October 5 - This day in Petty history - part 1

1963 - Richard Petty wins his 26th career race in a 200-lap race at the quarter-mile Tar Heel Speedway in his own backyard of Randleman, NC. Petty Engineering teammate Bob Welborn finishes 3rd in a #42 Plymouth.

Tar Heel Speedway hosted only three NASCAR Grand National races - all in the 1963 season (one in November 1962 and the other two in 1963). Petty-prepared Plymouths won all three of them. Jim Paschal nabbed the first two (the second win in car #43), and Richard completed the team sweep with this October 1963 victory.

Fred Lorenzen dominated the early part of the race leading the first 159 laps. But as they say in golf, "drive for show, putt for dough". Freddy lost a differential and ended up finishing 5th. Meanwhile, Petty led the final 40 laps for the win.

The resolution of the article below is a bit tough to read. But if possible, note the dust-up between two future NASCAR Hall of Famers David Pearson and Ned Jarrett. According to Greg Fielden's Forty Years of Stock Car Racing - Volume 2, Pearson dumped Jarrett on lap 1. Jarrett's crew repaired the car and sent him back onto the track. Around the mid-point of the race, "Gentlemen Ned" pulled a Cole Trickle and turned into the side of the Silver Fox to end his race early. Afterwards, Jarrett said "I can be just as mean as anybody, and I will if I have to be."

Ned's frustration may have been escalated because it was the second year in a row he'd been wrecked...at the same track...on the first lap.

Courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

TMC