Stock Car Racing History, NASCAR, and Other Problems in American Racing History

Here is an example of what actually took place at a race during the 1964 season, Augusta in November 1963 in this example, as compared to what is found at 1964-02 Augusta:

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1964 Grand National Race Number 2 / Augusta Augusta 510 / 17 November 1963 Augusta International Raceway / Augusta, Georgia 139 laps of 3.0-mile road course for distance of 417.0 miles Attendance: 14-15,000 Purse: $50,620 Qualifying was spread over four days, three days – Wednesday through Friday – being devoted to time trials and then a qualifying race on Saturday. Wednesday Qualifying / 13 November 1963 Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Notes & Information 1st 88.545 mph Fred Lorenzen 1963 Ford Galaxie LaFayette Ford 2nd 87.84 mph Fireball Roberts 1963 Ford Galaxie 3rd 87.15 mph Marvin Panch 1963 Ford Galaxie 4th 86.17 mph David Pearson 1963 Dodge Polara 5th 84.96 mph Darel Dieringer 1963 Mercury Marauder 6th 83.74 mph Ned Jarrett 1963 Ford Galaxie 7th 83.44 mph Billy Wade 1963 Dodge Polara 8th 67.33 mph Joe Weatherly 1963 Mercury Marauder Qualified by Larry Frank Thursday Qualifying / 14 November 1963 Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Notes & Information 9th 88.75 mph Richard Petty 1963 Plymouth Savoy 10th 88.51 mph Junior Johnson 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS 11th 86.73 mph Dave MacDonald 1963 Ford Galaxie 12th 86.71 mph Jack Smith 1963 Plymouth 13th 85.00 mph Rex White 1963 Mercury Marauder 14th 82.45 mph Graham Shaw 1961 Ford Galaxie 15th 85.03 mph Larry Thomas 1962 Dodge Dart Friday Qualifying / 15 November 1963 Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Notes & Information 16th 90.00 mph Buck Baker 1963 Plymouth Savoy 17th 81.81 mph Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 18th 83.07 mph Frank Warren 1961 Pontiac Catalina 19th 81.21 mph Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder Qualifying Race / 16 November 1963 10 laps of 3.0-mile road course for distance of 30.0 miles On Saturday, a ten-lap qualifying race was held for those not qualifying during the first three sessions. Qualifying Results Driver Make Notes & Information 20th 1st Bobby Johns 1963 Pontiac Catalina 10 laps 21st 2nd Jim Pardue 1963 Pontiac Catalina 22nd 3rd Cale Yarborough 1963 Ford Galaxie 23rd 4th Larry Frank 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 24th 5th Buddy Baker 1963 Pontiac Catalina 25th 6th G.C. Spencer 1962 Pontiac Catalina 26th 7th Doug Cooper 1962 Pontiac Catalina 27th 8th Roy Tyner 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 28th 9th Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 29th 10th Neil ‘Soapy’ Castles 1962 Chrysler 300H 30th 11th Jake Penland 1961 Pontiac Catalina 31st 12th Jim Brey 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 32nd 13th Weldon Adams 1962 Plymouth Savoy 33rd 14th Elmo Henderson 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air Qualifying Driver Make Notes & Information 34th Tiny Lund 1963 Ford Galaxie Did not qualify; Promoter’s option 35th Ed Livingston 1962 Ford Galaxie Did not qualify; Promoter’s option 36th Johnny Allen 1963 Ford Galaxie Did not qualify; Promoter’s option Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes & Information 1st Fireball Roberts 22 John Holman, Holman Moody 1963 Ford Galaxie 139 $13,190 2,500 4 hr 49 min 51 sec, 86.32 mph 2nd Dave MacDonald 29 Banjo Matthews, Holman Moody 1963 Ford Galaxie 138 $6,745 2,400 3rd Billy Wade 5 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1963 Dodge Polara 137 $3,730 2,300 4th Joe Weatherly 26 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1963 Mercury Marauder 137 $2,650 2,200 5th Ned Jarrett 11 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1963 Ford Galaxie 132 $1,675 2,100 6th Jimmy Pardue 2 Cliff Stewart 1963 Pontiac Catalina 132 $1,800 2,000 7th Larry Thomas 36 Wade Younts 1962 Dodge Dart 130 $1,250 1,900 8th Curtis Crider 62 Curtis Crider 1963 Ford Galaxie 129 $1,100 1,800 9th Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1963 Ford Galaxie 128 $1,220 1,700 Transmission 10th Buddy Baker 87 Buck Baker 1963 Pontiac Catalina 127 $1,050 1,600 11th Graham Shaw 12 Graham Shaw 1961 Ford Galaxie 126 $900 1,500 12th Tiny Lund 32 Dave Kent 1963 Ford Galaxie 125 $800 1,400 13th Frank Warren 80 1961 Pontiac Catalina 125 $625 1,300 14th Jack Anderson 20 Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 120 $775 1,200 15th Cale Yarborough 19 Herman Beam 1963 Ford Galaxie 119 $650 1,100 16th Doug Cooper 02 Bob Cooper 1962 Pontiac Catalina 117 $575 1,000 17th David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1963 Dodge Polara 115 $670 900 Engine 18th Wendell Scott 34 Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 115 $525 800 19th Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1963 Plymouth Savoy 94 $820 700 Transmission – pinion gear 20th Johnny Allen 92 1963 Ford Galaxie 66 $700 600 Engine 21st Junior Johnson 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS 52 $620 500 Transmission 22nd Neil Castles 86 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300H 47 $525 400 Clutch 23rd Larry Frank 30 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 37 $575 300 Engine 24th G.C. Spencer 70 Paul Clayton 1962 Pontiac Catalina 33 $525 200 Engine 25th Roy Tyner 9 Roy Tyner 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 25 $525 100 Transmission – rear end gears 26th Rex White 4 Louis Clements 1963 Mercury Marauder 17 $575 100 Engine 27th Darel Dieringer 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1963 Mercury Marauder 14 $525 100 Engine – valve lifter 28th Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody, Holman Moody 1963 Ford Galaxie 12 $625 100 Engine – piston 29th Buck Baker 42 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1963 Plymouth Savoy 12 $575 100 Engine 30th Jim Bray 156 Nick Rampling 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 7 $525 100 Transmission 31st Elmo Henderson 03 G.C. Spencer 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 6 $525 100 Engine – oil pressure 32nd Jack Smith 47 Archie Smith 1963 Plymouth Savoy 4 $525 100 Engine 33rd Joe Penland 05 Possum Jones 1961 Pontiac Catalina 4 $525 100 Engine – oil pressure 34th Ed Livingston 56 Ed Livingston 1962 Ford Galaxie 3 $575 100 Engine 35th Bobby Johns 7 Shorty Johns 1963 Pontiac Catalina 2 $900 100 Crash 36th Weldon Adams 23 Leland Colvin 1962 Plymouth Savoy 2 $525 100 Distributor Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Lap Prizes Laps 1 thru 3 Fireball Roberts Laps 4 thru 22 David Pearson 19 laps $95 Laps 23 thru 27 Junior Johnson Lap 28 Richard Petty Laps 29 thru 35 Junior Johnson Laps 36 thru 48 Richard Petty Laps 49 thru 51 Junior Johnson 15 laps $75 Laps 52 thru 93 Richard Petty 56 laps $280 Laps 94 thru 128 Marvin Panch 35 laps $175 Laps 129 thru 139 Fireball Roberts 14 laps $470

* Greg Fielden, The Superspeedway Boom, 1959-1964, pp. 241-241; Southern Motorsports Journal, 21 November 1963, p. 3.

The February Daytona GN Events Part 1

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Daytona Speedweeks 1964 Grand National Race Number 6 / Daytona 1964 Grand National Race Number 7 / Daytona 1964 Grand National Race Number 8 / Daytona Pole Position Qualifying / 8 February 1964 Daytona International Speedway / Daytona Beach, Florida Average of two laps of 2.5-mile speedway for distance of 5.0 miles Qualifying Speed Driver No. Car Owner Make Notes & Information 1st, 174.910 mph Paul Goldsmith 25 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Plymouth Belvedere Fastest individual lap, 175.029 mph 2nd 174.418 mph Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 3rd 171.696 mph Junior Johnson 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 4th 171.804 mph Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 5th 170.583 mph David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 6th 169.029 mph Parnelli Jones 15 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 7th 168.586 mph Darel Dieringer 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 8th 167.426 mph Bobby Isaac 26 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 9th 167.068 mph Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 10th 166.604 mph Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 11th 164.604 mph Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 12th 164.113 mph Jim McElreath 14 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 13th 163.013 mph Tiny Lund 32 Graham Shaw 1964 Ford Galaxie 14th 162.206 mph Bobby Marshman 06 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 15th 160.313 mph Jo Schlesser 77 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie Pole Qualifying Day Race No. 1 / 8 February 1964 Daytona International Speedway / Daytona Beach, Florida 20 laps of 2.5-mile speedway for distance of 50.0 miles After the qualifying session for the pole position and the other front row starting position, the cars were split into two groups for the trophy dash races. Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Information 1st 174.910 mph Paul Goldsmith 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 2nd 171.696 mph Junior Johnson 1964 Dodge Polara 3rd 170.583 mph David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara 4th 168.586 mph Darel Dieringer 1964 Mercury Marauder 5th 167.068 mph Marvin Panch 1964 Ford Galaxie 6th 164.604 mph Ned Jarrett 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th 163.013 mph Tiny Lund 1964 Ford Galaxie 8th Did not qualify Fireball Roberts 1964 Ford Galaxie Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Notes & Information 1st Paul Goldsmith 25 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 20 laps, 17 min 39 sec, 170.490 mph 2nd Junior Johnson 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 3rd David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 4th Marvin Panch 21 Lee Ray Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 5th Darel Dieringer 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 6th Tiny Lund 32 Graham Shaw 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th Fireball Roberts 22 John Holman, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 8th Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie Fastest Lap: 174.351 mph on lap 2 by Paul Goldsmith Pole Qualifying Day Race No. 2 / 8 February 1964 Daytona International Speedway / Daytona Beach, Florida 20 laps of 2.5-mile speedway for distance of 50.0 miles Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Information 1st 174.418 mph Richard Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere Lee Petty Engineering Company 2nd 171.804 mph Jimmy Pardue 1964 Plymouth Belvedere Burton-Robinson Racing Team 3rd 169.029 mph Parnelli Jones 1964 Mercury Marauder Bill Stroppe & Associates 4th 167.426 mph Bobby Isaac 1964 Dodge Polara Ray Nichels Engineering 5th 166.604 mph Fred Lorenzen 1964 Ford Galaxie Holman Moody 6th 162.206 mph Bobby Marshman 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th 160.313 mph Jo Schlesser 1964 Ford Galaxie Bowani Inc. Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Notes & Information 1st Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 20 laps, 17 min 27 sec, 171.919 mph 2nd Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 3rd Bobby Isaac 26 Ray Nichels 1964 Dodge Polara 4th Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 5th Parnelli Jones 15 Bill Stroppe 1964 Mercury Marauder 6th Bobby Marshman 06 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th Jo Schlesser 77 Bondy Long 1964 Ford Galaxie Fastest lap: 173.644 mph on lap 2 by Richard Petty 1964 Grand National Race Number 6 / Daytona 500 Qualifying Race No. 1 / 21 February 1964 Daytona International Speedway / Daytona Beach, Florida 40 laps of 2.5-mile speedway for distance of 100.0 miles Attendance: 17,500 Purse: $5,075 Start Speed Driver Make Notes & Information 1st 174.910 mph Paul Goldsmith 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 2nd 171.696 mph Junior Johnson 1964 Dodge Polara 3rd 170.583 mph David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara 4th 168.586 mph Darel Dieringer 1964 Mercury Marauder 5th 167.068 mph Marvin Panch 1964 Ford Galaxie 6th 164.604 mph Ned Jarrett 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th 163.013 mph Tiny Lund 1964 Ford Galaxie 8th Fireball Roberts 1964 Ford Galaxie 9th Buck Baker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 10th Billy Wade 1964 Mercury Marauder 11th Johnny Rutherford 1964 Mercury Marauder 12th Dave MacDonald 1964 Mercury Marauder 13th Bobby Johns 1964 Pontiac Catalina 14th Bucky Boutwell 1963 Ford Galaxie 15th Ronnie Chumley 1963 Pontiac Catalina 16th Doug Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie 17th Roy Gemberling 1963 Plymouth Savoy 18th Bob Cooper 1962 Pontiac Catalina 19th Joe Clark 1964 Ford Galaxie 20th Jim Bray 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 21st Larry Thomas 1963 Plymouth Savoy 22nd Elmo Henderson 1963 Pontiac Catalina 23rd Reb Wickersham 1964 Dodge Polara Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes & Information 1st Junior Johnson 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 40 $1,100 400 35 min 08 sec, 170.777 mph 2nd Buck Baker 41 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 40 $600 384 3rd David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 40 $400 368 4th Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 40 $300 352 5th Darel Dieringer 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 40 $300 336 6th Tiny Lund 32 Graham Shaw 1964 Ford Galaxie 40 $250 320 7th Fireball Roberts 22 John Holman, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 40 $225 304 8th Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 40 $200 288 9th Dave MacDonald 17 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 40 $150 272 10th Billy Wade 1 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 39 $150 256 11th Bobby Johns 7 Shorty Johns 1964 Pontiac Catalina 39 $150 240 12th Larry Thomas 27 Wade Younts 1963 Plymouth Savoy 38 $125 224 13th Ronnie Chumley 04 H.B. Bailey 1963 Pontiac Catalina 38 $125 208 14th Smokey Boutwell 84 Rocky Hinton 1963 Ford Galaxie 37 $100 192 15th Doug Cooper 60 Bob Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie 37 $100 176 16th Roy Gemberling 71 Roscoe Sanders 1963 Plymouth Savoy 34 $100 160 Engine – overheating 17th Paul Goldsmith 25 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 28 $100 144 Engine 18th Johnny Rutherford 01 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 17 $100 FIA Engine 19th Elmo Henderson 70 Paul Clayton 1963 Pontiac Catalina 4 $100 128 Engine – oil pressure 20th Reb Wickersham 95 Ken Spikes 1964 Dodge Polara 3 $100 112 Engine – valves 21st Bob Cooper 61 Bob Cooper 1962 Pontiac Catalina 2 $100 96 Engine – head gasket 22nd Joe Clark 97 Al McCline 1964 Ford Galaxie 2 $100 80 Handling 23rd Jim Bray 56 Nick Rampling 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 2 $100 64 Handling Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Laps 1 thru 7 Paul Goldsmith Laps 8 thru 21 Buck Baker Lap 22 Paul Goldsmith 18 laps Laps 23 thru 39 Buck Baker 21 laps Lap 40 Junior Johnson 1 lap

The February Daytona GN Events Part 2

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1964 Grand National Race Number 7 / Daytona 500 Qualifying Race No. 2 / 21 February 1964 Daytona International Speedway / Daytona Beach, Florida 40 laps of 2.5-mile speedway for distance of 100.0 miles Attendance: 17,500 Purse: $5,075 Start Speed Driver Make Notes & Information 1st 174.418 mph Richard Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 2nd 171.804 mph Jimmy Pardue 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 3rd 169.029 mph Parnelli Jones 1964 Mercury Marauder 4th 167.426 mph Bobby Isaac 1964 Dodge Polara 5th 166.604 mph Fred Lorenzen 1964 Ford Galaxie 6th 162.206 mph Bobby Marshman 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th 160.313 mph Jo Schlesser 1964 Ford Galaxie 8th Jim McElreath 1964 Mercury Marauder 9th Jim Paschal 1964 Dodge Polara 10th Dan Gurney 1964 Ford Galaxie 11th A.J. Foyt 1964 Ford Galaxie 12th Larry Frank 1964 Ford Galaxie 13th Cale Yarborough 1964 Ford Galaxie 14th Sal Tovella 1964 Ford Galaxie 15th G.C. Spencer 1963 Pontiac Catalina 16th Ralph Earnhardt 1963 Ford Galaxie 17th Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 18th Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 19th Bill McMahan 1963 Pontiac Catalina 20th Jim Cook 1963 Ford Galaxie 21st Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 22nd Neil “Soapy” Castles 1962 Chrysler 300H 23rd LeeRoy Yarbrough 1964 Plymouth Belvedere Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes & Information 1st Bobby Isaac 26 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 40 $1,100 400 35 min 20 sec, 169.811 mph 2nd Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 40 $600 384 3rd Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 40 $400 368 4th A.J. Foyt 00 Banjo Matthews 1964 Ford Galaxie 40 $300 FIA 5th Jim Paschal 5 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 40 $300 352 6th Parnelli Jones 15 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 40 $250 FIA 7th Larry Frank 29 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 40 $225 336 8th Bobby Marshman 06 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 39 $200 FIA 9th Joe Schlesser 77 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 39 $150 FIA 10th Dan Gurney 12 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 39 $150 FIA 11th Cale Yarborough 19 Herman Beam 1964 Ford Galaxie 38 $150 320 12th Sal Tovella 09 Herb Onash 1964 Ford Galaxie 38 $125 304 13th Jim McElreath 14 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 37 $125 FIA 14th Ralph Earnhardt 31 Tom Spell 1963 Ford Galaxie 36 $100 288 15th Curtis Crider 62 Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 36 $100 272 16th G.C. Spencer 2 Cliff Stewart 1963 Pontiac Catalina 32 $100 256 Fuel 17th Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 31 $100 240 Tire 18th Jack Anderson 92 Ray Osborne 1963 Ford Galaxie 10 $100 224 Engine – overheating 19th Neil Castles 86 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 4 $100 208 Engine – plugs 20th Wendell Scott 34 Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 $100 192 Handling 21st LeeRoy Yarbrough 89 David Walker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 3 $100 176 Engine – oil leak 22nd Bill McMahan 82 Casper Hensley 1963 Pontiac Catalina 3 $100 160 Bearing 23rd Jim Cook 20 Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 3 $100 144 Vibration Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Laps 1 thru 39 Richard Petty 39 Lap 40 Bobby Isaac 1

The February Daytona GN Events Part 3

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1964 Grand National Race Number 8 / Daytona 500 / 23 February 1964 Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida 200 laps of 2.5-mile speedway for distance of 500.0 miles Attendance: 69,738 Purse: $100,750 Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Information 1st 174.910 mph Paul Goldsmith 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 2nd 174.418 mph Richard Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 3rd Junior Johnson 1964 Dodge Polara 4th Bobby Isaac 1964 Dodge Polara 5th Buck Baker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 6th Jimmy Pardue 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 7th David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara 8th A.J. Foyt 1964 Ford Galaxie 9th Marvin Panch 1964 Ford Galaxie 10th Jim Paschal 1964 Dodge Polara 11th Darel Dieringer 1964 Mercury Marauder 12th Parnelli Jones 1964 Mercury Marauder 13th Tiny Lund 1964 Ford Galaxie 14th Larry Frank 1964 Ford Galaxie 15th Fireball Roberts 1964 Ford Galaxie 16th Bobby Marshman 1964 Ford Galaxie 17th Ned Jarrett 1964 Ford Galaxie 18th Jo Schlesser 1964 Ford Galaxie 19th Dave MacDonald 1964 Mercury Marauder 20th Dan Gurney 1964 Ford Galaxie 21st Billy Wade 1964 Mercury Marauder 22nd Cale Yarborough 1964 Ford Galaxie 23rd Bobby Johns 1964 Pontiac Catalina 24th Sal Tovella 1964 Ford Galaxie 25th Larry Thomas 1963 Plymouth Savoy 26th Jim McElreath 1964 Mercury Marauder 27th Ronnie Chumley 1963 Pontiac Catalina 28th Ralph Earnhardt 1963 Ford Galaxie 29th Smokey Boutwell 1963 Ford Galaxie 30th Curtis Crider 1963 Ford Galaxie 31st Doug Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie 32nd G.C. Spencer 1963 Pontiac Catalina 33rd Bunkie Blackburn 1963 Plymouth Savoy 34th Fred Lorenzen 1964 Ford Galaxie 35th Johnny Rutherford 1964 Mercury Marauder 36th Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 37th Elmo Henderson 1963 Pontiac Catalina 38th Neil “Soapy” Castles 1962 Chrysler 300H 39th Reb Wickersham 1964 Dodge Polara 40th Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 41st Bob Cooper 1962 Pontiac Catalina 42nd Buddy Baker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 43rd Joe Clark 1964 Ford Galaxie 44th Bill McMahan 1963 Pontiac Catalina 45th Jim Bray 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 46th Jim Cook 1963 Ford Galaxie Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes & Information 1st Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 200 $33,300 4,850 3 hr 14 min 23 sec, 154.334 mph 2nd Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 199 $11,600 4,656 3rd Paul Goldsmith 25 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 198 $8,600 4,462 4th Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 198 $4,350 4,268 5th Jim Paschal 5 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 197 $3,700 4,074 6th Billy Wade 1 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 197 $2,500 3,880 7th Darel Dieringer 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 197 $2,000 3,686 8th Larry Frank 29 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 197 $1,750 3,492 9th Junior Johnson 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 197 $1,500 3,298 10th Dave MacDonald 17 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 196 $1,200 3,104 11th Tiny Lund 32 Graham Shaw 1964 Ford Galaxie 195 $1,200 2,910 12th Buck Baker 41 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 194 $1,200 2,716 13th Jo Schlesser 77 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 192 $1,200 FIA Relief driver: Ned Jarrett 14th Dan Gurney 12 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 192 $1,200 FIA 15th Bobby Isaac 26 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 189 $1,500 2,522 Fuel 16th Larry Thomas 27 Wade Younts 1963 Plymouth Savoy 188 $1,000 2,328 17th Cale Yarborough 19 Herman Beam 1964 Ford Galaxie 187 $1,000 2,134 18th Doug Cooper 60 Bob Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie 186 $1,000 1,940 19th Ralph Earnhardt 31 Tom Spell 1963 Ford Galaxie 180 $1,000 1,746 20th Smokey Boutwell 84 Rocky Hinton 1963 Ford Galaxie 180 $1,000 1,552 21st Curtis Crider 62 Curtis Crider 1963 Ford Galaxie 177 $725 1,358 22nd Reb Wickersham 95 Ken Spikes 1964 Dodge Polara 131 $725 1,164 Sway bar 23rd Sal Tovella 09 Herb Onash 1964 Ford Galaxie 129 $725 970 Engine 24th A.J. Foyt 00 Banjo Matthews 1964 Ford Galaxie 127 $825 FIA Engine 25th Jim McElreath 14 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 126 $725 FIA Crash 26th Johnny Rutherford 01 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 107 $725 FIA Crash 27th Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 106 $725 776 Crash 28th Parnelli Jones 15 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 77 $725 FIA Engine 29th Buddy Baker 89 David Walker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 64 $725 582 Engine 30th David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 52 $725 388 Crash 31st Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 49 $725 194 Engine 32nd Jack Anderson 92 Ray Osborne 1963 Ford Galaxie 41 $725 194 Rear end gears 33rd G.C. Spencer 2 Cliff Stewart 1963 Pontiac Catalina 31 $725 194 Engine 34th Ronnie Chumley 04 H.B. Bailey 1963 Pontiac Catalina 21 $725 194 Engine 35th Bobby Marshman 06 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 17 $725 FIA Engine – overheating 36th Bobby Johns 7 Shorty Johns 1964 Pontiac 15 $725 194 Engine 37th Fireball Roberts 22 John Holman, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 13 $725 194 Transmission 38th Wendell Scott 34 Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 7 $725 194 Engine – overheating 39th Elmo Henderson 70 Paul Clayton 1963 Pontiac Catalina 4 $725 194 Engine 40th Joe Clark 97 Al McCline 1964 Ford Galaxie 4 $725 194 Engine – head gasket 41st Bill McMahan 82 Casper Hensley 1963 Pontiac Catalina 3 $725 194 Handling 42nd Jim Bray 56 Nick Rampling 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 2 $725 194 Handling 43rd Bunkie Blackburn 71 Roscoe Sanders 1963 Plymouth Savoy 1 $725 194 Engine – crankshaft 44th Bob Cooper 61 Bob Cooper 1962 Pontiac Catalina 1 $725 194 Engine – oil pressure 45th Jim Cook 20 Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 1 $725 194 Handling 46th Neil Castles 86 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 1 $725 194 Transmission Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Lap 1 Paul Goldsmith Laps 2 thru 6 Richard Petty Laps 7 thru 9 Bobby Isaac 3 laps Laps 10 thru 39 Richard Petty Laps 40 and 41 A.J. Foyt 2 laps Laps 42 thru 51 Paul Goldsmith 11 laps Laps 52 thru 200 Richard Petty 184 laps Cautions Three caution periods for 19 laps Laps 54 thru 60 Pearson wreck Laps 112 thru 118 Rutherford and Jarrett wreck Laps 130 thru 134 McElreath wreck

1964 Spring Atlanta Race

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1964 Grand National Race Number 13 / Atlanta Qualifying was originally intended to be spread out from Wednesday, 1 April, until Saturday, 4 April. The first ten positions in the field to be determined on Wednesday, the next ten on Thursday, fifteen positions on Friday, and the remainder on Saturday. However, rain washed out the Friday session. This led to a change in the qualifying sessions, with a final qualifying session on Saturday followed by a consolation race. On top of this was added a six-lap “Race of Champions” for the previous winners at the Atlanta speedway. Qualifying was determined by the average speed of four laps, six miles, around the super speedway. The “Race of Champions” was a trophy dash between the six previous winners at the Atlanta track: Fred Lorenzen and Fireball Roberts in Fords, Junior Johnson and David Pearson in Dodges, Rex White in a Mercury, and Bobby Johns in a Pontiac Atlanta 500 / 5 April 1964 Atlanta International Raceway / Hampton, Georgia 334 laps of 1.5-mile paved track for distance of 501.0 miles Attendance: 50,000 Purse: $57,655 Wednesday Qualifying / 1 April 1964 4 laps of 1.5-mile super speedway for distance of 6.0 miles Qualifying Average Fastest Lap Driver Make 1st 146.470 mph 146.898 mph Fred Lorenzen 1964 Ford Galaxie 2nd 145.867 mph 145.945 mph A.J. Foyt 1964 Ford Galaxie 3rd 145.670 mph 146.347 mph Paul Goldsmith 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 4th 145.337 mph 145.945 mph Fireball Roberts 1964 Ford Galaxie 5th 144.830 mph 145.200 mph Billy Wade 1964 Mercury Marauder 6th 144.510 mph 144.894 mph Bobby Isaac 1964 Dodge Polara 7th 144.105 mph 144.655 mph Parnelli Jones 1964 Mercury Marauder 8th 143.932 mph 144.115 mph Richard Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 9th 143.445 mph 143.540 mph Junior Johnson 1964 Dodge Polara 10th 143.179 mph 143.198 mph Larry Frank 1964 Ford Galaxie Thursday Qualifying / 2 April 1964 4 laps of 1.5-mile super speedway for distance of 6.0 miles Qualifying Average Fastest Lap Driver Make 11th 145.562 mph 145.670 mph Dan Gurney 1964 Ford Galaxie 12th 144.849 mph 145.161 mph Marvin Panch 1964 Ford Galaxie 13th 144.752 mph 145.161 mph Buck Baker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 14th 144.626 mph 144.889 mph Jimmy Pardue 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 15th 144.549 mph 144.617 mph Rex White 1964 Mercury Marauder 16th 144.278 mph 144.617 mph Darel Dieringer 1964 Mercury Marauder 17th 144.028 mph 144.578 mph Ned Jarrett 1964 Ford Galaxie 18th 143.702 mph 144.385 mph Dave MacDonald 1964 Mercury Marauder 19th 143.454 mph 143.846 mph Jim McElreath 1964 Mercury Marauder 20th 141.825 mph 141.843 mph David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara Saturday Qualifying / 4 April 1964 4 laps of 1.5-mile super speedway for distance of 6.0 miles Qualifying Average Driver Make 21st 143.502 mph Jim Hurtubise 1964 Plymouth 22nd 143.312 mph Tiny Lund 1964 Plymouth 23rd 141.065 mph Bobby Johns 1964 Pontiac Catalina 24th 140.625 mph Jim Paschal 1964 Dodge Polara 25th 135.891 mph G.C. Spencer 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS 26th 134.128 mph Bay Darnell 1964 Ford Galaxie 27th 133.399 mph Larry Thomas 1963 Plymouth Savoy 28th 127.405 mph Bill McMahan 1963 Pontiac Catalina Consolation Race / 4 April 1964 Qualifying Results Driver Make Notes & Information 29th 1st LeeRoy Yarbrough 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 140.089 mph 30th 2nd Ken Spikes 1964 Dodge Polara 31st 3rd E.J. Trivette 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 32nd 4th Jimmy Helms 1962 Chrysler 300 33rd 5th Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 34th 6th Roy Tyner 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 35th 7th Lyle Stelter 1963 Ford Galaxie Did not start on Sunday 36th 8th Jack Anderson 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 37th 9th Buddy Baker 1964 Ford Galaxie 38th 10th Roy Mayne 1963 Mercury Marauder 39th 11th Soapy Castles 1962 Chrysler 300 40th 12th Joe Clark 1964 Ford Galaxie 41st 13th Kenneth Sanderson 1963 Ford Galaxie Did not start on Sunday 42nd 14th Doug Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie Did not start on Sunday Race of Champions / 4 April 1964 6 laps of 1.5-mile super speedway for distance of 9.0 miles Results Driver Make Laps Notes & Information 1st Fred Lorenzen 1964 Ford Galaxie 6 2nd Junior Johnson 1964 Dodge Polara 3rd Fireball Roberts 1964 Ford Galaxie 4th Rex White 1964 Mercury Marauder Bobby Johns 1964 Pontiac Catalina David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes & Information 1st Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 334 $18,000 2,450 3 hr 46 min 05 sec, 134.137 mph 2nd Bobby Isaac 26 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 332 $8,065 2,352 3rd Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 331 $4,500 2,254 4th Junior Johnson 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 330 $2,925 2,156 Relief driver: Jim Hurtubise 5th Buck Baker 41 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 327 $1,850 2,058 6th Tiny Lund 35 David Walker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 326 $1,275 1,960 7th Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 325 $1,100 1,862 8th Jim Paschal 5 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 315 $1,050 1,764 9th Bill McMahan 82 Casper Hensley 1963 Pontiac Catalina 279 $925 1,666 10th Ken Spikes 95 Ken Spikes 1964 Dodge Polara 269 $925 1,568 11th A.J. Foyt 00 Banjo Matthews 1964 Ford Galaxie 246 $775 FIA Engine 12th Billy Wade 1 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 225 $750 1,470 Engine 13th Bay Darnell 66 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 205 $625 FIA Engine – push rod 14th Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 190 $755 1,372 Engine 15th Jim McElreath 14 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 173 $500 1,274 Engine 16th Dave MacDonald 17 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 150 $500 1,176 Engine 17th Bobby Johns 7 Shorty Johns 1964 Pontiac Catalina 149 $600 1,078 Engine – head gasket 18th Rex White 01 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 119 $550 980 Engine 19th Larry Frank 06 Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 110 $500 882 A frame 20th Fireball Roberts 22 John Holman, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 107 $640 784 Crash 21st David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 106 $550 686 Crash 22nd LeeRoy Yarbrough 89 David Walker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 78 $650 588 Engine 23rd Jim Hurtubise 2 Norm Nelson 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 77 $585 FIA Transmission – rear end gears 24th Buddy Baker 92 Ray Osborne 1964 Ford Galaxie 74 $540 490 Gas leak 25th G.C. Spencer 49 G.C. Spencer 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS 73 $525 392 Engine – rocker arm 26th Curtis Crider 62 Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 60 $580 294 Engine – overheating 27th E.J. Trivette 52 Jess Potter 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 58 $600 196 Transmission – rear end gears 28th Roy Tyner 9 Roy Tyner 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 58 $570 98 Transmission – rear end gears 29th Paul Goldsmith 25 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 55 $1,075 98 Crash 30th Roy Mayne 02 Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 42 $530 98 Handling 31st Darel Dieringer 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 41 $500 98 Crash 32nd Larry Thomas 36 Wade Younts 1963 Plymouth Savoy 31 $525 98 Ignition 33rd Jack Anderson 20 Jack Anderson 1963 Ford Galaxie 26 $550 98 Ignition 34th Jimmy Helms 88 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 22 $590 98 Transmission – rear end gears 35th Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 19 $525 98 Crash 36th Dan Gurney 12 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 17 $550 FIA Crash 37th Parnelli Jones 15 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 17 $450 FIA Crash 38th Joe Clark 97 Al McCline 1964 Ford Galaxie 3 $475 98 A frame 39th Neil Castles 86 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 2 $475 98 Handling Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Laps 1 thru 55 Paul Goldsmith 55 laps Laps 56 thru 58 Fireball Roberts 3 laps Laps 59 and 60 Jim Hurtubise 2 laps Laps 61 thru 91 Marvin Panch 31 laps Laps 92 thru 112 Fred Lorenzen Lap 113 Bobby Isaac Laps 114 thru 129 Fred Lorenzen Laps 130 thru 149 Bobby Isaac Lap 150 Fred Lorenzen Laps 151 thru 166 Bobby Isaac 37 laps Laps 167 thru 334 Fred Lorenzen 206 laps Cautions Four caution periods for 19 laps Laps 22 thru 24 Laps 57 thru 61 Laps 100 thru 117 Laps 124 thru 126

1964 Spring Columbia Race

Code:

1964 Grand National Race Number 17 / Columbia Columbia 200 / 16 April 1964 Columbia Speedway / Cayce, South Carolina 200 laps of 0.5-mile dirt track for distance of 100.0 miles Attendance: Purse: $4,990 Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes & Information 1st 71.485 mph David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara 2nd Ned Jarrett 1964 Ford Galaxie 3rd Richard Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 4th Billy Wade 1964 Mercury Marauder 5th LeeRoy Yarbrough 1963 Plymouth Savoy 6th Marvin Panch 1964 Ford Galaxie 7th Tiny Lund 1964 Ford Galaxie 8th Dicker Hutcherson 1964 Ford Galaxie 9th Larry Frank 1962 Ford Galaxie 10th John Sears 1962 Dodge Dart 11th Ralph Earnhardt 1963 Ford Galaxie 12th Bobby Keck 1963 Ford Galaxie 13th E.J. Trivette 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 14th Elmo Henderson 1962 Pontiac Catalina 15th Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 16th Jimmy Pardue 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 17th Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 18th Ken Rush 1963 Pontiac Catalina 19th Stick Elliott 1962 Pontiac Catalina 20th Neil “Soapy” Castles 1962 Chrysler 300H 21st Buddy Baker 1963 Dodge Polara 22nd Jimmy Helms 1962 Chrysler 300H Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes & Information 1st Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 200 $1,150 400 1 hr 33 min 09 sec, 64.412 mph 2nd Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 199 $700 384 3rd LeeRoy Yarbrough 45 Louis Weathersbee 1963 Plymouth Savoy 198 $400 368 4th Billy Wade 1 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 198 $300 352 5th Dick Hutcherson 7 Dick Hutcherson 1964 Ford Galaxie 198 $275 336 6th David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 198 $240 320 7th Elmo Henderson 75 Paul Clayton 1962 Pontiac Catalina 193 $200 304 8th Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 190 $175 288 Transmission – rear end gears 9th Curtis Crider 01 Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 190 $150 272 10th Bobby Keck 23 E.B. Rich 1963 Ford Galaxie 188 $140 256 11th Ralph Earnhardt 31 Tom Spell 1963 Ford Galaxie 188 $130 240 12th Ken Rush 2 Cliff Stewart 1963 Pontiac Catalina 187 $120 224 13th E.J. Trivette 91 Jess Potter 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 186 $110 208 14th Wendell Scott 34 Wendell Scott 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 180 $100 192 15th Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 129 $100 176 Transmission – rear end gears 16th John Sears 81 John Black 1962 Dodge Dart 95 $100 160 Transmission 17th Neil Castles 86 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 48 $100 144 Brakes 18th Larry Frank 79 Speedy Spiers 1962 Ford Galaxie 35 $100 128 Engine – overheating 19th Tiny Lund 98 Graham Shaw 1964 Ford Galaxie 32 $100 112 Engine – overheating 20th Stick Elliott 18 Toy Bolton 1962 Pontiac Catalina 13 $100 96 Engine – radiator 21st Buddy Baker 87 J.C. Parker 1963 Dodge Polara 1 $100 80 Transmission – shift 22nd Jimmy Helms 88 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 0 $100 62 Engine – carburetor Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Laps 1 thru 18 David Pearson Laps 19 thru 32 Tiny Lund 14 laps Laps 33 thru 57 LeeRoy Yarbrough 25 laps Laps 58 thru 74 David Pearson 35 laps Laps 75 thru 136 Billy Wade 62 laps Laps 137 thru 200 Ned Jarrett 64 laps Cautions Six caution periods for 14 laps

1964 Spring Darlington Race

Code:

1964 Grand National Race Number 21 / Darlington Rebel 300 / 9 May 1964 Darlington Raceway / Darlington, South Carolina 219 laps of 1.375 mile speedway for distance of 301.1 miles Attendance: 30,000 Purse: $40,600 Wednesday Qualifying / 6 May 1964 4 laps of 1.375-mile speedway for distance of 5.5 miles Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes 1st 135.727 mph Fred Lorenzen 1964 Ford Galaxie Fastest lap – 136.101 mph 2nd 135.301 mph Richard Petty 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 3rd 135.273 mph Jimmy Pardue 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 4th 134.787 mph Junior Johnson 1964 Ford Galaxie 5th 134.757 mph Fireball Roberts 1964 Ford Galaxie 6th 134.091 mph David Pearson 1964 Dodge Polara 7th 134.055 mph Jim Paschal 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 8th 133.477 mph Marvin Panch 1964 Ford Galaxie Fastest lap – 135.467 mph Dash / 6 May 1964 4 laps of 1.375-mile speedway for distance of 5.5 miles Fireball Roberts was first in the four-lap dash. Thursday Qualifying / 7 May 1964 4 laps of 1.375-mile speedway for distance of 5.5 miles Qualifying Speed Driver Make Notes 9th 134.597 mph Rex White 1964 Mercury Marauder 10th 134.401 mph Ned Jarrett 1964 Ford Galaxie 11th 133.901 mph Buck Baker 1964 Dodge Polara 12th 133.486 mph Johnny Allen 1964 Mercury Marauder 13th 133.037 mph Larry Thomas 1964 Dodge Polara 14th 132.636 mph LeeRoy Yarbrough 1964 Dodge Polara 15th 131.378 mph Cale Yarborough 1964 Ford Galaxie 16th 128.072 mph G.C. Spencer 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS Friday Qualifying Race / Airlift Dash / 8 May 1964 Qualifying Position Driver Make Notes 17th 1st Darel Dieringer 1964 Mercury Marauder 18th 2nd Billy Wade 1964 Mercury Marauder 19th 3rd Bobby Isaac 1964 Dodge Polara 20th 4th Paul Goldsmith 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 21st 5th Tiny Lund 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 22nd 6th Bunkie Blackburn 1963 Pontiac Catalina 23rd 7th Bob Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie 24th 8th J.T. Putney 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air Or Roy Mayne, 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 25th 9th Ken Spikes 1964 Plymouth Belvedere Or Buddy Baker, 1963 Dodge Polara 26th 10th Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 27th 11th E.J. Trivette 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 28th 12th Neil “Soapy” Castles 1962 Chrysler 300H 29th 13th 30th 14th 31st 15th Buddy Arrington 1962 Dodge Dart 32nd 16th Jimmy Helms 1962 Chrysler 300H Results Driver No. Car Owner Make Laps Purse Points Notes 1st Fred Lorenzen 28 Ralph Moody, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 219 $10,265 1,750 2 hr 18 min 51 sec, 130.013 mph 2nd Fireball Roberts 22 John Holman, Holman Moody 1964 Ford Galaxie 219 $5,990 1,680 3rd Junior Johnson 27 Banjo Matthews 1964 Ford Galaxie 218 $4,510 1,610 4th Ned Jarrett 11 Bondy Long, Bowani Inc. 1964 Ford Galaxie 216 $2,995 1,540 5th Jimmy Pardue 54 Charles Robinson, Burton-Robinson Racing Team 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 215 $2,170 1,470 6th David Pearson 6 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 215 $1,500 1,400 7th Billy Wade 1 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 214 $1,270 1,330 8th LeeRoy Yarbrough 03 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 213 $1,000 1,260 9th Paul Goldsmith 25 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 212 $900 1,190 10th Richard Petty 43 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 211 $840 1,120 11th Marvin Panch 21 Ray Lee Wood, Wood Brothers 1964 Ford Galaxie 211 $750 1,050 12th Jim Paschal 41 Lee Petty, Lee Petty Engineering Company 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 209 $700 980 Crash 13th Johnny Allen 16 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 205 $650 910 14th Larry Thomas 5 Cotton Owens, Cotton Owens Garage 1964 Dodge Polara 204 $600 840 Crash 15th Bunkie Blackburn 82 Casper Hensley 1963 Pontiac Catalina 202 $550 770 16th G.C. Spencer 49 G.C. Spencer 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS 189 $500 700 17th J.T. Putney 56 Walt Hunter 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 187 $450 630 18th Ken Spikes 95 Ken Spikes 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 177 $400 560 19th Cale Yarborough 19 Herman Beam 1964 Ford Galaxie 172 $350 490 20th Tiny Lund 89 David Walker 1964 Plymouth Belvedere 167 $300 420 Engine 21st Rex White 4 Bud Moore, Bud Moore Engineering 1964 Mercury Marauder 161 $415 350 Engine – head gasket 22nd E.J. Trivette 52 Jess Potter 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 140 $300 280 Engine 23rd Bob Cooper 60 Bob Cooper 1963 Ford Galaxie 109 $300 210 Transmission – rear end gears 24th Roy Mayne 09 Bob Adams 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 86 $300 140 Transmission – rear end gears 25th Darel Dieringer 14 Bill Stroppe, Bill Stroppe & Associates 1964 Mercury Marauder 81 $415 70 Engine – bearing 26th Buck Baker 3 Ray Fox, Ray Fox Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 59 $340 70 Battery 27th Bobby Isaac 26 Ray Nichels, Ray Nichels Engineering 1964 Dodge Polara 35 $340 70 Crash 28th Curtis Crider 01 Curtis Crider 1963 Mercury Marauder 18 $300 70 Handling 29th Buddy Baker 87 J.C. Parker 1963 Dodge Polara 7 $300 70 Transmission 30th Neil Castles 88 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 5 $300 70 Engine – oil pressure 31st Buddy Arrington 78 Buddy Arrington 1962 Dodge Dart 4 $300 70 Handling 32nd Jimmy Helms 86 Buck Baker 1962 Chrysler 300 2 $300 70 Engine – bearing Lap Leaders Driver Laps Led Laps 1 thru 57 Richard Petty Laps 58 thru 74 Fred Lorenzen Laps 75 thru 98 Richard Petty Laps 99 thru 101 Fred Lorenzen Laps 102 and 103 Richard Petty Laps 104 thru 106 Fred Lorenzen Laps 107 and 108 Richard Petty Laps 109 thru 123 Fred Lorenzen Laps 124 thru 133 Richard Petty 95 laps Laps 134 thru 219 Fred Lorenzen 124 laps Cautions One caution period for 5 laps

Despite my best efforts I have never quite figured out the 29th and 30th qualifying positions, there being no end of contradictory information on this matter. Even Greg Fielden admitted he was a bit perplexed by it.... Nor have I gotten anything solid on the finishing positions regarding the four lap dash thatRobets won.

The purpose, such as it is, of the preceding posts was give you an idea of just how keeps getting left on the table when it comes to any discussion of the GN division. The "box score results" approach leads to a serious myopia problem regarding doing a proper job of setting out the framework for these events.

Despite all the good intentions in the world on my part, my opus on the 1964 GN season is still largely unwritten, consisting of piles upon piles upon piles of research and reference notes and almost countless rough drafts. I have yet to see anyone do this level of work on a GN season, which is, of course, why I did it in the first place. It was an easy idea to have, but very, very challenging to produce the samples that were posted. Stock car racing and NASCAR history is largely, to be kind, a huge mess, there being no end of baloney and nonsense passed off as "history" and blindly accepted since almost no one bothers to do the grunt work to check the stories out.

But, I digress....

A tip of the hat to Greg Fielden for his pioneering work, which has served as the basis for Racing-Reference and about every other Web site containing NASCAR GN results.

Interesting, the Racing-reference site has a number of qualifying races included in its "Exhibition or Unclassified" section, but none of the examples you just gave are listed. I gather that qualifying races and "trophy dash" type races were regular occurrences, and who knows how much info was just never recorded or reported on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexamateo

Interesting, the Racing-reference site has a number of qualifying races included in its "Exhibition or Unclassified" section, but none of the examples you just gave are listed. I gather that qualifying races and "trophy dash" type races were regular occurrences, and who knows how much info was just never recorded or reported on.

Contrary to the above statement, the information was certainly recorded and kept for the record. While it was usually reported upon, this was not always the case, of course, or the story was edited to fit the space allocated for such minor sports news. During the first two or three decades following WW2, the number of sports writers dedicating most of their time to automobile racing in the US was minuscule compared to the primary sports that appeared in the papers. This was no less true in the South as it was elsewhere. The weekly and bi-weekly tabloids often filled that gap, but not always. National Speed Sport News was not all that concerned with Southern racing in general and did not devote very much attention to stock car racing nationally, much less NASCAR for many years.

The "history" of stock car racing and NASCAR continues to be incomplete, half-assed, prone to mythology, left to ill-trained often incompetent amateurs, and generally a sorry mess in its various forms. That most of the archival information is controlled by a very few, is generally incomplete, and is seen as a commercial entity rather than as historical material says a great deal as to why it is in this state. Don't even get me started on the whole issue of the "origins" of stock car racing....

Having been to many of the GN events of the period that includes the 1964 season, I was aware of the various ways qualifying was done as well as the qualifying races. Yet, it is almost impossible to find anything on them in any of the usual sources. They are simply ignored. That there are but a very few sources that assign points to the finishing positions prior to 1975 or 1968 should strike one as odd, but those few with the necessary curiosity to do the research and the digging are usually disappointed, always coming up short -- or keeping that information to themselves, assuming that they found much in the first place.

I ended up with the 1964 Grand National season for the simple reason that it was the earliest season that I could find the compete results and points for, although was often a problem given that I was saved several times by digging up or finding sources which filled in the gaps that suddenly appeared. The qualifying sessions and races took a great deal of digging and digging and digging. Information is there, but it is very difficult to find. Despite efforts such as Racing-Reference or even the Fielden books -- which form the basis of the Racing-Reference site since they certainly did not do the research themselves, merely copied it without attribution or credit, which is standard operating procedure for internet racing sites -- there are much left untold in just the statistical or race data aspects of NASCAR GN racing.

Again, my intent with researching the 1964 GN season was to see if it were possible to create a template of the season and its events similar to what others had done for that much overworked-but under-researched set of events usually bunched together as "Grand Prix" or "Formula 1." Whenever I get the time I will finally transfer my notes into the various race reports and other information relating to the season. The entire effort to assemble what you see only a fraction of took much longer than anticipated, literally years, which meant that other things eventually took priority and I have never gone back to complete the narrative part of the work, which is even more time-consuming, if possible.

Those Daytona results have some great names in there..but you can see also from reading the results how the field was far more spread out. Racing wasn't even remotely close in some ways. You had 2 to 3 guys at the top and a spread heading down through the field. Now, you have guys all going a lot faster in clumps within 100'th's of seconds....it is a different world.

Thank you for posting this information, and also for your contributions in other threads.
This may seem like a rather dumb question, but how did the people involved at the time consider the championship? Where the competitors really driving for points like they do in this day and age? Where fans/followers as obsessed about the points table as they do nowadays? It must have been very hard to keep track of what was going on if you weren't actually at the track itself.
I'm interested in this because the season seems to begin and end at a completely random point in mid-november. Todays conventions demand that history is divided into seasons, but I was wondering if the people at the time also saw mid-november as the beginning and end. Or did they rather moved from big race to big race?

Just looking at it from the outside, There were 62 races that year and a driver could run 61 (two of the races were Daytona qualifiers and a driver could only run one). Only two drivers ran 61 races (David Pearson and champion Richard Petty, while Ned Jarrett ran 59. A few more ran at least 50 races, but none of those are drivers you would consider championship threats, so in general, drivers just went out for the biggest races.

However, the factories dictated it and would only run certain drivers in the full schedule.

In 1962 for example Joe Weatherly won the championship, but for 1963, His factory Bud Moore Pontiac team cut back to just major races, so he picked up rides for the other races driving for no less than 9 different owners as he won his second championship. Most couldn't or wouldn't go to such extremes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexamateo

Just looking at it from the outside, There were 62 races that year and a driver could run 61 (two of the races were Daytona qualifiers and a driver could only run one). Only two drivers ran 61 races (David Pearson and champion Richard Petty, while Ned Jarrett ran 59. A few more ran at least 50 races, but none of those are drivers you would consider championship threats, so in general, drivers just went out for the biggest races.

However, the factories dictated it and would only run certain drivers in the full schedule.

In 1962 for example Joe Weatherly won the championship, but for 1963, His factory Bud Moore Pontiac team cut back to just major races, so he picked up rides for the other races driving for no less than 9 different owners as he won his second championship. Most couldn't or wouldn't go to such extremes.

Close, but there are a number of pieces missing in your analysis.

Well by all means, please fill us in. :)

I only know what I have read, and I know (now) that all that I have read is not to be taken as gospel. For instance, I am pretty sure that stock car racing didn't originate from a cow-pasture in north Georgia from just a bunch of bootleggers looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon. :p

I'll give you some of my history as a race fan. I went to the 1981 Indy 500 with my dad when I was not quite 12. I was bitten by the bug and became obsessed with racing (all). I was always crazy for statistics and there was a rundown of all the Indy 500's in the back of the program so I started charting all of the races. When 1982 rolled around, I started with the Daytona 500 that year cutting all of the newspaper articles (Memphis' Commercial Appeal) that had anything to do with racing and keeping them in a notebook as well as charting the races.

Back then it was hard, sometimes you only had the top 10 or 5 even listed and it might be two months before I could get a complete run-down. (in Stock Car racing magazine, it was only later I would discover National Speed Sport News).

Of course I wanted to at least get a list of winners of past races, but that also illustrated a problem. My mom got me the book Stock Car Heroes (or something like that by Bill Libby. It had a line in the preface talking about Neil "Soapy" Castles pulling into victory lane in Greeneville SC to end a 0 for 4 or 500 race losing streak. That bugged me for a long time because I could never find another reference to that race anywhere. I now know it was a Grand national East race which was where all of the 200 lappers were placed when Winston came on and the Cup schedule was shortened. At the time though it was maddening to me.

I kept this up until about 1986 or so. By then, Greg Fieldings Forty Years of Stock Car Racing came out and I of course bought it.

The point of all of this is to say that I realize that what you stated earlier in this thread, "Stock car racing and NASCAR history is largely, to be kind, a huge mess, there being no end of baloney and nonsense passed off as "history" and blindly accepted since almost no one bothers to do the grunt work to check the stories out. ",is true.

I am very interested in what you have to say about NASCAR history and in knowing your perspective, but at times I don't know what I can contribute, because much of my knowledge is tainted so to speak.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexamateo

I only know what I have read, and I know (now) that all that I have read is not to be taken as gospel. For instance, I am pretty sure that stock car racing didn't originate from a cow-pasture in north Georgia from just a bunch of bootleggers looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon.

You are already far, far ahead of the power curve, knowing more about the origins of stock car racing than the vast majority of those claiming to "stock car racing historians" -- to say nothing of the stock car racing journalists those who are fans. The entire business about the Stockbridge track has long been proven to be a myth, yet you would not know it from what continues to be written by many journalists and accepted by the fans. However, this is a topic I will delve into later.

Despite the fact that the "history" of stock car racing as manufactured by various -- at best careless and at worst deceptive or spurious -- journalists and NASCAR over the years has been under attack recently, old falsehoods die hard. The involvement of those engaged in the illegal alcohol business, either as a maker or transporter of "moonshine," and Southern stock car racing is a staple of both Southern and racing folklore. The role of those in "moonshine" business and stock car racing has often been both quite exaggerated and yet at the same time little understood.

That there have been those actively engaged in the illegal manufacture and transport of illegal alcohol who also drove and/or owned stock cars or tracks or were promoters is not questioned. What is under question is the role of those folks in the formation of stock car racing. In many cases, the numbers and roles of the "moonshiners" involved in stock car racing, especially NASCAR, during the Forties and Fifties have been either exaggerated or somewhat embellished tending to overshadow, deliberately or otherwise, the presence of the others involved in the sport. It could be suggested that the focus on the drivers who were -- or thought to be -- involved in the transportation of illegal liquor may have shifted attention away from the true role of the illegal alcohol business regarding stock car racing -- as a means to "launder" money generated by that illegal activity. Recent discussions on the role of "moonshine" in stock car racing tend to be focusing on this aspect of their involvement, particularly in light of the known instances of money generated from the illegal liquor trade being used to promote events through the simple expedient of track ownership.

The origins of "stock car racing" probably reaches back to at least the reorganization of the AAA's involvement in automobile racing in the 1908/1910 timeframe -- and probably earlier than that. The Contest Rules of 1910 use the term "stock car," for instance. Plus, once one begins to look closely at materials such as the AAA Sanction Records, contemporary newspaper articles, and various otther sources, the more evident it becomes that the Southern "moonshiners" were late to the stock car racing game, there being major stock car racing events in California at Mines Field and the Oakland Speedway long before the November 1938 event at Lakewood Speedway which is often cited as the "beginning" of stock car racing, at least in the South -- assuming that one ignores the events at Daytona Beach for starters, of course.

This is still much to be done on this topic, but slowly and surely there are historians -- of the scholarly or academic sort, not the journalist who writes an article or book about the past and then thinks he is actually a historian when he is nothing of the sort -- are digging into this topic and as is usually the case, the truth is far more interesting and fascinating than the mythology. And, much more complicated and frustrating, of course.

If the story is to be believed, when Bill France disqualified Glenn Dunnaway in the very first strictly stock race, he was able to prevail when challenged in court by saying what was done with the springs was something a bootlegger would do to alter their cars, and it aided in swaying the court's opinion. This would seem to indicate that any association with the illegal alcohol business was certainly frowned upon by polite society. I am sure France wanted to downplay any association in the beginning because he wanted decent people as paying customers at his races.

I wonder if it was only later that it became romanticized, probably starting with Tom Wolfe's article on Junior Johnson, The Last American Hero. At its core, wasn't that article essentially a highfalutin' PR piece because Johnson was switching to Fords?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexamateo

If the story is to be believed, when Bill France disqualified Glenn Dunnaway in the very first strictly stock race, he was able to prevail when challenged in court by saying what was done with the springs was something a bootlegger would do to alter their cars, and it aided in swaying the court's opinion. This would seem to indicate that any association with the illegal alcohol business was certainly frowned upon by polite society. I am sure France wanted to downplay any association in the beginning because he wanted decent people as paying customers at his races.

The legal basis for sports sanctioning bodies operating as businesses to establish and enforce their own regulations was, from all I have been able to gather, already a well-established point by 1949. This was scarcely the landmark legal precedence that NASCAR has always made it out to be. It was more a case of NASCAR -- for which one may substitute Bill France -- was not expecting this tactic and was taken by surprise. Bill France ran NASCAR much as any businessman ran his business in the South in those days -- his way or literally the highway. The courts in the South were very much in agreement with this philospohy, with drivers and owners being considered "independent contractors" -- they still are, in fact -- and , therefore, bound by any rules that the organization established in order to operate. What would have been unusual in this case would have been if NASCAR had lost.

It should be noted that until very recently NASCAR in its own writings regarding its creation and that of stock car racing pointed fails to mention the involvement of "moonshiners" in the sport, any mention being obscure, oblique, and brief. Only at some point during the late-Seventies and into the Eighties did the "moonshiners" get any "official" mention by NASCAR and it was probably not until the period around its 50th anniversary that NASCAR began to quietly promote the romantic legend and support the mythology of the "moonshiners." Apparently, this was prompted as much by self-interest than any acceptance of the "moonshiners" as a part of NASCAR's origns given that such a mythology was literally very good for business.

The official story that forms the basis for the founding of NASCAR is not that those "moonshiners" in the Piedmont regions of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virignia needed someone to take over the organization of their existing efforts to race stock cars, but rather that those poor, yeoman racers needed someone to ensure that they received the fruits of their labor from the wily, unscrupelous promoters who so often took the money and ran, leaving the poor drivers without a cent. NASCAR built this into a legend that was and is readily accepted as an article of faith, the con man promoter fleecing the poor drivers. The irony, of course, is that NASCAR was established by and for race promoters, any efforts to protect the interests of the drivers being secondary at best. NASCAR was first and foremost a business and France simply provided a better business model for the promoters.

The general social hypocrisy of much the South during the developing years of Southern stock car racing, the first decade and a half after WW2, meant that, among other things, the illegal liquor business was both soundly condemned while also being strongly supported in many communities. It should not be overlooked that there was a very strong, vocal element within the South that were bitterly opposed to the use of alcohol, legal or otherwise. Keep in mind that part of the problem was the transportation and sell of alcohol legally bought in one place for sell elsewhere where its purchase was forbidden. While the "Thunder Road" mythology certainly contained grains of truth, the reality of the illegal liquor business was one that required a great deal of romanticizing for the most part given its often harsh, even squalid nature. It was, keep in mind, an illegal activity, a criminal enterprise. In the all too usual romaticizing of the "moonshine" business, that "organzied crime" was all involved and that implies is often skipped over less it spoil a good story.

So, iwhile t seems that while France and NASCAR did keep up appearances and frown upon the very idea of "moonshiners" and their activities by keeping them at arm's length, France was also willing to create business arrangements with those in the illegal alcohol trade to keep his business afloat, especially in the very early years of NASCAR when cash flow was an issue. It is difficult to think that France was unaware of the business interests of a number of those who built tracks and promoted races using NASCAR sanctions, especially given that France was often a partner in the tracks that were built or part of the promotion team for the events held at those tracks. Just saying....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexamateo

I wonder if it was only later that it became romanticized, probably starting with Tom Wolfe's article on Junior Johnson, The Last American Hero. At its core, wasn't that article essentially a highfalutin' PR piece because Johnson was switching to Fords?

The entire romantic legend created by journalists using the notion of the "noble moonshiner" as racing driver and Southern working class hero probably does get pinned on Wolfe. There seems to be an increase in the number of articles that mention the correlation of "moonshine" and stock car racing in the wake of the Wolfe article, an early trickle soon becoming a flood, the notion then being well-established by the early Seventies among the journalists.

To consider the Wolfe article on Johnson as a PR piece due to Johnson's switiching to Ford might be an anachronistic stretch. Given that the article appeared many months after the switch from Ray Fox and MOPAR to Banjo Matthews and Ford difficult to understand the PR value of the piece. Besides, it is a bit difficult to imagine Wolfe as a Ford PR flack and being capable of sticking to the party line. Re-read the article and you might be a sense of what that means. When the article appeared, it was quite a sensation among the racing set. NASCAR did not take kindly to the article until sometime later when it realized that any mention in an East Coast liberal high-brow magazine a good thing.

It's interesting to note that my comment about the Wolfe article came from something that I had read in the past. That was one commentators take. I have tried to lay hands on it today, but I realize I may have just seen it in something I don't own. It's funny though, that was an idea that stuck in my head.

When I first started following racing, the first book I bought with my own money was Kim Chapin's Fast as White Lightning. I know it plays up the bootlegging aspect to be sure, but I have always loved it. Are you familiar with it, and if so, What's your take on it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexamateo

It's interesting to note that my comment about the Wolfe article came from something that I had read in the past. That was one commentators take. I have tried to lay hands on it today, but I realize I may have just seen it in something I don't own. It's funny though, that was an idea that stuck in my head.

When I first started following racing, the first book I bought with my own money was Kim Chapin's Fast as White Lightning. I know it plays up the bootlegging aspect to be sure, but I have always loved it. Are you familiar with it, and if so, What's your take on it?

The Wolfe article still exists somewhere out there in the ether; I think the Esquire site used to have it in their on-line archives. I do not remember at the moment where I got my copy, but that may have been the source. I did have the original issue of Esquire with the article, but it was lost when part of my library was wiped out by a water leak while my materials were in storage awaiting quarters. The switch by Johnson from MOPAR to Ford came about after Wolfe had already committed to the article and visiting Wilkes County.

The Chapin book is on one of the bookshelves in my research office, last being re-read a few (five or six?) years ago when I was delving into stock car racing history and looking at various secondary sources. When it concerned itself with Tiny Lund, it was a far better depiction of contemporary NASCAR and stock car racing than when it strayed off into the "moonshine" legend/mythology material. In the last reading I found myself questioning and wondering about much of what I was reading. Not having read it for awhile, those are the impressions that I still carry regarding Chapin book. As someone who knew Lund off and on over the years, one of the reasons I bought the book rather than just read or skim it at a library was that it devoted time to Lund, someone I thought rather highly of, then and now.

Don,

I too have always had an iterest in Lund. Never met him, but I was at the race in Talladega when he lost his life. He was a fascinating character and is one I think of when I try to remember what NASCAR was really like (at the "cup" level, but mostly below the "cup" level) in the 60's and 70's.

What I really would like to know about Lund is, what part he really played in saving Marvin Panch's life when Panch crashed that sports car in 1963 which led to Lund's Daytona 500 win.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Roy

Don,

I too have always had an iterest in Lund. Never met him, but I was at the race in Talladega when he lost his life. He was a fascinating character and is one I think of when I try to remember what NASCAR was really like (at the "cup" level, but mostly below the "cup" level) in the 60's and 70's.

What I really would like to know about Lund is, what part he really played in saving Marvin Panch's life when Panch crashed that sports car in 1963 which led to Lund's Daytona 500 win.

Below is something that I wrote literally a decade ago regarding Lund and the incident at Daytona. Someone had written the following -- "Ten days before the Daytona 500, in 1963,Marvin Panch flipped a Maserati. An unemployed driver,Tiny Lund,waded through waist deep flames and pulled Panch clear of the inferno. The grateful Panch insisted that Lund drive his Wood Brothers Galaxie in the 500. Lund won the 500 and a Carnegie medal for heroism." -- which should explain parts of the response I offered.

[quote="Don Capps, 28 Feb 2001, The Nostalgia Forum, "Bravery Awards""] Marvin Panch was NOT entered to drive the Maserati in the 1963 Daytona Continental, a 3-Hour FIA GT race. There were three 'sports car races that year. The USRRC event on 3 February, which was won by Jim Hall]

Lund and the others did not "wade through waist deep flames" to rescue Panch although there was a minor fire in the cockpit area of Maserati and spilled fuel was pooling around the crash site. The five men, working together, managed rescue Panch before the fuel ignited and created the inferno that one often sees in the photographs of the incident. They scarcely pulled Panch from the wreckage before the fuel ignited. Only a few minor injuries and some burns were suffered by the rescue team. By lifting the rear of the Tipo 151, Lund allowed the others the space needed to extract Panch.

While working the press box and the pits at a number of races, then as a "Gofer" for several of Lund's racing efforts, and on visits his fish camp near Cross several times to see him, I became acquainted with Lund. We were scarcely good friends, but we got to talk a bit over the years. He definitely had a temper that manifested itself at times on the track, but that was scarcely unique at the time.

While the "moonshiner" angle of stock car racing has been vastly exaggerated, other aspects regarding the "working class behavior" of those involved in the sport do reflect the reality of the drivers, spectators, and the track personnel. There was scarcely an occurrance at each and every race, but conflict resolution was often handled in various ways and with varied means, often away from the track. Behavior at the GN level was often exemplary compared with what would take place in the Sportsman ranks.

But, I digress....

Thanks, I agree that the prologue on Tiny Lund makes the whole book, and is a glimpse at how racing was at the Sportsman level then. That race was Tiny's 4th race in 5 days. He was gunning for the Sportsman Championship, and according to Butch Lindley, was only running a Winston Cup race (Talladega was his first Winston Cup start in two years) in order to earn money to apply towards the Sportsman championship.

Thanks Don. I never doubted Tiny's heroism or selflessness in the Panch incident, I just was curious as to what was fact and what was embelishment. I never heard that he had won the Carnegie award.

I'll never forget being in the stands at 'dega and seeing the wrecker pulling his car around into the garage.

The week before (the August race at 'dega was run a week late due to rain on that Sunday) I got to see Mark Donohue set a closed course speed record in his Posche Can-Am Car, but he would die a couple of days after Lund.

A few weeks later they had a fund raiser race at the Jacksonville Speedway. Tiny and the promoter there were good friends. I saw Buddy Baker and David Pearson there signing autographs and Bobby Allison brought his car and participated in the race. Also got to meet another hero of mine, Lee Roy Yarbrough. This was a few short years before Lee Roy wound up in the mental hospital from which he would never leave.

August/September of 75 was a month I'll never forget.

Lee Roy Yarbrough lived in our neighborhood in Columbia for a bit before moving to another area of the city. He knew my second cousin, Jimmy Lee Capps, from the Jacksonville area racing scene in the early Sixties. The racing scene in the Carolinas was quite an interesting place to be during the Sixties and into the Seventies -- I missed almost all of the Fifties racing scene in the area since we were stationed in Europe at the time. Yarbrough was working the various tracks in the area in the Sportsman Division as well as getting the occasional GN ride until it came together for him -- only for it to all far apart in such a unfortunate way. He did give me a few fast laps around Darlington during a tire testing session that further confirmed the idea that I was far more inclined to be a writer about racing than being a racer. My (lack of) performance in the Hobby Division quickly confirmed that notion -- I was simply not as crazy as the others on the track (of course having by that time I had done time in combat in the Lurps & Rangers and after having been shot up, shot down, and sunk, perhaps a degree of maturity had set in) who were gunning to move up a notch or two.

I have always thanked my lucky stars I was elsewhere -- Fort Bragg -- when Lund crashed at Talladega. I was listening to the race on the radio and had no idea it was that bad at first. Then having Mark Donohue die within a day or so was also a shock. Easy for people to forget just how close the dark side of racing was still lurking under the surface at the time.

What can you tell us about your cousin? I know he made a handful of starts in the 70's and also see he made his first start in the race that Wendell Scott won albeit belatedly at Jacksonville in December of 1963. I'd be interested in knowing his impressions if any at the time.

Jimmy Lee is about nine years older than I am, and he also lived in Florida (the Jacksonville area), so I did not see very much of him even during the Sixties. He visited us a few times in South Carolina (he was running some Sportsman events as I remember), and the last time I probably saw him was at Rockingham in either 1977 or maybe 1978. I would say that we met hardly a dozen times over the years, if that.

As for the Jacksonville race in December 1963, I never asked him. Nor did it really come up other than that was his first GN start. He crashed early in the race, which is about all I remember his mentioning at the time.

From what I have found from contemporary sources, Scott was awarded the victory within the time it would usually take to do a scoring check and did receive the prize money for first place -- in cash. That Scott always insisted on being paid in cash is something that I was told by several sources, one of them being John Bishop. The lack of a trophy was not mentioned in the contemporary accounts. It should be noted that there were several other races that season marred by scoring errors; however, keep in mind that just south of Jacksonville, in St. Augustine, there was considerable unrest over civil rights at that time.

Don, when you lived in Florida did you ever go to races over at the tracks in Lake City and down near Ocala? I used to go to the races at Lake City quite a bit during the early to mid 1970's.

In the bookshelf recommendations thread, I mention that several from the academic communiy have ventured into the NASCAR history wars. Dan Pierce, on the history faculty of UNC-Asheville, blows quite a few holes in the usual NASCAR/stock car racing legends, folklore & mythology, but he still tends to listen a bit more to his Appalachian roots and his being a true fan of NASCAR racing than exercising a bit more the historian's objectivity at times. If nothing else, Pierce reinforces and puts on paper what some have long maintained: it is highly improbable that stock car racing trippers carving out an oval outside Stockbridge, Georgia for their weekend entertainment created stock car racing in the sense that we know it. This is because there is little to no likelihood that such a track ever existed. Extensive, exhaustive research on the part of Pierce failed to find any evidence for the existence of such a track in the Stockbridge area at the time when all the excitement was supposedly going on.

I have skimmed and now doing a closer reading of Beekman's NASCAR Nation. One can easily quibble with some of his information -- there was a sanction for an event held in 1910 in West Virginia, which prior to the 1935 date that Beekman claims as being the earliest AAA-sanctioned event in that state, for instance -- and some of his conclusions and interpretations, but it is not the all-too-usual endless rehashing of legend, folklore, and mythology that mars most books on stock car racing and NASCAR's past. That Beekman uses footnotes -- the reason for the re-read is that I am doing through them -- cannot be overlooked.

Something that both Pierce and Beekman and others make clear is that Big Bill France seized control of stock car racing in the Southeast through a variety of measures, most of them involving more than a bit of arm-twisting. Pierce takes the time to closely examine the labor relations aspects of NASCAR and the drivers, which is an area the usual NASCAR fare steers well clear of, given that France's views of those relations did not differ very much from that of those autocrats of the New South, the textile mill owners. The blow-up with the PDA at Talladega in 1969 was only one battle in the stormy relationship that France had with the "labor force" in NASCAR.

One should approach many of the recollections found in the Wilkinson book with some caution. As historians are always painfully aware, recollections and memory are like gossamer, fragile and often unsubstanial. While invaluable in providing the crucial elements of Zeirgeist, it is best to remember the caution implied in "trust, but verify."

At some point, all the various efforts should coalesce and a more-informed, realistic view of the origins of stock car racing and NASCAR will emerge; however, mythology dies hard....

It seems to me that the Stockbridge oval story may be attributable to Tim Flock, whose interviews feature prominently in both the Chapin and Wilkinson books. I just pulled Chapin's book off the shelf and Flock was adamant that that was the way it started, ....."I don't care what anyone else tells you," .... he is quoted as saying in reference to stock car racing starting in a cow pasture outside of Atlanta.

I have no doubt that there was an impromptu race or two in a cow pasture, but somehow he built it up in his mind that that was the origin of stock car racing until he believed it. Memory is funny. Things that happened once gradually become what you did all of the time and ordinary events become embellished to the extraordinary.

You are correct regarding Tim Flock and the Stockbridge mythology. All the research in recent years points to Flock as the probable -- or at least most vocal -- proponent of the Stockbridge story. Pierce went to considerable effort to examine and research the possibility of the Stockbridge track story being true. In both Chapin and then in Wilkinson, Flock is quite adamant about the tale. However, there is more than sufficient reason to cast considerable doubt on the veracity of the story. Historians are more than aware of the foibles of memory, any historian dealing with oral history has found this out, more often than not the hard way. However, whatever the problems there might be with oral history collections, they definitely serve a purpose and can be invaluable.

Pierce contends, correctly I believe, that Flock confused the date and location of the "Stockbridge" track with a post-war effort. During that period there were tracks literally carved from the red clay of the Southeastern Piedmont almost overnight. That Flock and others were never challenged or closely questioned -- at least openly -- regarding this and other similar claims, allowed the legend become folklore which then morphed into mythology.

It is interesting to note how some "old-timers" and writers turned the "Stockbridge" story into a venue that would have easily rivaled Lakewood Speedway, with Bill France promoting the events and also setting up the infrastructure for the "track." Truly amazing stuff to read. So, how it could have escaped notice is a mystery in and of itself, of course.

The history of the development of stock car racing in the United States is a far more complex and nuanced story than most care to read or even think about. It is certainly not simple. Plus, NASCAR is not above changing the story and its role in it to suit its purposes, as the moonshiner still in the NASCAR museum in Charlotte clearly indicates. For years and years, NASCAR consistently ignored any talk of the role of the "trippers" in its development, its raison d'etre being as a counter to the unscrupulous promoters skipping out with the purse leaving the drivers and others high and dry -- a practice which France and NASCAR presented as commonplace, but for which there has been scant documentation, even Ray Parks having trouble recalling any cases of promoters stiffing the drivers.

In additon, few today seem to understand source of the enmity that Bruton Smith continues to harbor against NASCAR and the France family, which has it origins during his time with one of the biggest rivals to NASCAR, the National Stock Car Racing Association (NSCRA), for which Smith worked and then led. The unusual combination of France managing to get NASCAR involved in the inaugural Southern 500 and Smith being drafted during the Korean War allowed France to outflank NSCRA.

At any rate, one must tread with much caution and skepticism though most of the literature relating to stock car racing history and NASCAR and their development.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Capps

.................

That there have been those actively engaged in the illegal manufacture and transport of illegal alcohol who also drove and/or owned stock cars or tracks or were promoters is not questioned. What is under question is the role of those folks in the formation of stock car racing. In many cases, the numbers and roles of the "moonshiners" involved in stock car racing, especially NASCAR, during the Forties and Fifties have been either exaggerated or somewhat embellished tending to overshadow, deliberately or otherwise, the presence of the others involved in the sport. It could be suggested that the focus on the drivers who were -- or thought to be -- involved in the transportation of illegal liquor may have shifted attention away from the true role of the illegal alcohol business regarding stock car racing -- as a means to "launder" money generated by that illegal activity. Recent discussions on the role of "moonshine" in stock car racing tend to be focusing on this aspect of their involvement, particularly in light of the known instances of money generated from the illegal liquor trade being used to promote events through the simple expedient of track ownership.

..................

You know some parts that are generally ignored come much closer to the truth. A little further in the same chapter comes this tidbit from an interview with former driver Jack Smith:

"......the people that owned the racetracks. They was [sic] just as bad as the race drivers. They had made lots of money during the war sellin' whiskey and different things, and they come in and build a nice race track where other people didn't have the money. And some of the promoters that's promoting today, that's how they got their money to get started into this thing. If you found a man that was in that kind of business, he was a gambler anyhow. He didn't mind taking a chance on his money. ......."

There it is right there, in the midst of all the tall tales about haulin' whiskey down to Atlanta from Dawsonville on Highways 9 and 19.

Those in the background of the development of stock car racing in the pre-war years and then the post-war years and the emergence of NASCAR have, with few exceptions, been largely left out of the narrative; this has not been necessarily by accident it would seem. Some have been mentioned and even gained a bit of recognition, but generally ignored given the intense focus on the drivers and, of course, Big Bill France. As the scholarship continues to emerge and then develop, I would suggest that more attention to those with business interests, such as track ownship and so forth, will come under closer examination by those kicking over and looking under different rocks than those the non-historians repeatedly looked under time and again without really looking very closely.

It will be interesting to see where all this leads. NASCAR's belated embracing the Moonshine mythology may turn out to have unintended consequences should it become known just how many business arrangements may have had with those in the illegal liquor business -- in addition to those alread known or strongly suspected, of course.

As one of my professor once pointed out, at times it is easy to forget which is the revisionist history, something that certainly seems to be the case with stock car racing and especially NASCAR. The ability of NASCAR to control the narrative, restrict access to information, and generally ensure the party line is strictly adhered to, just might be showing signs of finally meeting its match.

Counterfactual

A term that has recently come into vogue in the history field is "counterfactual." The automobile racing history of the United States continues to experience problems with "counterfactual history" in certain areas, stock car racing and that of NASCAR -- along with that of the "early years" of the AAA National Championship -- being the major issues in this regard.

Don,
Please elaborate or explain.
Does "counterfactual" mean falsifying history? Or does it mean inventing history? Does it have to be a deliberate act?

Quote:

Originally Posted by D-Type

Don,
Please elaborate or explain.
Does "counterfactual" mean falsifying history? Or does it mean inventing history? Does it have to be a deliberate act?

Strictly speaking, counterfactual history is defined as an "what if" exercise. This concept was originally taken from the field of philosophy, something along the lines of "If A had not occurred, C would not have occurred". It is can be an effective exercise in determing causation, or at least as a starting point for the discussion of causation and related factors. However, in the field of psychology, it has the meaning of something along the lines of the tendency people have to imagine alternatives to reality. There are times when what is often tossed ito the "revisionist" history pot is actually "counterfactual" in the psychological sense, that people imagine something and, therefore, for any number of reasons, it must be so.

Consider this: A writer (usually a jounalist) using only secondary sources written by other writers (journalists for the most part, enthusiasts for the other part) and who does no research as such aside from that -- just as those whose works he is using did, and does not question any of the assertions he reads, but provides eloquent prose on the role of "trippers" in the origins of stock car racing as it developed and evolved from a rude, red clay oval cut from a farmer's field on the outskirts of Stockbridge, Georgia in the early Thirties; prose that is both readable and, therefore, believeable. Is this "counterfactual" or "revisionist" if those who have done the research find no evidence for it?

Does believing in something, even if not necessarily true, but fervently believing in it hard enough and long enough make something true? Does believing in something because you wish it to be true, make it true? By truth, I mean, of course, the historians' "truth," which as Wilde succiently reminds us, "....is rarely pure and never simple."

Does the belief in something not necessarily "true" and yet could be true if things had been just a bit different, really make it a "falsehood?" Does ignorance of the truth make it a deliberate falsehood?

All this could make for a good panel discussion at a conference or at least for an interesting classroom discussion.