Tying some racing history together
See last post in thread:
See it before it goes away.

 

212 MPH before restrictor plates Bill Elliot, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, Georgia:



[h=2]Chase and Bill Elliott on 212mph lap at Talladega[/h] Friday, 05 May 2017


By Kelly Crandall / Images by NASCAR via Getty Images

Chase Elliott wasn't around when his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (pictured with Chase, above), ran 212 mph at Talladega Superspeedway but he'll honor the accomplishment this weekend.
This week marks the 30th anniversary of Bill Elliott running 212.809 mph in qualifying for the 1987 Winston 500 in his legendary No. 9 Coors Ford Thunderbird (below). The record has withstood the test of time and Chase will help remind everyone of it by running a special design on his driving shoes for the GEICO 500.
"(Dad) still has a few of his Coors cars in the shop and I always think it's pretty neat to look at them and see how they were built and what they put into them and just how simple everything was," Chase said Friday at Talladega. "They just tried to simplify things as best they could. They were kind of in their own box with having the spoiler laid back as far as it could possibly go.
"Like he says, they just didn't know any better. They did it their own way and did really good at it. I think it's really cool and a great part of racing history in general. Obviously, I'm a little biased because of my dad."










Here's how Bill remembers it:

"You still had to do everything you could to make the car really uncomfortable to run fast," he said. "There were guys over there before qualifying taking the rear spoilers off, but you couldn't drive them. You had to have a little bit of downforce or you couldn't drive them, so you just had to get to that point where you took as much off as you could and still be able to make it around the racetrack."
Although he started on the pole, Elliott ironically suffered an engine issue in the race and finished 22nd. However, the lore of his incredible qualifying lap continues to live on.
"The fans went nuts," Elliot said of that day. "They loved it. They loved that stuff back then. The faster the better. We had worked so hard to get to that point that it was very satisfying from our end. We put a lot of effort into our speedway programs and already had really good power, so we were able to kind of marry it all together.
"I think the qualifying record at Talladega just kind of puts an exclamation point on our legacy. I'm talking about for our whole family – me, Dan, Ernie and my dad. We came out of nothing. We came out of a little town in Dawsonville, Georgia that wasn't even on the map. We were kind of like David and Goliath with what we did and what we accomplished."
NASCAR later implemented the use of restrictor plates to reduce the speeds at Daytona and Talladega. If given the chance, though, Chase Elliott wouldn't mind getting behind the wheel of his dad's old car.
"I don't know that I could handle it," Chase admitted. "But, I would definitely try, for sure. I'd love to give it a shot. But, I don't know that I would have what it takes to hold her wide open. That wasn't easy back then, those things. I remember Dad telling me stories. They basically kept leaning the spoiler back until he just couldn't take it anymore. And that was how they figured out when to stop. He kept pushing the limit until he couldn't drive it, which is pretty cool, really."

 

[h=1]Seminole Speedway[/h]Seminole Speedway was a dirt oval racetrack, located in Casselberry, Florida (near Orlando in central Florida), that opened in 1945 and hosted some of the first stock car racing events following the end of World War II. Roy Hall, Red Byron, and Fireball Roberts were known for competing at the racetrack. Seminole Speedway closed in the mid-1950s and was eventually redeveloped as a residential subdivision.
[TABLE="class: infobox vcard, width: 22"]
Seminole Speedway [TR]
[TH]Location[/TH]
[TD="class: label"]Casselberry, Florida[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Coordinates[/TH]
[TD]28.678°N 81.301°W[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Opened[/TH]
[TD]1945[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Closed[/TH]
[TD]c.1954[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #dedede, colspan: 2, align: center"]Oval (1945–c.1954)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Surface[/TH]
[TD]Dirt[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Length[/TH]
[TD]0.25 mi (0.4 km)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Turns[/TH]
[TD]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #dedede, colspan: 2, align: center"]Oval (1946–c.194[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Surface[/TH]
[TD]Dirt[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Length[/TH]
[TD]1 mi (1.61 km)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Turns[/TH]
[TD]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[h=2]HistoryEdit[/h] Developed by a group of local investors and promoted by Bill France, Sr., who would later become the founder of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR),[SUP][1][/SUP] Seminole Speedway was a quarter-mile (0.4-kilometer) dirt oval track, located in Casselberry, Florida, near Orlando,[SUP][2][/SUP] and held its first racing event on December 2, 1945,[SUP][1][/SUP] with Roy Hall beating France in the track's inaugural event.[SUP][2][/SUP] The track hosted the 1945 season finale for the Southeastern States Championship.[SUP][3][/SUP] A one-mile (1.6-kilometer) track was opened at the site in 1946.[SUP][4][/SUP] Red Byron, who would go on to become the first champion in NASCAR's premier series in 1949, won his first stock car event following World War Two at the track, beating Hall, France, and others, driving a Raymond Parks-owned car in February 1946.[SUP][5][/SUP] It was the first race that Byron had entered after 27 months of rehabilitation following being injured by flak as a tail gunner in a B-24 Liberator during the war.[SUP][6][/SUP]
In addition to stock car racing, motorcycle events were held at the track; the 1947 Florida All-Star Motorcycle Races saw a 72-bike starting field and had a $1,500 purse for the event.[SUP][7][/SUP]
Racing events continued at Seminole Speedway during the remainder of the 1940s and into the 1950s. Local driver Fireball Roberts competed regularly at the track in both stock cars and modified events.[SUP][8][/SUP] Seminole Speedway closed around 1954;[SUP][9][/SUP] the location of the track was still visible into the 2000s, but is now a subdivision.[SUP][10][/SUP]

[h=2]ReferencesEdit[/h] Citations

"Stock Car Races Returning Dec. 2". The Miami News. Miami, FL. November 24, 1945. p. 6.


Thompson 2006, p. 179


"Big Race Date For Seminole Speedway". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, FL. December 16, 1945. p. 13.


White, Will. "Seminole Speedway". Auto Racing Records. Retrieved 2012-04-23.


Pierce 2010, p. 70


Duskey, Gaylen (February 6, 2002). "Red Byron: The original 'good ol' boy'". NASCAR Online. Turner Sports. Retrieved 2012-04-24.


"Four Orlando Riders Among 70 Entered In Sunday Cycle Races". Orlando Morning Sentinel. Orlando, FL. February 26, 1947. p. 6.


Christmas, Jack (February 15, 200. "Apopkans considered Glen 'Fireball' Roberts as one of their own". The Apopka Chief. Apopka, FL. p. 6A.


Brown 2003, p. 209

• "Casselberry, Florida". Google Maps. Retrieved 2012-04-23.

Bibliography

• Brown, Allan E. (2003). The History of America's Speedways Past & Present (3rd ed.). Comstock Park, MI: America's Speedways. ISBN 978-0931105616.
• Pierce, Daniel S. (2010). Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0807833841.
• Thompson, Neal (2006). Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 978-1-4000-8225-4.

[h=2]External linksEdit[/h]

• A wreck at the track involving Fireball Roberts
• 2004 aerial view of the abandoned track

 

Pride of NASCAR: AJ Foyt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oXBYmqb2_U

From the Indianapolis 500 to the Daytona 500, A.J. Foyt reflects on his successful racing career.

 

I just posted some new found Daytona 500 videos from 1958 into the 60's
I also found a few articles from the 40's
Found some Darlington Southern 500 films from 51, 52,53 with the Flock brothers
and 1958 speedvision
I posted some articles on Smokey Yunick, NASCAR Legend right around posts #79-#80
Found and posted 1950 Darlington 500 article.
added 212 MPH Bill Elliott
added Seminole Speedway
added AJ Foyt
added NASCAR 2001

 

Stock Car Racing NASCAR historical 2001 Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIqwvMBcmVg

by
Doctor Houston



I do not own the rights to this video for this I am just sharing it. This is NASCAR remember in 2001 from Dale Earnhardt seniors wreck and death and even September 11th and so on. Please enjoy and leave your comments below and subscribe to the channel

 

FOX FACTS
Ray Fox first caught the “racing bug” as a boy watching the racing greats of the 1920’s at the Rockingham, N.H. board track. Ray moved to Florida in 1946 from New Hampshire where he was involved with midget racing before World War II.

1946-1952 - Barnstormed around the south racing modifies with friends Marshall Teague and Fireball Roberts. 1955 - Built a 1955 Buick for Fireball Roberts to race in the 160 mile Daytona Beach Race. The car led every lap and won the race. Ray also worked on the ’40 modified Fireball drive for Fish Carburetor and the “Fox Special” modified for Larry Flynn. 1956 - Won NASCAR Mechanic of the Year award. Ray worked on the Kiekhaefer team, mostly on Herb Thomas’ car. 1957 - 1959 - Worked with Smokey Yunick lending his expertise to Paul Goldsmith’s Chevy’s and Pontiacs and Fireball Roberts’ Pontiacs.


1959 - Built a 1955 Ford modified for Fireball Roberts. It sat on the pole for Daytona Speedway’s first modified race. 1960 - Built the 1959 Chevy which won the 1960 Daytona 500 with Jr. Johnson driving. (Ray built the car in 7 days!) 1961 - Built the Pontiac which took David Pearson to 3 superspeedway wins in1961, the World 600 at Charlotte, Dixie 400 at Atlanta & the Firecracker 250 at Daytona. Ray became the first car owner to win 3 superspeedway races in a single year. Vicki Wood sets the closed course record for women at Atlanta in Ray’s #3 Pontiac. He was mechanic on Chevy of Jimmie Pardue 1962: Darrel Dieringer drove for Ray.


1963 - Fox built cars sat on the pole 17 times and won 11 Grand National races. This was called “the year of the little Chevy that Ford spent a million dollars trying to catch”. Fox’s cars with Jr. Johnson and Jim Paschal driving start side by side on the front row for Daytona’s Firecracker 400. It is believed to be the first time team cars start on the first row for a superspeedway race. Buck Baker also drove for Ray
1964: Ray and “old man” Buck Baker score Baker’s third Southern 500 Win at Darlington. This was Buck Baker’s last win, son Buddy Baker notched his first win with Ray. This gave Ray at least one win on each superspeedway (Atlanta, Charlotte, Daytona & Darlington). 1965: A Fox-built ’65 Dodge, with LeRoy Yarbrough at the wheel, sets a world closed course speed record for stock cars with a blistering lap of 181.818 mph. (the first stock to run over 180 mph.) 1966: Earl Balmer wins one of Daytona’s 100 mile Daytona 500 Qualifying races driving a Ray Fox Dodge. Buddy Arrington also drove for Ray that year.


1967: Buddy Baker wins the World 600, his first Grand National (Cup) victory, driving a Ray Fox Dodge. 1968: Bunkie Blackburn earns the biggest payday of this career as he wheels Ray Fox’s Dodge to win in Daytona’s Permatex 300. 1969: Ray Fox is instrumental in developing the aerodynamic rear window design for Dodge Charger 500 model. It makes the car more competitive on the NASCAR circuit. 1970: Ray Fox builds 3 Dodge Daytona winged cars for the Grand National circuit. Tiny Lund’s #55, Fred Lorenzen’s #3 and #28 “wing things” all are competitive. Dr. Don Tarr sets records with Ray’s winged Dodge Charger.

1971: Ray Fox builds a 1971 Plymouth for Cale Yarborough to drive in the Daytona 500. Cale also drives the car in the 1972 Daytona 500 finishing 6th. The car later wins the 1973 Talladega 500 with Dick Brooks at the wheel. Charlie Glotzbach also drove for Ray.

Ray’s cars won hundreds of races in the Sportsman, Modified, and Grand National divisions. He was the first car owner to have cars win on every superspeedway. He is responsible for the careers of Junior Johnson, David Pearson and Buddy Baker. Some of the other drivers, who have warmed Ray’s seats were: Herb Thomas, Paul Goldsmith, Jim Paschal, Earl Balmer, Jim Vandiver, Darrel Dieringer, Bunkie Blackburn, Tiny Lund, Fred Lorenzen, Fireball Roberts, CaleYarborough, Marvin Panch, Neil Castles, Wally Dallenbach, G.C. Spencer as well as Indy car driver Art Pollard and Grand Prix driver Innes Ireland.


He retired as an engine inspector for NASCAR in 1996. He is an original member of Daytona Speedway’s Checkered Flag Committee, as well as a member of the NMPA’s Hall of Fame, TRW/Western Auto Mechanics Hall of Fame, Jacksonville Speedway Hall of Fame, Daytona’s Oceanside Rotary Hall of Fame and most recently the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega, Alabama. Ray is President of the Living Legends of Auto Racing, Inc., an organization of over 600 members, based in Daytona Beach, FL, whose purpose is to preserve the history of auto racing both past and present.


In 2012 Ray was added to the list of 25 candidates for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Several of Ray’s drivers including Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Buck Baker & Herb Thomas have been inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.


Sadly, Ray passed away on June 15, 2014 at the age of 98 in Daytona Beach, FL. He was active in racing through the Living Legends up until his passing. Compiled by BuzMcKim, Paulette Mandala & Eddie Roche

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins Most Popular Driver Award for record 15th consecutive year

By Dustin LongNov 30, 2017, 8:59 PM EST




Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his record-extending 15th consecutive – and final – NMPA Most Popular Driver Award on Thursday night.
Earnhardt was presented the award by Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards show at Wynn Las Vegas.



“Thanks for all you’ve done for the sport,” Jarrett told Earnhardt.
“I’ve got to thank the fans,” Earnhardt said. “Without them none of the opportunities I had in racing would have happened. It always comes back to the fans.”


WATCH: NBCSN airs Cup Series Awards Show at 9 p.m. ET. (Watch Cup Awards Show online here)
Earnhardt, who announced in April this would be his final full-time season Cup season, will miss breaking Bill Elliott’s record of 16 career Most Popular Driver Awards.



Even so, Earnhardt dedicated his final Cup season to the fans with an appreciation tour.
Completing the top 10 in this year’s voting were (listed alphabetically): Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson, Danica Patrick and Martin Truex Jr.
In his speech, Busch joked to Earnhardt: “To Dale, thanks for the friendship that we’ve grown over the years, and of course for you converting Junior Nation into Rowdy fans. It’s all going to be very different getting all those cheers next year at driver intros.”


Also, NASCAR Chairman Brian France presented Earnhardt with the Bill France Award of Excellence, an award that is not always given.


“It’s a real honor, I always tell people all the time that all I wanted to do in racing was to pay my bills and race for a long time,” Earnhardt said of receiving the Bill France Award.
NMPA Most Popular Driver Award winners
Year Winner

2017 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2016 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2015 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2014 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2013 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2012 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2011 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2010 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2009 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2008 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2007 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2006 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2005 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2003 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2002 Bill Elliott
2001 Dale Earnhardt
2000 Bill Elliott
1999 Bill Elliott
1998 Bill Elliott
1997 Bill Elliott
1996 Bill Elliott
1995 Bill Elliott
1994 Bill Elliott
1993 Bill Elliott
1992 Bill Elliott
1991 Bill Elliott
1990 Darrell Waltrip
1989 Darrell Waltrip
1988 Bill Elliott
1987 Bill Elliott
1986 Bill Elliott
1985 Bill Elliott
1984 Bill Elliott
1983 Bobby Allison
1982 Bobby Allison
1981 Bobby Allison
1980 David Pearson
1979 David Pearson
1978 Richard Petty
1977 Richard Petty
1976 Richard Petty
1975 Richard Petty
1974 Richard Petty
1973 Bobby Allison
1972 Bobby Allison
1971 Bobby Allison
1970 Richard Petty
1969 Bobby Isaac
1967 Cale Yarborough
1966 Darel Dieringer
1965 Fred Lorenzen
1964 Richard Petty
1963 Fred Lorenzen
1962 Richard Petty
1961 Joe Weatherly
1960 Rex White
1959 Jack Smith
1958 Glen Wood
1957 Fireball Roberts
1956 Curtis Turner
1955 Tim Flock
1954 Lee Petty
1953 Lee Petty

 

Darlington reveals latest throwback theme

Thursday, 14 December 2017


By Kelly Crandall / Images by Rusty Jarrett/LAT & courtesy of Darlington Raceway



Darlington Raceway already has its theme for throwback weekend 2018: "Seven Decades of NASCAR."
The Sept. 2, 2018 race will be the fourth year the famed track has hosted the popular event, which honors specific memories from a designated time period. For "Seven Decades of NASCAR," teams and drivers will have many memorable moments to choose from and highlight through paint schemes, crew outfits and other avenues.
Darlington announced its theme on the 70th anniversary of NASCAR's first meeting – which led to its creation – at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Darlington Raceway and the NASCAR industry to celebrate the sport over a seven-decade period during our 2018 throwback weekend," Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp said.
"We have been era specific the past three years, so we felt it was important to recognize the 70th anniversary of NASCAR with our 'Seven Decades of NASCAR' celebration next season and give the teams, sanctioning body and others a wider brush to paint a picture capturing memorable moments we might not have celebrated in year's past."
Additionally, Darlington will again have a commemorative ticket design for the Bojangles' Southern 500.

 

Tying some racing history together
See last post in thread:
See it before it goes away.