1971 Yankee 400
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Yankee 400 was a NASCAR
Winston Cup Series race that took place at the Michigan International Speedway
on August 15, 1971. The entire purse that the racers competed for in this event was $51,015 ($ in today's money).
community of Brooklyn
, Michigan
(compared to the 103,000 fans who attended the 2009 Carfax 400
). There were two cautions for twelve laps and the victory margin was three seconds. Average speed was 149.862 miles (241.2 km) per hour while the pole speed was 161.901 miles (260.6 km) per hour. All forty competitors in this race were born in the United States of America
. 197 laps were undertaken on a paved oval track spanning 2.04 miles (3.3 km). Coca-Cola
was the most major sponsor (and was sponsoring the winner of that race).
Manufacturers involved in this race included Mercury
, Ford
, Dodge
, Chevrolet
, and Plymouth
. Pontiac
failed to provide a racing vehicle in this series and only American manufacturers were allowed to race during this era after seeing foreign models dominate the 1950s and most of the 1960s.
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 race that took place at the Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
on August 15, 1971. The entire purse that the racers competed for in this event was $51,015 ($ in today's money).
Summary
There were 26,000 fans on attendance for this two hour and forty minute race in the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
community of Brooklyn
Brooklyn, Michigan
Brooklyn is a village in Jackson County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,176. It is located just off U.S. Highway 12 Brooklyn (formerly Swainsville) is a village in Jackson County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(compared to the 103,000 fans who attended the 2009 Carfax 400
2009 Carfax 400
The 2009 Carfax 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race that took place on August 16, 2009 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Out of the 43 races, there were 42 Americans and 2 foreigners . There were seven cautions for 36 laps and the race lasted 3 hours and 2 minutes...
). There were two cautions for twelve laps and the victory margin was three seconds. Average speed was 149.862 miles (241.2 km) per hour while the pole speed was 161.901 miles (260.6 km) per hour. All forty competitors in this race were born in the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 197 laps were undertaken on a paved oval track spanning 2.04 miles (3.3 km). Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-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...
was the most major sponsor (and was sponsoring the winner of that race).
Manufacturers involved in this race included 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...
, 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....
, Chevrolet
Chevrolet
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...
, and Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
. Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
failed to provide a racing vehicle in this series and only American manufacturers were allowed to race during this era after seeing foreign models dominate the 1950s and most of the 1960s.
Top ten finishers
- 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....
(winner) - 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...
(the eventual season champion) - Buddy BakerBuddy BakerElzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
- Maynard TroyerMaynard TroyerMaynard Troyer is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced in the 1971 and the 1973 Winston Cup seasons.-Summary:...
- 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...
- 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....
- 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...
(uncle of Brad KeselowskiBrad KeselowskiBradley Robert Keselowski is an American auto racing driver currently competing in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and the #22 Discount Tire Company/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing...
) - 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...
- Jabe ThomasJabe ThomasCerry Ezra "Jabe" Thomas is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver who competed from the mid 1960s through the late 1970s. His son Ronnie was also a NASCAR Cup Series driver; competing from 1977 to 1989.-Career:Thomas drove 75243 laps of racing and earned $295,497 in total...
- Neil CastlesNeil CastlesNeil "Soapy" Castles is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver that participate from 1957 to 1976.-History:...