1966 Daytona 500

Last updated

1966 Daytona 500
Race details [1]
Race 5 of 49 in the 1966 NASCAR Grand National Series season
1966 Daytona 500 program cover and logo.jpg
1966 Daytona 500 program cover
Date February 27, 1966 (1966-02-27)
Location Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.023 km)
Distance 198 laps, 495 mi (796.625 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Weather Temperatures reaching as high as 60.1 °F (15.6 °C); wind speeds approaching 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) [2]
Average speed 160.927 miles per hour (258.987 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
 Petty Enterprises
Qualifying race winners
Duel 1 Winner Paul Goldsmith Ray Nichels
Duel 2 Winner Earl Balmer Ray Fox
Most laps led
DriverRichard PettyPetty Enterprises
Laps 108
Winner
No. 43 PlymouthRichard PettyPetty Enterprises

The 1966 Daytona 500, the 8th running of the event, was won by Richard Petty driving a 1966 Plymouth on February 27, 1966. Petty drove his number 43 to victory in just over three hours after starting the race on the pole. There were four caution flags which slowed the race for 22 laps. Petty came from two laps down to win the event after 198 laps were completed. [1] The race was shortened by two laps due to rain. [3] The win was Petty's second victory of the season. [4]

Contents

1966 season

The 1966 season marked the return of the Chrysler Hemi engine in NASCAR competition, while Ford took a one-year leave from competition before realizing that the ploy was detrimental to their sales. [3] The 1966 Daytona 500 was the fifth event of 49 in the 1966 season, [5] which included the two qualifying races for the 500. The 1966 season opened in Augusta with Petty taking the win in the season inaugural event. Dan Gurney followed with a win in Riverside before the drivers and their teams ventured to Daytona International Speedway for the 500-mile (800 km) event. [4] NASCAR ran a total of 49 events, ending at the Rockingham Speedway in October. [3] David Pearson won the NASCAR Grand National Series Championship after winning 15 events while 168 drivers competed in at least one event during the 1966 season. [6]

Background

Qualifying

Richard Petty captured the pole position for the event with a speed of 175.165 miles per hour (281.901 km/h). [7] The two 100 mile qualifying events were won by Paul Goldsmith driving a number 99 1965 Plymouth, who bested second-place finisher Richard Petty, [8] and Earl Balmer driving his number 3 1965 Dodge. [9] A total of 50 drivers started the Daytona 500 in 1966, [10] and a total of 18 cars were still running at the conclusion of the race. [1]

Qualifying race results

First qualifier

  1. #99 – Paul Goldsmith
  2. #43 – Richard Petty
  3. #7 – Don White
  4. #21 – Marvin Panch
  5. #28 – Fred Lorenzen
  6. #98 – Sam McQuagg
  7. #71 – Gordon Johncock
  8. #16 – Darel Dieringer
  9. #9 – Larry Frank
  10. #27 – Cale Yarborough [8]

Second qualifier

  1. #3 – Earl Balmer
  2. #56 – Jim Hurtubise
  3. #29 – Dick Hutcherson
  4. #12 – LeeRoy Yarbrough
  5. #11 – Ned Jarrett
  6. #6 – David Pearson
  7. #26 – Bobby Isaac
  8. #14 – Jim Paschal
  9. #49 – G.C. Spencer
  10. #79 – Frank Warren [9]

The Race

Richard Petty, winner of the 1966 Daytona 500 Petty, Richard (Whitehouse) crop.jpg
Richard Petty, winner of the 1966 Daytona 500

After starting on the 1966 Daytona 500 pole, Petty went on to lead the first six laps of the event, before relinquishing the lead to Paul Goldsmith, who had started in the third position. Petty and Goldsmith swapped the lead back and forth a total of four times before Dick Hutcherson drove his number 29 1966 Ford into the lead on lap 34. [1] Petty suffered from tire problems early in the race, yet work by his pit crew, and having one of the fastest cars allowed him to work his way back to the front of the field. In 2008 Petty said: "...we was the quickest car all week long. That car, again, like the '64 car, was just a real fast car, and we just outrun everybody." [11] Petty returned to the lead on lap 97 when he overtook Goldsmith. [1] A total of 6 drivers exchanged the lead 15 times throughout the event, with Petty, Goldsmith, Hutcherson, Cale Yarborough, Marvin Panch, Jim Hurtubise all leading at least one lap. [12] On lap 113 Petty took the lead for the final time, and went on to finish more than a full lap ahead of second-place finisher Yarborough. [1] Petty went on to lead a race-high 108 laps by the time the checkered flag fell. [12]

The victory by Petty was his second at the Daytona International Speedway, having won the event in 1964. Richard Petty's victory at the 1966 Daytona 500 was the first and only time that he captured the pole position, despite winning the event a record seven times. [13] As of 2009, Richard Petty is the only driver to win the event seven times: 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981. The driver with the second highest number of victories would be Cale Yarborough, with a total of 4 victories; 1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984. [12] The 1966 Daytona 500 was the first time that a driver won the event for a second time. [14]

Race results

PosGridNo.DriverEntrantManufacturerLapsWinningsLaps ledTime/Status
1143 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises 1966 Plymouth 198$28,1501083:04:54
21927 Cale Yarborough Banjo Matthews 1966 Ford 197$12,80033+1 Lap
3126 David Pearson Cotton Owens 1966 Dodge 196$7,9500+2 Laps
4928 Fred Lorenzen Holman-Moody 1966 Ford 196$4,2500+2 Laps
51198 Sam McQuagg Ray Nichels 1966 Dodge 195$3,6000+3 Laps
6656 Jim Hurtubise Norm Nelson 1966 Plymouth 195$2,7004+3 Laps
71011 Ned Jarrett Bondy Long 1966 Ford 195$2,1000+3 Laps
8812 LeeRoy Yarbrough Jon Thorne1966 Dodge 193$1,7500+5 Laps
92348 James Hylton Bud Hartje1965 Dodge 193$1,5000+5 Laps
10179 Larry Frank Ray Nichels 1966 Plymouth 192$1,4250+6 Laps
111614 Jim Paschal Tom Friedkin 1966 Plymouth 192$1,3500+6 Laps
121516 Darel Dieringer Bud Moore Engineering 1966 Mercury 192$1,2750+6 Laps
132834 Wendell Scott Wendell Scott 1965 Ford 184$1,2500+14 Laps
143719 J. T. Putney J. T. Putney 1965 Chevrolet 184$1,2250+14 Laps
154325 Jabe Thomas Jeff Handy1964 Ford 182$1,2000+16 Laps
162079 Frank Warren Harold Rhodes1964 Chevrolet 177$1,1700+21 Laps
173197 Henley Gray Henley Gray 1966 Ford 172$1,1650+26 Laps
18399 Paul Goldsmith Ray Nichels 1966 Plymouth 153$2,06043+45 Laps
193338 Wayne Smith Archie Smith1966 Chevrolet 148$1,1550Fuel line
204424 Bobby Allison Betty Lilly1965 Ford 143$1,1500Engine
211426 Bobby Isaac Junior Johnson & Associates 1966 Ford 141$1,1450Crash
223287 Buck Baker Buck Baker 1966 Oldsmobile 136$1,1400Ignition
23450 Johnny Allen Reid Shaw1964 Ford 132$1,1350Overheating
241849 G. C. Spencer G. C. Spencer 1965 Plymouth 129$1,1300Engine
252141 Curtis Turner Wood Brothers Racing 1966 Ford 122$1,1250Windshield
26721 Marvin Panch Wood Brothers Racing 1966 Ford 119$1,8208Windshield
27507 Don White Ray Nichels 1965 Dodge 115$1,1150Ignition
284233 Johnny Rutherford Curtis Satterfield1966 Chevrolet 115$1,1100Crash
291371 Gordon Johncock Nord Krauskopf 1965 Dodge 112$1,1050Engine
302961 Ned Setzer Toy Bolton 1966 Chevrolet 110$1,1000Wheel
314893 Blackie Watt Harry Neal1964 Ford 107$1,0950Piston
323688 Buddy Baker Buck Baker 1965 Chevrolet 69$1,0900Oil leak
332247 A. J. Foyt Junior Johnson & Associates 1966 Ford 46$1,0850Head gasket
343504 John Sears L. G. DeWitt 1964 Ford 40$1,0800Head gasket
35229 Dick Hutcherson Holman-Moody 1966 Ford 38$1,0752Windshield
364022 Bunkie Blackburn Bob Rosenthal1965 Chevrolet 36$1,0700Engine
373913 Mario Andretti Smokey Yunick 1966 Chevrolet 31$1,0650Crash
383072 Bill Champion Bill Champion 1964 Ford 29$1,0600Head gasket
394657 Lionel Johnson Clay Eastridge1964 Ford 28$1,0550Engine
404718 Stick Elliott Toy Bolton 1966 Chevrolet 28$1,0500Transmission
4143 Earl Balmer Ray Fox 1965 Dodge 21$1,0450Engine
423844 Larry Hess Larry Hess 1964 Ford 19$1,0400Engine
432546 Roy Mayne Tom Hunter1966 Chevrolet 13$1,0350Transmission
444976 Ronnie Chumley H. B. Bailey 1964 Pontiac 8$1,0300Engine
452664 Elmo Langley Elmo Langley / Henry Woodfield1965 Chevrolet 4$1,0250Oil pressure
462723 Calvin Kelly Hubert Howard1964 Ford 4$1,0200Clutch
475090 Sonny Hutchins Donlavey Racing 1964 Ford 3$1,0150Oil pressure
483408 Bob Derrington Bub Strickler1964 Ford 2$1,0100Clutch
492436 H. B. Bailey H. B. Bailey 1966 Pontiac 1$1,0050Engine
504103 Rene Charland Ed Ackerman1964 Ford 1$1,0000Vibration
Source [15]

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References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "1966 Daytona 500". racing-reference.info. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Weather of the 1966 Daytona 500". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "1966 NASCAR Grand National Recap". HowStuffWorks, Inc ; Publications International, Ltd. p. 1. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Fleischman & Pearce 2004, p. 227.
  5. ↑ "1966 Grand National Results". racing-reference.info. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Grand National standings for 1966". racing-reference.info. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Past Daytona 500 Champions". CNN Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 17, 2001. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  8. 1 2 "1966 Daytona 500 Qualifier #1". racing-reference.info. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "1966 Daytona 500 Qualifier #2". racing-reference.info. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  10. ↑ "1966 DAYTONA 500 Results". Daytona International Speedway. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
  11. ↑ Zeller, Bob (February 14, 2008). "Daytona 500 50th Anniversary; RICHARD PETTY". Speed Magazine; News-Journal Corporation. Retrieved August 25, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. 1 2 3 "DAYTONA 500 Winners". Daytona International Speedway. 2009. Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Richard Petty". Daytona International Speedway. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
  14. ↑ Flatter, Ron. "He made racing not-so-Petty". ESPN Sports Century. ESPN.com. p. 1. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
  15. ↑ 1966 Daytona 500

Bibliography

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