1962 Volunteer 500

The 1962 Volunteer 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series) event that was held on April 29, 1962 at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.

The race car drivers still had to commute to the races using the same stock cars that competed in a typical weekend's race through a policy of homologation (and under their own power). This policy was in effect until roughly 1975. By 1980, NASCAR had completely stopped tracking the year model of all the vehicles and most teams did not take stock cars to the track under their own power any more.

Summary

This 500-lap event lasted for a duration of three hours and 24 minutes. Thirty-six drivers managed to qualify for this racing event; with Fireball Roberts earning a pole position start due to his qualifying speed of 81.374 miles per hour (130.959 km/h). Fireball Roberts, Richard Petty and Bobby Johns would dominate the opening laps while Richard Petty and Bobby Johns would dominate the closing laps.^[2] John would later credit his win in this event to having a sense of consistency; rather than accelerating the car to full throttle all the time.^[3]

Larry Frank was the last-place finisher of this event due to his car overheating on lap 29. George Green would become the final driver to finish the event while David Pearson's faulty lug bolts would prevent him from acquiring a "top five" finish. Most of the vehicles in this race were Pontiac or Chevrolet. All of the drivers were born in the United States of America; no foreigners attempted to qualify for this racing event. Bobby Johns would eventually defeat Fireball Roberts by a margin of six laps; making Johns the only finisher on the lead lap.^[2] Gene Blackburn would retire from NASCAR Cup Series racing after this event.^[4]

Individual earnings for each driver ranged from the winner's share of $4,405 ($34,459.8 when adjusted for inflation) to the meager earnings of $100 ($782.29 when adjusted for inflation) that was given to several low-ranked drivers. NASCAR only authorized a total sum of $17,865 to the qualifying drivers of this event ($139,755.79 when adjusted for inflation).^[5]

Top ten finishers

1. Bobby Johns – #72
2. Fireball Roberts – #22
3. Jack Smith – #47
4. Ned Jarrett – #11
5. Tom Cox – #60
6. Herman Beam – #19
7. David Pearson – #6
8. Wendell Scott – #34
9. Bill Morton – #61
10. Curtis Crider– #62

Timeline

• Start of race: Fireball Roberts starts the race with the pole position
• Lap 29: Larry Frank managed to overheat his vehicle
• Lap 62: Bobby Johns takes over the lead from Fireball Roberts
• Lap 68: Ralph Earnhardt managed to overheat his vehicle
• Lap 81: Oil pressure issues forced Stick Elliott out of the race
• Lap 160: Richard Petty takes over the lead from Bobby Johns
• Lap 163: Bobby Johns takes over the lead from Richard Petty
• Lap 297: Maurice Petty had a terminal crash; forcing him to exit the event
• Lap 302: Nelson Stacy had a terminal crash; forcing him to exit the event
• Lap 321: Richard Petty takes over the lead from Bobby Johns
• Lap 327: Bobby Johns takes over the lead from Richard Petty
• Lap 430: Buck Baker's engine would stop working properly; causing him not to finish the race
• Lap 444: The rear end of Joe Weatherly's vehicle came off; forcing him to exit the race
• Lap 461: Problems with his lug bolts forced David Pearson to exit the race prematurely
• End of race: Bobby Johns wins the race

References