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Racing History Minute -1972 Winston Western 500

Stock Car Racing History

The 500 mile race kicking off the 1972 season lost its "Motor Trend 500" title and became the "Winston-Western 500" after R. J. Reynolds came in the year before to re-brand the sport. The track was 2.62 miles of narrow, twisting, up and down hill race track as usual, but the weather on race day was questional as to whether or not the race could finish the distance.

A. J. Foyt started on the pole after a qualifying speed of 110.003 mph, but Bobby Allison was the fastest qualifier with a speed of 110.212 mph. A.J. was driving a Wood Brothers '71 Mercury while Bobby was driving a Richard Howard owned '72 Chevrolet. Richard Petty would start second, Mark Donahue in a Roger Penske Matador would start third, Ray Elder, winner the previous year would start his Dodge fourth and Dick Bown would roll off fifth in a Don Ober Plymouth.

Foyt led the first two laps and then Petty took over for 2 laps. Foyt got around Petty and led 2 more laps before a hard charging Bobby Allison blew by in that Chevy and was setting sail to lead from lap 7 to 73. Foyt took over on lap 74 but stayed in front only 3 laps before Allison took over the front spot again. This time Allison would lead, easily, through lap 110before yielding the spot to Petty. Richard stayed out front for 6 laps before Allison put the Chevy in front on lap 118 and stayed there for 2 laps before Petty went back to the front.

On lap139 of the scheduled 191 lap race, NASCAR notified the pit crews that the checkered and red flags would be waved together on lap 149 as a very thick fog was rolling in and would soon make visibily on the track impossible. It was about that same time that Allison's Chevy began to experience problems in the drive train and he began to fall back from the lead. A. J. Foyt, who along with Petty and Allison had dominated the lead, fell out when his Wood Brothers Mercury developed transmission problems on lap 107.

Mark Donohue who was driving that American Motors Matador from the Penske Stable had dogged the three hotshoes for the first 14 laps of the race before a broken suspension piece sidelined that effort.

This race was the introduction of the STP brand to the Petty Enterprises effort. This sponsorship would continue for years, becoming the longest sponsor-driver association in the sport. TMC Chase should be able to contribute the story of how the sponsorship deal was worked out asw that is quite an interesting story in itself.

After the race, in his Victory Lane interview, Richard stated "The three of us (Allison, Foyt, and Petty) all ran the same speed but Allison and Foyt had trouble with their cars and I didn't and I wound up winning". This was the 141st win for Richard Petty in the Grand National Division of NASCAR.

Finishing order:

1. Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises Plymouth, winning $18,170.00

2. Bobby Allison, Richard Howard Chevrolet, winning $10,720.00 (6l.5 secs back)

3. Bobby Isaac, K&K Insurance Dodge, winning $7,845.00 (3 laps down)

4. Ray Elder, Fred Elder Dodge, winning $4,945.00 (3 laps down)

5. Hershel McGriff, Beryle Jackson Plymouth, winning $3,250.00 (4 laps down)

6. Kevin Terris

7. James Hylton

8. Elmo Langley

9. Friday Hassler

10. Cecil Gordon

11. John Soares, Jr.

12. Carl Joiner

13. Dick Bown

14. Walter Ballard

15. Raymond Williams

16. Don Noel

17. Charlie Roberts

18. J. D. McDuffie

19. Johnny Anderson

20. Ivan Baldwin

21. Henley Gray

22. Jerry Oliver

23. Dick Kranzler

24. Larry Esau

25. Frank James

26. David Pearson

27. Ed Negre

28. A. J. Foyt

29. Frank Warren

30. Jim Danielson

31. David Ray Boggs

32. Chuck Bown

33. Paul Dority

34. Ron Keselowski

35. Ron Gautsche

36 Jack McCoy

37. Neil Castles

38. Joe Frasson

39. Mark Donohue

40.Benny Parsons

PERSONAL NOTE: I vividly recall it was only 4 or 5 days before the Riverside race when the deal between Petty and STP was announced. I knew about STP but I never expected what the deal with Petty would become. My first look at the combo colors of STP and Petty Blue didnot sit well with me as I totally loved those entire Petty Blue cars. But by mid-season, I not only accepted the change but applauded it, I began to collect the STP stickers that were showing up every where and was twice given a case of them by Petty employees and I literally had STP stickers displayed on everything. Not only that, but I used STP in everything with an engine. Guess you could say the marketing effort with STP and Petty was paying off in at least one household. Actually, as history shows, it was many households across the country.

I still love seeing those STP red-Petty Blue cars at the Petty Museum and wherever else they may appear. The Lair is full of diecast models in that paint scheme. Oh the great memories!

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

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

Racing History Minute - 1971 Motor Trend 500 - Riverside Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

The 1971 NASCAR Grand National Season got underway at Riverside, California on January 10, 1971. Richard Petty would win the pole in his 1970 Plymouth with a speed of 107.084 mph but the fastest qualifier honors would go to David Pearson in a Holman-Moody Ford at 109.015 mph but the Ford would only last 25 laps before the engine exploded relegating Pearson to a 35th place finish. Second place starter was Bobby Allison in his own Dodge, Ray Elder, in his own Dodge would start third, Bobby Isaac in the K&K Insurance Dodge fourth and James Hylton in his Hylton Engineering Ford would roll off fifth. Fastest qualified, Pearson, would start 16th and that is important to know as you will see as we get into the lap leaders.

Petty led the first three circuits around the 2.62 mile road course before Bobby Allison moved in front for one lap. Then, on lap 5, Pearson, proving his quick qualifying run was no fluke, took over the number one spot and was pulling away when the engine let go on lap 25. Petty went back out front on lap 26 and would remain the leader until lap 83 when Ray Elder, a 28 year old farmer from California and a part time racer, moved into the lead from lap 84 to lap 106. Bobby Allison took over on lap 107 and held the advantage until lap 120 when the excited Elder raced his independant Dodge back to the front. From lap 136 until the race ended on lap 191, Bobby Allison and Ray Elder took turns exchanging the lead between them. With 12 laps remaining, the unknown Elder slammed his Dodge around Allison and was handling the Dodge through the twisting turns on a mission to win his first NASCAR Grand National race. A crowd of 23,000, much reduced from previous years, watched the virtually unknown kid move away from Allison to establish a 10.5 second lead to take the checkers going away.

In his post race interview, an incredulous Elder could hardly contain himself. He said, in Victory Lane "I can't believe this. Only thing is I owe most of this money to the bank". It should be noted that Elder was the ONLY one of the cars to run among the leaders who chose Firestone tires over Goodyear. The average speed for the 500 miles was 100.783 mph.

It should also be noted that this was the FIRST race run as a NASCAR Winston Cup event. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company became the title sponsor of the series in a long time association that would prove beneficial to NASCAR as well as R. J. Reynolds. The red and white of R.J. Reynolds became the dominant colors at all NASCAR tracks for a long, long time.

Finishing order:

1. Ray Elder, Elder Dodge, winning $18,715.00

2. Bobby Allison, Allison Dodge, winning $9,215.00 (10.5 seconds down)

3. Benny Parsons, L.G. DeWitt Ford, winning $6,390.00 (2 laps down)

4. Bobby Isaac, K&K Dodge, winning $4,540.00 (2 laps down) relief by Pearson

5. James Hylton, Hylton Engineering Ford, winning $2,915.00 (6 laps down)

6. Friday Hassler

7. Kevin Terris

8. Carl Joiner

9. Henley Gray

10. Cecil Gordon

11. G. T. Tallis

12. Hershel McGriff

13. Bob England

14. Dick Kranzler

15. J. D. McDuffie

16. Dick Bown

17. Elmo Langley

18. Jack McCoy

19. Ron Gautsche

20. Richard Petty

21. John Soares, Jr.

22. Frank James

23. Ron Grable

24. Dick Gulstrand

25. Jimmy Insolo

26. Bill Champion

27. Robert Kaug

28. Paul Dorrity

29. Jerry Oliver

30. Frank Warren

31. Mike Kittlekow

32. Ron Johnstone

33. Don Noel

34. Glenn Francis

35. David Pearson

36. Joe Clark

37. Harry Shilling

38. Roy Collins

39. Ivan Baldwin

40. Pat Fay

PERSONAL NOTE: The involvement of Winston in NASCAR racing was the catalyst that began to move the sport to true national attention. Winston promoted not only the Grand National events in the beginning but also supported the local short tracks in many areas of the country. Unfortunately, and this is my opinion, at some point all the concentration moved to Cup events and the local short tracks lost that support. It was also at that point the Winston started the moved to get the Grand National events off the short tracks, the dirt tracks, and the local tracks so many of us who hang out here grew up with. Whether a good thing or not, we all have our personal opinions, but I believe the Winston Cup era was of major importance to the sport.

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

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

ANOTHER NAME YOU MAY RECOGNIZE MAKING THE CLIMB

Current NASCAR

Great anticipation to see where his career leads. May God watch over his every move.

Racing History Minute - 1970 Motor Trend 500 - Riverside Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

Race number ONE of the 1970 season was the Motor Trend 500 contested on the reconfigured road course at Riverside. The previously 2.7 mile track requiring 186 laps to make up 500 miles was now 2.62 miles and would require 193 laps to get the job done. Dan Gurney (remember him) this time driving a Petty Engineering Plymouth Superbird rather than a Wood Brothers entry, won the pole with a speed of 112.060 while David Pearson in the Holman-Moody Ford would start second. Third place starter was A.J. Foyt in a Jack Bowsher Ford, fourth place Bobby Allison in a Mario Rossi Dodge and fifth place LeeRoy Yarbrough in a Junior Johnson Ford. Fastest qualifier was actually Parnelli Jones at 113.310 mph in Wood Brothers Mercury. The situation with Jones was that he, being a Firestone Tire Dealer had brought in some special tires on which to qualify, tires the other competitors could not get. AFTER qualifying, NASCAR determined the tires were not generally available to all competitors so Parnelli was forced to start at the rear of the field.

It would seem that the ruling against Jones only served to inspire a charge to the front like Riverside had not before seen. By lap 43 he was leading the race and was pulling away until his clutch failed on lap 168 putting him out of the race.

Pearson led the first 25 laps before Ford led one and then it was Petty for 2 laps. Pearson, Yarbrough, Foyt and Jones swapped the lead back and forth until Donnie Allison slipped in to lead laps from 45 to 64 before giving way to Foyt. Pearson, Yarbrough, and Jones traded the lead back and forth until Jones went in front on lap 111 and was flying away from the field. On lap 168, the Jones Mercury lost the clutch and he was out. With Jones sitting behind the wall, A.J. Foyt went to the front and the rest of the race was his. Finally, he must have thought, he had won at Riverside.

There were two very severe crashes in the race. Buddy Young, a first time starter and driving for L. G. DeWitt, flipped end over end just past the start finish line after Dick Brooks had coated the track with oil after blowing an engine. Young suffered a concussion and internal injuries in the accident.

On lap 94, veteran driver Jim Cook, a 48 year old Nowalk, California driver, tried to avoid a pile up and hit the concrete wall head on. His Ford was bent double and the transmission was thrown a hundred yards from the wrecked car. Jim was airlifted to the hospital with multiple head injuries and both arms and legs broken.

A crowd of 43,200 saw A.J. Foyt earn his third NASCAR victory and his first since 1965. He average 97.450 mph for the race.

FINISHING ORDER:

1. A. J. Foyt, Jack Bowsher Ford, winning $19,700.00

2. Roger McCluskey, Norm Nelson Plymouth, winning $9,000.00(3.5 second back)

3. LeeRoy Yarbrough, Junior Johnson Ford, winning $6,275.00

4. Donnie Allison, Banjo Matthews Ford, winning $4,475.00 (3 laps back)

5. Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises Plymouth, winning $3,000.00 (7 laps back)

6. Dan Gurney, Petty Enterprises Plymouth

7. Neil Castles

8. Friday Hassler

9. Jerry Oliver

10. Dick Gulstrand

11. Parnelli Jones

12. Kevin Terris

13.Bobby Allison

14. Dave Marcis

15. Sam Rose

16. Dave Alonzo

17. David Pearson

18. Dick Kranzler

19. Paul Dorrity

20. Joe Frasson

21. Frank James

22. Dick Bown

23. Randy Dodd

24. Ray Elder

25. Jimmy Insolo

26. Jim Cook

27. Steven Froines

28. Sam Posey

29. Bobby Isaac

30. Jack McCoy

31. G. T. Tallis

32. Les Loeser

33. Dick Brooks

34. Buddy Young

35. James Hylton

36. Elmo Langley

37. Carl Joiner

38. Don Noel

39. Don White

40. Lothar Motschenbacher

41. Frank Dieny

42. Scotty Cain

43. Bob England

43. Frank Warren

PERSONAL NOTE: I could not believe that I was actually pulling for Dan Gurney in this race after all the times I had cursed him (to the best of my young gentleman vocabularly at the time) for always winning. But this time he was driving for Petty.

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

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

Racing History Minute - 1969 Motor Trend 500 - Riverside Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

You had better believe it Dave. You should have heard some of the conversations between Richard and me. Funny now, and probably funny to him then, but weren't to me.

Racing History Minute - 1969 Motor Trend 500 - Riverside Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

After two consecutive Sundays of torrentials rains in Southern California, where the old song tells us it "never rains", the third race of the 1969 season got underway on the 2.7 mile road course at Riverside California. A. J. Foyt won the pole with a speed of 110.323 mph in a Jack Bowsher Ford. LeeRoy Yarbrough in Junior Johnson's Ford would start second, Dan Gurney in a Wood Brothers Mercury third, Richard Petty in his first outing in a Petty Ford was fourth, and David Pearson in a Holman-Moody Ford would start fifth. Al Unser, in a Dodge starting sixth was the first non-Ford Motor Company vehicle to line up.

A.J. Foyt led the first 27 laps before LeeRoy Yarbrough slipped in to lead one lap. On lap 29, Mario Andrette managed to take over the first spot and he held it untill lap 32 when A. J. Foyt once more returned to the number one position. LeeRoy went back in front on lap 51 for six laps before Foyt took over once more. Petty moved his blue Ford out front for the first time on lap 78 but would give up that lead on lap 82 as Yarbrough moved back out front. On lap 89, Petty would take over and lead the remaining laps until the checkered flag fell on lap 186. The race ended with an average speed of 105.498 mph. assisted by the lack of any full course caution flag, and for the first time the race was run in less than 5 hours as Petty completed the 500 miles in 4 hours, 45 minutes and 37 seconds.

Although Richard Petty had already won 92 times in his career but he admittedly had problems on road courses. After the race he said he didn't have much expereience on road courses because "I can't stay on one long enough" to get the expereience. He did, in fact, spin off the track twice during his run to victory before 46,300 fans who make the trek to Riverside for the third Sunday in a row.

David Pearson sought, and received, relief from Parnelli Jones, a previous winner of the event, and was credited with third place in the final rundown. Five time race winner, Dan Gurney, who started third in this event, spun and backed his car into hay bales in turn nine. He would later depart the race as his engine failed on lap 66. Cale Yarborough's mount developed mechanical problems on lap 81 and was done for the day and LeeRoy blew an engine with five laps to go but still managed to achieve a sixth place finish. Only 14 of the 44 starters were around at the finish of the race.

Finishing order:

1. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Ford, winning $19,650.00

2. A. J. Foyt, Jack Bowsher Ford, winning $10,200.00 (25 seconds behind)

3. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $6,775.00 (2 laps down)

4. Al Unser, Robbins Electric Dodge, winning $3,825.00 (3 laps down)

5. James Hylton, Hylton Engineering Dodge, winning $2,450.00 (9 laps down)

6. Lee Roy Yarbrough

7. Ray Elder

8. Scotty Cain

9. John Sears

10. Harold Hardesty

11. Ray Johnstone

12. Dick Bown

13. Neil Castles

14.Henley Gray

15. Bobby Allison

16. Randy Dodd

17. Marvin Sjolin

18. Mario Andretti

19.Elmo Langley

20. Paul Dorrity

21. Dr. Don Tarr

22. Roger McCluskey

23. Wendell Parnell

24. Cale Yarborough

25. Frank Burnett

26. Dan Gurney

27. Sam Rose, Jr.

28. Robert Link

29. J. D. McDuffie

30 Cliff Garner

31. Jerry Oliver

32. Ralph Arnold

33. Don White

34. Mary Kinert

35. Jack McCoy

36. Robert Hale

37. Parnelli Jones

38.Bobby Isaac

39. Guy Jones

40. David James

41. Joe Frasson

42. Jim Cooke

43. Johnny Steele

44. Bob England

PERSONAL NOTE: My distain for the "Petty Ford" is well documented so I won't rehash that note, but to Dave Fulton, I do have, on the wall right here in The Lair, one of the Racing Champions 1/64 Scale diecast of the Petty Ford. Back in those days, most fans, as you know, were VERY brand loyal, as I was to Plymouth. I had spent all those previous years pulling for Richard believing every other make, except the Dodges and Chryslers, were the enemies and I wasn't even too sure about the Dodges and Chryslers!

As most regular readers of these History Minutes know, I do NOT usually report on a Petty victory as TMC Chase handles the Petty wins very, very well. However, as I have dedicated January to the history of the Riverside Race, I decided to continue in the chronological order of the events knowing that Chase will have a great addition to this post from his extensive Petty data bank.

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

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

"Bell & Bell Vintage Modified Racing Series®" IN The House Next Week!!

Vintage Oval and Road Course Racing

Looking forward to the show next Tuesday, as always.

Racing History Minute - 1968 Motor Trend 500 - Riverside Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

Andy, I think you are correct on every count. I think the season was timed for introduction of the new models which really doesn't matter much anymore because it's hard to tell the current model from last year or even 5 years ago.

I'm not sure about John Nemechek's accident but I do have a vague recollection that his death involved severe head trauma.

I'm very happy that you added a comment to this post. Racing history is very important to me and when you jump in and add to what's been posted, it makes it all the better.

Racing History Minute - 1968 Motor Trend 500 - Riverside Raceway

Stock Car Racing History

The first race of the 1968 season was won by Bobby Allison on the half mile track known as Middle Georgia Raceway. The second race of the season was won by Richard Petty at the Montgomery Speedway in Montgomery, Alabama. Both races were run in November , 1967, as NASCAR started a season in November back in those days. The third race of the season brought the cars and drivers back to the twisting 2.7 mile road course in Riverside, California, where the previous races had all be won by Dan Gurney with the Parnelli Jones win of 1967 being the only exception

Forty-four cars showed up to race. Dan Gurney in a Wood Brothers Ford captured the pole with David Pearson putting the Holman-Moody Ford in second starting spot. Third place went to Parnelli Jones in what is listed as a "Bill Stroppe Ford". Stroppe was famous for his involvement with the Mercury Brand so this is somewhat of a surprise. Some sources indicate that the Wood Brothers prepared a car for Stroppe to use for his drivers in the Riverside events, thus the Ford blue oval instead of the Mercury wings. Richard Petty would start fourth in a 1967 Plymouth and LeeRoy Yarbrough started Junior Johnson's Ford in fifth.

Parnelli Jones led the first 24 laps before Gurney got around him to lead two laps. Mario Andretti, who had started 8th in a Holman-Moody Ford, took over on lap 27 but only stayed in front through lap 29 before David Pearson took over. Pearson led 2 laps and then it was Parnelli Jones out front again. On lap 44, a three way battle between Gurney, Pearson, and Jones kept the fans on their feet as the lead was traded every lap or two through lap 160 when Dan Gurney would take over and lead to the checkers. Gurney managed to win the race in spite of an extraordinarily long pit when a tire bled on lap 145 and Gurney limped into the pits to the attention of his Wood Brothers crew. While changing the tire, Glen Wood noticed parts of the blown tire wrapped around the rear axle and it took the crew 1 minute and 52 seconds to remove the tire pieces from the axle. Dan returned to the track more than 1 minute behind the leader Parnelli Jones and began to immediately cut into Jones' lead. This was Gurney's 12th overall NASCAR Grand National race and he had won FIVE times. Impressive.

A. J. Foyt, who seemed to be snake-bitten by the twisting Riverside track, blew an engine even before completing the first lap so although he had started in sixth place, he would be relegated to 43rd position with NO laps completed. Richard Petty was running in sixth place with 15 laps to go when his Plymouth blew the engine and Petty slammed into the turn six wall ending his day. Richard was uninjured. Jerry Grant, driving a Plymouth, spun his car on lap 72 and appeared to be simply a spin that ended in a car stuck in the sand. Grant, a giant of a man, was preparing to exit t he car to examine the situation and Vallie Englauf slammed into the stalled Plymouth. Grant was transported to a local hospital complaining of severe back pain.

Bobby Allison, who finished 4th in a Bondy Long Ford, left California with a 16 point lead over Richard Petty in the Grand National Standings. As odd as it may seem, in as much as Joe Weatherly was killed at Riverside in 1964 when his head hit the wall because he didn't wear a should belt, this 1968 race was the first race where several of the entries used a screen over the drivers' window to prevent such a happening again. The cars so equipped were the Ford cars as the idea of the screen was devised by Charlie Gray of Ford Special Vehicles Department. Here again, a forward look begs the question as to why the nets weren't mandatory until shorty after Richard Petty's horrific crash at Darlington in 1970. Slow movement by the sanctioning body on a definite positive safety move.

Finishing Order:

1. Dan Gurney, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $21,250.00

2. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $9,600.00

3. Parnelli Jones, Bill Stroppe Ford, winning $5,600.00

4. Bobby Allison, Bondy Long Ford, winning $3,250.00 (1 lap down)

5. Cale Yarborough, Wood Brothers Ford, winning $2,225.00 (2 laps down)

6. Al Unser

7. Bobby Isaac

8. Dave James

9, Scotty Cain

10. Richard Petty

11. Jim Cook

12. Henley Gray

13. Clyde Lynn

14.Clyde Pickett

15. Jack McCoy

16. Guy Jones

17. Frank Burnett

18. Sam Rose

19.Don White

20.Norm Nelson

21. Ed Brown

22. Jerry Grant

23. Darel Dieringer

24.Harold Hardesty

25.Buddy Baker

26. Frank Jones

27. Mario Andretti

28. Jerry Oliver

29. Vallie Engelauf

30. Ray Elder

31. Johnny Steele

32. Don Noel

33. Paul Dorrity

34. James Hylton

35. Roy Tyner

36. Bill Small

37. LeeRoy Yarbrough

38.Bob Link

39. Jerry Titus

40. Bo Reeder

41. Carl Joiner

42. John Sears

43. A. J. Foyt

44. Joe Clark

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

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

Meet Danny - Zeus / RacersReunion Radio "Official" Studio Dog

-RacersReunion® RADIO

How well does he get along with Ruby? Also, are you planning on taking "laziness lessons" from him?