Fantastic post Will. Thanks for bringing back the memory of attending one of those races myself. Seems to me like it was in Atlanta but I can't be sure of that. As Chase stated, I do recall the very thick and black smoke from those rigs when the flag dropped. Great post!
Race number 41 of NASCAR's third season of the Strickly Stock, by now known as Grand National racing, was run on this date in 1951 on the .75 mile dirt track known as Lakeview Speedway in Mobile, Alabama. As is the situation with many of the early races, there is not much information as to qualifying, lap leaders, attendance or caution flags. However, for this event, we do know that Frank Mundy in Perry Smith's Studebaker captured the pole with a speed of 61.113 miles per hour. As for lap leaders, that is not an issue for this event as Frank Mundy led all 150 laps and won going away. The National Championship belonged to Herb Thomas after the race although he had fallen out on lap 40 when the rear end in the Leonard Trippett Hudson he was driving failed. Even so, Thomas beat out Fonty Flock for the title althought Flock finished fourth in Mobile.
Bob Flock flipped his Oldsmobile early in the race and was treated for injuries at the track. Leaving before the race was over, Bob drove himself to Pensacola, Florida and checked himself into a hospital. Upon examination, the doctors determined that Bob had broken several ribs. Doctors did what they could for the ribs and when Bob returned 8 days later for a follow up examination, doctors discovered he had broken his neck as well. Doctors were stating that Bob would not be able to race at all in the 1952 season.
Perry Smith, who owned the Studebaker driven by Mundy, was a well known and popular car owner who was also known for his willingness to help anyone at any time. Less than 2 weeks after this race, Perry was flying an invalid woman, her nurse and another passenger to Chicago in his private plane. It was necessary for theinvalid women to be in Chicago, but the plane went down near Greensburg, Indiana, killing the 83 year old women and the others aboard the plane. It was indeed a sad day for many people when the news spread of Smith's crash.
Finishing order:
1. Frank Mundy, Perry Smith Studebaker, winning $1,000.00
2. Tim Flock, Mobile Motors Hudson, winning $700.00
3. Red Duvall, Hammond Motors Packard, winning $450.00
4. Fonty Flock, Augusta Speed Shop Oldsmobile, winning $350.00
5. Don Oldenberg, Hammond Motors Packard, winning $200.00
6. Buddy Shuman
7. Gober Sosebee
8. Ed Samples
9. Jimmie Lewallen
10. Sonny Black
11. Lucky Mays
12. Bill Miller
13. Bud Erb
14. Hank Lee
15. Ted Tedrow
16. Lee Petty
17. Gene Tapia
18. Lewis Luther
19. Billy Carden
20. Bob Flock
21. Herb Thomas
22. Jack Smith
Top five in Championship standings for the season.
1. Herb Thomas, starts 33, wins 7, total earnings $21,025.00
2. Fonty Flock, starts 33, wins 8, total earnings $15,535.00
3. Tim Flock, starts 33, wins 7, total earnings $15,165.00
4. Lee Petty, starts 31, wins 1, total earnings $7,340.00
5. Frank Mundy, starts 24, wins 3, total earnings $7,095.00
Honorthe past, embrace the present, dream for the future
We are caught in one of those time warps where we return to Ontario Motor Speedway several times as it was the only race run at points in racing history. What we have had so far from that track has been some really interesting stories as well as excellent photos contributed by members. So, today, we are going back to 1974.
The race known as "The Los Angles Times 500" was race number 30 for the 1974 season. The 2.5 mile track would draw 40 entries to qualify. Richard Petty qualified his Dodge on the pole with a speed of 149.940 mph. The Ontario track was much like Indy in that the banking in the turns was very low, almost flat, thus no Daytona or Talladega like speeds for California. A. J. Foyt put the Hoss Ellington Chevy in second starting spot, David Pearson in the Wood Brothers Mercury was third, Bobby Allison in the Penske Matador fourth and Buddy Baker in the Bud Moore Ford was fifth.
Some 43,448 fans witnessed the lead change almost every lap between Allison, Foyt, Pearson, Yarborough, and Petty. There were, in fact, some36 "official lead changes", meaning a different lead crossed the line in first place. This lead changing occurred in 200 laps of racing.
Richard Petty was in the thick of the lead battle with 12 laps to go when the engine in the blue and red Dodge exploded. He would be credited with 15th place but he was the Champion for 1974. Earl Ross was named Rookie of the year at the race but he was concerned that he would not be returning to NASCAR in 1975 because his sponsor, Carling Brewing Company, was withdrawing sponsorship.
After the race, in a routine inspection, the rapid Matador was found to have illegal valvesprings!NASCAR issued a fine of $9,100.00 to Bobby Allison/Roger Penske but allowed Allison to keep the win. Second place finisher, David Pearson, had plenty to say about that. The following is the quote of what Pearsonexpressed afterwards. Read it and think about how things are handled these days and see if you agree not much has changed in NASCAR's selective enforcement of elusive rules.
Quoting David now: "There is no consistency in anything NASCAR does. Last year at Charlotte two cars were cheating and they didn't fine either one of them. They singled out Bobby for this one. I've got no bones to pick with Allison, but the fact remains, it should have been disqualified. That's the way the rules ought to be written. Bobby's car was pronouncedlegal before the race, but its illegal afterwards. Sounds like incompetence to me".
Well, folks, what do you think. Remember, David was saying this in 1974. Does any of it sound familiar to you from current day racing news?
Bobby Allison only said that he shows up with his helmet to drive the car and he had no idea what was under the hood so he knows nothing about the alleged infractions by his team.
Allison did finish 48 seconds ahead of Pearson, mainly for the fact that David had cut down a tire three different times and was always playing catch-up. A.J. Foyt blew the engine in his Ellington Chevy but coasted across the finish line to claim 4th place.
Finishing order:
1. Bobby Allison, Penske Matador, winning $15,125.00
2. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $9,925.00
3. Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson Chevy, winning $10,125.00
4. A. J. Foyt, Hoss Ellington Chevrolet, winning $5,725.00 (1 lap down)
5. Buddy Baker, Bud Moore Ford, winning $6,825.00 (3 laps down)
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Ramo Stott
8. Earl Ross
9. Richie Panch
10, J. D. McDuffie
11.David Sisco
12. Richard Childress
13. Bruce Hill
14. James Hylton
15. Richard Petty
16.Walter Ballard
17.Dave Marcis
18. Don Reynolds
19,Jimmy Insolo
20. Chuck Wahl
21. Frank Warren
22. Glen Francis
23. Ed Negre
24. D. K. Ulrich
25. Jackie Rogers
26.Sonny Easley
27. Don Hill
28.Bill Osborne
29. Cecil Gordon
30. Earl Canavan
31. Walt Price
32. George Follmer
33. Jack McCoy
34. Harry Jefferson
35. Benny Parsons
36. Ray Elder
37.Hugh Pearson
38.John Martin
39.Chuck Bown
40.Carl Adams
The top five in the season points were:
1. Richard Petty, starts 30, wins 10, seasonearnings $432,019.10
2. Cale Yarborough, starts 30, wins 10, season earnings $363,781.10
3.David Pearson, starts 19, wins 7, season earnings $252,818.92
4. Bobby Allison, starts 27, wins 2, season earnings $178,436.90
5.. Benny Parson, starts 30, wins 0, season earnings $185,079.82
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
Thank you, Zachariah, for jumping in this discussion. Jack was an absolutely wonderful man and I will miss our daily e-mail exhanges. Jack Walker, Dave Fulton and Bobby Willliamson should be able to provide you with any information you need about the #37. God bless you and the family.
I was checking the site before turning in for the night and saw this. My heart is broken. Jack had sent me an e-mail about his upcoming surgery and asked for prayers. I wrote him back and said I would be praying, which I did. I had just sent an e-mail this morning to him hoping to hear he was doing well. I am devastated by this news.
Let me tell you a little about Jack that I know about personally. When we started Team SC Midlands, as a part of RacersReunion (which is still active by the way), we were wanting to get a banner made to use at events when we set up a tent. I checked prices around here and what we wanted ran between $300 to $450.00. I don't recall exactly how Jack got involved but he asked that we send him an e-mail with an attachment of what we wanted. Devin did that. Just a few days later I got a call from Jack saying the banner was on the way to me. I asked what we owed him as we had not discussed that. It was my understanding he was going to look at what we sent him and quote us a price. A couple days later the banner arrived. It was everything we had envisioned and more. It was an absolutely fantastic job. I called Jack and asked him how much so we could send the check. He said it was his contribution to what we were doing. I did send him a check for the shipping charges but that check was never cashed.
Now, going further, I found out long after the fact that Jack had to contract out to get our emblem on the banner as he did not have that capability. He never told us that so not only had he contributed his talents to our banner but had also paid someone to put the emblem on it.
Later that same year, 2010 I think, I was at Occoneechee for the Celebration of the Automobile and this guy walks up and says to me "it's great to meet the Legend face-to-face finally". I didn't even have to ask. I knew it was Jack from having talked with him on the phone. That afternoon we spent probably two hours talking and the subject was mostly about racing. What a great time we had.
We have truly lost a great member of our racing family. I will miss Jack and the daily e-mails he always sent to me. Not a day went by that I didn't hear from him, many times just forwarded e-mails he thought were funny, and he was most always right. But he also added little notes to many of them. Most of all,I will miss the opportunity to have more great conversations with Jack.
I just took the TSCM banner out of the "tube" in which it was shipped, which remains in The Lair at all times, and rolled it out on the floor. Looking at all the effort that went into that banner reflects the effort Jack put into life and his friends. Rest in peace my friend. I will miss you so much.
On November 9, 1975, Buddy Baker had won the "Dixie 500" literally racing on a damp track in the dark. The race had been halted at 301 laps because of rain but rather than call the race with 27 laps remaining, NASCAR decided to "dry" the track and allow them to race to the flag. When the checkers fell, it was in darkness. Not headlights "needed" darkness, but headlights "required" by most State laws. I was at the race and I can tell you it was dark!
So, why do I bring up that race on today's History Minute? Because, after winning that race, Buddy assumed his season was over as he was not scheduled to drive at Ontario so he packed up and went fishing. Six days before the race on the "left coast" car owner, Bud Moore, got in touch with Buddy and told him to pack his bags and head west. Seems the new sponsor of Moore's team for the 1976 season, Norris Industries, wanted Buddy in the California race. So, as the Bud Moore hauler headed out with the number 15 Ford aboard, Buddy packed up and flew to Ontario, California.
Buddy would qualify second to David Pearson. Pearson snagged the pole at a speed of 153.525 mph. Dave Marcis would start the K&K Dodge in third, Bobby Allison in Roger Penske's Matador fourth and A. J. Foyt in Hoss Ellington's Chevrolet fifth.
David Pearson led the first two laps before giving way to the hard charging Baker. The 2.5 mile track suit Baker's lead foot and he was loaded for bear and ready to return to his fishing trip. Richard Petty slipped by Baker to lead lap 15 but Baker went right back by The King on the next circuit. The lead would change hands every few laps between Baker, Pearson, Petty, Marcis, and Bobby Allison. On lap 132 Cale Yarborough was able to lead a lap but otherwise, it was the five combatants preparing to settle the race.
There was one caution flag for 9 laps when Richie Panch crashed on lap 22 and collected west coast driver Don Puskarich in the process. The already crowned 1975 Champion, Richard Petty, departed when his engine expired on lap 168. A. J. Foyt blew an engine in his Hoss Ellington Chevy with 16 laps to go while running with the leaders. Benny Parsons, who had started the season by winning the Daytona 500, departed on lap 31 when the ignition went out on his Chevy.
A crowd of 50,106 fans watched Baker win at an average speed of 140.712, winning by 29.4 seconds over Pearson. The old adage regarding Buddy was always that if his car didn't give up on those big tracks, that big right foot would take him to the front. Such was the day in Ontario. The pace was so demanding that only 14 of the 40 starters were running at the finish.
Finishing order:
1. Buddy Baker, Bud Moore Ford, winning $35,300.00
2. David Pearson, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $14,300.00
3. Dave Marcis, K&K Insurance Dodge, winning $12,000.00
4. Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson Chevrolet, winning $8,825.00 (1 lap down)
5. Bobby Allison, Penske Matador, winning $4,925.00 (1 lap down)
6. Lennie Pond
7. Jimmy Insolo
8. Dick Brooks
9. James Hylton
10. Richard Childress
11. Don Hall
12. David Cisco
13. D. K. Ulrich
14. A. J. Foyt
15. Don Hoffman
16. Richard Petty
17. Frank Warren
18. Hugh Pearson
19. Cecil Gordon
20. Walter Ballard
21. J. D. McDuffie
22. Elmo Langley
23. Tom Williams
24. John Kleper
25. Ray Elder
26. Bruce Hill
27. Jim Boyd
28. Clark Adams
29. Roy Smith
30. John Martin
31. Hershel McGriffw
32.Jim Thurkettle
33. Bill Schmidt
34. Benny Parsons
35. Chuck Wahl
36. Richie Panch
37. Don Puskarich
38. Chuck Bown
39.Sonny Easley
40. Ed Negre
This race was number 30 and the final race of the 1975 season. Season standings for the top five:
1. Richard Petty, starts 30, wins 13, $481,750.00 total winnings
2. Dave Marcis, starts 30, wins 1, $240,645.40 total winnings
3. James Hylton, starts 30, wins 0, $113,641.85 total winnings
4. Benny Parsons, starts 30, wins 1 (Daytona 500) $214,353.32 total winnings
5. Richard Childress, starts 30, wins 0, $96,779.78
PERSONAL NOTE: As I worked on this piece today I couldn't help but think of those independent drivers, without much financial backing, who traveled the circuit not merely as "field-fillers" but as competitors trying their best with what they had. There were a number of those guys who towed to California for this race, including D.K. Ulrich, Ed Negre, James Hylton and Walter Ballard. It was, however, the 19th place finisher, Cecil Gordon, catching my special attention this morning.
I had many "adventures" over the years with Cecil, some of which I have recorded in different posts here on the site. What hit me this morning was the "adventure" I had with Cecil a couple of years ago at the "Stocks for Tots" event in Mooresville. Cecil and I were seated side-by-side at the autograph table and we chatted about all the years we both had around racing. The crowd started coming through and he and I were talking to the fans and signing autographs, having a really great time. Suddenly, I sensed something was going on with Cecil. I looked to my right and he was holding a "hero card" of one of his cars from back in the 70s. The young guy handing him the card said his Daddy had that card for all these years and it remained hanging on the wall in his Dad's garage (you could see the holes where the thumbtacks held it in place). The young man, maybe in his late 20s, said his Dad has suffered a stroke and he wanted to bring the card down to have Cecil autograph it for him.
Cecil got the Dad's name and wrote a very special note on the back of the card and then autographed it to the gentleman personally on the front. When the young man had moved on, Cecil said to me "I can't believe someone would hold on to one of my cards all these years". I assured Cecil that the young man, and the Dad, were just like me. EVERY driver, whether we pulled for them or not, was a hero to us. I saw Cecil's name on the finishing order and immediately went to that moment in Mooresville. Cecil Gordon and all those independent, under financed drivers are as much of what made this sport as the Pettys, Bakers, Pearsons, and Yarboroughs. What a fantastic legacy all those folks left for us to pass on to anyone who will listen.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
The 48th, and final race, of the 1970 season was contested on this date on the.395 mile asphalt track known as Langley Field Speedway in Hampton, Virginia. The race, billed as the "Tidewater 300" drew 30 entries. Bobby Isaac had already claimed the crown as National Champion the race before in Rockingham, NC.
Benny Parsons claimed the first pole of his career, qualifying his L. G. DeWitt Ford at a speed of 78.329 mph. Bobby Isaac, the Champ, in the K&K Insurance Dodge would start second, Bill Dennis in Junie Donlavey Mercury started third, Bobby Allison in his own Dodge fourth and James Hylton in his own Ford fifth.
Some 3,200 fans watched Benny Parsons lead the first 34 laps before giving way to Bobby Allison who would lead laps 35 through 189. On lap 190 it was Parsons out front again where he stayed until lap 201 before Allison took over the front spot again, this time to remain there until the checkered flag flew. It was Allison's third win of the season. The average speed of the race was 69.584 mph slowed by only 2 cautions for 10 laps total.
Bobby finished second in the season standings, 51 points behind Isaac. It is interesting that Bobby had missed the March race in Richmond because he "didn't have a short track car" at the time. Had Bobby finished 25th or better at Richmond, with his finishes the remainder of the year, he would have won the Championship by fewer than 5 points. Bobby graciously accepted his loss of the title but it ate at him inside what could have been.
Finishing order:
1. Bobby Allison, Allison Dodge, winning $1,635.00
2. Benny Parsons, L.G. Dewitt Ford, winnint $1,100.00 (100 yards behind winner)
3. Pete Hamilton, Dick Brooks Plymouth, winning $600.00 ( 1 lap down)
4. John Sears, Sears Dodge, winning $400.00 (2 laps down)
5. James Hylton, Hylton Engineering Ford, winning $$365.00 ( 3 laps down)
6. Neil Castles
7. Elmo Langley
8. J. D. McDuffie
9. Frank Warren
10.Jabe Thomas
11. Friday Hassler
12. Bill Champion
13. Joe Frasson
14.Jim Vandiver
15. Henley Gray
16. Bill Shirey
17.Rodney Bruce
18. Bill Hollar
19, Wendell Scott
20. Dave Marcis
21. Joe Phipps
22. Jimmy Crawford
23. Bobby Isaac
24. Cecil Gordon
25. Ben Arnold
26. Roy Tyner
27. Bill Dennis
28. Larry Baumel
29. Dr. Don Tarr
30. Dick May
Top five in the season Championship standings:
1. Bobby Isaac, starts 47, wins 11, total earnings $199,600.00
2. Bobby Allison, starts 46, wins 3, total earnings $149,745.00
3. James Hylton,starts 47, wins 1, total earnings $78,201.00
4. Richard Petty, starts 40, wins 18, total earnings $151,124.00
5. Neil Castles, starts 47, wins 0, total earnings $49,746.00
PERSONAL NOTE: When I was in the Navy in the late sixties, I attended several of the weekly races at Langley Field Speedway. Seems the track was really fast and the competition was always good. I did go to a couple of Grand National races there, 1967 and 1968and when those come around in the History Minute I'll give you some personal memories from those. I introduced a lot of my shipmates to stock car racing back then, most all of them from up North somewhere, even one of the Gambino kids. Lol, if I had only thought to explore the friendship with the Gambino kid more I may have had top flight sponsorship in the big time!
One final comment here. It was 50 years ago this day that America changed when President Kennedy was killed in Dallas. Like very one else who was 3 years old or older at the time, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I was sitting at the table by the window in the Library at Eau Claire High School during a study hall. I was reading the Boys Life magazine that had just come in when class mate Jimmy Hinnant came up and whispered "did you hear what happened to President Kennedy?". There were so many Kennedy jokes going around then I was waiting for the punch line when the school intercom cracked. Our principal, Mr. Hafner, for whom the school was to throw a surprise birthday party in the gym at 3:00 had the oddest sound in his voice as he announced the President was dead. He went on to say that school was dismissed for the day and we were to all head for home.
I remember going to my locker to get my books and heading out to the bus stop. I had to wait about 30 minutes for the bus to arrive as my bus was driving by Mr. Lever who had to come across town to pick us up. The bus ride home, about 8 miles, was quiet except for whispered conversations between teenagers who could not comprehend that someone could kill our President. The school bus stopped in front of the house and I got off and walked up the steps. I opened the door and my Mom was sitting on the couch watching the black and white tv and my two younger brothers were sitting on the floor playing a game, having no interest in the news of the day which would turn out to be the day of the century for our country.
Daddy got in from work about 5:30 and for one of the rare time sin my family back then, the television was left on during supper.Not much was said at the table as Mama and Daddy were listening to the continuing details of what happened. Still, being a high school senior, I could not quite still understand how that had happened in America.
All of Saturday I was outside doing things, even though it was cold, because I thought I had heard all I could stand and had seen the video over and over of what had happened. Sunday morning, as always, the family went to church. We walked in the door and Daddy turned on the television to see what was going on. About that time, they were bringing Lee Harvey Oswald out between two deputies. I sat on the floor to watch while the rest of the family went to change clothes. Daddy came back in the room about the time Jack Ruby shot Oswald. I remember calling everyone and they all came running back in.
At that point of my life I think I had seen cowboy movies and war movies where the "fake shooting" of someone was a point of action but always that person wouldbe starring in the next movie or another television show. I guess my two younger brothers believed that was what happened before them and that Oswald would reappear at some point. I think, again, I was shocked to see someone actually shot and killed right in front me on the television screen.
We did, of course, watch everything television had to offer through the funeral and I remember the cadence of those drums as the caisson carrying the President's body rolled through the streets. Although I don't think I realized it then, America would be forever changed. Odd as it seemed, perhaps the events of that day in Dallas only served to make my love for racing stronger as it seemed my heroes in racing offered the best of what America had to offer , as corny as that may sound. I didn't want to immerse myself in a society that would kill a President but rather immerse myself in a society where we shared a love of racing.
Just one final note to this day 50 years ago. The boy who told me about Kennedy being shot, Jimmy Hinnant, joined the Marines after high school while I joined the Navy. We saw each other only a couple times after graduation even through we were good friends. Jimmy became a Marine fighter pilot and one day his jet disappeared and has never been found. Sort of like the innocence my country lost in Dallas and has not been able to find again.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
Definitely a good picture!!!!
Awesome post Cody!!!! Man, we are really making this site a history reference source for the ages. How wonderful for future fans to find such historically significant posts. Thanks!
Twice postponed, the "Wilkes 400" was finally run on this date in 1971. The North Wilkesboro, NC track is/was a .625 mile asphalt track located in the Brushy Mountains of North Carolina. It would be a cool a breezy fall day for the running of what was called a "mixed" race. The "mixed" indicated that both the full size Grand National Cars, and the Grand American cars, which consisted of Camaros, Mustangs and Firebirds, would run together. Although the Grand American cars were lighter and smaller, and believed to have an advantage on the short tracks, those teams were required to use narrower tires and were only allowed three crewmembers over the wall on a pit stop. The only times the smaller cars could run with the bigger brothers were on tracks one mile or smaller, although Big Bill had allowed them to run the first Talladega race when several of the teams pulled out.
The Wilkes 400 would take the green flag with Charlie Glotzbach on the pole in a fi;; size Richard Howard Chevrolet. Second place starter was Richard Petty in a full size Plymouth with third place going to Bobby Allison in a full-size Ford. Fourth place would be Richard Brown in a full size Chevy. Fifth place was Dave Marcis in a full size Dodge. The highest qualifying Grand American entry was Tiny Lund, starting sixth in a Ronnie Hopkins Camaro.
Charlie Glotzbach led the first 41 laps before yielding to Bobby Allison for six laps. Then it was Richard Petty's turn out front where he would remain until lap 74. Lap 75 went to Bobby Allison and then Tiny Lund put the Camaro out front for lap 76. Allison went back to the point on Lap 77 and held on until lap 79 when Richard Petty pushed his Plymouth back into number one position and would start to pull away.
The swift blue Plymouth broke a valve spring around lap 350 while holding a 2 lap lead and began to slow. On lap 360, with 40 to go, Glotzbach caught the ailing Plymouth and took over the first place. Charlie had only to look in his mirror to see a hard charging Tiny Lund, who had been four laps down at one point, pushing that Camaro to the front in a fantastic run. With FIVE laps to go, Tiny shoved that number 55 Camaro out front and took the checkered flag with a 6 second advantage.
Brushing off the criticism of his win by some who claimed the smaller Camaro had a distinct advantage, Tiny reveled in the victory. Junior Johnson, team manager for the Richard Howard Chevy driven by Glotzbach said after the race that a piece of the rear end suspension had broken with 10 to go and if there had been two or three more laps to run, Charlie would probably have lost the right rear wheel. The average speed for the race was 96.174, slowed by 3 caution flags for 19 laps. There were 9,500 fans on hand to witness the exciting finish.
Finishing Order:
1. Tiny Lund, Ronnie Hopkins Camaro, winning $3,875.00
2. Charlie Glotzbach, Richard Howard Chevrolet, winning $3.525.00
3. Richard Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $1,650.00
4. Dave Marcis, Marcis Dodge, winning $1,175.00 (2 laps down)
5. Benny Parsons, L.G. DeWitt Ford, winning $1,000.00 (6 laps down)
6. Buck Baker (Firebird)
7. James Hylton
8. Frank Sessoms (Camaro)
9. Cecil Gordon
10. Elmo Langley
11. Bill Champion
12. Neil Castles
13. Walter Ballard
14. Joe Dean Huss (Camaro)
15. J. D. McDuffie
16. Ed Negre
17. Wendell Scott
18. John Sears
19. Jabe Thomas
21. Bob Williams (Camaro)
22. Frank Warren
23. Jimmy Vaughn (Mustang)
24. Bill Dennis
25. Raymond Williams
26. Bill Seifert
27. Randy Hutchison (Camaro)
28.Eddie Yarboro
29.Earle Canavan
30. Richard Brown
31. James Cox
PERSONAL NOTE: Bobby Allison won a race in a Mustang at Bowman Gray Stadium which NASCAR has NOT recognized in his overall win count although Lund received credit for Cup wins twice in the Camaro. At one point, NASCAR reversed itself and gave Bobby the win in the record book. Then they reversed again and took it away. The point here is that by allowing Bobby the win at Bowman-Gray, Bobby would be ONE victory ahead of that D.W. guy. It is my understanding, from more than one source, that D.W. was the force behind NASCAR taking the win back. Of course, as with everything else in NASCAR, youcan't prove it. But in my book, and the books of many fans, Bobby Allison should be credited with one more win.
As for Tiny Lund, I watched him race so many times on the short tracks, many weekly events at Columbia Speedway, that I can remember the solid determination on his face every time he got behind the wheel of a race car. I was NOT at Wilkesboro in 1971, but I would bet that determination was engraved in that face as he saw his chance to chase down Glotzbach and Petty and win that race. And, knowing Tiny, it is not likely that anyone enjoyed that win, or any win, more. Rest in peace, Tiny, you sure left a lot of good memories in this only heart and mind of me.
Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future
