford for the 1969 season. I was now off active duty with the Navy having been released in September, 1968, and although I still had 3 months of school to attend in Charleston and then reserve meetings for another year and a half, I was technically free. I remember calling Petty Enterprises the day after I heard the announcement and was told Richard wasn't in. I'm sure that's true because by that time I was well known by the receptionist/secretary there and she and I would often have long conversations.
Anyway, as I brooded over the perceived betrayal by Richard for a week, I decided I would NOT attend any of the races in 1969 except those at Columbia Speedway. Although I was happy Richard won the first time out in the Ford at Riverside, happy that it was Richard, I was not happy about that darned Ford.
True to my promise, I did not go to any races but the Columbia Speedway events. It was after the second race there that the famous duel between my brother in a Road Runner, me in a Road Runner, and Richard in one of those Ford junk heaps, happened on Interstate 26 leaving the speedway. As always, we were the last to leave and Richard was behind us coming out of the speedway. A mile down highway 321 we turned onto I-26 and as soon as we hit the "super slab" (remember that term any of you old timers) Richard went by us. I could not help myself when I passed him back. He passed me again and then my brother, following us, got in on it.
Because I now have two teenage grandsons driving, I will say only that the duel from I-26 to our exit off I-20 (about 10 miles total) was a hotly contested event. I sort of pulled back on I-20 because even after midnight, which it was, and the highway was mostly empty, the highway patrol had a habit of hanging out just over the little hill after you cross the river. That left my brother and the King to finish the duel. As the tail lights of the Ford and the Road Runner driven by my brother, also named Richard incidentally, disappeared over the hill, I knew our exit was coming up. I topped the hill just in time to see the Road Runner throw the turn signal on to exit at highway 215. It appeared, from my distant vantage point, that it was either a tie finish or my brother had The King by half a car length.
I now understand that the move to Ford was a business decision Petty needed to make. I also learned, directly from his lips, a couple months before the end of the 1969 season, that Petty would reunite with Plymouth in 1970. These days, brand makes don't mean that much to me as long as they name plates aren't hooked to a Jap Trap. The "official" Legendmobile isa Mercury Grand Marquis, but that is a story for another time and place.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - 1968 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
That would be the famous "Oppy". Just before I reported aboard, it completed a trip around the world. Many good friends from that era of my life but only a few remain in contact. Thanks for posting the picture Dave. Now if you could only focus on that bunk in the bottom of the ship where I slept next to the rip in the bulkhead where the asbestos was, I could file a claim for damages!
Racing History Minute - 1968 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
For the record, Chase, the Leeming part of my family in Canada, in the 1800s, was a huge part of the railroad development in Canada. Part of that family tree began to spell their name Leaming about 1850. Much of what Canada has in railroad expansion to the west came from that part of the family. There is even a town there at a railhead named Leamington. Wow, this is getting interesting.
Racing History Minute - 1968 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
That is a great post Chase. Tell you uncle Ronald that, in fact, our family name has many spellings from the same British roots. Even my family tree has Leeming, Leming, and Leaming. So I wonder what the chances are? Did any of his family come from Canada at any point?
And as for what you were doing by sending him those papers, let me assure you, as the recipient of news clippings all through my Navy service, they are appreciated more than he, or I, can ever adequately express. Tell your Uncle and a fellow "swabbie" I said hello.
Racing History Minute - 1968 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
I did forget to mention the fact that there were so many caution laps that THREE pace cars were used. The first two overheated and had to be parked. All three pace cars were, as the photo shows, Camaros. Just an interesting side note to the historic significance of what we do here.
Racing History Minute - 1968 Daytona 500
Stock Car Racing History
There are no "Twins" for the race report today as the races were rained out. However, the story of the rainout is worth talking about. It had rained most of the morning at the track but there was a break in the weather in mid afternoon. Big Bill told them to "line 'em up" and race but not the first car came out of the garage. Drivers believed the track was still much too wet for a race. Big Bill jumped in his car and drove into the garage, getting out and raising that booming voice of his to say "It's time to race, get in your cars". No one moved. Then Bill asked "Are there any of you guys who want to race?". Only ONE driver raised his hand, rookie Dave Marcis. France then announced, "line your cars up and we'll get started. We'll pay the full purse and if the hot-shots don't want to run they can go back to the garage area. Some drivers made a move toward their cars but other stood right where they were. It was about that time the clouds opened up again with torrential rains so the argument was settled.
Cale Yarbrough would start the Wood Brothers Mercury on the pole, having posted a qualifying speed of 189.222 mph. Richard Petty would start second in a Plymouth with a black vinyl top. There are numerous stories about why the vinyl top but my two favorite are:
1. Lee thought it looked like the "dimples" on a golf ball and figured it would be faster through the air, not to mention disrupting the airflow over the car enough to make drafting behind Richard very difficult.
2. That there were so many things on the car where the Pettys were concerned about the "gray area" in the rules, that they figured NASCAR would be so concentrated on the vinyl roof, all other things would be overlooked.
As it turned out, it was the vinyl top coming loose that cost Richard a shot at the win. The picture of him standing on the hood of the Plymouth slamming that big, boot encased foot on that vinyl to get it back down so they could wire it to the roll bar is engrained in my mind.
Speaking of gray areas, this is the race where pre-race inspection of the Smokey Yunick Chevrolet, to be driven by Gordon Johncock, gave a new meaning to "gray area". NASCAR, for some non-specific reason, gave extra attention to the Yunick entry and found problem after problem NASCAR had removed the gas tank to measure capacity and the gas tank was sitting on the ground when NASCAR handed Smokey a list of NINE things that must be corrected before the car could run. Smokey looked at the list, looked at the inspector, and boldly stated "you'd better make that 10" as he climbed in the car without a gas tank, fired it up, and drove it off. Someone was heard to say Smokey had at least 10 gallons of fuel tucked up inside that car. Didn't work that time.
Third place started was LeeRoy Yarbrough in a Junior Johnson Mercury, fourth place was David Pearson in a Holman-Moody Ford, and fifth place went to Tiny Lund in a Bud Moore Mercury. Some 94,800 fans were on their feet as the green waved to watch Cale blast out front with a pack hot on his heels. David Pearson would take over on lap 13 and lead until Richard Petty went by on lap 23. The lead was being swapped every lap or two between Yarborough, Yarbrough, Petty, Pearson, Al Unser, Buddy Baker, Mario Andretti (1967 winner) Butch Hartman and Bobby Allison.
On lap 105, Mario Andretti, John Sears and Buddy Baker were involved in a violent crash that took out all three cars. Buddy was fuming as he was interviewed saying "that guy (Andretti) takes out two or three cars every time he races down here". The true part of that statement was that Andretti had be involved in three crashes in three races AFTER winning the 1967 Daytona 500. Officials kept a close eye on the volatile Baker as a confrontation between him and Andretti could only have resulted in a serious injury to the very short Andretti facing up tothe giant Baker.
The final count of caution flags for this 1968 event was 11 for 60 laps. But the story of those cautions was a huge benefit for Cale Yarborough. On lap 14 the motor in the Mercury was skipping so badly, Cale was in the pits, hood up, as the Wood Brothers went to work. He returned to the track a lap down. Two laps after returning to the track, Cale again roared down pit road with ignition problems. Leonard Wood knew exactly what to do and accomplished the repair almost instantly but not without another lap lost. Without the aid of the caution flags, it is doubtful Cale could have been in a position to win. Cale was on second behind LeeRoy when the last caution flag waved. The field went green again on lap 179 of 200 Cale got trapped in traffic and LeeRoy absolutely disappeared, opening a 10 second lead with less than 20 laps to go. with 10 to go, Cale was 3.2 seconds back and charging as hard as the Mercury could run. With five to go, Cale was on LeeRoy's bumper. With three to go, Cale made his move and went to the point. From victory lane, Cale would say "I knew I could take him if the yellow didn't come out again. Our Mercury ran like a Gem. I knew once I got by him (LeeRoy), he could do no better than second". Cale had a one second lead at the checkers.
The average speed for the 500 miles was held down to 143.251 due to all the laps run under caution.
Finishing order:
1. Cale Yarborough, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $47,250.00
2. LeeRoy Yarbrough, Junior Johnson Mercury, winning $17,525.00 (1 sec back)
3. Bobby Allison, Bondy Long Ford, winning $10,150.00
4. Al Unser, Cotton Owens Dodge, winning $6,250.00
5. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $4,750.00 (1 lap down)
6. Paul Goldsmith
7. Darel Dieringer
8. Richard Petty
9. Tiny Lund
10. Andy Hampton
11. Buddy Arrington
12. A. J. Foyt
13. Bob Senneker
14. Clyde Lynn
15. Bill Seifert
16. Butch Hartman
17. Wendell Scott
18.Larry Manning
19. Henley Gray
20. Dave Marcis
21. Rod Eulenfield
22. Sam McQuagg
23. Charles Burnette
24. Frank Warren
25. Elmo Langley
26. Jabe Thomas
27. Jim Hurtubise
28. Don Biederman
29. Mario Andretti
30. Buddy Baker
31. John Sears
32. Charlie Glotzbach
33. Earl Brooks
34. Bill Champion
35. Dick Johnson
36. Bobby Isaac
37. Bobby Johns
38. Sonny Hutchins
39. Bob Cooper
40. Donnie Allison
41. Stan Meserve
42. Jerry Grant
43. Red Farmer
44. James Hylton
45. Dr. Don Tarr
46. PAUL LEWIS
47. Roy Tyner
48. Lil Bud Moore
49. H. B. Bailey
50. Dub Simpson
PERSONAL MEMORIES: The U. S. Navy had caused me to miss the 1967 Daytona 500 (Yesterday's History Minute) when I got snowed in and couldn't fly out of Norfolk, Virginia to Daytona. For the 1968 Daytona 500, the Navy had decided to allow me a winter time vacation in the Carribean. In fact, in late October, 1967, our ship, The U.S.S. Opportune (ARS-41), known as "Oppy" by the crew, was transferred from Little Creek in Virginia to San Juan, Puerto Rico for six months. When the 1968 Daytona 500 was being run, we were somewhere in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, headed for Colombia, South America. If there was an Armed Forces Radio Network available to hear the race, I certainly couldn't find it.
When we got to South America, I was tempted to call home and find out who won, but as our family had always considered a long distance call, even within the state of South Carolina, as an extravagance, there was no way I was going to call from South America. I checked out a South American Newspaper but first of all it was written in Spanish which I did not at that time read, nor even now do I read of speak Spanish. I tried to talk the radioman on the ship into checking stateside with someone on another ship to get the results but he was not up for violation of regulations for such a thing.
We were in Colombia for a week and mail finally caught up with us. In the main I received was a big brown envelope from my Mama so I knew it was stuffed with newspaper clipping. It was then I read of Cale's victory and saw the pictures of Richard trying to fix the vinyl roof. I had no idea why there was a vinyl roof on the car and nothing in the article explained it.
Oh well, that is all water under the bridge, as they say, or more accurately I suppose, water in the Gulf of Mexico. I served my time in the Navy and although it was nothing very special to me then, it has become a huge honor to be a Veteran, especially when my grandsons have need a "Veteran" for their school Veterans' Day Programs. My youngest grandson, Michael, really brags about his Pop, The Legend, but he never fails to go on to say "Pop's a Veteran". So, I guess, it was worth giving up the 1968 Daytona 500 to be so honored by the grandsons each November 11th.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Sad News in Daytona
Stock Car Racing History
What a story! Great post Dave. In Smokey Yunick's book he goes into detail about the Marshall Teague matter. Sad indeed.