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Saturday, September 10, 2011

September 10 - This day in Petty history - part 1

1965 - Richard Petty wins his 39th career race in the Buddy Shuman 250 at Hickory Speedway in North Carolina.

Junior Johnson won the pole for the race. Curtis Turner - fresh from his return to NASCAR - qualified second alongside Junior in a second Junior-prepared "team" car.

When the race got underway, Junior was the lap bully for the evening. He led 160 of the race's first 161 laps. Turner fell behind his teammate / car owner at the jump, never led a lap, and exited the race because of overheating after only 35 laps (presumably the car vs. the driver).

Over the next 50 laps, Junior and David Pearson in Cotton Owens' Dodge swapped the lead every few laps. With 40 to go, however, Petty got by both of them and led the rest of the way to the checkers.


Pearson stayed with Petty to finish second. The duo pulled away from everyone else - including Junior who had dominated so much of the race. When the race ended, Junior was fourth - two laps down to Petty and Pearson. Ned Jarrett, who didn't lead a lap, got by Junior to finish third on the same lap with him.


Source: Spartanburg Herald via Google News Archive

TMC
Edited August 29, 2014

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