If you're a fan of NASCAR, you probably remember the 1950's Grand National Series. You'll remember Tim Flock, Curtis Turner, and Joe Merola. Darlington Raceway may also be familiar to you. But what was it like to be a fan back then?
Tim Flock
Tim Flock is the NASCAR Sprint Cup champion twice. While he was a big star of the sport he also had numerous battles against NASCAR over time, going back to when the sanctioning agency was formed. But it wasn't about racing.
Born in Fort Payne, Alabama, Flock's first experience with racing came at the age of thirteen. His first car belonged to his father, a bicyclist. He competed with his brothers and his younger sister Reo who was an expert in skeet shooting. Ethel, his older sister was also a talented stock car driver.
Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner is one the most accomplished and colorful drivers in NASCAR's 1950 history. He was the first driver to win two NASCAR races consecutively while leading every lap. His racing career began with stints in logging and moonshining in the southern US. He later turned his attention to business and became a member the Atlanta Speedway board. After that, he built a Charlotte race track.
Turner's career spanned over four decades and predated the advent of superspeedways. In 1956, Turner won the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. He also won his first American 500 at Rockingham Speedway. He won 38 out of the 79 races that he took part in. He was also among the first drivers to win from the pole. Turner also participated in the Charlotte's first "Strictly stock" event. He remains the only driver that has won consecutive NASCAR Premier Series races while leading every lap. He raced for many famous NASCAR owners.
Joe Merola
Although Joe Merola's name may sound a bit misleading it is accurate. Merola was one of the most popular drivers in 1950's NASCAR. His car was sponsored by the Pittsburgh-based dealership of Joe Nagel, Jr. Merola only had one Grand National start. However, Merola broke his right rear axle in lap one. Preston was fully aware of this problem, but he was unable to fix it prior to the race.
Merola was also a NASCAR racer, and also drove Tucker. The car was so torque-rich that it broke in the first gear. Merola's tale was different. 1951 saw Merola retire from racing and become a successful aircraft salesman. Merola then moved to Florida where he was involved in aircraft sales. He died in the late sixties.
Darlington Raceway
The Darlington Raceway is one of the oldest superspeedways still hosting Winston Cup races. It is known for its unusual track shape and coarse racing surface. The preferred racing track is dangerously close the retaining wall. The track was nicknamed "The Track Too Tough to Tame" or "The Lady in Black" because of its proximity to a retaining wall. This location has hosted some of NASCAR's biggest moments, including the 1951 Daytona 500.
The race was unique and legitimized the sport. Bootleggers, who used to run moonshine on mountain roads, built the Darlington Raceway. Wendell Scott won this race. Over a decade long career, Scott accumulated 20 top-five finishes and one championship in his career.
Daytona 500
The 1950 Daytona 500 was an important race in the history of NASCAR. The race was home to many cars, drivers, or teams, in the early 1950s. Many drivers had a big impact on the race. Some drivers were well-known and others were obscure. This article will give you an overview of the drivers who made their mark in the 1950s.
Daytona 500 was one the first stock car races when NASCAR was created. Bill France was the organizer of the event. He wanted to move the NASCAR franchise from the beach to a racetrack. It has gained popularity and increased speed since then. However, the event has increased the car's cost. Despite these changes, the track's owners have continued to build their entertainment empire. They own both the Watkins Glen track in New York and Darlington in South Carolina.
FAQ
Do race car drivers earn money?
Yes. Yes. Many racecar drivers earn a living wage.
Some race car drivers make only a modest income.
Who is the inventor of car racing?
Charles Brady King was the inventor of this racecourse, which was built in Long Island, New York in 1896. The July 4th, 1896 was the date of the first auto race.
What is the difference between racing and road cars?
A road car is intended to be driven on roads. The racing cars were specifically made for competitions such as motorcar racing. They have special aerodynamic features that help them accelerate quickly and brake sharply.
What type of cars is used in racing cars, and why?
Speed is the most important aspect for any race car driver. It's what makes them move fast. They must be fast enough and strong enough not to lose the lead. This gives them an advantage over the rest of the racers, as they can quickly overtake other drivers at high speeds and pull away from them again when it's not their turn.
The fastest cars are usually very lightweight. This allows them speed up quickly and to gain lots of speed. However, they also have less power. This limits their ability to travel far in a relatively short time. So they need to use energy efficiently.
Engines power most modern-day racing cars. These are similar to those found in normal passenger vehicles. These engines are powered by compressed air, instead of petrol. This is because petrol can't provide enough power for a car to go fast.
Statistics
- According to Toyota, the 390-hp-plus 2019 Yaris WRC runs out of gearing after 124 mph, 19 mph less than the crazy Yaris GR that's currently sitting on dealer lots outside of the U.S. BONUS: (motortrend.com)
- Forget the 200-mph battles of the late 1980s; no one, not even McLaren itself, predicted the inimitable F1 would go as fast as it did. (motortrend.com)
- Petty has won 200 NASCAR Cup Series races, a likely unbreakable record, along with a series record seven Cup championships. (frontstretch.com)
- This change may give an improvement of up to 29% fuel efficiency. (en.wikipedia.org)
- According to FormulaMoney, the design, development, and construction of chassis and engines can cost teams as much as $255 million annually. (businessinsider.com)
External Links
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