January 23 - This day in Petty history

1972 - Richard Petty wins the Winston Western 500 at Riverside International Raceway in southern California. Scheduled for 191 laps on the road course, the race is shortened to 149 laps because of dense fog.

Though the race was not the first one at Riverside, the event was known for the first time as the Winston Western 500. R.J. Reynolds' Winston cigarettes began sponsoring NASCAR's top series in 1971 and took over title sponsorship of Riverside's season-opening race in 1972.

Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers

The win was Petty's 141st victory - and his first with STP as his primary sponsor. Even the most casual NASCAR fan knows Richard Petty for his autograph, cowboy hat, sunglasses, and mustache. And many more easily associate the iconic day-glo STP red and Petty blue colors as a natural fit for the 43.

The combination of the two colors, however, almost didn't happen. The sponsorship agreement between STP and Petty Enterprises was reached just a few days before the Riverside race. But let Richard tell the story of what almost happened ... and what did happen.

As Richard said and history knows, the two parties agreed on the details. The press conference was held, and then Richard flew on to Riverside.

The newly-labeled STP Plymouth as it raced ... and won ... at Riverside:

Credit for following two photos to Beentherebefore at the H.A.M.B. at JalopyJournal.com:

A final 'first' for the race - The event was the first NASCAR Winston Cup star as a car owner for the now legendary Roger Penske. His driver, Mark Donahue, started an AMC Matador but finished 39th in the 40-car field. No worries though as The Captain went to have a modicum of success in the decades to follow.

TMC

July 3 - This day in Schaefer racing history

The Inaugural 1971 Schaefer 500
USAC Indy car race
Pocono International Raceway
Pocono, Pennsylvania
Winning driver: the late Mark Donohue
Full results: Racing-Reference.info

Program and scoring tower photos source: Permission from Frank Hadl at Picassa

Thanks for the pics Frank and especially for your service in Vietnam!

Source: Wikipedia

Source: Toledo Blade via Google News Archive

Source: First Schaefer 500 recap at Motorcaster

Some notables from July 3, 1971:

• Donohue's win was the first career Indy/Champ car win for car owner, Roger Penske. Gee, I wonder whatever happened to that guy.
• NASCAR interloper, Cale Yarborough, finished 32nd in a 33 car field.
• Another NASCAR regular, Donnie Allison, continued his dalliance with Indy cars and finished 18th.
• Bill Simpson finished 18th. He ended his racer career in 1977 and then turned to a career of innovative racing products. He founded Simpson Performance Products. His most controversial moment came when Simpson products were used in Dale Earnhardt's car when he died at Daytona in February 2001.
• For those who follow NASCAR's Silly Season on Jayski.com regularly like I do, Donohue was Jay's favorite driver back in the day.

TMC
Edited 2011-12-21: For video clips from the race, jump to this post.

June 29 - This day in Schaefer racing history

1975 Schaefer 500
USAC Indy car race
Pocono International Raceway
Pocono, Pennsylvania
Winning driver: "Super Tex" A.J. Foyt
Shortened by rain after 170 laps and 425 miles
Full results: Racing-Reference.info

Gordon Johncock won the pole in his #20 Pat Patrick-owned Wildcat. Foyt took the outside of the front row. Jerry Grant, Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford rounded out the top 5 starters. The start of the race was delayed two hours as rains pelted the track - a common occurrence for Pocono races.

Credit: Frank Hadl at Picassa
Thanks for use of the pic Frank and especially for your service in Vietnam!

The race was a competitive one with multiple drivers taking their turn at the front for a limited number of laps. Lap leaders included Johncock, Rutherford, Pancho Carter, and Mario Andretti. Each time a driver took the lead, however, it wasn't long before Super Tex passed them back for an extended stint.

Source: Reading Eagle archives June 30, 1975

When the day was done, A.J. tallied 115 laps as the leader. Johncock led the second most laps with 29 and was perhaps the only other car capable of hanging with Foyt for the win. But while running second and trying to overtake another car, Gordo simply lost it and backed it into the wall ending his day at lap 140.

The end of the race was affected the same way as the start of it - with rain. With 32 laps to go, showers returned to bring out the caution. Two laps later as it intensified, the race was called and Foyt was shown the checkered flag.

Credit: Frank Hadl at Picassa

Some notables from the race:

• Johncock's teammate, Wally Dallenbach finished 2nd. He is the father of Wally Dallenbach, Jr. who once raced in NASCAR (including for Petty Enterprises) and now works as a color announcer for TNT.
• Al Loquasto, who later drove a Schaefer Buick in the 1981 Mountain Dew 500 NASCAR Cup race at Pocono, finished 12th driving for himself.

Credit: jkracing50 at Flickr

• NASCAR's Bobby Allison, driving for Roger Penske, jumped the fire line to USAC Indy cars and finished 27th.
• Tom Bigelow finished 21st. No special trivia here - I just like saying "Bigelow".

Foyt arrives to a soggy victory lane with gloomy clouds still lingering above the track.

Source: Palm Beach Post via Google News Archive

Race highlights


TMC
Edited June 28, 2014

June 26 - This day in Schaefer racing history

1977 Schaefer 500
USAC Indy car race
Pocono International Raceway
Pocono, Pennsylvania
Winning driver: Tom Sneva
Winning car owner: "The Captain" Roger Penske
Full results: UltimateRacingHistory.com

Super Tex A.J. Foyt knocked off fellow Texan Johnny Rutherford to capture the pole. After a week of sparring with track management, Foyt was boo'd - BOO'D - after laying down the quickest lap. The very popular Foyt had captured his fourth Indy 500 just a month or so earlier. So to hear boo-birds was quite the unexpected reception, but at least Super Tex recognized the jeers were from adults and not kids.

Source: The Evening News via Google News Archive

Flickr user jkracing50 has some great photos of Sneva from race weekend - including one of a shirtless, flip-flop wearing, jorts sportin', mullet head getting the chance to watch Tom pull into victory lane.

Credit jkracing50

Credit jkracing50

Credit jkracing50

Source: Spokane Daily Chronicle, July 27, 1977

Source for above two: Reading Eagle, July 27, 1977

Some notables from June 26, 1977:

• Joe Saldana finished 10th. Saldana is the father of Joey Saldana, current World of Outlaws driver.
• Al Loquasto, who later drove a Schaefer Buick in the 1981 Mountain Dew 500 NASCAR Cup race at Pocono, finished 28th driving for himself.
• George Snider completed a lousy one lap and finished 33rd - dead last - driving for Bobby Hillin. Yes, Hillin. As in Bobby Hillin, Sr. - father of future NASCAR rolling chicane driver, Bobby Hillin, Jr.

Source: Wilmington NC Star-News via Google News Archive

Sports Illustrated ran a feature article about Sneva's win ... and Foyt's antics ... in their July 4, 1977, issue. Unfortunately, the race's title sponsor received zero mentions. The 'sports magazine' erroneously referred to the race as the Pocono 500.

TMC
Edited June 26, 2014