1962 Volunteer 500

1962 Volunteer 500
Race details[1]
Race 17 of 53 in the 1962 NASCAR Grand National Series season

Layout of Bristol Motor Speedway
Date April 29, 1962 (1962-April-29)
Official name Volunteer 500
Location Bristol International Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee
Course Permanent racing facility
0.533 mi (0.857 km)
Distance 500 laps, 266.5 mi (428.8 km)
Weather Warm with temperatures approaching 79 °F (26 °C); wind speeds up to 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)
Average speed 73.397 miles per hour (118.121 km/h)
Attendance 17,000[2]
Pole position
Driver
Banjo Matthews
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Johns Shorty Johns
Laps 430
Winner
No. 72 Bobby Johns Shorty Johns
Television in the United States
Network untelevised
Announcers none

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

The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s; most of the cars were trailered to events or hauled in by trucks.

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 ($34,876.55 when adjusted for inflation) to the meager earnings of $100 ($791.75 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 ($141,445.99 when adjusted for inflation).[5]

Qualifying

Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Speed[6] Qualifying time[6]
1 22 Fireball Roberts '62 Pontiac 81.374 22.120
2 28 Fred Lorenzen '62 Ford 80.789 22.280
3 21 Marvin Panch '62 Ford 80.645 22.320
4 29 Nelson Stacy '62 Ford 80.609 22.330
5 27 Junior Johnson '62 Pontiac 80.285 22.420
6 72 Bobby Johns '62 Pontiac 80.178 22.450
7 54 Jimmy Pardue '62 Pontiac 80.000 22.500
8 8 Joe Weatherly '62 Pontiac 79.787 22.560
9 4 Rex White '62 Chevrolet 79.787 22.560
10 47 Jack Smith '62 Pontiac 79.751 22.570

Major wrecks

The first major wreck of the race occurred when Nelson Stacy, on his 302nd lap, skidded into the second-turn guardrail after the '62 Ford had blown a tire. It bounced back on the track in time to be hit by Maurice Petty's '62 Plymouth.[2] Stacy was shaken up, got a few minor bruises, and was sent to the hospital for observation. He was released before the race ended.

The second major wreck occurred when cars driven by Ned Jarrett and George Green collided on the fourth turn. Nobody was hurt. Both cars were badly damaged and hauled off the track by the wreckers. They were quickly repaired, however, and they got back into the race and were running at the finish.[2]

Top twenty finishers

Pos No. Driver Manufacturer Laps Reason for DNF
1 72Bobby JohnsPontiac500
2 22Fireball RobertsPontiac494
3 47Jack SmithPontiac492
4 11Ned JarrettChevrolet475
5 60Tom CoxPlymouth470
6 19Herman BeamFord469
7 6David PearsonPontiac461Lug bolts
8 34Wendell ScottChevrolet460
9 61Bill MortonFord459
10 62Curtis CriderMercury447
11 8Joe WeatherlyPontiac444Rear end
12 86Buddy BakerChrysler430Engine
13 54Jimmy ParduePontiac419
14 1George GreenChevrolet417
15 17Fred HarbFord370Head gasket
16 43Richard PettyPlymouth368Engine
17 26Bunkie BlackburnPontiac359Rear end
18 29Nelson StacyFord302Crash
19 41Maurice PettyPlymouth297Crash
20 64Gene BlackburnChevrolet274Axle

Timeline

References

  1. ↑ Weather information for the 1962 Volunteer 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Racing information for the 1962 Volunteer 500 at Racing Reference
  3. ↑ Consistency -- not speed -- pays off for Johns at NASCAR.com
  4. ↑ Results for the 1962 Volunteer 500 at Race Database
  5. ↑ Winnings information for the 1962 Volunteer 500 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  6. 1 2 Qualifying information at Racing Reference
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