@bobby-williamson16 years ago
This photo's from 1971. Ford had left the sport, completely, the previous year. Chrysler had trimmed it racing effort to two cars, both Petty prepared, and driven by Richard Petty and Buddy Baker. With the drastic cuts from Detroit, NASCAR, and its teams, found themselves on very shaky ground. But, the 1971 season would become one of incalculable importance.Bobby Allison's self-owned Dodge team would financially collapse. Allison had Coca-Cola sponsorship, and became Ralph Moody's chosen replacement for David Pearson in Holman-Moody Mercury Cyclones. The team would go on a tear, and would make the 'factory backed' Petty team earn their money.Junior Johnson, with his own Ford team sitting idle on jack stands, began discussions with RJ Reynolds. The reverberations of these discussions can still be felt today, and NASCAR racing began the metoric ride that would forever change it from a regional pastime to one of international significance.Richard Howard: With the factories gone, teams closing shop, and fan support and interest dwindling, launched one of the most ingenious promotional ideas in the history of american racing. Howard contracted the idle Junior Johnson to build and field a competitive CHEVROLET for that year's "World 600".The rest is history!
This photo's from 1971. Ford had left the sport, completely, the previous year. Chrysler had trimmed it racing effort to two cars, both Petty prepared, and driven by Richard Petty and Buddy Baker. With the drastic cuts from Detroit, NASCAR, and its teams, found themselves on very shaky ground. But, the 1971 season would become one of incalculable importance.Bobby Allison's self-owned Dodge team would financially collapse. Allison had Coca-Cola sponsorship, and became Ralph Moody's chosen replacement for David Pearson in Holman-Moody Mercury Cyclones. The team would go on a tear, and would make the 'factory backed' Petty team earn their money.Junior Johnson, with his own Ford team sitting idle on jack stands, began discussions with RJ Reynolds. The reverberations of these discussions can still be felt today, and NASCAR racing began the metoric ride that would forever change it from a regional pastime to one of international significance.Richard Howard: With the factories gone, teams closing shop, and fan support and interest dwindling, launched one of the most ingenious promotional ideas in the history of american racing. Howard contracted the idle Junior Johnson to build and field a competitive CHEVROLET for that year's "World 600".The rest is history!