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OCT. 4, 1969 COMPETITION PRESS & AUTOWEEK PAGE 17
NASCAR Grand National Championship
THROUGH TALLADEGA, ALA., SEPT. 14: 1 - David Pearson, 3337; 2 -
■. - ••.-.• • <
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Richard Petty, 3111; 3 - James Hylton, 3017; 4 - Neil Castles, 2799; 5 - Elmo
•AV.'.’.
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;.’aw>. Langley, 2712; 6 - Bobby Isaac, 2534; 7 - John Sears, 2492; 8 - Jabe Thomas,
2424; 9 - E.J. Trivette, 2386; 10 - Wendell Scott, 2335; 11 - J.D. McDuffie,
w
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2314; 12 - Cecil Gordon, 2286.
NASCAR Manufacturer's Championship
r.
*x<•: THROUGH TALLADEGA, ALA., SEPT 14: 1 - Ford, 303; 2 - Dodge, 257; 3 -
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Plymouth, 70; 4 - Mercury, 51; 5 - Chevrolet, 6; 6 - Buick, 2.
* •
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came to race at top speeds and the future to those who did.”
refused to gear their cars just to put Although nothing has been
on a show. announced by NASCAR, the
The 400-mile Grand Touring thinking leans toward changes in
Richard Brickhouse averaged just over 153mph to win his first Grand National race of his career driving a brand-new Dodge
race, won by Ken Rush in a the method of entering a race. An
Daytona. (Pal Parker photo)
year-old Camaro, did not bring out inside source said France is
any major tire problems for the considering posting of a bond by a
PDA Drivers Claim Talladega Track Unsafe small cars. he started the race.
driver that would be refunded after
REFUSED TO MOUNT
NASCAR officials said there has
However, all the fast cars in been nothing concrete develop on
By Bob Myers day before the race to pull out, Banjo Matthews, who owns today’s 500-mile Grand National this idea as of now.
NASCAR Editor although I am not surprised at the Donnie Allison’s Ford, said “This is encountered tire problems at much Racing fans in this virgin region
TALLADEGA, Ala., Sept. 14 - action they took.” a matter of life and death. There’s slower speeds than the factory cars some 120 miles out of Atlanta and
Big league stock car racing came to Petty said drivers were able to no way I’d put my driver on this would have turned. “We told some 40 from Birmingham received
the new Alabama International make only four or five laps on a set race track.” everybody we would not mount a bonus, however.
Speedway today but the drivers of tires in practice. Goodyear France felt the drivers should tires for anyone today who planned
didn’t. confirmed this. “We would be in have geared their cars to race at to run over 190mph,” said RAIN CHECKS GIVEN
All the name drivers in NASCAR much better shape if we could have slower speeds. “We’ve had problems Goodyear’s Blanchard. “So far as I Rain stubs will be good for
were missing when Richard conducted a test here this week. We before at nearly every race,” said know no one exceeded that.” another race, either here or at
Brickhouse drove a new Dodge intended to do this with (pole France. “Tires are always very There is some retalitory action Daytona International Speedway.
Charger Daytona to victory in the sitter) Charlie Glotzbach and significamt. But it is my conviction from France anticipated toward the “The main concern that I’ve
Talladega 500. (Ford’s) Donnie Allison, but we that the drivers could have raced at drivers. “I don’t want to comment heard about the drivers pulling out
Members of the Professional were not able to run long enough whatever speeds they considered on that now,” said France. “But I is the reaction of the fans,” said
Drivers Assn. (PDA), headed by and finally got caught by darkness safe. The track did not tear up as a do want to congratulate those who France. “I think they will leave
Ford’s Richard Petty, withdrew Friday,” Goodyear’s Blanchard lot of them thought it would and raced today. here today favoring NASCAR.
from the race yesterday, charging said. we ran a 400-mile race for Grand “These guys saved this $6 million They saw a splendid race. After all,
that the sprawling 2.66-mile Factory representatives said the Touring cars yesterday. The racing facility, they saved the face the fans make the sport. Their
speedway was unsafe at racing decision to race or not is left up the engineers say the track is safe. I of stock car racing and they gave consideration should be first.
speeds. car owners. “Our contracts are with think they know a lot more about the spectators (estimated at Apparently, it wasn’t by the drivers
The unprecedented withdrawal the car owners,” said Ford official asphalt than I do.” 65,000) a grand show. They have a who do owe the fans something.
which actually threatened the John Crowley. “It’s up to them Petty said the drivers had no great future in racing and those Quitters never win and winners
running of the race when it whether or not to race.” intentions of sandbagging, that they who did not race today might owe never quit.”
happened claimed every
factory-assisted driver except
Brickhouse and Dodge’s Bobby Shelby/Ford
Isaac, who finished fourth in
another Dodge Daytona. Performance Dealers
The PDA, the first organization
of its kind in racing and one which CALIFORNIA
says its aims are for the betterment Costa Mesa
of the sport, made its decision not John Feltier
Theodore Robins Ford
to compete after tires began to Eureka
blister and shread at speeds of Merideth Kausen
nearly 200mph. Harvey M. Harper
Hawthorne
FIRESTONE WITHDRAWS
Mike Rhodes
Firestone withdrew its tires on Chaffee Motors
Friday, saying they were not safe. Pasadena
Goodyear changed compounds Bob Swender
three times during the week. Field Robert H. Loud Ford
manager Chuck Blanchard of San Francisco
Al Rivera
Goodyear said, “We’ve done S & C Motors, Inc.
everything in our power to perfect --. ** Sepulveda
a tire for this race, but we simply Ken Gargill
were not ready. There were so V Galpin Ford
•-■ .V«»'
v*
many unknown factors involved in S. Lake Tahoe
this track and this race.” ............ ''" • • ■ > •" • :'"" •' -- Ralph Graham
Petty and the PDA members Shelby Ford Inc.
asked NASCAR President Bill FLORIDA
. ■ ■ ■
France to postpone the Grand li Maitland
National event for 30 days until Al Renn
tires could be developed and Johnny Bolton Ford, I nc.
improvements made to the track. 1 ILLINOIS
France refused vehemently. ■<• <v»« :•<«; s"< ••'• .^x* •>< Hinsdale
“There’ll be a race .if there is •.v Vince Roselli
nobody on the track except me and Jack Loftus Ford, Inc.
•<vX*y-^'-x :•
Bobby Isaac. The race has been
scheduled and the purse posted. MASSACHUSETTS
Wilmington
Anybody who wants to race is John Ristuccia
welcome. I can’t do anything about Wilmington Ford
those who don’t want to race,” Worcester
France said. Bill Fisher
Harr Ford
-*
ISAAC NOT INVITED
MICHIGAN
;AWfc-
Isaac is not a member of the Royal Oak
PDA. The leading winner in John Schoenherr
%*.
NASCAR with a dozen victories, all Stark Hickey Ford
on short tracks however, said he v NEW JERSEY
was not invited to the Garfield
organizational meeting last month • • ■ • ; -.’Ay. ;.___. v_ ... <y: .* ^>.<1 s‘;‘xv. Steve Spak
■ • ■ • •
;<v?< >* ?\ SSS:S^S*:<:
v.-.-., 1 ■ <
in Ann Arbor, Mich. •X. ,S >S X‘- ivi ■-. B.J. Werner, Inc.
“One of the leading drivers of POWER BY
the group said I couldn’t be trusted NEW YORK
Brooklyn
and that’s why I wasn’t invited to Bud Cannarella
the first meeting,” Isaac said. Amerling Ford, Inc.
“Then when they came to me and Niagara Falls
asked me to join I told them if I .. .to talk high-performance Jerry Hamam
couldn’t be trusted before, I Frontier Ford Sales Inc.
couldn’t be now. So I didn’t join.” see the men who know high- ' performance Rochester
France is convinced there is more Paul Sullivan
behind the boycott than the tires. The Salesmen at your area They can show you the Nagle Ford Inc.
“I anticipated something like Shelby/Ford dealership new Shelby GT 350 and 500 OHIO
this, ” said France. “I’ve heard are a hand picked group - and all of Ford's full I Cleveland
rumors ever since the drivers selected because of their Dave Smith
organized they were going to line of high performance Marshall Motor Co.
boycott Talladega because I’m the ability to help you buy machinery. They understand PENNSYLVANIA
president of NASCAR and of the the right high performance your present car and Harrisburg
new speedway. car for your needs can give you the best Roger Cackovick
“I don’t know what they seek to and to keep it running deal at trade in time. Drop Francis-Fords Inc.
gain because no one has told me.
But I think drivers who have at its optimum. in today for a chat with RHODE ISLAND
qualified for a race owe it to the the salesman listed here - East Providence
Dean Gregson
promoters and to the spectators to See the men who know! Tasca Ford Sales, Inc.
compete. I am indeed surprised the
PDA would wait until the very last
