1964 Jacksonville 200

1964 Jacksonville 200
Race details
Race 3 of 62 in the 1964 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date December 1, 1963 (1963-12-01)
Official name 1964-03
Location Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida
Course Permanent racing facility
0.500 mi (0.805 km)
Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (160.934 km)
Weather Temperatures ranging between 37.9 °F (3.3 °C) and 54.0 °F (12.2 °C); average wind speeds of 7.48 miles per hour (12.04 km/h)[1]
Average speed 58.252 miles per hour (93.748 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
  • Jack Smith
 Archie Smith
Time 25.38
Most laps led
Driver Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
Laps 103
Winner
No. 34 Wendell Scott Scott Racing
Television in the United States
Network Not televised

The 1964 Jacksonville 200,[2][N 1] the third race of the 1964 NASCAR Cup Series calendar (despite taking place on December 1, 1963) is best known for being won by the first (and so far, only) African-American driver to win a race, Wendell Scott.

Background

Speedway Park, also known as Jacksonville Speedway, was a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) dirt oval auto racing track, located in Jacksonville, Florida.[4]

Opened in 1947, the track was located at the intersection of Lenox Avenue and Plymouth Street in southwest Jacksonville.[5] NASCAR Grand National Series (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) races were held at the track during the 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1961 and 1964 seasons.[6] The final Grand National Series race at the track was won by Wendell Scott, the only African-American to win in NASCAR's top series.[7]

In addition to auto racing, the track hosted the Duval County Exposition.[8] The NASCAR Grand American Series also competed there.[9]

Summary

Jack Smith started from the pole position.[10] Ned Jarrett drove to a substantial lead early in the event, but a damaged wheel hub caused him to fall 20 laps behind while it was repaired. Richard Petty led the most laps, 103, before having his steering break due to the rough track conditions.[7] Scott, driving a car formerly owned by Jarrett,[11] took the lead with 275 laps to and led to the scheduled finish of the event; however, after 200 laps, the checkered flag was not waved.[7]

Two laps later, second-place finisher Buck Baker took the checkered flag and the win.[7] Scott protested the results; two hours later, following a review of the scoring, Scott was declared the winner by two laps.[7] Some, including Scott's family, stated that the victory was awarded to Baker, with the results being altered after the crowd had left the speedway, due to racism;[12] others, including two-time NASCAR champion Ned Jarrett, believe it was simply a scoring error, which was very common in the pre-electronic scoring system.[7] Four weeks later at Savannah Speedway, Scott was given his first-place prize check and a replica trophy; the genuine trophy has never resurfaced,[7] however in October 2010 the Jacksonville Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame gave a more accurate replica trophy to Scott's family.[12] It was not until 2013 that another African American driver won a NASCAR national touring series race, when Darrell Wallace, Jr. won the 2013 Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway.[13]

Maurice Petty failed to qualify for the race.[14]

Notable crew chiefs for the race were Jimmy Helms, Dale Inman, Wendell Scott, and Ralph Gray.[15]

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.

Stats

The race officially lasted a duration of one hour and forty-three minutes. The average speed was 58.252 miles per hour (93.748 km/h). Jack Smith won the pole at 70.921 miles per hour (114.136 km/h). The margin of victory was over two laps after the correction of the scoring error, resulting in an addition of two laps to the race. Five thousand people attended the race.[10]

Results

Pos Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Laps Status Led
1 1534Wendell ScottChevrolet202Running27
2 1487Buck BakerPontiac200Running0
3 147Jack SmithPlymouth199Running20
4 1868Ed LivingstonFord195Running0
5 242Richard PettyPlymouth193Running103
6 1786Neil CastlesChrysler190Running0
7 511Ned JarrettFord183Wheel bolts52
8 2078Buddy Arrington #Dodge182Running0
9 1992Johnny AllenFord179Running0
10 45Billy WadeDodge163Differential0
11 2105Possum JonesPontiac156Running0
12 1032Tiny LundFord124Differential0
13 720Jack AndersonFord121Radiator0
14 2261Joe WeatherlyFord120Running0
15 169Roy TynerChevrolet99Axle0
16 96David PearsonDodge70Oil pan0
17 603G. C. SpencerChevrolet60Differential0
18 1336Larry ThomasDodge60Accident0
19 390Jimmy Lee CappsPlymouth50Accident0
20 1139LeeRoy YarbroughPontiac23Axle0
21 1262Curtis CriderFord8Engine0
22 82Jimmy ParduePontiac6Axle0

References

Notes
  1. ↑ The race has also been called the "Turkey Day 200" in some sources.[3]
Citations
  1. ↑ "Weather History: Past Weather Reports". Almanac.com. 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  2. ↑ Pierce, Rodney D. (February 18, 2003). "Wendell Scott overcame the odds through talent and determination". The Daily Herald. Roanoke Rapids, NC. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  3. ↑ "Quick Laps". Sports Illustrated. June 26, 2006. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  4. ↑ "Auto Race Tracks". The Billboard, April 13, 1957, page 81.
  5. ↑ Coble, Don. "Yarbrough lived and raced fast, fell even faster". June 27, 2011. Brainerd, MN: Brainerd Dispatch. Accessed 2014-05-01.
  6. ↑ "Race Results at Speedway Park". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Accessed 2014-05-01.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "1963 NASCAR controversy: Racing or race?". The Florida Times-Union. Jacksonville, FL. June 27, 2010. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  8. ↑ The Billboard, October 20, 1958, page 47.
  9. ↑ "Lund Wins". Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal. Daytona Beach, FL. October 4, 1970. p. 2D. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  10. 1 2 3 "1964-03". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. 1963-12-01. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  11. ↑ "Wendell Scott Gets Chevy ride". Spartanburg Herald. Spartanburg, SC. October 6, 1965. p. 20. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  12. 1 2 "Wendell Scott's family gets long-lost trophy, and closure". The Florida Times-Union. Jacksonville, FL. October 18, 2010. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  13. ↑ Jensen, Tom (October 27, 2013). "Won from above: Wendell Scott's sons reflect on Darrell Wallace Jr.'s historic win". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  14. ↑ Qualifying information at Racing Reference
  15. ↑ 1964 Jacksonville 200 crew chiefs information at Racing Reference
Previous race:
1964 The First 510		 Grand National Series
1964 season		 Next race:
1964 Sunshine 200
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