Race details [1] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 17 of 53 in the 1962 NASCAR Grand National Series season | |||
Layout of Bristol Motor Speedway | |||
Date | April 29, 1962 | ||
Official name | Volunteer 500 | ||
Location | Bristol International Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee | ||
Course | Permanent racing facility 0.533 mi (0.857 km) | ||
Distance | 500 laps, 266.5 mi (428.8 km) | ||
Weather | Warm with temperatures of 79 °F (26 °C); wind speeds of 14 miles per hour (23 km/h) | ||
Average speed | 73.397 mph (118.121 km/h) | ||
Attendance | 17,000 [2] | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Banjo Matthews | ||
Time | 22.120 seconds | ||
Most laps led | |||
Driver | Bobby Johns | Shorty Johns | |
Laps | 430 | ||
Winner | |||
No. 72 | Bobby Johns | Shorty Johns | |
Television in the United States | |||
Network | untelevised | ||
Announcers | none |
The 1962 Volunteer 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on April 29, 1962, at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s.
This 500-lap event lasted for a duration of three hours and 24 minutes. Thirty-six drivers managed to qualify for this racing event; with Fireball Roberts earning a pole position start due to his qualifying speed of 81.374 miles per hour (130.959 km/h). Bobby Johns would beat out the likes of Richard Petty and Fireball Roberts by six laps; a dominating performance made possible by running the high line when nobody else wanted to run up high so he didn't get held up nearly as much as everyone else. [2] This was the only time in Herman Beam's career that he got a top ten in a race with more than thirty cars starting. Granted, only eleven actually finished. [2]
Johns would later credit his win in this event to having a sense of consistency; rather than accelerating the car to full throttle all the time. [3] Johns' vehicle was unsponsored during an era where corporate sponsorships for NASCAR vehicles were very few and far in-between. [2]
Larry Frank was the last-place finisher of this event due to his car overheating on lap 29. [2] George Green would become the final driver to finish the event while David Pearson's faulty lug bolts would prevent him from acquiring a "top five" finish. [2] Most of the vehicles in this race were Pontiac or Chevrolet. [2] All of the drivers were born in the United States of America; no foreigners attempted to qualify for this racing event. [2] Johnny Allen relieved Jack Smith in the #47 and received the checkered flag. [2]
While there are only four cautions to this race, an incredibly long duration of 37 laps were spent under the caution flag due to the various accidents and incidents that happened during the race. [2] Gene Blackburn would retire from NASCAR Cup Series racing after this event. [4]
Individual earnings for each driver ranged from the winner's share of $4,405 ($37,232 when adjusted for inflation) to the meager earnings of $100 ($845 when adjusted for inflation) that was given to several low-ranked drivers. NASCAR only authorized a total sum of $17,865 to the qualifying drivers of this event ($150,998 when adjusted for inflation). [5]
At least eight notable crew chiefs were in attendance for this race; including Bud Moore, Herman Beam, Glen Wood, Ratus Walters and Shorty Johns. [6]
Grid | No. | Driver | Manufacturer | Speed [7] | Qualifying time [7] | Owner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | '62 Pontiac | 81.374 | 22.120 | Banjo Matthews |
2 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | '62 Ford | 80.789 | 22.280 | Holman-Moody |
3 | 21 | Marvin Panch | '62 Ford | 80.645 | 22.320 | Wood Brothers |
4 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | '62 Ford | 80.609 | 22.330 | Holman-Moody |
5 | 27 | Junior Johnson | '62 Pontiac | 80.285 | 22.420 | Rex Lovette |
6 | 72 | Bobby Johns | '62 Pontiac | 80.178 | 22.450 | Shorty Johns |
7 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | '62 Pontiac | 80.000 | 22.500 | Jimmy Pardue |
8 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | '62 Pontiac | 79.787 | 22.560 | Bud Moore |
9 | 4 | Rex White | '62 Chevrolet | 79.787 | 22.560 | Rex White |
10 | 47 | Jack Smith | '62 Pontiac | 79.751 | 22.570 | Jack Smith |
The first major wreck of the race occurred when Nelson Stacy, on his 302nd lap, skidded into the second-turn guardrail after the '62 Ford had blown a tire. It bounced back on the track in time to be hit by Maurice Petty's '62 Plymouth. [2] Stacy was shaken up, got a few minor bruises, and was sent to the hospital for observation. He was released before the race ended.
The second major wreck occurred when cars driven by Ned Jarrett and George Green collided on the fourth turn. Nobody was hurt. Both cars were badly damaged and hauled off the track by the wreckers. They were quickly repaired, however, and they got back into the race and were running at the finish. [2]
Pos [2] | No. | Driver | Manufacturer | Laps | Laps led | Time/Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 72 | Bobby Johns | Pontiac | 500 | 430 | 3:24:22 |
2 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | 494 | 61 | +6 laps |
3 | 47 | Jack Smith | Pontiac | 492 | 0 | +8 laps |
4 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | Chevrolet | 475 | 0 | +25 laps |
5 | 60 | Tom Cox | Plymouth | 470 | 0 | +30 laps |
6 | 19 | Herman Beam | Ford | 469 | 0 | +31 laps |
7 | 6 | David Pearson | Pontiac | 461 | 0 | Missing lug bolts |
8 | 34 | Wendell Scott | Chevrolet | 460 | 0 | +40 laps |
9 | 61 | Bill Morton | Ford | 459 | 0 | +41 laps |
10 | 62 | Curtis Crider | Mercury | 447 | 0 | +53 laps |
11 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Pontiac | 444 | 0 | Missing rear end |
12 | 86 | Buddy Baker | Chrysler | 430 | 0 | Engine problems |
13 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | Pontiac | 419 | 0 | +81 laps |
14 | 1 | George Green | Chevrolet | 417 | 0 | +83 laps |
15 | 17 | Fred Harb | Ford | 370 | 0 | Head gasket problems |
16 | 43 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | 368 | 9 | Engine problems |
17 | 26 | Bunkie Blackburn | Pontiac | 359 | 0 | Missing rear end |
18 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | Ford | 302 | 0 | Terminal vehicle damage |
19 | 41 | Maurice Petty | Plymouth | 297 | 0 | Terminal vehicle damage |
20 | 64 | Gene Blackburn | Chevrolet | 274 | 0 | Axle problems |
Section reference: [2]
The 1968 Fireball 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 5, 1968, at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in Weaverville, North Carolina.
The 1956 Southern 500, the seventh running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 3, 1956, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.
The 1961 World 600, the second running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that took place on May 28, 1961, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Chris Economaki called the race in one of the few televised NASCAR races of the 1960s. A series of two qualifying events took place on May 21 to determine the starting grid for this event.
The 1961 Rebel 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 6, 1961, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Two hundred and nineteen laps were run on an oval track spanning 1.375 miles (2.213 km).
The 1959 Southern 500, the 10th running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 7, 1959, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.
The 1967 Wilkes 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on October 1, 1967, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro.
The 1964 World 600, the fifth running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that took place on May 24, 1964, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
The 1962 Southern 500, the 13th running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 3, 1962, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.
The 1976 Riverside 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on June 13, 1976, at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California. The California 150 for sportsman cars was run prior to this race. The winner was Ivan Baldwin followed by Dan Clark and Jim Sanderson.
The 1970 Home State 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 30, 1970, at North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The 1979 Winston Western 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on January 14, 1979, at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California. Buying a souvenir program at this race was relatively inexpensive for the era at $2 USD per copy.
The 1971 Volunteer 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on July 11, 1971, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
The 1964 Firecracker 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 4, 1964, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was the first NASCAR Grand National Series race to take place after Fireball Roberts died two days earlier in the infamous 1964 World 600.
The 1962 Dixie 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on October 28, 1962, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia.
The 1965 Wilkes 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on October 3, 1965, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
The 1969 Georgia 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on November 17, 1968, at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia. It is not to be confused with another running of the 1969 Georgia 500 which actually took place in 1969.
The 1961 Dixie 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 17, 1961, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia.
The 1961 National 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series stock car race that was held on October 15, 1961, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
The 1968 Southeastern 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on March 17, 1968, at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Highlights of this racing event were later shown on the classic Car and Track television show on most CBS stations.
The 1972 American 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event held on October 22, 1972, at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. While not televised, the 1972 American 500 was covered by local radio stations WAYN-AM and WEEB-AM.