April 7, 1966 - Columbia 200

NASCAR's Grand National teams arrived in South Carolina for a Thursday night rumble. The Columbia 200 was held on the venerable, half-mile, dirt Columbia Speedway.

Curtis Turner debuted Ford's Fairlane the previous weekend at Hickory Speedway - a debut that came with a bit of controversy after NASCAR DQ'd Turner and the Fairlane two races earlier at Bristol. 

Ford had greater plans than just the introduction of a new body style. As an answer to Chrysler's Hemi engine, Ford rolled out it's single overhead cam engine - the SOHC. After a good bit of back and forth in the early part of the season, NASCAR finally approved the new engine - but with a caveat. The Ford factory teams could run the engine but with an additional 400 pounds of weight.

NASCAR's announced its ruling Wednesday, April 6 - the day before the race at Columbia. Race day or not, Ford did not take the decision lightly. Ford reacted by immediately parking their factory-supported cars meaning race fans would not see the following drivers race for the foreseeable future:

• Cale Yarborough with Banjo Matthews
• Fred Lorenzen and Dick Hutcherson with Holman Moody
• Ned Jarrett with Bondy Long
• Bobby Issac with Junior Johnson
• Curtis Turner and Marvin Panch with the Wood Brothers

Source: Charlotte News

Yet as they say, the show must go on. It did in 1965 without Dodge and Plymouth. And it did so again in 1966 without the Blue Oval drivers - starting at Columbia.

Tiger Tom Pistone won the pole - coincidentally in a Ford though Tiger's car was an independent operation rather than a factory-backed team. Pistone's qualifying effort rewarded him with his second of five career poles.

J.T. Putney joined Pistone on the front row. The effort resulted in a career-best starting position for Putney - an effort he matched two more times, both later in 1966. Buddy Baker, John Sears, and Stick Elliott rounded out the somewhat surprising top five starters.

Richard Petty had quite the adventurous night at the track on which he'd win eight times between 1963 and 1971. He leapt the guardrail during qualifying and left the track. The Dale Inman-led crew thrashed on the car to get it race ready from the 18th starting spot in the 24-car field.

Pistone set out to let folks know his fast qualifying speed was no fluke. He seized the lead at the start and led the first 50+ laps. David Pearson's Dodge and the Plymouth of Paul Goldmith led the remainder of the first half of the race - along with Putney who eked out one lap up front.

Just before halfway, Petty's ill-handling Plymouth spun giving him yet another Goody's headache. The King managed to right the 43 and salvaged a sixth place finish, five laps down to the winner.

The second half of the race, however, was dominated by Pearson. Once his red and white Dodge sniffed the lead right after the halfway mark, the car stayed at the point. Pearson led the entire second half allowing Pearson to capture his 15th career win. It was also his second consecutive win in 1966 after winning four days earlier at Hickory.

Source: High Point Enterprise

TMC