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PettyStaking ClaimTo Short Track HonorsBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Richard Petty* handsome 24-year-old, 6-foot-3 veteran from Randleman, N.C., is staking an early claim to the 1963 short track championship and possibly to the lucrative late model championship.Petty won two 100-mile late model races during the weekend, both on half mile tracks, andpicked up $1,800 in prize money. It wes the sixth straight victoryfor Petty Plymouths on half mile tracks, including the last fourraces in 1962 all of which count toward the 1963 grand national title.took home $1,000 from the purse of $6,000. The crowd was 7,000. )(At Hickory, Ralph Thomas of Houston, Tex., overcame a spin out and went on to win a 40-lap late model sportsmen event opening the Hickory Speedway for the season. The crowd was 6,100.Petty won his Spartanburg race before an estimated 7,000 the hard way. He hit the wall with 17 laps to go after two other cars had piled up ahead of him, and went on to win over Jarrett, who had to pit for fuel'.At Asheville, Petty, Johnson and Baker set a terrific pace for the 10,000 who jammed the speedway. Johnson roared away fromPetty edged out Ned Jarrett of, his pole position and led Petty by Conover, who holds the NASCAR j % of a lap when he blew a tire, point lead by a narrow margin, j Petty led for four laps before he,in the lOO^miler at Spartanburg, N.C., Saturday.Sunday, he out-dueled husky Junior Johnson and Buck Bakertoo, pitted and leaving the lead to Baker.Petty was back in front on lap 149 and had no trouble thereafterto win the 100-miler at Asheville-j as Johnson had to go back to his Weaverville Speedway. He won1 pit again for tires. Baker finished $900 top money in each race. A j second, Johnson third, Joe Weath-week ago he finished sixth in the! etiy fourth and Jarrett fifth. Daytona 500 to pick up $2,500 and! Petty’s one hour, 15 minute trip 3,570 points toward the NASCAR! around the Asheville speedway point title. j was a new record for half mileElsewhere, the stock car rac- tracks. And Junior Johnson’s qual* ing season opened in the Caro- ifying time of 21.75 seconds was linas with a bang. Bill Chees- best ev^r for a track of that bourg of Tucson, Ariz,, won a 100- size, mile late model race for United States Auto Club (USAC) drivers at Concord Speedway,Cheesbourtf, driving a 1962 Ford, took over from ex-NASCAR veteran Curtis Turner on the 127th lap after Turner busted a wheel.He finished three laps ahead of Don White, who won this same 100-miler last year, CheesbourgPHOTOGRAPHIC SUPPLIES Gl 6-7111Kodaks Film DevelopingROSE DRUG CO.FREE Delivery
Newspaper Details
Rocky Mount Evening Telegram
Rocky Mount, North Carolina, US
Mon, Mar 04, 1963
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
NC, USA 19 Apr 2020
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