05/31/2016
Month: May 2016
Today in History
05/30/1999 – Coca Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC – Bobby Labonte starts from the pole in his Interstate Batteries Grand Prix but he can’t hold off Jeff Burton in his Roush Ford and finishes 2nd by .5 seconds; Tony Stewart finishes 4th in his Home Depot Grand Prix as Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiacs take 2 of the top-5 finishing positions.
Today in History
05/29/1922 – Birth date of the only 2-time (1962 and 1963) Pontiac Cup Champion, the legendary Joe Weatherly.
Today in History
05/28/1961 – World 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC – Hall-of-Famer David Pearson runs away with the win in John Masoni’s Daytona Kennel 1961 Pontiac as he finishes as the only car on the lead lap leading 225 (including the last 3 laps of the race on 3 tires after having a blowout) of 400 laps on the day .
This would be Pearson’s first of what would eventually be 105 career wins, second (as of 2016) on the all-time Cup win list; Fireball Roberts finishes 2nd in Smokey Yunick’s 1961 Pontiac for a 1-2 Pontiac finish.
Today in History
05/27/1990 – Coca Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC – Rusty Wallace can’t be beat as he leads 306 of 400 laps (including the last 91) to win one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races. This also was Wallace’s first win for his new sponsor and eventual long-term Penske affiliate Miller Brewing (and its subsidiary brands) in Raymond Beadle’s Grand Prix.
14 Championships…
05/26/2016 – …in one picture, in a Pontiac, with 2 guys who both drove Pontiacs in Cup.
Today in History
05/25/1923 – Birth date of legendary car owner and master mechanic Smokey Yunick who fielded and won with Pontiacs with drivers like Fireball Roberts. For a great recap of Smokey’s life and numerous and varied accomplishments and inventions, please visit here:
http://www.legendsofnascar.com/smokey.htm
Today in History
05/24/1992 – Coca Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC – Kyle Petty leads the most laps (141) in his Sabates Mello Yello Grand Prix, but Dale Earnhardt takes the win in the famous Goodwrench Chevrolet (more than a few people claim that Earnhardt was not called for speeding on pit road, although he did pull away on the track after claiming the lead). Rusty Wallace leads 38 laps in the Penske Miller Genuine Draft Grand Prix, but finishes 18th when the engine goes sour at the end of the race.
Today in History
05/23/1963 – Birth date of some-time Cup driver and race commentator Wally Dallenbach Jr. 16 of Wally’s 226 career Cup starts were in a Pontiac, and he tied his career best finish (2nd) in Bill Davis’ MBNA Grand Prix at the 1995 Bud at the Glen, Watkins Glen, NY.
Screenshot of Dallenbach in the MBNA Grand Prix, running in 2nd place behind eventual winner Mark Martin
Today in History
05/22/1999 – Winston Open – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC – Tony Stewart takes the lead from pole sitter Mike Skinner on the second lap and leads 49 of 50 laps to take the win in the Home Depot Grand Prix.
Pontiac Racing 