1954 Wilkes County 160
Submitted by TMC Chase, 2016
April 4, 1954 North Wilkesboro Speedway Pole winner: Gober Sosebee Race winner: Dick Rathmann
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Coincidentally, Dick Rathmann’s brother – Jim Rathmann – won an Indy car race at Daytona five years later to the day on April 5, 1959. Actually, he won two races.
The first event was a 40-lap, 100-mile USAC Indy car race. George Amick had a horrific crash on the final lap of the race while trying to make pass into third place. He was tragically killed – the second death at Daytona’s new facility in about 2 months.
The second headline event was scheduled to be a 40-lap, 100-mile USAC-FIAFormula Libra race (whatever that is). Because of the length of time needed to clean up and make track repairs after Amick’s wreck in the first race, the second one was cut to 20 laps and 50 miles.
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