June 3, 1966 - New Asheville's Asheville 300

With the assistance of relief driver, Richard Petty, Marvin Panch won the World 600 in a Petty Plymouth at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 22, 1966. A week later, the Petty team and the rest of NASCAR's Grand National drivers struggled to keep pace with David Pearson at Dog Track Speedway in Moyock, NC.

Scheduled in the middle of the two races was a trip to New Asheville Speedway on Friday, May 27th. Rain postponed the Asheville 300 to Friday, June 3rd giving the drivers a welcomed two extra days between the 600 and the bullring at Moyock.

Petty captured the pole when the teams returned a week later. The top starting spot was his third in a row in 1966 and his sixth in seven races. The King would eventually extend his streak to eight poles in nine races. 

David Pearson - winner at Moyock the previous weekend - qualified second and started alongside Petty's 43. The next three qualifiers were all a mild surprise. J.T. Putney timed third, Jack Ingram started fourth, and Elmo Langley rounded out the top five starters. 

Ingram's quick lap may have been the least surprising - at least to local fans. Though he'd made only one prior GN start, Ingram knew his way around New Asheville. He stomped around the track for a couple of decades and won more than his fair share of races. Ingram's qualifying effort turned out to be the highlight of his day. He developed fuel line issues early in the race and finished 19th in the 22-car field.

Petty seized the lead at the start; however, Pearson took over the top spot on lap 10. The King attempted to keep pace, but he blew a tire and pounded the wall on lap 90. The DNF sent him back to Level Cross with a P17 - only two spots better than Ingram.

Once Pearson took the lead, the day was over for everyone else. Petty hung around until his tire failure and DNF. Putney put up a reasonable fight and notched a career best second-place finish, albeit one lap down to the winner.

Though Pearson led 291 of the race's 300 laps, the effort wasn't easy. With a bit over 100 laps to go on the 1/3-mile oval, the throttle hung on his Cotton Owens' Dodge. For the remainder of the race, he toggled the ignition switch while rolling through the corners to help avoid launching the car into the fence. The effort was successful, and Pearson captured his 20th career win.

Source: Charlotte News

TMC

May 5, 1968 - Weaverville's Fireball 300

The 14th race of NASCAR's 1968 Grand National season was the Fireball 300 at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway. NASCAR began racing at the North Carolina half-mile in 1951, and the spring race generally didn't have a race title. 

Following Fireball Roberts' death in July 1964 after being badly burned in the World 600, Weaverville named its spring race in Roberts' memory. The first one under the new name was the Fireball 200 in 1965. The race was lengthened to 300 laps in 1966; hence, the 1968 Fireball 300 was considered the third annual running of it.

A week after finishing a close second to Cale Yarborough in the Virginia 500 at Martinsville, David Person captured the pole at Weaverville. Richard Petty qualified second as he tried to break a bad luck streak. The King lost an engine at North Wilkesboro, had rear end failure after leading nearly 300 laps at Martinsville, and broke an axle in Augusta, Georgia two days before the Weaverville race. After three consecutive DNFs, the King needed to right the ship. Tiger Tom Pistone, Bobby Isaac, and Big John Sears rounded out the top fiver starters.

Credit: ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

Pearson got the hole shot at the green and set an early pace. Petty's recent race woes continued as he cut a right front tire on lap 42. Though he finished the race for the first time in a few weeks, he never regained the time he lost during the unscheduled pit stop.

As regular, scheduled stops began during a caution around lap 85, Pearson surrendered the lead on lap 87 to Buddy Baker for a lap. After Pearson's #17 Ford returned to the track and Baker made his stop, Pearson went right back to the point. 

About 20 laps after leading a lap and making his stop, Baker's day took an unfortunate turn...err, slide? He and Isaac raced hard for position. Isaac dove inside of Baker, and they clanged off each other. Buddy hammered the wall, slid through turn three, and came to rest on the apron. Isaac continued, but Baker was done for the day. 

Pearson was pretty much on cruise control the rest of the way. He led 299 of the race's 300 laps to capture his 34th career win. The victory was his first of two career wins at Asheville-Weaverville, the other coming later in 1968 in the Western North Carolina 500.

Isaac finished second, two laps down to Pearson. Though he couldn't make up the lap from the early stop - nor additional laps lost during another green-flag stop, Petty still managed to finish third, three laps down to the winner.

The final caution flew with about 30 laps to go. An ambulance needed to cross the track to transport a fan who had suffered a heart attack to a local hospital. Coincidentally, Pearson benefited from a similar caution to win at Martinsville about five years later. 

Source: Asheville Citizen

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November 5, 1967 - Western North Carolina 500

Asheville-Weaverville Speedway's half-mile track was the scene of several memorable NASCAR events for almost 20 years between 1951 and 1969. The 1967 Western North Carolina 500 was the season-ending race though it was originally scheduled for August 20th - right in the heart of Richard Petty's 10-race winning streak.

Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers

Petty's hot summer streak continued during qualifying for the August 20 race as Ol' Blue scored the pole.

Source: News And Courier

Heavy rains postponed the race; however, and it was rescheduled for August 27th. Though Petty didn't get to race, he still got to put a few bucks in his pocket - $500 for his pole run and a $400 appearance fee for meeting fans at an area shopping center.

Source: Spartanburg Herald

The teams were ready to roll once more a week later, and Petty was clearly the prohibitive favorite for the win. Rain again interrupted everyone's plans; however, and NASCAR and the track worked to find a mutually agreeable date for the third attempt.

Source: News and Courier

All eventually decided to slot the race as the season-ending event in what turned out to be a chilly early November. When the teams returned about two months later, NASCAR decided a "do-over" was necessary for qualifying. Petty's pole run and the rest of the August qualifying results were tossed, and everyone laid down another lap.

For the race that took, Allison captured the pole in his Fred Lorenzen-led, Holman Moody Ford, and Petty timed his Plymouth sixth rather than P1 as he'd done in August. LeeRoy Yarbrough qualified second in Junior Johnson's Ford, and David Pearson and Dick Hutcherson made up the second row in two more Holman Moody Fords. Cale Yarborough's Mercury timed fifth in his first of two starts for NASCAR Hall of Fame owner Bud Moore to give the Blue Oval crowd a sweep of the top five starting positions.

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Allison led the first 121 laps before giving way to Hutcherson for a couple of laps. David Pearson then went to the point for a 90-lap stretch. Petty took over on lap 215, and trio of Pearson, Petty, and Allison traded positions every so often during the second half of the race.

Attrition for the race was extremely high. Several cars left the race because of wrecks. Others ended their day early because of engine or transmission issues - possibly the result of racing a long, grinding season with worn-out parts. Of the 30 starters, only six cars finished the race.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott was one of the drivers whose day ended early. He spun and wrecked after only 52 of the race's 500 laps.

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About two decades later, Scott's tough day at Asheville-Weaverville in 1967 was used as the cover image for Brian Donovan's book about Wendell.

As the race entered the final few laps, the beatin' and bangin' fans enjoy so much with short track racing intensified. With about 20 laps to go, Petty dove to the inside of Allison's Ford. The 43 sent Allison into the marbles, but Bobby gathered his car and set sail for the blue Plymouth as it disappeared down the straight.

The tail pipe on Allison's car came loose and began to drag the track - likely the result of hard racing with Petty. Rather than black flag the leader, NASCAR officials rightfully let the battle continue. With seven laps remaining, Allison caught Petty, muscled his way to the inside, and nudged Petty's Plymouth towards the outside rail.

Just as Allison had done earlier, Petty regained control of his Plymouth and took off in hot pursuit. He was also keeping an eye on Allison's exhaust that was dragging the track right in front of him. When the checkered flag fell, Petty crossed the finish line one car length behind Allison.

After the race, Petty said "I guess when you've won as much as I have, everyone takes pot shots at you". Allison responded with "We were racing for the win. He put me out of the groove more than once, and I did the same thing to him." The race was the eighth of 51 times Petty and Allison finished in the top two spots.

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Allison's crew chief, Lorenzen, was bubbling with enthusiasm over the win. Lorenzen served as Allison's crew chief two times, and Allison had won both races. Lorenzen said "as far as I'm concerned, Allison has a life-time job."

Source: News and Courier

Petty forfeited his pole for the race because of two rain delays, and he finished a close second to his rival after getting bumped out of the groove. He and his crew still returned to Level Cross as winners though as Petty secured his second NASCAR Grand National title - a number that eventually grew to seven with his final title in 1979.

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TMC

July 12, 1958 - Paschal Pockets The Asheville Cash

July 12, 1958 - What a day for Petty history.

• 21 year-old Richard Petty debuted as a professional race car driver in a NASCAR Convertible Division race at Columbia Speedway in South Carolina
• Bob Welborn won the Columbia race in a Chevrolet fielded by Richard's uncle, Julian Petty, and
• Jim Paschal found a pot of gold on the speedway at McCormick Field in Asheville, North Carolina in Julian's hard-top Chevrolet.

In 1958, Welborn joined forces with Julian to run the full Convertible schedule for a championship and also a limited Grand National races with the goal of winning as many as possible. So ordinarily, Bob would have been at the wheel of the #49 Chevy. Welborn couldn't be in two places at once with the points-paying race at Columbia falling on the same day. So Paschal was tapped to sling it around McCormick Field.

For years, McCormick Field was a minor-league baseball park (and remains so today as the home of the Asheville Tourists). Several players who found their way to the bigs have passed through McCormick on at least one occasion. For a three-year stint in the mid to late 1950s, however, the bats were silenced at McCormick. While baseball was AWOL, a quarter-mile race track was shoehorned into the ball park.

And on a single occasion, the track promoter was able to host a NASCAR Grand National race. In 2010, legendary NASCAR beat writer Tom Higgins penned a column about McCormick's sole GN event:

Lee Petty came speeding toward home plate, slipped wildly and went crashing into the first-base dugout.

No, the patriarch of NASCAR’s most famous clan wasn’t playing baseball.

Petty was competing in a heat race preliminary to a 150-lap, 37.5-mile Grand National event at McCormick Field, a grand old park in Asheville, N.C.

I was in the press box on July 12, 1958, to cover the action as a raw rookie reporter for the Asheville Times, an afternoon daily.

The Grand National Division was destined to eventually become today's Sprint Cup Series. McCormick Field, dating to 1924, still stands and is home to Asheville’s minor league baseball team.

Many of baseball’s most famous stars played there, including Babe Ruth.

Bob Terrell, the late, great Asheville sports editor and columnist – one of my journalistic heroes – had termed races at the track “demolition derbies in the round.” He added: “When 25 cars start on a quarter-mile track, something has to give.”

It certainly gave for Lee Petty in that July heat race as he battled Cotton Owens.

It was “heat” all right, as Petty’s Olds briefly caught fire as fans in the packed grandstands stood and gasped in astonishment.

Incredibly, the car was pulled from the dugout and repaired in time for the main event. Jack Smith, Herman Beam and Matthews had also crashed in the heat races.

Matthews’ accident prevented him from delighting his many followers in the crowd by “beating the big boys.” Matthews was wildly popular in Western North Carolina, both because of his success and some of the antics attributed to him.

As one story goes, Matthews was said to have dressed as a woman to enter a “Powder Puff” race. When one of the cars came through the turns sideways and on two wheels, Matthews was black-flagged.

No one but Banjo could drive McCormick Field that way, it was figured, and his race was over. Said Lowe, according to the story: “Banjo is a fine driver, but he makes one ugly woman.”

Time finally came for that Grand National main event and a field of 15 cars lined up, stretching from the home-plate turn to where third base would have been.

Jim Paschal held the pole position in a '57 Chevrolet fielded by Julie Petty, Lee’s brother. Owens had the other front-row spot in a Pontiac.

Many speculated the pole winner wouldn't be passed if he didn’t experience any trouble. This proved to be true.

Paschal immediately pulled out front and no one could get around him. He led all 150 laps. Owens stayed right on Paschal’s rear bumper and was the runner-up by only a car length. White finished third, Lee Petty fourth and Smith fifth. Right behind came Junior Johnson and Buck Baker.

Source: Spartanburg Herald via Google News Archive

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October 11, 1959 - Lee Petty Wins Weaverville

October 11, 1959: Starting fourth in his #42 Plymouth, Lee Petty motored to the front and won the 200-laps, 100-miles event at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in North Carolina. Coincidentally, the race was the 42nd event of the 1959 season.

Tommy Irwin won the pole. With the race nearing half-way, however, he lost an engine and finished 28th - one spot ahead of Bob Welborn, who made several starts in NASCAR's Grand National and Convertible series driving for for Lee Petty's brother, Julian. (He also started a handful of GN races for Petty Enterprises.) The previous race at Asheville-Weaverville was the Western Carolina 500 just a couple of months earlier in August 1959. Welborn won the race, but he finished 29th - dead last in the October one.

Lee's son, Richard, started eighth and improved to a fifth place finish. The October race was the future King's second event at the track with the previous one being August's Western Carolina 500. Not only did Richard improve during the race, but he also improved in all areas from the first race to the second. In the August race, he qualified 22nd, crashed, and finished 26th. So the October race was far and away a marked improvement.

NASCAR kept records for qualifying and the finishing order. The lap leaders, however, remain unknown - other than Lee Petty's leading the final one.

Several other future NASCAR Hall of Famers raced in the event including:

• Glen Wood - 2nd
• Ned Jarrett - 8th
• Junior Johnson - 9th
• Cotton Owens - 11th
• Buck Baker - 12th

Source: The Index-Journal of Greenwood SC

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September 8, 1957 - Lee Petty Aces Asheville-Weaverville

September 8, 1957: Starting 2nd in his #42 Oldsmobile, Lee Petty leads 46 of 200 laps and wins the 100-mile race on the half-mile, asphalt Asheville-Weaverville Speedway.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Cotton Owens started fourth and was the stud of the show. He led 131 laps, but he crashed and finished 16th in the 20-car field. Another NASCAR HOFer, Buck Baker, qualified third and finished second. Baker later raced in six races for Petty Enterprises in the first part of the 1964 season.

Retired Charlotte Observer motorsports writer, ThatsRacin.com contributor and author Tom Higgins wrote about his memories of the 1957 A-W race.

On September 8, 1957, I covered the first race I ever saw, a 100-miler at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway. I arrived at the rustic track well before race time and, although nervous, decided to walk along the “garage area” behind the pit wall to introduce myself.

Among the first I met were Lee Petty and his sons, Richard and Maurice. Their cousin, Dale Inman, also was helping them work on Lee’s No. 42 blue Olds, which was to win the race.

Although busy, they took a minute or so to welcome me to the sport, destined to become our lives. I was struck by the friendliness of the Pettys, and others that day, including Rex White and Marvin Panch.

Who would have imagined back then that someday there would be a NASCAR Hall of Fame? And that with the election of Maurice, the first engine builder to be chosen, all four in the Petty quartet would be in it?

Read more here: http://www.thatsracin.com/2013/05/23/106388/higgins-scuffs-my-favorite-memories.html#storylink=cpy

Perry Allen Wood succinctly summarized the race in Silent Speedways of the Carolinas:

Californian Bill Amick put his Ford on the pole and led the first nine laps before giving it up to Cotton [Owens] for 130. Owens was looking like a winner when a tire popped on lap 141 and he stuffed the Pontiac into the fence for the day's only caution. Amick, [Buck] Baker, and [Lee] Petty swapped the lead until the laps ran out and Lee and his Olds were leading ... The race took less than 90 minutes. ~ p. 221

Source: Lexington NC The Dispatch via Google News Archive

Though not related to the Asheville-Weaverville race, the article does reference another story with a Petty connection. A tragic one, yes - but an historical one nonetheless. A hat was passed at Greensboro's short track to collect a few dollars for the family of Bobby Myers. The father of long-time Dale Earnhardt crewman Danny 'Chocolate' Myers, Bobby Myers was killed six days earlier in a crash during the Southern 500 at Darlington while piloting a white #4 Petty Engineering Oldsmobile.

Final photo taken of Bobby Myers courtesy of Randy Myers

Three-wide racing from the jump begins around 11:45 of this video. Beginning around 14:45, Fonty Flock spins in turn 1. Myers tragically drilled Flock and flipped several times. Myers passed away a couple of hours after the accident at a local hospital. From its opening until today, Myers' death remains one of only two at Darlington. (The other was Buren Skeen in the 1965 Southern 500.)


TMC

August 12, 1962 - Jim Paschal Wins Weaverville

August 12, 1962: Going three-for-three in three mid-season races after being re-hired as a Petty Enterprises driver, Jim Paschal wins the Western Carolina 500 at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway driving a #42 Plymouth. Teammate Richard Petty lost one spot from his 6th place qualifying run and finished 7th in his #43 Plymouth.

Jack Smith won the pole for the 500-lap race on the half-mile paved oval. Paschal's qualifying speed matched Smith's hot lap; however, Smith was awarded the pole simply because he qualified first. Go figure. Dadgum Petty drivers - they've never been able to catch a break over the years (tongue planted firmly in cheek).

Source: Daytona Beach Morning Journal via Google News Archive

Smith took the lead from the drop of the green and led about one-third of the laps. But Paschal then took over the lead from Smith on lap 164, and he led the remaining 337 laps for a dominating victory.

In his book, Silent Speedways of the Carolinas, Perry Allen Wood writes:

The Fifth Annual Western North Carolina 250 ran on Sunday, August 12, 1962, under beautiful summers skies. The question was whether the track could handle 500 summertime laps. A field of 25 took the green, led by pole-sitter Jack Smith, who paced the field for 163 laps until tire troubles gave the lead to Paschal. Unchallenged in a Petty Plymouth, Jim led 337 circuits for his fourth win of the year at a race record of over 77 miles per hour. ~ p. 224

Source: Charleston News and Courier via Google News Archive

Earlier in 1962, Paschal raced several times for car owner Cliff Stewart. Then in the summer, he was hired to once again pilot a Petty Plymouth. (He'd previously driven for the team a few times in 1960-61.) In the next five races, he rattled off three wins - all in the Petty car - at Bristol, Nashville and Asheville-Weaverville. Sandwiched between the three wins were two more starts for Stewart in Chattanoga, TN and Huntsville, TN. Following the race and win at Asheville-Weaverville, Paschal raced in the majority of races for the rest of the season, and all of his starts were for the Petty team.
 
TMC

July 1, 1956 - Lee Petty Whips Weaverville

July 1, 1956: Lee Petty nips Jim Paschal to win the 200-lap, 100-mile Grand National race on the half-mile, dirt Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in Weaverville, NC.

Lee's victory was his first of the season. He won again two races later at Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds in Spartanburg, SC. The season was dominated by NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker's 14 wins in Carl Kiekaefer's Chryslers. Lee managed to score only two trophies for the season and finished 4th in the year-end standings.

In Silent Speedways of the Carolinas, Perry Allen Wood writes:

The factory wars raged as 29 took the green on July 1, 1956, when Commandant Kiekhaefer entered four big white Mopars, three Chryslers and a Dodge. As incredibly successful as they were, none of them were factors. Fireball [Roberts] nailed the pole in a De Paolo Ford and a star-studded field chased him. He led over three-quarters of the race until a blowout ended his run. When the checkers fell, it was across the nose of another Mopar, that of Lee Petty, with the red and silver CU Later Alligator Mercury of Jim Paschal second [TMC: and a future Petty driver] ... A paltry $850 was Petty's take-home pay this scorching summer Sunday. ~ pp. 220-221

Lee flashes across the finish line with runner-up Paschal (75) close behind. A shirtless, teenaged Richard Petty waves to his dad as he takes the checkers.

#84314873 / gettyimages.com

Source: Spartanburg Herald-Journal via Google News Archive

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April 24, 1960 - Lee Petty Wins Weaverville

April 24, 1960: Lee Petty wins a shortened race at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in NC to pocket his 50th career NASCAR Grand National victory. 

He won by a full lap over second place Joe Lee Johnson. Richard Petty finished ninth. Junior Johnson won the pole but broke a tie rod and finished deep in the field. He raced the Wood Brothers #21 Ford for the fourth of four times in his career.

Perry Allen Wood writes in his book, Silent Speedways of the Carolinas:

Sunday, April 24, 1960, and spring was bustin' out all over. Unfortunately, so was the asphalt at A-W. Twenty stockers pounded the pavement that afternoon as Jack Smith's Bud Moore Pontiac slipped by the front row teammates Junior Johnson and Glen Wood in Wood Brothers' Fords. As the track started coming apart, Smith's oil pan was punctured, and he was gone at lap 35, having led them all. ... Banjo [Matthews] took over, then [Bob] Welborn, until the red flag flew. Crews tried to patch the holes by filling them with the asphalt that had come loose. Lee Petty promptly took the lead when the green waved, only to have the event called 104 laps later, 33 short of the scheduled distance. Joe Lee Johnson was second and stayed there despite his beef that he won. ~ p. 222 

Source: Spartanburg Herald via Google News Archive

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June 12 - This day in Petty history - part 1

1966 - Richard Petty wins the pole, leads 176 of 300 laps, and wins the Fireball 300 at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in North Carolina for his 46th career victory.

In a remarkable comeback, Petty had a defining race as The King by coming back from THREE laps down with only TEN laps to go and passing career rival David Pearson on the last lap. Pearson hit the pits late for fuel and then cut a tire after completing his stop. As he slowly limped on three good tires to finish the race, Petty raced hard, passed Pearson repeatedly and eventually nabbed the win.

East Tennessee driver Paul Lewis - who drove a Petty Enterprises Plymouth at Rockingham later in the 1966 season - finished third, 2 laps behind Petty and Pearson.

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

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May 31 - This day in Petty history

1968 - Richard Petty wins the pole with a new track record, leads all 300 laps, laps the field and dominates for his 79th career win in the Asheville 300 at New Asheville Speedway in North Carolina.

While Petty's domination of the race may have resulted in a boring day for some, it hardly ended that way for others. As referenced in the article below, a couple of teams had a mid-race scrap as The King drove on to collect his trophy, check, and victory kisses.

Greg Fielden describes in Forty Years of Stock Racing - Volume 3:

As [David] Pearson was lapping Stan Meserve for the third time, the two cars tangled, sending Pearson into the wall. Meserve spun into the infield. Angry words were exchanged between Pearson and Meserve. The "jaw" session seemed to die down when apparently a member of Meserve's pit crew ran onto the track and hit Pearson from behind. The pits emptied and several fist-swinging incidents broke out. "I turned around saw everybody swinging." said NASCAR Field Manager Johnny Bruner. ~ p. 181

I get the feeling Bruner wasn't referring to this kind of swinging.

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

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May 21 - This day in Petty history - part 2

1971 - Richard Petty gets win number 128 by scoring the pole, leading 252 of 300 laps, and winning the Asheville 300 at at New Asheville Speedway in North Carolina.

The race was pretty much a cakewalk for Petty. Only 17 drivers started, and no other big-name drivers started. Petty plus sixteen independent or also-ran drivers arrived in Asheville. George Ledford - the track's promoter - paid Petty an appearance fee. This arrangement was common for many years in an effort to secure a driver's appearance to then help sell tickets.

Many of the independents also wanted a bit of 'show money' to help fill the field; however, Ledford refused and said Petty was the only name he needed. In protest, James Hylton started the race but parked his car on the first lap. Many others followed suit in the next few laps. When the checkers fell, only five cars were on the track.

In Greg Fielden's Forty Years of Stock Car Racing - Volume 3, he quoted Petty's forecast for NASCAR's future:

I think Grand National racing will work itself out of short track racing into nothing but a large track circuit. I think for it to be what it started out to be - the very best in racing - then NASCAR is going to have to work up a circuit with 25 races or something like that. ~ p. 341

Petty was spot-on with his prediction - and New Asheville Speedway was one of the casualties of his forecast. After a run of eight Grand National events between 1962 and 1971, Petty's win in 1971 turned out to be the final GN race at the track.

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

TMC

March 5 - This day in Petty history

1967 - Richard Petty qualifies second, leads 150 - exactly half - of the laps, and wins the Fireball 300 at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in North Carolina by two laps over second place Darel Dieringer to earn his 50th career victory.

The race was named in memory of driver Fireball Roberts who died in 1964 from injuries and burns suffered in a horrific crash and fire in the 1964 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was held the week after the Daytona 500 - where open wheeler Mario Andretti surprised the stock car establishment with his win. When the glitz of Daytona ended and the normal seasonal grind at Asheville-Weaverville returned, Mario - and most of the other big name drivers - were absent.

Perhaps the teams couldn't be blamed for skipping the race. Andretti earned over $48,000 for his Daytona win. Petty earned $1,800 in winning at Asheville-Weaverville - roughly the same amount A.J. Foyt earned at Daytona ... for finishing 37th.

The winning trophy as seen by TMC at the Richard Petty Museum in Randleman, NC.

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

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March 3 - This day in Petty history - part 1

1963 - Richard Petty scores career victory number 16 in a 200-lap race at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in North Carolina. Teammate Jim Paschal has a rough outing and finishes 19th in the 22-car field in a #42 Petty Plymouth.

Some stats about Petty's win:

• Richard's win was his second in two days.
• The win was the fifth straight short-track win for Petty Enterprises to open the 1963 season.
• The win was the sixth consecutive short-track win for the team going back to the final short-track race of 1962.

It's interesting the start of the race was delayed because of traffic congestion and fans being stuck in the mud. TMC can honestly say he attended the inaugural Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway race in 1997 and Kentucky Motor Speedway race in 2010. Those races had a ton of parking woes due to mud and traffic congestion. But hmm, let's see. Did the start of those races get delayed to ensure all those folks could make it to their seats in time for the start? Um, that would be 'no'.

Source: Spartanburg Herald via Google News Archive

TMC

August 8 - This day in Petty history - part 3

1965 - Richard Petty scores his 38th career victory by winning the Western North Carolina 500 from the pole at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in North Carolina.

Richard did not race stock cars for the first-half of 1965. The Chrysler Corporation boycotted NASCAR because of its rules against Plymouth's hemi engine. As a Plymouth driver, Petty respected the boycott and didn't race. Instead, he turned to drag racing for part of 1965. When the boycott was lifted about mid-season, Richard returned to his winning ways. He notched two wins in his first four races back - including this one.

Photo Courtesy of Paul Woody at RacersReunion.com

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

TMC