1971 Daytona 500
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Daytona 500 was a NASCAR
Winston Cup Series (now Sprint Cup Series) event held on February 14, 1971 at the Daytona International Speedway
spanning 500 miles (804.7 km) on a paved oval track. All of the racing action commenced during daytime hours and ended prior to dusk since there was no lighting available until at least the 1998 season. It was considered to be the first Daytona 500 in the Winston Cup era of NASCAR
. During this time, Richard Petty
(the winner of the race and the eventual winner of the 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
championship) was becoming one of the most winningest veterans on the NASCAR circuit.
, Mercury
, Ford
, Plymouth
, and Dodge
. All the vehicles were manufactured directly from the same Detroit factories that made normal passenger automobiles as opposed to the specialized stock car production facilities of today (which are mostly made in South Carolina
). Out of the 500 miles it takes to make a complete race, the average speed achieved at the 1971 Daytona 500 was 144.462 mi/h. Today's Sprint Cup vehicles can only go up to 185 mi/h at today's Daytona 500 races and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pickup trucks can do up to 190 mi/h (and they don't need restrictor plate
s due to their horsepower disadvantage). As a result, the NASCAR trucks have the capability to go faster than the Sprint Cup cars.
Overall, the maximum qualifying speed for the 1971 Daytona 500 time trials was more than 190 mi/h compared to Jimmie Johnson
's top speed of 185.831 mi/h to get the pole position at the 44th running of the Daytona 500
that took place on February 17, 2002. Forty cars were lined with legends like A. J. Foyt
and David Pearson eventually acquiring top five finishes at the end of this prestigious race.
except for Pedro Rodríguez.
† Driver is known to be deceased
* Driver failed to finish race
($ when inflation is taken into effect). Even the last place finisher received $1,000 ($ with inflation) in take-home pay. Richard Petty would go on to win four more Daytona 500 races after this one (1973
, 1974
, 1979
, and 1981
). There were seven cautions involving forty-four laps of yellow flag
racing and zero laps of red flag racing.
by 18,500 people. Expansion in the next eighteen years would bring attendance up to 180,000 people (even when considering the increased television and Internet coverage that today's NASCAR Sprint Cup races experience). ABC
's Wide World of Sports televised the race during an era where televised NASCAR programming was restricted due to its mostly regional appeal with citizens of the Southern United States
. Commentary was done by the legendary Chris Economaki
who did the Daytona 500 races in the 1970s. NASCAR would not see a significant growth in their "northern audience" until at least the 1990s. Today, NASCAR can be found nearly seven days a week through digital satellite television
channels like ESPN
, Speed, and TNT from Hawaii to Maine (while their Canadian counterpart TSN
makes the events accessible for cable and satellite customers from British Columbia
to Newfoundland
).
Darrell Waltrip
often complained in his early racing career that NASCAR should have been televised more. It could be said that Darrell Waltrip would have accomplished racing as a young man in the 1990s as opposed to the more company-oriented days of the 1970s. He would race in the next year's Permatex 300 Sportsman race for his first Daytona start in a car once driven by Mario Andretti
. Oftentimes, it was only the Daytona 500 and a few major Grand National/Winston Cup events that were televised during the 1970s and 1980s when NASCAR was predominantly a "Southern sport."
, not all drivers had the same model year of vehicle. Deviation of up to two or three model years was expected because parity wasn't enforced by NASCAR during that era and different teams had different budgets from each other.
This tradition would finally end at all NASCAR events where passenger stock cars were involved because of the 1973 oil crisis
. In the ensuing panic, homologation rules would finally be discontinued, allowing vehicles that are specifically designed for racing (i.e., not street legal). Detroit's role in the sport would later be relegated to engine parts and decals as seen by the looks of today's "stock car" automobiles. Famous drivers that raced in this running of the Daytona 500 included Coo Coo Marlin
(father of Sterling Marlin
and grandfather of Steadman Marlin
), Donnie Allison
, Bobby Allison
, Cale Yarborough
, and Benny Parsons
. Out of the forty racers competing in the 1971 Daytona 500, thirty-nine were American and only one was Mexican. The only Mexican competitor (who would finish in thirteenth place) would have an asphalt racing course
named after him after he died six months later in Germany
during an open wheel race (along with his older brother Ricardo Rodríguez).
On a side note, Dick Brooks would be the final driver to make a competitive run with a winged vehicle. After this race, NASCAR would return to the rear spoiler until 2008 where it failed again. Eventually, the rear spoiler was reinstated again in the middle of the 2010
NASCAR season.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston Cup Series (now Sprint Cup Series) event held on February 14, 1971 at the Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
spanning 500 miles (804.7 km) on a paved oval track. All of the racing action commenced during daytime hours and ended prior to dusk since there was no lighting available until at least the 1998 season. It was considered to be the first Daytona 500 in the Winston Cup era of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. During this time, Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
(the winner of the race and the eventual winner of the 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season began on Sunday February 14 and ended on Sunday November 20. Richard Petty was the champion for this Winston Cup season. After 20 years of being named the NASCAR Grand National Series, R. J...
championship) was becoming one of the most winningest veterans on the NASCAR circuit.
Manufacturers and statistics
The manufacturers that were involved on the twelfth running of the Daytona 500 included ChevroletChevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, Mercury
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
, Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
, and Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
. All the vehicles were manufactured directly from the same Detroit factories that made normal passenger automobiles as opposed to the specialized stock car production facilities of today (which are mostly made in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
). Out of the 500 miles it takes to make a complete race, the average speed achieved at the 1971 Daytona 500 was 144.462 mi/h. Today's Sprint Cup vehicles can only go up to 185 mi/h at today's Daytona 500 races and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pickup trucks can do up to 190 mi/h (and they don't need restrictor plate
Restrictor plate
A restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. This kind of system is occasionally used in road vehicles for insurance purposes, but mainly in automobile racing, to limit top speed and thus increase safety, to provide equal level of...
s due to their horsepower disadvantage). As a result, the NASCAR trucks have the capability to go faster than the Sprint Cup cars.
Overall, the maximum qualifying speed for the 1971 Daytona 500 time trials was more than 190 mi/h compared to Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....
's top speed of 185.831 mi/h to get the pole position at the 44th running of the Daytona 500
2002 Daytona 500
The 2002 Daytona 500 was held on February 17 at Daytona International Speedway. The race was won by Ward Burton. Rookie Jimmie Johnson won the pole, with fellow Daytona 500 rookie Kevin Harvick qualifying second, the first time the field would be led by two rookies...
that took place on February 17, 2002. Forty cars were lined with legends like A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
and David Pearson eventually acquiring top five finishes at the end of this prestigious race.
Race results
Note: All participants were born in the United States of AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
except for Pedro Rodríguez.
- Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
(race time: 3 hours, 27 minutes, 40 seconds) - Buddy BakerBuddy BakerElzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
(10 seconds behind) - A. J. FoytA. J. FoytAnthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
(less than 1 lap behind) - David Pearson (1 lap behind)
- Fred LorenzenFred LorenzenFred Lorenzen , nicknamed The Golden Boy, Fast Freddie, The Elmhurst Express and Flyin Freddy, is a former NASCAR driver active between 1958 and 1972. He won the 1965 Daytona 500. Lorenzen was born in Elmurst, Illinois.-Early career:Lorenzen first caught the car bug young, and had built his first...
- Jim VandiverJim VandiverJim Vandiver is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup driver that raced from 1968 to 1983.-Summary:...
(2 laps behind) - Dick BrooksDick BrooksRichard "Dick" Brooks was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500...
† - Jim HurtubiseJim HurtubiseIn 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...
† (3 laps behind) - James HyltonJames HyltonJames Harvey Hylton is a part-time race car driver. He is a two-time winner in NASCAR and competes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,finishing 16th in points in 2006. He made headlines while attempting to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 at age 72...
- Bobby IsaacBobby IsaacBobby Isaac is a former NASCAR Grand National champion.-Early life:Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second youngest of nine children...
† - Ramo StottRamo StottRamo Stott is a retired American stock car driver from Keokuk, Iowa. He competed in NASCAR Winston Cup, USAC stock car, and ARCA.-USAC:...
(5 laps behind) - Joe FrassonJoe FrassonJoseph "Joe" Frasson is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver with four finishes in the top five and nineteen finishes in the top ten under his belt. He has experienced 20284 laps of racing and an overall career windfall of $148,930...
(6 laps behind) - Pedro RodríguezPedro Rodriguez (racing driver)Pedro Rodríguez was a Mexican Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was born in Mexico City and was the older brother of Ricardo Rodríguez.-Career:...
† - Elmo LangleyElmo LangleyElmo Langley was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number "64" on his race cars during his NASCAR career.-Racing career:...
† (7 laps behind) - Freddy FryarFreddy FryarFreddy Fryar is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1956 to 1971 . Fryar participated in 772 laps of racing; equivalent to of racing. His average start position is 27th while his average finish position is 21st...
(8 laps behind) - Bill Champion (9 laps behind)
- Cecil GordonCecil GordonCecil Gordon was a NASCAR driver. He is not related to Sprint Cup driver Jeff Gordon although the two drivers drove in car number 24....
(13 laps behind) - Bobby AllisonBobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
- Marv ActonMarv ActonMarv Acton is a former NASCAR driver. He made 14 Winston Cup starts in his career. He had a best finish of 11th place...
(14 laps behind) - Coo Coo MarlinCoo Coo MarlinClifton "Coo Coo" Marlin was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.-Local track history:...
† (16 laps behind) - Tommy GaleTommy GaleThomas "Tommy" Gale was an English footballer who played for Sheffield Wednesday and York City in the Football League.-Career:...
(17 laps behind) - Larry BaumelLarry BaumelLarry Baumel is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1969 to 1971.-Summary:...
(21 laps behind) - Ben Arnold
- Frank WarrenFrank Warren (NASCAR driver)Frank Warren is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1963 to 1980.Out of 88863 laps finished in his career, Warren had led 72 of them. Warren's total career earnings were $625,886 and while his average finish was 20th place in his entire career. The total amount of miles...
(22 laps behind) - Dave MarcisDave MarcisDave Marcis is a retired driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final win in 1982...
* (27 laps behind) - Donnie AllisonDonnie AllisonDunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
* (30 laps behind) - Bill DennisBill DennisBill Dennis is a former NASCAR driver and rookie of the year in the Grand National Series .-Racing career:...
* (38 laps behind) - Pete HamiltonPete HamiltonPete Hamilton is a retired American NASCAR racer. He won four times in his career , three times driving for Petty Enterprises. His father was a Ph.D. from Harvard University....
* (43 laps behind) - John Sears* (74 laps behind)
- Bill SeifertBill SeifertBill Seifert is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series who raced from 1966 to 1979.-Summary:Seifert raced 41,875 laps for . His grand total for race winnings is $147,831 USD . Seifert's average career start is 21st and his average career finish is 19th...
* (89 laps behind) - Henley GrayHenley GrayHenley Gray is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1964 to 1977.-Summary:...
* (107 laps behind) - Red FarmerRed FarmerCharles "Red" Farmer is a former NASCAR racecar driver.-Racing career:His first race was at Opa-locka Speedway near Miami, Florida in a 1934 Ford in 1948. He became famous as a member of the Alabama Gang and he considered his hometown to be Hueytown, Alabama...
* (109 laps behind) - Cale YarboroughCale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
* (139 laps behind) - LeeRoy YarbroughLeeRoy YarbroughLonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough was a NASCAR racer. His best season was 1969 when he won seven races, tallied 21 finishes in the top-ten and earned $193,211...
†* (155 laps behind) - Benny ParsonsBenny ParsonsBenjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
†* (161 laps behind) - Friday HasslerFriday HasslerRaymond "Friday" Hassler was a NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver.-Summary:He made his debut in 1960 but only drove a handful of races per year until 1967 when he drove 21 of the 49 races for Red Sharp and finished 32nd in points. He improved to 27th for Sharp the next year and...
†* (162 laps behind) - Neil CastlesNeil CastlesNeil "Soapy" Castles is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver that participate from 1957 to 1976.-History:...
* (176 laps behind) - Maynard TroyerMaynard TroyerMaynard Troyer is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced in the 1971 and the 1973 Winston Cup seasons.-Summary:...
* (191 laps behind in his Cup Series debut) - Tiny LundTiny LundDeWayne Louis "Tiny" Lund was a NASCAR driver. He was ironically nicknamed "Tiny" due to his rather large and imposing size.-Background:...
†* (193 laps behind) - Ron KeselowskiRon KeselowskiRon Keselowski was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who raced from 1970 to 1974. He is the uncle of current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Brad and Brian Keselowski along with being the brother of retired NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Bob Keselowski.-History:As a driver, Keselowski would...
* (199 laps behind)
† Driver is known to be deceased
* Driver failed to finish race
Race sponsors
- WoolcoWoolcoWoolco was an American-based discount retail chain. It was founded in 1962 in the city of Columbus, Ohio, by the F.W. Woolworth Company. It was a full-line discount department store unlike the five-and-dime Woolworth stores which operated at the time. At its peak, Woolco had hundreds of stores in...
(part of Woolworth, now Foot LockerFoot LockerFoot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
) - Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
- Purolator (not affiliated with Purolator CourierPurolator CourierPurolator Courier Ltd. is a Canadian courier that is 91% owned by Canada Post Corporation, 7% owned by Barry Lapointe Holdings Ltd. and 2% by others....
of Canada) - K & K Insurance
- Auto Lad
- Hylton Engineering
- Golden Products
- Nichels-Goldsmith
- Giachetti Brothers
- Nagle Racers
- Cunningham-Kelley
- Southern Chrysler-Plymouth
Winnings and championship potential
The winner's purse for the 1971 Daytona 500 was considered to be $45,450 in American dollarsUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
($ when inflation is taken into effect). Even the last place finisher received $1,000 ($ with inflation) in take-home pay. Richard Petty would go on to win four more Daytona 500 races after this one (1973
1973 Daytona 500
The 1973 Daytona 500 was won by Richard Petty after three hours, ten minutes, and fifty seconds of racing on February 18, 1973 at Daytona International Raceway in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. Four cautions were given out over a period of 28 laps. A crowd of over one hundred thousand people came to...
, 1974
1974 Daytona 500
During the start of the 1974 NASCAR season, many races had their distance cut ten percent in response to the energy crisis of the year. As a result, the 1974 Daytona 500, won by Richard Petty , was shortened to 180 laps , as symbolically, the race "started" on Lap 21 and the race is often known as...
, 1979
1979 Daytona 500
The 1979 Daytona 500 was the second race of the 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup season. It was held on February 18, 1979. Critics consider the 1979 Daytona 500 to be the most important race in stock car history....
, and 1981
1981 Daytona 500
The 1981 event saw Richard Petty take an amazing gamble to win his 7th Daytona 500. With 24 laps to go, Petty came to the pits for his final scheduled pit stop, but instead of changing tires, only took on fuel. It worked well as Petty became the first driver to win the Daytona 500 in three...
). There were seven cautions involving forty-four laps of yellow flag
Racing flags
Racing flags are traditionally used in auto racing and similar motorsports to indicate track condition and to communicate important messages to drivers. Typically, the starter, sometimes the grand marshal of a race, waves the flags atop a flag stand near the start/finish line...
racing and zero laps of red flag racing.
Attendance
Attendance for the 1971 Daytona 500 reached 80,000 spectators; outnumbering the maximum attendance possible at Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
by 18,500 people. Expansion in the next eighteen years would bring attendance up to 180,000 people (even when considering the increased television and Internet coverage that today's NASCAR Sprint Cup races experience). ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Wide World of Sports televised the race during an era where televised NASCAR programming was restricted due to its mostly regional appeal with citizens of the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. Commentary was done by the legendary Chris Economaki
Chris Economaki
Christopher "Chris" Constantine Economaki is an American motorsports commentator, pit road reporter, and journalist. Chris Economaki has been given the title "The Dean of American Motorsports." Microsoft chose Economaki to author the auto racing history portion of its Encarta...
who did the Daytona 500 races in the 1970s. NASCAR would not see a significant growth in their "northern audience" until at least the 1990s. Today, NASCAR can be found nearly seven days a week through digital satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
channels like ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Speed, and TNT from Hawaii to Maine (while their Canadian counterpart TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
makes the events accessible for cable and satellite customers from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
).
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
often complained in his early racing career that NASCAR should have been televised more. It could be said that Darrell Waltrip would have accomplished racing as a young man in the 1990s as opposed to the more company-oriented days of the 1970s. He would race in the next year's Permatex 300 Sportsman race for his first Daytona start in a car once driven by Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
. Oftentimes, it was only the Daytona 500 and a few major Grand National/Winston Cup events that were televised during the 1970s and 1980s when NASCAR was predominantly a "Southern sport."
End of a tradition
Most of the vehicles utilized during that running of the Daytona 500 were manufactured between 1969 and 1971. Since each and every driver was still expected to compete in the same passenger vehicle that he commuted to the race course inHomologation (motorsport)
In motorsports, homologation is the approval process a vehicle, race track or standardised part must go through to race in a given league or series. The regulations and rules that must be met are generally set by the series' sanctioning body...
, not all drivers had the same model year of vehicle. Deviation of up to two or three model years was expected because parity wasn't enforced by NASCAR during that era and different teams had different budgets from each other.
This tradition would finally end at all NASCAR events where passenger stock cars were involved because of the 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
. In the ensuing panic, homologation rules would finally be discontinued, allowing vehicles that are specifically designed for racing (i.e., not street legal). Detroit's role in the sport would later be relegated to engine parts and decals as seen by the looks of today's "stock car" automobiles. Famous drivers that raced in this running of the Daytona 500 included Coo Coo Marlin
Coo Coo Marlin
Clifton "Coo Coo" Marlin was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.-Local track history:...
(father of Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He is the son of late NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin. He is married to Paula and has a daughter, Sutherlin, and a son, Steadman, who sometimes races in the Nationwide Series....
and grandfather of Steadman Marlin
Steadman Marlin
Steadman Marlin is a part-time NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #95 Sadler Brothers Dodge in select races in the Busch Series. Marlin, the son of Sterling Marlin and grandson of the late Coo Coo Marlin, was born in Columbia, Tennessee on October 29, 1980. He made his NASCAR debut in 2000...
), Donnie Allison
Donnie Allison
Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
, Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
, Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough
William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
, and Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
. Out of the forty racers competing in the 1971 Daytona 500, thirty-nine were American and only one was Mexican. The only Mexican competitor (who would finish in thirteenth place) would have an asphalt racing course
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named for the famous racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix...
named after him after he died six months later in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during an open wheel race (along with his older brother Ricardo Rodríguez).
On a side note, Dick Brooks would be the final driver to make a competitive run with a winged vehicle. After this race, NASCAR would return to the rear spoiler until 2008 where it failed again. Eventually, the rear spoiler was reinstated again in the middle of the 2010
2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 62nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Daytona International Speedway, the season included 36 races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the 2010 Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway...
NASCAR season.