Nashville's 1979 CRC Chemicals 250

Nashville's fairgrounds speedway opened the 1979 season with many changes and an equal or greater number of questions.

Gone was long-time promoter and track operator, Bill Donoho. Replacing him was the duo Lanny Hester and Gary Baker. Hester formerly raced at the fairgrounds in the mini-stock division and started a few NASCAR Baby Grand National events. Baker was a Nashville tax attorney whose most notable client was Waylon Jennings. The two assumed Nashville's lease from Donoho in 1978 after buying Bristol earlier in the season.

One of the first changes made by Hester and Baker was to rename the track from Nashville Speedway to Nashville International Raceway - perhaps to align it with Bristol's full name. The other significant change was dropping the weekly racing series - a staple of the track since its opening in 1958.

The primary reason given for the elimination of weekly racing was to allow more time for Hester and Baker to implement needed upgrades. As it turned out, few noticeable facility upgrades were made.

Although the track did not run its traditional slate of weekly races, NIR did host two Cup races, two Baby Grand races, an ARCA event, and three national late model sportsman features. The first of the three LMS races was the season-opening CRC Chemicals Nashville 250 on April 14, 1979.

The race was conveniently scheduled on an open weekend for Cup drivers between Darlington and Martinsville. In years past, Donoho often enticed at least a couple of Cup regulars to participate in the first race of each season. For the 1979 opener, however, only Bobby Allison entered.

Hester and Baker had hoped Darrell Waltrip would enter - particularly on the heels of his stirring victory at Darlington a week earlier, but Allison was the lone Cup representative. It's possible the show money wasn't thick enough for some to make the trip - particularly since the race was the night before Easter Sunday.

For much of 1976-77-78, fans grew to embrace four young drivers nicknamed the Kiddie Corps. Two of the drivers - Mike Alexander and Sterling Marlin - had quickly become veteran racers, but the other two kind of faded away a bit. Alexander and Marlin returned as expected winners from the local crowd for 1979 and were joined by 1977 track champion Steve Spencer and rookie Tony Cunningham.

In addition to several changes in track operations, 1978 Nashville LMS champion Alexander surprised many with a big change of his own. From his start in 1974, Alexander raced Fords - primarily because of his father's ties to a Ford dealership. R.C. Alexander fielded competitive Fords for many drivers dating back almost 20 years. Yet when the the 1979 season began, Mike was at the wheel of a Pontiac - a PONY-ACK! as King Richard would say.

Alexander and his dad built the car for Waltrip - but then bought it from DW before it hit the track. Mike raced it for the first time in Daytona's 300-mile LMS race in February. Waltrip coincidentally won the race. Marlin and Alexander finished second and ninth, respectively, in their Daytona debuts.

Source: The Tennessean

Alexander landed more than Waltrip's car. He also picked up some support from him as a sponsor.

Long-time LMS racer Gene Glover of Kingsport, TN won the pole. Glover's son Tony later became well-known as crew chief for Morgan-McClure drivers Ernie Irvan and Sterling Marlin. The field included Allison, the local contingent, and several regional LMS racers including Jack Ingram, Butch Lindley, Jody Ridley,and Morgan Shepherd.

Once the green fell, however, many of the favorites developed all sorts of trouble well before time to show their hand. For starters, Allison developed ignition issues at race time and withdrew before even taking a pace lap. And Jack Ingram fell out after only 24 laps.

Early racing included Asheville NC's Bob Pressley and Alexander in his new Pontiac. On lap 42, however, Alexander got KO'd by a runaway wheel from Steve Spencer's car. Both Spencer and Alexander's new car were finished for the night.

The two "Ley" drivers - Ridley and Lindley - had a good battle as well. Lindley, a frequent winner of big races at the Fairgrounds in the 1970s, was again in the hunt for about two-thirds of the race. Engine issues around lap 180, however, doomed his fortunes.

With the strongest competition loaded on their trailers and a two-lap lead on Glover, Pressley set his cruise control and easily led the remaining laps. He even made a casual late pit stop - just because. In doing so, Glover made up his lost distance but was no threat to match Pressley's car.

Cup driver Richard Childress greeted Pressley in victory lane. Though he didn't drive in the event, Childress's Cup car was sponsored by CRC Chemicals.

Marlin, Ridley, and Shepherd rounded out the top five. Sterling finished one lap down to Pressley, and Ridley and Shepherd were down two laps.

Source: The Tennessean

Pressley had no issues in the race. Actually, his only annoyance the whole day was too much ice in his Co' Cola cup!

Source: The Tennessean

Finishing order:

1. Bob Pressley
2. Gene Glover
3. Sterling Marlin
4. Jody Ridley
5. Morgan Shepherd
6. Tony Cunningham
7. Charlie Chamblee
8. Dennis Wiser
9. Carl Langford
10. Ricky Diehl
11. Butch Allen
12. Bobby Hailey
13. Butch Applegate
14. Mike Potter
15. Butch Lindley
16. Paul Dean Holt
17. Mike Alexander
18. Steve Spencer
19. Jack Ingram
20. Phil Spickard
21. Richard Waters
22. Bobby Allison

 TMC

Nashville's 1978 Winston 200

Nashville Speedway opened its 1978 season with a marquis NASCAR national late model sportsman race just as it had since 1966. The Winston Salute To America 200 ran on Saturday, April 15, 1978.

Though the 200-lap season-opener held to tradition, fans experienced many changes during and after the season that altered all sorts of traditions.

In December, the track's lease was sold by long-time track promoter, Bill Donoho, to local racer Lanny Hester and businessman Gary Baker. Donoho operated the track since its opening in 1958, but he spent much of his time in 1976-1977 overseeing a project to build a Nashville-areas superspeedway.  The track was to have been built about 20 miles south of Nashville. One problem after another arose; however, and Donoho's project was scrapped in early 1978.

The season also turned out to be the final full year for the late model sportsman division. After featuring modifieds as the top division in the early years, Donoho replaced them with the LMS division in 1964. Hester and Baker opted to run only a handful of LMS races in 1979 with the traditional Novas and Chevelles. Then in 1980, the new promoters introduced a new Grand American division featuring primarily Camaros and Firebirds.

Local racer Steve Spencer experienced a bit of change as well. Spencer earned Nashville's 1973 rookie of the years honors and won the 1977 LMS title in an orange Chevelle. In the offseason, he purchased a late model Nova from North Carolina racer Randy Tissott. Furthermore, his sponsor (an avid Vanderbilt Commodores sports fan), asked Spencer to paint the car black and gold.

Source: The Tennessean

Source: Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History

Another local racer, Mike Alexander, had expected a change - though it happened later than originally thought. During his two previous full-time LMS years, Alexander raced a mid 60s Mercury Cougar. For the new season, he expected to race a newly-built Ford Granada. Multiple problems with the car during testing, however, led Alexander to return the car to the builder. Instead, he stuck with his trusty Cougar for the first part of the season.

Source: The Tennessean

In addition to Spencer and Alexander, Sterling Marlin returned for his third season of LMS racing. The trio represented the strongest of the local racer contingent. As a national LMS feature, the race also attracted several out-of-towners as it typically did. The list of Big Dawgs included racers such as two-time national LMS champions Jack Ingram and L.D. Ottinger, 1978 national LMS champ Butch Lindley, Bob Pressley, Morgan Shepherd, and late entrant Donnie Allison.

Despite the presence of several touring pros, the local fellas let 'em know they knew their way around the Fairgrounds track quite well. Marlin won the pole, and Spencer joined him on the front row.

Source: Hemmings.com

Spencer's newly purchased Nova was fast. He got the jump on Marlin at the green and pulled the field into turn one. The 1977 track champ found his early groove and enjoyed the view out front. Lap after lap, Spencer's #27 Chevrolet stayed out front.

Meanwhile, Alexander, P.B. Crowell III, and Dennis Wiser were all gone by halfway. The three drivers along with Marlin comprised the highly touted Kiddie Corps two seasons earlier. Marlin stayed in the hunch though he seemingly had nothing for Spencer. His lack of speed was compounded by pit miscues followed by a tangle with another car late in the race. He still managed a P7 finish - though 10 laps down to the winner.

With 55 laps to go, Spencer had to make his stop to make it to the end. Like Marlin, he too had issues making a clean pit stop. He suffered a painful one-lap penalty for running the pit-out stop sign. And like Marlin, he knicked another car - Ironman Ingram - late in the race. Though he continued to a P4 finish, Spencer realized he'd missed out on a golden opportunity to bank a premier LMS win.

After pit challenges by the local racers, veteran racer Donnie Allison - and his seasoned crew - made his pit stop cleanly. Allison took over the top spot and led the remaining laps that Spencer could not. Donnie captured his third season-opener win at Nashville in seven seasons. His other victories were the 1972 Permatex 200 and 1976 Winston 200.

Source: Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History

Many of the local and national racers' names had been touted in the run-up to race day by the track's promotional team. Allison's name, however, was not among the names mentioned because he had not yet submitted an official entry. Some speculated Allison, a NASCAR Cup regular, wanted more show money than Donoho was willing to pay. Allison held back his entry perhaps as a countermove to limit Donoho's use of Donnie's name in marketing efforts.

Source: The Tennessean

Finishing Order:

1. Donnie Allison
2. Bob Pressley
3. Gene Glover
4. Steve Spencer
5. Al Henderson
6. Wayne Carden
7. Sterling Marlin 
8. Tony Cunningham
9. John Huskey
10. David Ray
11. Charlie Whitefield
12. Jack Ingram
13. Morgan Shepherd
14. Butch Lindley
15. James Ham
16. Butch Applegate
17. L. D. Ottinger
18. P.B. Crowell, III
19. Jack Hill
20. Mike Alexander
21. Paddlefoot Wales
22. James Climer
23. Ken Gay
24. Dennis Wiser 
25. Marvin Joiner
26. Dorris Vaughn

TMC

Nashville's 1977 Winston 200

Nashville Speedway at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds opened its 1977 season with the Winston Salute To America 200 on April 16th. The 200-lap race was sanctioned as a NASCAR national late model sportsman event.

Times were tough for racers in the mid 1970s - locally and on the national level. L.D. Ottinger, NASCAR's two-time national Late Model Sportsman champion, had done enough barnstorming to accumulate points.

Ottinger continued to race and win, but he longer had the hunger to bounce all over the eastern and southern U.S. to bank points. Jack Ingram reached the same decision after winning his third consecutive LMS title in 1974.

Locally, Nashville's 1976 LMS champion, Alton Jones, didn't return to defend his title. Jones was from Alabama, but he'd raced off and on at Nashville since the early 1970s. He raced the full schedule in 1976 and won the title over rookie Mike Alexander. Because of a lack of sponsorship, however, Jones opted not to return to Music City in 1977.

With Jones gone along with some of the late model veterans of the early 1970s, most expected the storyline of Nashville's 1977 season to be the further maturation of the Kiddie Corps.

Mike Alexander, P.B. Crowell III, Sterling Marlin and Dennis Wiser

All four up-and-comer drivers were second generation racers.

• Mike Alexander, Nashville's 1976 LMS rookie of the year, was the son of R.C. Alexander, a long-time owner for winning drivers dating back to the late 1950s. 
• P.B. Crowell III, Nashville's 1975 LMS rookie of the year, was the son of P.B. Crowell, Jr. a former winning driver who became a prominent owner in the late 1960s when he hired a kid from Owensboro, Kentucky: Darrell Waltrip.
• Sterling Marlin was the son of four-time Nashville track champ and Cup independent, Coo Coo Marlin. Before he began his driving career, Sterling worked as a crewman and mechanic on his father's Cup cars.
• Dennis Wiser was the son of Kenneth Wiser, a long-time noted car builder and mechanic. Among his other accomplishments, Kenneth built the car raced by 1967 track champ and future NASCAR official, Walter Wallace

Source: The Tennessean

Though many expected the young guns to win their share of races, experienced drivers still planned to have a say in the outcome and leave town with the trophy and the loot. Several big names helped pack the stands for the season opener.

• Cup regular and two-time Nashville LMS champion, Darrell Waltrip, flew between Bristol and Nashville to balance practice and qualifying for the Southeastern 500 Cup race and his #88 Gatorade Nova in Nashville. 
• Ottinger still came to Music City even though he wasn't chasing points. 
• Ingram finished second in a Friday night late model race in Kingsport, TN before towing to Nashville for its Saturday night feature.
• Randy Tissot wrecked his car in the Kingsport race. He came to Nashville anyway with a generous offer by Ingram to race his backup car.

Other out-of-towners included Neil Bonnett, Harry Gant, Morgan Shepherd, and the son of late model legend Ralph Earnhardt.

Mike Alexander, Steve Spencer, Darrell Waltrip, Sterling Marlin, & Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt arranged to race Waltrip's white #17 in his second ever Nashville start. Later, Waltrip had the car painted orange-and-white. The Robert Gee-painted Nova matched the colors of Crowell's #47.

Though he was young, third-year racer Crowell was already a track veteran. He won the pole by matching the track record of 20.01 seconds. Gant lined up alongside him on the front row.

Source: Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History

Nashville hosted three main divisions of weekly racing in 1977: mini-stocks, limited sportsman, and late model sportsman. The track also featured a demolition derby division. The Winston 200 wasn't part of that schedule, but it may as well have been with the way the race unfolded.

Earnhardt's night in his borrowed ride didn't last even a quarter of the race. He spun on lap 40 and collected Marlin with him.

Wiser, another one of the young'uns, popped the wall shortly after halfway, and he too was done - as was Steve Spencer. Fortunately for Spencer, the night did not start a trend for him. He won frequently during the year and captured the 1977 LMS title.

Cup independent and 1969 Nashville LMS champion, Dave Sisco, tangled with Shepherd to end both their nights. And with about 20 laps to go, Crowell's pole-winning car laid down sending his car to the trailer.

With five to go and Ingram leading, Benny Kerley apparently hit a patch of fluid and spun in turn three. Ingram was already past Kerley, but second-place running Gant also hit the oil and clipped Kerley as he tried to avoid him.

As Gant slowed and twitched, he was then drilled in the right side by local racers Ricky Marlin and and Dave Hill. Fast approaching Waltrip and Tissot took evasive action to dodge the three-car wreck.

As Gant's totaled car was towed to the garage, it was apparent to all the roll cage wasn't nearly as strong as required. Handsome Harry was fortunate to return to North Carolina without injury.

Source: Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History

On the restart, Waltrip went high in turn one in hopes of getting momentum to launch past Ingram. His car stumbled, however, and he immediately faded. Ottinger had issues too - at the very moment he didn't need them.

Feeling no pressure from the others, Ingram and Tissot clicked off the remaining laps to finish 1-2. Waltrip and Ottinger remained on track and finished third and fourth.

Fans saw a remarkable and perhaps exasperating 11 cautions totaling 65 laps. Of the 28 starters, only nine cars made it to the end. With so many cars out of the race or many laps down to the leaders, Kerley and Gant still managed to finish fifth and sixth despite their DNFs!

Ingram captured his fifth national LMS win at Nashville and eighth victory overall. He won three more times at the Fairgrounds - a 250-lap national LMS race in 1979 and a Busch Grand National race in 1984.

Source: The Tennessean

Finishing order:

1. Jack Ingram
2. Randy Tissot 
3. Darrell Waltrip 
4. L.D. Ottinger 
5. Benny Kerley 
6. Harry Gant 
7. Gary Sircy 
8. Ricky Marlin 
9. Buzzy Reynolds 
10. Dorris Vaughn 
11. David Panter 
12. P.B. Crowell 
13. Thomas Mount 
14. David Hill 
15. Mike Alexander 
16. David Rogers 
17. Jerry Sisco 
18. Dennis Wiser 
19. Steve Spencer 
20. Carl Langford 
21. Terry Vickers 
22. Dale Earnhardt 
23. Art Sommers 
24. Sterling Marlin 
25. Morgan Shepherd 
26. David Sisco
27. Marvin Joyner 
28. Charlie Whitefield

TMC

Nashville's 1975 Winston 200

Nashville Speedway opened its 1975 season with the 200-lap Winston Salute To America 200 for NASCAR's national Late Model Sportsman division.

Track promoter, Bill Donoho, landed a field of NASCAR's top national LMS drivers including Neil Bonnett, Jack Ingram, Butch Lindley, Tiny Lund, L.D. Ottinger, and Morgan Shepherd.

Several local and area racers entered as well including 1974 Nashville LMS champ Jimmy Means, James Climer, Alton Jones, Rod Stillings, Dorris Vaughn, Paddlefoot Wales, and promising rookie P.B. Crowell III. Fans also enjoyed the return of old school, Nashville veterans Bob Burcham, Freddy Fryar, Coo Coo Marlin.

Donoho made a promotional effort to move the needle even further in his favor by recruiting Cup drivers Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip. The Cup schedule provided a break between Darlington and Martinsville, and the trio came to middle Tennessee with the promise of a little extra pocket change.

Source: The Tennessean

Butch Lindley set a track record and won the pole - but was then disqualified. In response to noise concerns (an issue the track still faces today with loads of new neighbors), the track implemented a rule requiring mufflers on the car. Lindley's car did not have one nor did Ingram, Ottinger, or Waltrip. All were allowed to add a muffler and re-qualify.

After the round of do-overs, Jones won the right to start first. Waltrip lined up alongside him in R.C. Alexander's #84 Ford.

Donoho's promotional efforts were rewarded as the grandstands were packed for the season opener. Unfortunately, however, the race did not live up to the pre-race hype based on the heavy hitters in the line-up.

First, three-time defending national LMS champion Ingram, failed to make the race because of a faulty distributor. Following the start of the race, Baker wrecked just a half-lap into the event. On the subsequent restart, Waltrip and Jones crashed while battling for the lead off turn four, and Yarborough piled into them. The Cup trio and Jones rejoined the race, but all had loaded their cars on the trailers by lap 20. The casualties continued including:

• Bonnett - quarter-mark
• Coo Coo - halfway
• Shepherd - competitive, but not behind and wrecked while pushing to make up lost distance

Ottinger remained well away from everyone else's trouble and built a comfortable lead. Other than a caution with about 60 laps to go to close the field, the remaining racers presented little challenge to Ottinger. He walked the dawg on 'em and won easily over second place Lund.

Lindley recovered from his rules-snafu to finish fourth, and Crowell notched a solid sixth in his racing debut. After earning rookie of the year honors in 1975, he joined rookies Mike Alexander, Sterling Marlin, and Dennis Wiser in 1976 as a quartet of hot shoes branded the Kiddie Corps.

Speaking of Alexander, he enjoyed the spoils of victory the same night as Ottinger. Driving for his father and Waltrip's LMS car owner that night, R.C. Alexander, Mike pocketed his first career victory by winning the 50-lap limited sportsman division preliminary race on Nashville's quarter-mile track.

Courtesy of Mike Alexander

Source: The Tennessean

Waltrip returned to Nashville the Cup race three weeks after the season opener. He captured his first career Cup win in the Music City 420 in his own #17 Chevrolet with crew chief Jake Elder.

Lund made his first start at the fairgrounds since the May 1972 Mr. D's 200 Grand National East race. After two decades of part-time seasons in NASCAR's Cup, Convertible, Grand Touring / Grand American, and Grand National East divisions, Tiny planned to race as many national LMS races as possible in an effort to win the title. Sadly, Lund died in a savage accident during the Talladega 500 in August 1975.

Ottinger won Nashville's 1975 season-opener and captured another signature track victory by winning the Permatex Southern 400 in September with an assist from Waltrip. 

Alexander advanced to Nashville's LMS ranks in 1976. With multiple wins at his home track and others across many southern states, Alexander got several Cup opportunities. His greatest break came as the replacement in the Miller High Life Buick in mid-1988 following Bobby Allison's accident and head injuries at Pocono. Unfortunately, Alexander suffered head injuries of his own at the Snowball Derby in Pensacola in December 1988. Though he returned for a handful of Cup races over the next couple of years, he officially retired in 1992.

TMC

Nashville's 1974 Permatex 200

Nashville's fairgrounds track opened its 1974 season with a recurring race, a traditional pacesetter, a newcomer, and a couple of surprises.

As had been the case since 1966, a NASCAR national late model sportsman feature highlighted the program. The Permatex 200 was held on April 13, 1974.

About 60 drivers arrived on a spring afternoon to qualify for 33 spots. Promoter Bill Donoho had boasted as many as 90 cars might show. Though the number was well short of the projected high, about half of the cars that did arrive got a head start on traffic.

A cast of locals returned for another season of opportunities including Charlie Binkley, Flookie Buford, Bill Morton, Clyde Peoples, and Darrell Waltrip. A larger than usual contingent of Alabama drivers also arrived to make their presence known in Music City. The roster included two original Alabama Gang drivers - Bobby Allison and Red Farmer - along with Neil Bonnett, Dave Mader III, Jimmy Means, Richard Orton, and Paddlefoot Wales.

Mader raced a DiGard-supported Chevelle for Donnie Allison. Donne frequently ran #88, but Mader's car sported #18. The number difference worked well because local racer Buford used #88. (Mader still races and recently competed at age 64 in Daytona's ARCA 200.)

An open weekend between Cup dates at Darlington and North Wilkesboro allowed Bobby Allison to race as well as a couple of other surprise entrants: Buddy Baker and Dave Marcis.

Baker, winner of the 1973 Nashville 420 Cup race, arranged to race Ellis Cook's Falls City Chevelle. The car was the same one local racer James Ham raced in Daytona's Permatex 300 LMS race a couple of months earlier.

Marcis returned with his 1969 Dodge Charger. He raced the same Mopar at Nashville a year earlier and won two races as well as the pole for the '73 Permatex 200.

Since his arrival at Nashville in the late 1960s - including his two LMS titles in 1970 and 1973, Waltrip raced Chevelles for owners P.B. Crowell and Ellis Cook. He made a big change for 1974, however, by joining forces with R.C. Alexander's Harpeth Ford team.

Hutcherson-Pagan built Alexander's #84 Ford, and many believed it rivaled many Cup cars. Waltrip opined the ride was the best one at Nashville, and the seat was open after Alexander and Buford parted ways in late 1973.

Waltrip booked a full load for 1974 by committing to a majority of Nashville's races as well as about half of NASCAR's Cup schedule. In his first start with Alexander's team, he set a track record and captured the pole for the Permatex 200.

The outside pole was claimed by a true outsider. Virginia short-track legend, Ray Hendrick, made his first trip to Nashville and lined up alongside Waltrip. Bonnett, Buford, and Orton rounded out the top starters.

At the drop of the green, Waltrip served notice he didn't plan to surrender his home track to anyone from Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, or anywhere else. He got the jump on Hendrick into the first turn, made it stick, and pulled the field for the first half of the race.

As Waltrip dominated lap after lap, the 33-car field behind him developed all sorts of issues. One by one, drivers began falling out of the race. The list of DNFs included Bonnett, Mader, Marcis, and Baker.

Around lap 115, two-time and defending NASCAR national LMS champion Jack Ingram developed engine issues resulting in a caution. Waltrip hit pit road, and he returned to the track behind Hendrick who pitted about 40 laps earlier.

When the race returned to green, Waltrip dropped into the tire tracks of the Virginian's Flying 11. The two raced nose to tail for the next 30 laps or so with Hendrick keeping as close an eye on his mirror as he did his windshield. Wherever Waltrip's 84 moved, Hendrick shifted likewise.

On lap 155, however, things got real. Waltrip decided it was time to make his move. He went to Hendrick's inside as they sailed down the back straightaway. As they headed for turn three, Waltrip eased ahead of Hendrick. Suddenly, however, his Ford swapped ends and slapped the outside wall as Hendrick spun to the inside.

Hendrick gathered his car, uttered a few choice words on his radio, and soldiered on to rejoin the race. Waltrip's night, however, was done. Whatever words he opted to use were apparently said on the track as he stood near his junked car waiting for Hendrick's return.

After the restart, one of the Alabama Gang found himself on the point. No, not Red Farmer. Red was in recovery mode after looping his car to avoid a spinning Freddy Fryar. No, it wasn't Bobby Allison either. The Alabama leader was the virtual unknown Richard Orton. He pulled the field into turn one followed by Allison.

Hendrick was in third, still in the thick of the action. He turned his focus from mirror driving Waltrip to rapping the bumper of Allison. The extra doinks to the rear of Allison's car didn't go over very well with its occupant. Allison brake-checked Hendrick a bit - or maybe he didn't. Whether he did or not depends on whether you believe Allison's story vs. Hendrick! Regardless of who did what to whom (or didn't), Hendrick made the pass on Allison - albeit with a bent fender.

As Hendrickgate 2.0 unfolded, Orton separated himself a bit. He led the rest of the way, kept Hendrick at bay, and parlayed his top five starting spot to the biggest win of his career.

Source: Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers

Orton returned to Nashville throughout 1974 to compete in several additional features; however, he didn't win any of them. He did not race at the Fairgrounds in subsequent seasons, and his single win remains one of the greater upsets in track history.

A couple of days after the race, Waltrip remained upset about his incident with Hendrick. About six weeks later, however, he extracted some bit of redemption by winning over Hendrick in the 1974 Falls City 200. The race was Hendrick's second and final visit to the Fairgrounds.

Twelve years later in a similar scenario at Richmond, one has to wonder if Waltrip flashed back to April 1974 while battling another hard-nosed, short track racer.

Source: The Tennessean

Fans witnessed Orton's first and only Nashville win, Hendrick's first appearance, and Waltrip's first start in R.C Alexander's Ford. They also saw another driver begin his driving career. Alexander's son, Mike, made his racing debut in the 50-lap limited sportsman race before the 200.

Mike had an ignominious first outing. He tangled with track veteran George Bennett ending his night early. He took the DNF hard in the moment, but he quickly put the experience behind him and focused on the next opportunity.

Source: Nashville Banner / Courtesy of Mike Alexander

One of the lessons learned was to fix what you broke. He repaired his #83 Ford and returned to race another day. Several days actually. As the next few years unfolded, he won a handful of limited sportsman races, nearly 50 LMS and Grand American races, and the track's 1978 LMS title. His Nashville record teed him up for greater success in NASCAR's regional late model series and several opportunities in Cup.

Visit Russ Thompson's page for many more photos from the 1974 Permatex 200.

Finishing Order:

1. Richard Orton
2. Ray Hendrick
3. Bobby Allison
4. Red Farmer
5. Jimmy Hensley
6. Phil Stillings
7. Paddlefoot Wales
8. Freddy Fryar
9. Jimmy Means
10. Wayne Andrews
11. Bob Burcham
12. Steve Spencer
13. L D. Ottinger
14. Jerry Sisco
15. Charlie Binkley
16. Flookie Buford
17. Brad Teague
18. Darrell Waltrip
19. Bill Morton
20. Dave Marcis
21. Jack Inqram
22. Buddy Baker
23. Wayne Carden
24. Dave Mader
25. Rod Stillings 
26. Gene Payne
27. Ray Putnam
28. A.C. York
29. Neil Bonnett
30. Billy Hammond
31. John Utsman
32. Gary Myers
33. Clyde Peoples

TMC