1962 Volunteer 500

Last updated
1962 Volunteer 500
Race details [1]
Race 17 of 53 in the 1962 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Bristol Motor Speedway map.png
Layout of Bristol Motor Speedway
Date April 29, 1962 (1962-April-29)
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. 72Bobby JohnsShorty 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.

Contents

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.

Race report

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]

Qualifying

GridNo.DriverManufacturerSpeed [7] Qualifying time [7] Owner
122 Fireball Roberts '62 Pontiac81.37422.120 Banjo Matthews
228 Fred Lorenzen '62 Ford80.78922.280 Holman-Moody
321 Marvin Panch '62 Ford80.64522.320 Wood Brothers
429 Nelson Stacy '62 Ford80.60922.330Holman-Moody
527 Junior Johnson '62 Pontiac80.28522.420 Rex Lovette
672 Bobby Johns '62 Pontiac80.17822.450 Shorty Johns
754 Jimmy Pardue '62 Pontiac80.00022.500 Jimmy Pardue
88 Joe Weatherly '62 Pontiac79.78722.560 Bud Moore
94 Rex White '62 Chevrolet79.78722.560 Rex White
1047 Jack Smith '62 Pontiac79.75122.570 Jack Smith

Major wrecks

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]

Top 20 finishers

Pos [2] No.DriverManufacturerLapsLaps ledTime/Status
172 Bobby Johns Pontiac5004303:24:22
222 Fireball Roberts Pontiac49461+6 laps
347 Jack Smith Pontiac4920+8 laps
411 Ned Jarrett Chevrolet4750+25 laps
560 Tom Cox Plymouth4700+30 laps
619 Herman Beam Ford4690+31 laps
76 David Pearson Pontiac4610Missing lug bolts
834 Wendell Scott Chevrolet4600+40 laps
961 Bill Morton Ford4590+41 laps
1062 Curtis Crider Mercury4470+53 laps
118 Joe Weatherly Pontiac4440Missing rear end
1286 Buddy Baker Chrysler4300Engine problems
1354 Jimmy Pardue Pontiac4190+81 laps
141 George Green Chevrolet4170+83 laps
1517 Fred Harb Ford3700Head gasket problems
1643 Richard Petty Plymouth3689Engine problems
1726 Bunkie Blackburn Pontiac3590Missing rear end
1829 Nelson Stacy Ford3020Terminal vehicle damage
1941 Maurice Petty Plymouth2970Terminal vehicle damage
2064 Gene Blackburn Chevrolet2740Axle problems

Timeline

Section reference: [2]

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References