1961 Southern 500

The 1961 Southern 500 was a race that took place at Darlington Raceway on 4 September 1961, in the NASCAR Grand National Series. It was the forty-second race of the 1961 NASCAR Grand National Series.

1961 Southern 500
Race details
Race 42 of 52 in the 1961 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 1961 Southern 400 program cover, celebrating the 50th anniversary of naval aviation.
The 1961 Southern 400 program cover, celebrating the 50th anniversary of naval aviation.
Date September 4, 1961
Location Darlington Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.375 mi (2.213 km)
Distance 364 laps, 500.5 mi (805.477 km)
Scheduled Distance 364 laps, 500.5 mi (804.672 km)
Average speed 117.787 mph
Pole position
Driver
Most laps led
Driver Fireball Roberts
Laps 180
Winner
No. 29 Nelson Stacy

Nelson Stacy won after 364 laps, after taking the lead from Fireball Roberts late in the race.[1][2] It was the first of Stacy's four Grand National victories in his career.[3]

Qualifying
Pos.[4] # Driver Make Team/Owner Time Avg. Speed (mph)
1 22 Fireball Roberts '61 Pontiac Smokey Yunick 128.680
2 28 Fred Lorenzen '61 Ford Holman-Moody 128.437
3 29 Nelson Stacy '61 Ford Dudley Farrell 127.020
4 8 Joe Weatherly '61 Pontiac Bud Moore Engineering 126.890
5 43 Richard Petty '61 Plymouth Petty Enterprises 125.906
6 6 Ralph Earnhardt '61 Pontiac Owens Racing 125.906
7 44 Jim Paschal '61 Pontiac Petty Enterprises 125.866
8 42 Marvin Panch '61 Plymouth Petty Enterprises 125.158
9 3 David Pearson '61 Pontiac John Masoni 127.783
10 94 Banjo Matthews '61 Ford Banjo Matthews 127.012
11 87 Buck Baker '61 Chrysler Buck Baker 126.339
12 72 Bobby Johns '61 Ford Shorty Johns 125.938
13 9 Bunkie Blackburn '61 Ford Wildcat Williams 125.842
14 27 Junior Johnson '61 Pontiac Rex Lovette 125.364
15 4 Rex White '61 Pontiac Jack Smith 124.489
16 86 Buddy Baker '61 Chrysler Buddy Baker 124.410
17 66 Bill Morgan '61 Ford Ratus Walters 126.372
18 46 Larry Frank '61 Pontiac Jack Smith 125.994
19 24 unknown* Pontiac 125.245
20 52 Cale Yarborough '61 Ford Julian Buesink 125.023
21 85 Emanuel Zervakis '61 Chevrolet Monroe Shook 124.489
22 2 Tommy Irwin '61 Chevrolet Tom Daniels 124.387
23 32 Joe Caspolich '61 Ford J. L. Cheatham 124.169
24 19 Herman Beam '60 Ford Herman Beam 120.247
25 59 Tiny Lund '61 Pontiac B. G. Holloway 126.711
26 90 Dave Mader '61 Chevrolet Dave Mader 125.578
27 14 Johnny Allen '61 Chevrolet Joe Lee Johnson 124.208
28 80 Darel Dieringer '61 Ford Tubby Gonzales 124.114
29 82 Marvin Porter '61 Ford Harry Dunbar 124.029
30 1 Paul Lewis '61 Chevrolet Jess Porter 123.990
31 5 Woodie Wilson '61 Pontiac Leroy Faucett 123.172
32 7 Jim Reed '61 Chevrolet Jim Reed 123.004
33 30 Elmo Langley '60 Chevrolet Fred Clark 122.517
34 11 Ned Jarrett '61 Chevrolet B. G. Holloway 122.388
35 10 T.C. Hunt '61 Dodge Fred Wheat 121.988
36 54 Jimmy Pardue '60 Chevrolet Jimmy Pardue 121.487
37 47 Bob Burdick** Pontiac Jack Smith 121.264
38 96 Friday Hassler '60 Chevrolet J. L. Cheatham 120.812
39 68 Ed Livingston '61 Ford Curtis Crider 120.072
40 62 Curtis Crider '61 Mercury Curtis Crider 119.854
41 74 L.D. Austin '61 Chevrolet L.D. Austin 118.060
42 75 Red Hollingsworth '60 Chevrolet J. D. Braswell 114.902
43 93 George Green* Ford 114.576
44 99 George Alsobrook '61 Ford Joe Jones 114.167

*Did not compete due to unknown reasons.

**Driver changed to Rex White for the race.

Results
Fin[5][6] St # Driver Make Team/Owner Sponsor Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 3 29 Nelson Stacy '61 Ford Dudley Farrell Ron's Ford Sales, Holt-Stacy 364 72 running $18,430
2 1 22 Fireball Roberts '61 Pontiac Smokey Yunick 364 180 running $10,670
3 9 3 David Pearson '61 Pontiac John Masoni Daytona Kennel 363 6 running $5,060
4 7 44 Jim Paschal '61 Pontiac Petty Enterprises 359 0 running $2,625
5 20 85 Emanuel Zervakis '61 Chevrolet Monroe Shook 359 0 running $2,450
6 33 11 Ned Jarrett '61 Chevrolet B. G. Holloway 354 0 running $1,500
7 26 14 Johnny Allen '61 Chevrolet Joe Lee Johnson 348 0 running $1,195
8 18 24 Roscoe Thompson '60 Pontiac James Turner 347 0 running $1,195
9 6 6 Ralph Earnhardt '61 Pontiac Owens Racing 346 0 engine $875
10 36 47 Rex White '61 Pontiac Jack Smith 345 0 running $925
11 12 72 Bobby Johns '61 Ford Shorty Johns 344 0 running $750
12 16 66 Bill Morgan '61 Ford Ratus Walters Cafe Burgundy 342 0 running $700
13 32 30 Elmo Langley '60 Chevrolet Fred Clark 341 0 running $500
14 14 27 Junior Johnson '61 Pontiac Rex Lovette Holly Famrs 337 0 running $450
15 24 59 Tiny Lund '61 Pontiac B. G. Holloway 323 0 crash $650
16 40 74 L.D. Austin '61 Chevrolet L.D. Austin 321 0 running $350
17 35 54 Jimmy Pardue '60 Chevrolet Jimmy Pardue 316 0 running $300
18 39 62 Curtis Crider '61 Mercury Curtis Crider Mims Amusement Co. 312 0 running $750
19 23 19 Herman Beam '60 Ford Herman Beam 312 0 running $250
20 17 46 Larry Frank '61 Pontiac Jack Smith 273 0 spindle $480
21 25 90 Dave Mader '61 Chevrolet Dave Mader 262 0 timing $280
22 4 8 Joe Weatherly '61 Pontiac Bud Moore Engineering 229 13 rf hub $370
23 31 7 Jim Reed '61 Chevrolet Jim Reed 228 0 brakes $200
24 15 86 Buddy Baker '61 Chrysler Buddy Baker 221 0 bearings $700
25 34 10 T.C. Hunt '61 Dodge Fred Wheat 206 0 rear end $700
26 5 43 Richard Petty '61 Plymouth Petty Enterprises 201 41 engine $1,110
27 11 87 Buck Baker '61 Chrysler Buck Baker 190 0 con rod $220
28 21 2 Tommy Irwin '61 Chevrolet Tom Daniels 164 0 rocker arm $200
29 2 28 Fred Lorenzen '61 Ford Holman-Moody 158 52 throttle $950
30 19 52 Cale Yarborough '61 Ford Julian Buesink 135 0 engine $200
31 8 42 Marvin Panch '61 Plymouth Petty Enterprises 94 0 carburetor $200
32 28 82 Marvin Porter '61 Ford Harry Dunbar 85 0 crash $200
33 29 1 Paul Lewis '61 Chevrolet Jess Porter 81 0 crash $200
34 30 5 Woodie Wilson '61 Pontiac Leroy Faucett 79 0 crash $200
35 38 68 Ed Livingston '61 Ford Curtis Crider 79 0 head gasket $200
36 10 94 Banjo Matthews '61 Ford Banjo Matthews 65 0 engine $430
37 22 32 Joe Caspolich '61 Ford J. L. Cheatham 50 0 rear end $200
38 27 80 Darel Dieringer '61 Ford Tubby Gonzales 45 0 rear end $300
39 13 9 Bunkie Blackburn '61 Ford Wildcat Williams 34 0 head gasket $200
40 37 96 Friday Hassler '60 Chevrolet J. L. Cheatham 22 0 brakes $200
41 43 99 George Alsobrook '61 Ford Joe Jones 2 0 handling $200
42 41 75 Red Hollingsworth '60 Chevrolet J. D. Braswell 2 0 handling $200
43 42 93 Lee Reitzel '60 Ford Lee Reitzel 2 0 handling $200

Crashes

Among the 43 competitors in the 1961 Southern 500, Marvin Potter, Paul Lewis and Woodie Wilson were involved in a crash, resulting in them coming 32nd, 33rd and 34th respectively.[7] Tiny Lund crashed toward the end of the race, finishing in 15th position.[8]

Thurmond speech

Prior to the commencement of the race, South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond was present to give a political speech in which he claimed that South Carolina would secede from the United States because of its opposition to civil rights legislation. The American Spectator reported that spectators responded to the speech with enthusiasm, and the infield at Darlington was "so violent and liquor-soaked that the area was fenced off and not even the police would enter for anything less than a shooting".[9]

References
  1. Bob Carroll (1992). The Sports Video Resource Guide: A Fan's Sourcebook for All the Best in Sports Videos. Simon & Schuster. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-671-73446-6.
  2. Lyle Kenyon Engel; Jim Hunter (1973). Stock Car Racing U.S.A. Dodd, Mead. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-396-06641-5.
  3. Meinstereifel, Ronald L. (2004). Day-By-Day in NASCAR History. McFarland & Co. p. 198. ISBN 0786417994. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  4. "1961 Southern 500 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28.
  5. "1961 Southern 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  6. "1961 Southern 500 race results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28.
  7. "NASCAR: 1961 Southern 500". Racinghub. Racinghub. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  8. Perry Allen Wood (10 January 2014). Declarations of Stock Car Independents: Interviews with Twelve Racers of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. McFarland. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-7864-5780-9.
  9. Yates, Brock. "The NASCAR Red State". Volume 38 Issue 3. No. April 2005. The American Spectator. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
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