March 16, 1969 - Augusta's Cracker 200

Bobby Isaac was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January 2016. Isaac won the 1970 NASCAR Grand National title and 37 GN/Cup races. He won 19 pole positions in 1969 - nineteen! Having an upfront starting spot should have tee'd him up for more success that year than he actually accomplished. His 19 poles were combined, however, with 19 DNFs along with a gaffe or two by his team.

Augusta Speedway in Georgia had a record of holding some really great races. As the 25 cars checked in to compete for 200 laps and 100 miles in the March 16, 1969 Cracker 200, fans anticipated another great show.

Richard Petty arrived wearing a patch over one eye as though he should be sailing, sailing over the bounding main rather than preparing to race for 200 laps. He injured his eye in an accident at the Petty shop and was told by the doctors to keep the eye covered for a period of time.

Isaac won the pole in the K&K Insurance Dodge. Pirate Petty started second in his #43 Ford, and David Pearson timed third in the Holman-Moody Ford. Dave Marcis qualified fourth in the Milt Lunda Dodge, and James Hylton lined up fifth in his own Dodge.

The race had only two leaders. Bobby Isaac led the first 119 circuits. Pearson then took over on pit stops and led the remaining 81 laps. Isaac's pit stop was rough. The 71 team took 28 seconds to change two outside tires as the crew had difficulty with the change. Isaac's pit woes went from bad to worse. NASCAR black flaggged Bobby as soon as he returned to the track because his gas cap was loose.

By the time the pitting disaster was concluded, Isaac was almost two laps behind. He went on a rampage with the rapid red Dodge; however, and he made up the time to get back on the lead lap. In the end though, Isaac ran out of laps and couldn't catch the winner Pearson and second place Petty.

Source: Rome News Tribune via Google News Archive

The race was the 32nd of 63 times that Petty and Pearson finished in the top two spots.

Thanks to Tim Leeming of RacersReunion.com for the assist in composing this post.

TMC

November 14 - This day in Petty history - part 1

1965 - Richard Petty qualifies on the pole and wins the Georgia Cracker 300 at Augusta Raceway in Georgia to earn his 41st career victory.

The mid-November race was scheduled as the first race of the 1966 NASCAR Grand National season.

Photo courtesy of Harvey Tollison

Greg Fielden notes in his book Forty Years of Stock Car Racing: Volume 3:

Petty led for a 94 lap stretch before Tiny Lund clawed his way to the front. Lund, behind the wheel of an independent Ford owned by Lyle Stelter, was late arriving at the track and posted no practice or qualifying time. He started dead last but came on like gangbusters. Lund was pulling away from Petty when the distributor failed on his car. Petty breezed in the lead for good.

Petty drove a Petty Enterprises #42 Plymouth, and the win was his final one in a car numbered something other than 43.

Photo courtesy of and credit to Smyle Media

Article courtesy of Harvey Tollison

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

TMC
Edited August 30, 2014

November 13 - This day in Petty history

1966 - Richard Petty wins his 49th career Grand National race in the Augusta 300 at Georgia's Augusta Raceway. Paul Lewis from Johnson City, TN finishes 2nd in his #1 Plymouth. Lewis bought the previously-raced Plymouth from - ta da! - Petty Enterprises.

Photos courtesy of Harvey Tollison from RacersReunion.com
and Augusta International Raceway Preservation Society

Lewis had a good relationship with the Pettys. Two weeks before the Augusta race, Lewis made his one and only career start for Petty Enterprises at Rockingham.

Photo courtesy of Paul Lewis

The Augusta race was run in November 1966 as the first race of the 1967 Grand National season. Petty's victory was also the first of his 27 wins for the 1967 season - a record that still stands.

The previous year's race was known as the Georgia Cracker 300. Based on the following ad, the 1966 event was also known by that name. However, results I've found in books and on-line suggest the race was known just as the Augusta 300.

Friday Hassler, part-time racer from TMC's former city of Chattanooga TN, qualified a very respectable fourth in his traditionally-numbered #39 Chevy. But he had quite the spectacular exit when he blew an engine early in the race and set the whole rear of the car ablaze.

Petty raced a bit during the race with rival David Pearson. In the end, Lewis split the two with Richard as the winner and Pearson finishing in third.

Photos courtesy of Harvey Tollison

Article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire

TMC