neat old photo

[real61ss]

I wanted to share this with anyone who might be interested......I was given this photo by a freind last week. His parents have passed away and he was going through some of their stuff, his dad was a race fan back in the day and had a bunch of old pictures. This one was taken at the NASCAR spring race at the old half mile dirt Fairgounds Raceway in Richmond, Va. now the site of RIR. The date was May 15th, 1966

Back then I worked as a crewman for Worth McMillion, an independant Pontiac racer. Worth had 2 cars and I got to drive some races in the second car, that's me driving the # 83 '65 Pontiac. The # 22 car is Smokey Yunick's '65 Impala with Curtis Turner driving. I think the photo was taken while the cars were lined up on pit road waiting to go out for the start of the race. It appears to have been taken from the radio announcers booth, you can see the mike in the lower part of the picture.

According to the NASCAR record books, David Pearson won the race, Richard Petty finished second, Turner was 23rd with a blown engine, I finished 12th.

Probably not too many people remember Smokey having an Impala other than the '63 that he ran at Daytona.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Great memories!

Tommy:

Now that's got to bring back some fond memories!

Sounds like you had a lot of fun back then. Hard to believe 43 years have slipped by . What was the drive train in that '65 Poncho? And how did a two ton car handle in the dirt? That must have been something!

Look forward to getting together next weekend, should be another memorable time .

Cheers!
TomK

 

[jim_ss409]

Neat picture! Neat story too!bang

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Thanks, Tommy. A picture of race cars ,, back when cars were cars.

 

[real61ss]

"What was the drive train in that '65 Poncho? And how did a two ton car handle in the dirt? That must have been something!"

Tom,
Worth started in '62 with the Pontiac's, he had a couple of '62 421 SD Pontiac motors that we were still running in the mid sixties. Pontiac's were tuff in the early '60's but by 65 it was over. Although they were not much bigger than any of the other cars that were running then. Ford was still running the Galaxie in '65 and what few Chevrolets that were running were Impala's. '66 is when everyone started building the Fairlanes and Chevelles. We started building a '66 GTO but never ran it.

As for the handling.....we had different springs and sway bars for different tracks but handling wasn't the issue that it is now days. I just drove the car as hard as I could and whatever it did I guess I just figured that's what it was supposed to do! Man, I was just a 22 year old kid then !!!!

Looking forward to meeting everyone next weekend. Changed the oil in the truck and loaded the car this morning. we'll head out early Friday morning, should take us about 10 hours, be there late Friday afternoon.

 

[rstreet]

Tom: I remember Smokey's WinstonCup Chevelle and the Mustang he ran in later years (69) that Bunky ran. I also have some old NASCAR pictures that I took but the 83 doesn't show up. But 21 and 43 does most all of the time for some reason.
robert

 

[real61ss]

Robert,
There are several reasons that the 21 & 43 show up more than the 83!!!!!

I'm probably not too far from you tonight.....Debbie and I are staying in Salisbury tonight, on our way to Dover

See you next weekend

 

[rstreet]

WOW. I just left the airport at 10:00 P/M to pick up "little daughter" and earlier had been to eat at a restaurant across from the "new" mall. Small World. See you later this week...my office is in Princess Anne if you stay in Salisbury after the race and come through Monday ...if you drive home after the race and want to stop by the house Sunday you'll have to call 'cause it's real hard to find me just turn right at the Princess Anne McDonald's and go to the end of the "county" road then turn on the one lane county road
robert

 

[rstreet]

Tom: I guess the 21 and 43 had a better suspension in 65 then you did
robert

 

[Dick MacKenzie]

Wow! What a Great Picture and story!

Tell Debbie I said Hi. I'll see you in Thompson.

 

[walkerheaders]

anybody who was out on those tracks at the same time and place as Petty and Cale is one of my racing hero's

you sir, are more man than you give yourself credit for.

 

[rstreet]

anybody who was out on those tracks at the same time and place as Petty and Cale is one of my racing hero's

you sir, are more man than you give yourself credit for.

Well Said Bob I agree. Most guys were pretty much used up even if they could crawl out of the car after a race. And now we have air conditioned suits and powersteering:eek::eek:
robert

 

[rstreet]

Actually Tommy is going to still drive the "ole" 83 at Dover today with a new sponsor that he will need 'cause it's an energy drink!!!!!