1966 NASCAR Grand National Series
David Pearson
, winner of the 1966 NASCAR Championship, here pictured in 2008.The 1966 NASCAR Grand National Series evolved into the first of three
1955 at that time.[1] NASCAR allowed the return of the Chrysler Hemi engine in 1966, and at the same time Ford decided to boycott NASCAR for the season.[2] The season marked series first visit to the state of Maine. Pearson captured the championship with 35,638 points over second place James Hylton who finished the season with no wins, but 33,638 points for his consistency and efforts.[3]
Schedule
| No. | Race Title | Track
|
Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Cracker 300 | Augusta Speedway, Augusta
|
November 14, 1965 |
| 2 | Motor Trend 500 | Riverside International Raceway, Riverside | January 23, 1966 |
| 3 | 100 Mile Qualifying Races
|
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach | February 25, 1966 |
| 4 | |||
| 5 | Daytona 500 | February 27, 1966 | |
| 6 | Peach Blossom 500 | North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham
|
March 14, 1966 |
| 7 | Southeastern 500 | Bristol International Speedway, Bristol
|
March 20, 1966 |
| 8 | Atlanta 500
|
Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton
|
March 27, 1966 |
| 9 | Hickory 250 | Hickory Speedway, Hickory
|
April 3, 1966 |
| 10 | Columbia 200
|
Columbia Speedway, Columbia | April 7, 1966 |
| 11 | Greenville 200
|
Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Greenville | April 9, 1966 |
| 12 | 1966-12 | Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem | April 11, 1966 |
| 13 | Gwyn Staley 400 | North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro | April 17, 1966 |
| 14 | Virginia 500
|
Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway | April 24, 1966 |
| 15 | Rebel 400
|
Darlington Raceway, Darlington | April 30, 1966 |
| 16 | Tidewater 250 | Langley Speedway, Hampton | May 7, 1966 |
| 17 | Speedy Morelock 200 | Middle Georgia Raceway, Macon | May 10, 1966 |
| 18 | Independent 250 | Starlite Speedway, Monroe | May 13, 1966 |
| 19 | Richmond 250
|
Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds, Richmond
|
May 15, 1966 |
| 20 | World 600
|
Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord | May 22, 1966 |
| 21 | 1966-21 | Dog Track Speedway, Moyock | May 29, 1966 |
| 22 | Asheville 300 | New Asheville Speedway, Asheville
|
June 2, 1966 |
| 23 | 1966-23 | Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, Spartanburg | June 4, 1966 |
| 24 | East Tennessee 200 | Smoky Mountain Raceway, Maryville
|
June 9, 1966 |
| 25 | Fireball 300
|
Asheville-Weaverville Speedway, Weaverville
|
June 12, 1966 |
| 26 | Beltsville 200 | Beltsville Speedway, Beltsville | June 15, 1966 |
| 27 | Pickens 200
|
Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Greenville | June 25, 1966 |
| 28 | Firecracker 400
|
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach | July 4, 1966 |
| 29 | 1966-29 | Old Dominion Speedway, Manassas
|
July 7, 1966 |
| 30 | 1966-30 | Bridgehampton Raceway, Bridgehampton
|
July 10, 1966 |
| 31 | Maine 100 | Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford | July 12, 1966 |
| 32 | 1966-32 | Fonda Speedway, Fonda | July 14, 1966 |
| 33 | 1966-33 | Islip Speedway, Islip | July 16, 1966 |
| 34 | Volunteer 500
|
Bristol International Speedway, Bristol
|
July 24, 1966 |
| 35 | Smoky Mountain 200 | Smoky Mountain Raceway, Maryville
|
July 28, 1966 |
| 36 | Nashville 400 | Nashville Speedway, Nashville
|
July 30, 1966 |
| 37 | Dixie 400
|
Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton
|
August 7, 1966 |
| 38 | Sandlapper 200 | Columbia Speedway, Columbia | August 18, 1966 |
| 39 | Western North Carolina 500
|
Asheville-Weaverville Speedway, Weaverville
|
August 21, 1966 |
| 40 | Maryland 200 | Beltsville Speedway, Beltsville | August 24, 1966 |
| 41 | Myers Brothers 250 | Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem | August 27, 1966 |
| 42 | Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington | September 5, 1966 |
| 43 | Buddy Shuman 276 | Hickory Speedway, Hickory
|
September 9, 1966 |
| 44 | Capital City 300
|
Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds, Richmond
|
September 11, 1966 |
| 45 | Joe Weatherly 150 | Orange Speedway, Hillsborough
|
September 18, 1966 |
| 46 | Old Dominion 500
|
Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway | September 25, 1966 |
| 47 | Wilkes 400
|
North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro | October 2, 1966 |
| 48 | National 500
|
Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord | October 16, 1966 |
| 49 | American 500 | North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham
|
October 30, 1966 |
Season recap
The 1966 NASCAR season was affected by
NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship
" with 1,047 points over Plymouth (633 points) and third place Dodge (632 points).
platforms.[5]
Race summaries
The 1966 NASCAR season opened at
Paul Lewis, when crashes and attrition left only seven cars of the 38 starters running at the end of the Southeastern 500 (now known as Food City 500).[2] On April 3, Pearson finally found his way to victory lane in the first of four consecutive victories at Hickory Motor Speedway. He followed up with wins at Columbia Speedway, Greenville, and Winston-Salem, before Jim Paschal broke his streak at North Wilksboro and repeated at Martinsville Speedway. On May 7, Richard Petty started a string of three consecutive wins at Darlington Raceway, Hampton, and Macon.[7] After Ford's announcement of their boycott of NASCAR on April 7, only 2.500 fans attend the May 13th event in which Darel Dieringer
captures the win at Monroe in a 125-mile (201 km) contest.
Even though Ford had withdrawn their financial support from NASCAR in April, the series opened June at Spartanburg, S.C. with a resounding domination of the event by Ford vehicles. The Fords led every lap of the 100-mile (160 km) event, and Elmo Langley found victory lane at the .5-mile (0.80 km) venue when promoters refused to allow the Chrysler cars to run; because of the Ford boycott.[2] Pearson then won a 100-mile (160 km) event at Maryville, followed by another Petty victory at Weaverville. Tiny Lund broke into the winners circle at Beltsville, and Pearson notched another checkered flag at the Greenville in his 1964 Dodge to close out the month of June.[7]
On
rear spoiler makes its debut in NASCAR racing. The following weekend NASCAR legend Bobby Allison drives 100-mile (160 km) to victory lane in Oxford, Maine. The win is Allison's first major NASCAR win, and Chevrolet's first visit to victory circle since October 13, 1963.[2] Pearson grabbed another win the following week at Fonda Speedway in New York, and Allison captured a second win at Islip NY. Paul Goldsmith and Paul Lewis garnered wins at Bristol and Maryville respectively, and Richard Petty closed out the month of July with a win at Nashville.[7]
NASCAR started the month of August at the
Dixie 400 prior to the start of the race; with the explication that his Dodge was illegal. Fred Lorenzen was allowed to run, even though it was determined that some of the aerodynamic enhancements made to his Junior Johnson Ford were not approved. NASCAR Bill France admitted that the "rules were bent"[2] in order to lure Ford back to competition.[2] Petty won the event over second-place finisher Buddy Baker, with Wendell Scott taking the seventh-place finish and the highest for the Ford drivers in the 400-mile (640 km) event at the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) paved venue in Atlanta.[9] Pearson returned to the track, and victory lane for the twelfth time in 1966 at the next event on August 18 at Columbia; an event that witnessed driver Curtis Turner finish third while wearing a three-piece business suit as a promotion for his sponsor Holly Farms. Turner said they: "wanted me to wear a suit, but they didn't specify what kind. So I wore my best."[2] Darel Dieringer won the next event at Weaverville in his 1966 Mercury, followed by another win by Allison at Beltsville. Pearson got another victory to finish off the month of August at Winston-Salem.[7]
The first event of September was held at Darlington, and Darel Dieringer roped in the victory in his 1966 Mercury. Pearson gathered up another two wins at Hickory and
Richmond in the following events, followed by Hutcherson's win at Hillsboro on the 18th. The last September event was held at Martinsville, and the record books show that Lorenzen won the event.[7] The Martinsville race was noteworthy in its final outcome, due to a controversy once again. Originally Lorenzen was declared the winner; but, he was disqualified for having a fuel tank larger than the rules permitted. Three days after the event, NASCAR restored Lorenzen's victory with the justification that the fuel tank was purchased from Firestone, and thus within the spirit of the rules.[2]
The final three events of the 1966 NASCAR season held in October were won by Dick Hutcherson, LeeRoy Yarbrough, and Fred Lorenzen winning the season finale. Hutcherson won at North Wilkesboro, Yarbrough at Charlotte, and Lorenzen took the final victory at Rockingham.[7] The 500-mile (800 km) Rockingham event was filled with popular drivers, and proved to be the final race for 2 legends of the sport. Both Ned Jarrett, and Junior Johnson made their final appearances as drivers at the event. Jarrett finished third, and Johnson came home in a respectful fifth-place finish on October 30, 1966.
Season statistics
| Finish | Driver | Races | Wins | Poles | Top 5 | Top 10 | Laps Led | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Pearson | 42 | 15 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 3174 | 35638 | $78,194 |
| 2 | James Hylton (Rookie OTY) |
41 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 32 | 155 | 33688 | $38,722 |
| 3 | Richard Petty | 39 | 8 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 2924 | 22952 | $94,666 |
| 4 | Henley Gray | 45 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 22468 | $21,901 |
| 5 | Paul Goldsmith | 21 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 452 | 22078 | $54,609 |
| 6 | Wendell Scott | 45 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 21702 | $23,052 |
| 7 | John Sears |
46 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 30 | 74 | 21432 | $25,191 |
| 8 | J. T. Putney | 39 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 21208 | $18,653 |
| 9 | Neil Castles | 41 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 20446 | $19,034 |
| 10 | Bobby Allison | 33 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 714 | 19910 | $23,419 |
| 11 | Elmo Langley | 47 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 20 | 308 | 19116 | $22,455 |
| 12 | Darel Dieringer | 25 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 515 | 18214 | $52,529 |
| 13 | Ned Jarrett | 21 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 167 | 17616 | $23,254 |
| 14 | Jim Paschal | 18 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 759 | 16404 | $30,984 |
| 15 | Sam McQuagg | 16 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 175 | 16068 | $29,529 |
| 16 | Paul Lewis |
21 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 67 | 15352 | $17,826 |
| 17 | Marvin Panch | 14 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 183 | 15308 | $38,431 |
| 18 | Cale Yarborough | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 252 | 15188 | $28,130 |
| 19 | G. C. Spencer | 20 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 15028 | $26,721 |
| 20 | Clyde Lynn | 40 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 14856 | $13,221 |
| 21 | Buck Baker | 36 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 14504 | $14,900 |
| 22 | Buddy Baker | 41 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 142 | 14302 | $21,335 |
| 23 | Fred Lorenzen | 11 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 782 | 12454 | $37,305 |
| 24 | Curtis Turner | 21 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 385 | 12266 | $16,920 |
| 25 | Roy Mayne | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 11074 | $10,390 |
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-681-27587-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "1966 NASCAR Grand National Recap". HowStuffWorks. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
- ^ "Grand National standings for 1966". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
- ^ Adamczyk, Jay. "#58 Team News and Links Page". ESPN; Jayski. Archived from the original on November 30, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Dunne, Jim (September 1975). "Detroit Report: an intermediate step". Popular Science. 207 (3): 40. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ staff. "1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing Reference Info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "1966 Grand National Results". racing-reference.info. Archived from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ "Countdown to the Daytona 500; Countdown Archive". NASCAR; Turner Entertainment. February 19, 2005. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
- ^ "1966 Dixie 400". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
