Forum Activity for @tim-leeming

Racing History Minute - 1966 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

The 1966 race was special for me in that it was the first time that I actually drove down myself, with my younger brother Richard, my cousin Eddie, and one of our best friends (later part of my early racing crew) Tommy. Uncle Bobby had decided he didn't want to make the trip so the four of us got in my 1966 bright yellow Plymouth Satellite and headed south. We got to the track late Saturday and set up a little campsite right next to the fence exactly in the middle of turns three and four.

We really enjoyed the race but kept watching the clouds as they continued to threaten rain, which, as the stories in the papers point out, finally came with a few laps remaining and the race was called with two to go. We didn't even try to go to the pits or victory lane that day as we were wet, tired (not having gotten much, if any sleep that night) and decided to hit the road home. It was then that things got interesting.

My Daddy had let us use his Exxon credit card (Maybe Esso back then, that I don't remember). So, we had gas covered. It had never really occurred to us four teenagers that we would need money to eat. We had packed along a loaf of bread, a jar of mustard, some sliced cheese and some Cokes in a cooler. By Sunday afternoon that was all gone, including the two bags of potato chips.

It was sort of easy to get out of the traffic and head north which was really something for Daytona. Still, it was getting late and we could hear the stomachs rumbling in the Plymouth. We saw a sign along the highway for a hamburger place coming up (not sure but think it was McDonalds). I remember pulling in the parking lot and it was then that Tommy announces he had NO money. None. Eddie had a couple dollars and my younger brother had like 50 cents (not the rapper, but two quarters). Fortunately, I had like $3.00. It would be impossible, I think, to make a trip like that today with four people and end up heading home with $5.50 between four. Thankfully, with the prices being what they were at the hamburger place, we all had a hamburger and split 2 orders of fries among us. We still had Cokes left in the ice chest although the ice had melted and they were warm, at best. Thinking back on that race, it is amazing how simple things were then.Not sure whether or not it was because we were young and innocent, or because the world was a much more simple place back then.

We made it home safely and my Mama was happy to see us roll in at like 4:00 a.m. She was very happy that The King had won and that we were there to see it. So were we.

Eddie and Tommy are gone now, both passed away long ago. My brother Richard is retired and lives about 30 miles from me and is still a huge race fan. The King has retired and racing is nothing like it was. The $5.50 that fed four of us on a rainy Florida February night wouldn't get one hamburger these days. But, because there is racing, and because, MOST OF ALL because there are folks like those who hang out here, life is good. Thanks, Chase, for a wonderful History Minute.

The King speaks bluntly.......

Stock Car Racing History

Amen, Brother Russell.

The King speaks bluntly.......

Stock Car Racing History

Rant on Chase! Well said.

The King speaks bluntly.......

Stock Car Racing History

What Petty said actually made the NBC National news tonight. Brian Williams entitled it "trouble in the NASCAR family". I am assuming Richard just lost his garage pass for Daytona. Can't say anything negative about her. Ask Jeremy Clements about expressing a negative opinion about another driver, ESPECIALLY Sparkle Pony.

Daytona 500 - 1965

Stock Car Racing History

The 1965 racing season dawned with NASCAR having ruled the super powerful "Hemi" engines of the Chrysler Corporation as illegal. Chrysler brass asked for a boycott and such teams as Petty Engineering and Cotton Owens withdrew their entries. This left the fields wide open for Ford and Mercury to dominate the season as the General Motors teams were involved only slightly while publicly denying any support of racing whatsoever. So, it was no surprise that the Blue Oval folks were going to dominate the events in Daytona in February, 1965.

The 100 mile qualifying races drew only 12,000 fans which was a precursor for NASCAR as long as the Mopars were sidelined. The first event saw Darel Dieringer nip Ned Jarrett on the final turn when Darel forced Ned high and room ran out for Gentleman Ned. Afterwards Ned said he could have forced Darel down the track but he "doesn't race like that".

An interesting sidelight to this first 100 miler was the big Dodge Polara, with the outlawed Hemi (except in the bigger Polaras and Plymouth Furys)entered by Ray Fox with LeeRoy Yarbrough driving. In the qualifying race, LeeRoy struggled to a 12th place finish out of 21 cars. On Saturday before the 500, LeeRoy started the car for practice and loud popping noises were heard throughout the pits from under the hood of the big Dodge. Some thought it sabotage and others thought the engine problems were the result of actions by Chrysler Corporation to keep the Dodge out of the 500. Whatever the reason, LeeRoy did not start that car in the 500.

Ned Jarrett led the first 31 laps of the 40 lap event before Bobby Johns took over in another Ford. On lap 35, it was Dieringer putting his year old Bud Moore Mercury in front of Johns and Dieringer and Jarrett fought it out for the last lap win by Dieringer. Immediately the Ford brass were not happy because instead of the new Fords winning as planned, a year old Mercury took the win. Same company, just different offices in Dearborn. Of course, NASCAR billed the win by Darel as an "upset" to generate interest of the fans.

Top five finishers:

1. Darel Dieringer, Bud Moore Mercury

2. Ned Jarrett, Bondy Long Ford

3. Bobby Johns, Holman-Moody Ford

4. Larry Frank, Frank Ford (1964 model)

5. H. B. Baily, Baily Pontiac

The second 100 miler got off to a slam-bang start as 13 cars were involved in a terrifying crash. In turn four of the first lap, Rod Eulenfield, a rookie, lost control of the Ford he was driving dipped onto the apron of the track and then immediately shot back up on the track in front of the full speed pack. Eulenfield's car was hit by several others and began a series of horrifying flips before bursting into flames. Buck Baker was the only driver seriously injured enough to require transport to the hospital as he had some broken ribs. Baker was quick to point out there were a number of drivers with no super speedway experience, or very little, in Daytona to take advantage of the missing Mopar drivers and try to make the field. Tiger Tom Pistone was involved as was Cale Yarborough and Earl Brooks. But some of the others, such as Bill DeCoster, Pete Stewart and Jack Goodwin were not exactly well known NASCAR drivers.

The lead was swapped nine times between Fred Lorenzen and Junior Johnson but Earl Balmer slipped his Bud Moore Mercury into the lead for two laps midway in the race. Earl had been signed to drive the Mercury after Billy Wade had been killed in a Bud Moore Mercury while testing tires at Daytona on January 5th. Ford brass were happy with the outcome of the second 100 miler as the top five finishers were:

1. Junior Johnson, Johnson Ford

2. Fred Lorenzen, Holman-Moody Ford

3. Marvin Panch, Wood Brothers Ford

4. Donald Tucker, Don Snyder Ford (a 1963 model)

5. Sam McQuagg, Betty Lilly Ford

The 1965 Daytona 500 drew just over 58,000 fans and got underway under gray skies which promised to open up and dump rain on the Florida track before the race could run 500 miles. As it turned out, that happened and it may have been a very good thing for NASCAR. At theend of six laps, 14 cars were already behind the wall with mechanical failures of some type or another. It was noted that none of the drivers out by lap six were known for "starting and parking" although there were some questionable first time Daytona entries. From 32nd back, positions were paid $1,000.00 so there may be support for the start and park argument.

On lap 27, Junior Johnson, who stormed into the lead on the green flag and was pulling away from all competitors, blew a tire and crashed hard into the outside wall, scattering debris over a large area of the track. It required 14 laps of caution to clean up the mess of the demolished Ford and Johnson was transported to the infield care center to stitch a bad cut over his eye.

Marvin Panch, Fred Lorenzen and Bobby Johns shared times leading the race under the sullen skies before the rain began to fall and fall hard. Panch tried a pass on Lorenzen on the high side but Lorenzen didn't see him, claiming so much rain on the windshield it was impossible to see Panch's move, and Panch head to the pits for repairs. Panch did not blame Lorenzen for the accident which relegated Panch to a sixth place finish after the pit stop.

Finally, on lap 133, with the field literally sloshing through the puddles in heavy rain, NASCAR threw the red flag and the field was halted to wait out the rain. The rain never stopped and some 3 hours later, as night was falling, NASCAR declared the race official and Lorenzen as the winner. The average speed for the event was 141.539 and this was Freddie's 20th career win.

Fans left the track wet, disappointed at being cheated out of a great finish, and most of all discussing the attrition rate. More than one was heard to say that if the race had gone the entire 500 miles, there wouldn't have been ten cars left running. Ford Motor Company had, however, accomplished their goal of putting Fords or Mercurys in the top positions. In fact, the first non Ford Motor Company product to finish was 14th place J.T. Putney in a Herman Beam Chevrolet which was 8 laps behind the winning Ford of Lorenzen.

Finishing order:

1. Fred Lorenzen, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $27,100.00

2. Darel Dieringer, Bud Moore Mercury, winning $12,900.00 (1 lap down)

3. Bobby Johns, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $7,850.00 (1 lap down)

4. Earl Balmer, Bud Moore Mercury, winning $4,350.00 (1 lap down)

5. Ned Jarrett, Bondy Long Ford, winning $3,750.00 (1 lap down)

6. Marvin Panch

7. Dick Hutcherson

8. Sam McQuagg

9. Cale Yarborough

10. G.C. Spencer

11. Bobby Allison

12. H. B. Bailey

13. Doug Cooper

14. J. T. Putney

15.Donald Tucker

16. Jerry Grant

17. Neil Castles

18. Bob Derrington

19. Larry Hess

20. Wendell Scott

21. Elmo Langley

22. Don Tilley

23. Johnny Allen

24. Herb Shannon

25. Bub Stickler

26. Reb Wickersham

27. Bunkie Blackburn

28. Junior Johnson

29. Tiny Lund

30. Roy Mayne

31. Jack Anderson

32. Jim Bray

33. Jeff Hawkins

34. Ned Setzer

35. Barry Brooks

36. Red Farmer

37. Pete Stewart

38. Jimmy Helms

39. Tom Pistone

40.Buddy Baker

41. Larry Frank

42. Joe Penland

43. Robert Vaughn

PERSONAL MEMORIES: Being the huge Petty fan I was (and still am) I was totally ticked at Ford Motor Company and NASCAR for "outlawing" the Chrysler Hemi for the 1965 season. Richard boycotted so I did as well. In fact, until Richard came back near the end of the season when NASCAR's purse strings were screaming "we need fans", the only two races I attended were the events at Columbia Speedway. As I often joke, it was against the Cayce City Ordinance to start a race at Columbia Speedway without me in the infield.

I do recall that I listened to this race, in my bedroom alone. Uncle Bobby had no desire to listen to a "bunch of Fords" run the race. I also recall that listening to the race was a second diversion as I was actually reading a book at the time as I always enjoyed reading. Don't remember the book but I do remember it kept my attention away from the race that about the only incident I actually remember was all the talk about how bad the Junior Johnson crash had been.

I also recall the rain coming in and the red flag coming out. I remember saying to myself "serves them right" in reference to NASCAR not allowing the Hemi to run. I listened to a little bit of the post red flag chatter, which I must admit was much more entertaining and informative that such diatribe as you hear now on television in such situation. The race control returned "to your local stations" and I turned off the radio and went outside to see what I could get into. I did not know, until Monday morning when I read the newspaper, who had won the race.

Just the year before I had been in Daytona, full of excitement and absolutely overjoyed at Petty's win and the 1965 season got underway with a Ford sweep of a rain shortened Daytona 500. It was not going to be a good year for me OR the Pettys.

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

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

Racing History Minute - 1964 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

RacersReunion is so very fortunate to have TMC Chase both as a member and a contributor to the Forums Section. As Chase is the "ordained" Richard Petty fan and has detailed the Petty victories over the years, it was a "no brainer" to turn over the supposed "Captain'sChair" to him for the Petty Daytona Victories. As I promised Chase, I will add my personal memories to his posts.

As for the 1964 Daytona 500, Tom McCahill,in Popular Mechanix,predicted Petty's win in an article written a couple of months before the race. I was absolutely determined I would be at that race. My Uncle Bobby did not let me down. We left Friday, in that same 1963 Plymouth that had served us in 1963. We got there early Saturday morning and went directly back to the previous year's parking spot on the shores of Lake Lloyd. This time, there was a mound of dirt about 8 feet high next to where we parked, and for the top of that mound,you could see almost all the way around the track.

We watched the Modified-Sportsman race on Saturday which was won, I believe, by LeeRoy Yarbrough, but I'm not sure of that. All I do know is that it was another win for those ultra-aero dynamic early 50s Studebakers with whatever kind of souped up engine there may have been.

Sunday it was sunny,but it was cold and windy. I got on top of the dirt mound early because I didn't want anyone stealing my spot. My cousin brought me up the sandwich and coke for lunch but I stayed right there. It was cold, and it was windy, but I was going to be there to see my guy win the Daytona 500. As I recall, this is the only race on which I made a bet. Not just one bet,but a bet with every classmate in my senior class. If Richard had not won that race, I would have left the country. No choice on that.

I remember the first lap was led by Paul Goldsmith and as he came through the tri-oval, a huge cloud of paper (hot dog wrappers blown on the track) almost blinded the following cars and Richard was right behind him. Lap two Richard took over, but then Bobby Isaac took over. (that is from my memory as I am not referring to my reference source). Isaac led a few laps and then Richard went to the front in what looked like a totally effortless move by his car. The lead see-sawed back and forth in the early laps with the number 43 right in the mix. Richard eventually just took over and showed that Hemi power as he rode the high side of the track lap after lap.

To say that I was excited would be a mild understatement. I turned around and around on top of that dirt mound as I followed the blue 43 every laps. When he would make a pit stop,I could not see him but I would hold my breath until that blue streak flew out of the pits and back on the track.

Even as I write this today,50 years after the fact, I get a little emotional as I recall watching that last lap. I had been to enough races to see Richard lose in the last lap, or last few laps, to know anything could happen, as did in the qualifying race when he ran out of gas on the last lap. I watched #43 down the back straight into turn three and off the high side of turn four. No one was within a lap of him. I lost sight of him as he went behind the buildings over which I could not see and then a flash of Petty blue came back in sight heading into turn one. I jumped (so said my aunt Mary,5 feet in the air, dove off that mound and went running towards victory circle. I got to the fence there just as Richard was pulling in. I climbed up the fence,maybe 3 or 4 feet, and was hanging on to watch the festivities. I saw everything, but I tell you I can't remember anything specific except seeing those Petty Blue Boots when Richard got out of the car.

When festivities were over, they opened the gate and let us all into the pits, as was usual back then. I headed to the Petty pits and they were packing up. I walked across the pit road and there were Lee and Elizabeth Petty sitting on the tailgate of their Chrysler Station Wagon (I have a picture of that I will try to find and upload) and stopped to talk with them. I took that picture Chase posted of the trophy sitting on the hood of Richard's Imperial.

I waited around for what turned out to be a couple hours but seemed like a minute or two, until I got to see Richard after all the press interviews. We discussed his Petty Blue boots and he told me what dye he had used and I was determined to have those same boots. If I can find that picture of me racing bikes in those boots, I'll show you I got them too!!! But we won't even discuss the white pants and burgundy shirt that set off a stampede all over Columbia back in 1963 when Richard wore those to Columbia. lol

When I finally walked back into the infield, my Uncle, Aunt and cousin were somewhat upset with me as the infield was pretty well cleared out and I wasn't there to leave. But they got over it when I told them all I had done and that I had talked with Lee and with Richard. The trip back to Columbia seemed really short and I suppose that was because I slept most of the way back from exhaustion and exhileration.

Oh, and for all those bets, they were all for a "Coke". I didn't have to buy a coke at school for the rest of the school year and I had one every day. A lot of my classmates became Petty fans after that weekend. Great times to remember and it seems almost surreal that all those things happened 50 years ago and seem as though it was yesterday.

Richard and I are both old now, but as we shared memories at the Stocks for Tots this past December, one of the fans brought a picture of Richard in victory lane in the 1964 Daytona 500 for Richard to autograph. As I was sitting next to him, Richard turned the picture my way and asked "remember this?" As we nodded to each other and smiled, the young lady with the picture had this quizzical look on her face. She didn't know what Richard was talking about, but I did. Thanks for the memories!

Former NASCAR Competitors Don't Just Fade Away, They Build Championship Sports Car Teams

Stock Car Racing History

Great stories Dave. Deb is a great writer and I love to read her articles. I've been with her at several autograph sessions around Mooresville over the past couple years, either at Memory Lane or Stocks for Tots. She has talent and a great personality.

"Daytona Rising" = Rising Sun

Current NASCAR

I will reserve comment on this travesty. The Rules of Engagement prevent me for expressing a view on such a cheapening of the sport.

Racing History Minute - 1963 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

Thanks for the kind words Perry. Thanks even more for a great addition to the History Minute. Great to have you contribute. You ARE one great source for history and I appreciate you stepping in some additional information that I had no way to know. It was also very nice to have you as a part of the radio show last night. Stay safe and jump in anytime you want. You know the history of this great sport so well.

Racing History Minute - 1963 Daytona 500

Stock Car Racing History

Great video Chase! Funny I did not recall the first laps run under caution. What a great race that was. A couple years after this, Tiny was running out of Columbia in the number 55 and I would hang around that shop all the time. Tiny was a good friend and great guy. In later years Ann and I would become very close to Wanda Lund and we were devasted when she passed away a couple of years ago. Racing has its good memories and bad memories but I guess for me it is mostly the good things I remember.