It all began sixty years ago today just a few miles up the road from me....................

[LUKE'57]

...........in a little place called Charlotte NC kicking the whole thing off with what will probably be the only "Luxury Car" era in stock car racing with the powerful Cadillac, Lincoln and Hudson entries setting the pace.

Another first could be argued with the introduction of the "Rocket 88" Oldsmobile, one of, if not the very first, "Muscle Car", that put a luxury styled big V-8 in a smaller and lighter Oldsmobile coupe body.

A Father's Day story...of sorts...........

By now you've probably guessed that I'm talking about the very first race for Nascar's top division, today's "whoever wrote the biggest check" Cup that started out with the unassuming moniker, "Strickly Stock Division".

That first race was on dirt and won by Glen Dunnaway, the father of a friend of mine, who followed quite ably in his dad's tire tracks, named Harold Dunnaway, who outran all those big powerful new cars in a lowly little two year old Ford coupe.

Now if you look up the results of that first race you may wonder why Jim Roper is named the winner driving a Lincoln. Well, it seems that Glen's borrowed ride for that race happened to be one of Hubert Westmoreland's "business" coupes (althought NOT a Business Coupe model, there is a difference) and his business was liquid corn refreshment, so to speak, and its transportation.

When the post race inspection was over it seems that the "wedges" in the Ford's rear springs, so helpful in handling the extra weight of its usual "cargo", turned out to be a no-no in the new division because it also helped the handling when the car was "empty". Remember, it was called Strictly Stock for a reason.

Well, it wound up in court but after all the dust settled, both figuratively and literally, the division survived all the controversy and even prospered and turned out to be somewhat of a success. Kind of like King Kong being a monkey with a small pituatary gland problem.

Since I haven't been able to build a copy of Harold's dad's car, just no model of a '47 Ford "business" Coupe out there, which, in this case, was really an "Opera Coupe", I'll have to post this shot of a diecast "Rocket 88" to commemorate Father's Day "Southern Style" and mark the beginning of the France Dynasty that began with a bunch of "car guys" and a dream.

[Tony T]

Thanks, Jerry!

Happy Father's Day!

[The Modeling Hermit]

That's a nice dedication Jerry. I guess that a proper toast to those pioneer drivers would be to tip a bottle in their honor. The question is, which method is preferred; jar or jug over the shoulder. I'll go for the jar. I never could get the positioning right for that jug. I got more down my shirt than in me. Happy Father's Day

Edited June 19, 2010 by Kodiak Island Modeler

[ricky12]

thanks again you always find some neat history to share with us !!!!!

[LUKE'57]

Thanks guys, I really appeciate it. I know that these old redneck race cars aren't what most of you are interested in building but I get a kick out of hanging out here and sharing this stuff with ya'll and checking out what everyone else is building. Hey, I may even be inspired to build one without numbers someday because of it.