Dick Hutcherson
Encyclopedia
Dick Hutcherson was an American
businessman and a former stock car
racer. A native of Keokuk
, Iowa
, Hutcherson drove in NASCAR
competition from 1964 to 1967. In 1965 he finished second in the overall NASCAR Drivers Championship and had nine wins. In 1967 he finished third overall but after four years of top-level racing he retired at the season's end to devote his energies to "Hutcherson-Pagan Enterprises," a highly-respected chassis-building business in Charlotte, North Carolina
.
Dick hailed from Keokuk, Iowa
, which has long been called the "Home of Champions" and the "Racing Capital of the World". The “Keokuk Gang” consisted of “Old Man” Ernie Derr, Don White
, Ramo Stott
and Hutcherson himself. Dick Hutcherson said of Derr: 'Got to beat the old man. The old man will be tough to beat if you have to haul him out in a wheelchair.' He started racing in 1956 and moved up to the International Motor Contest Association
(IMCA) circuit in 1959. Hutch was a quick learner and very competitive and took the IMCA championship in 1963 and 1964. He was the Late Model
champion at Huron, South Dakota
’s Dakota State Fair Speedway in 1960 and 1964. He has 81 IMCA wins to his credit. During this time he also raced in the Midwest Association for Race Cars circuit.
In the spring of 1962 Curtis Turner fielded a race at Virginia International Raceway
in an attempt to compete head to head with NASCAR http://www.virhistory.com/vir/62-stock/. The road race was on April 1, in direct competition with the regular event at Richmond the same day. Most of the NASCAR regulars chose to compete at Richmond, some because they were afraid to incur the wrath of Bill France
. Entries in Turner’s race included Tim Flock
, who had been NASCAR Champion in both 1952 and 1955, three time NASCAR Convertible Division
Champion Bob Welborn
, and Hutcherson.
in South Carolina former IMCA champion Dick Hutcherson was a surprise entry and put his Ford on the pole. He led the first 60 laps before Richard Petty moved into the lead until lap 87. Failure of lug bolts on his right front wheel forced him to the pits after his 109th lap. David Pearson passed Ned Jarrett
23 laps from the finish and won the 100-mile race
As he was racing in the Midwest, he kept hearing about the great racing and the big purses in NASCAR
, so he moved south and started on the Grand National circuit, the earlier name of today's Sprint Cup Series. He won 14 NASCAR races in 103 starts in the #29 Holman Moody
car from 1965 to 1967. Dick was the hands-down favorite to win rookie of the year in 1965, but was ruled ineligible for the award because he was a past champion in IMCA. He was part of the Ford factory team
that dominated the season, including the impressive feat of winning the pole position in back to back events at Myrtle Beach and Valdosta, and he nearly won the NASCAR championship in his first full season, settling for second.
In 1966, Ford briefly withdrew from official sponsorship of NASCAR, and Hutcherson took up Grand Prix
racing as part of Ford’s challenge to the dominance of Ferrari. Hutcherson and Ronnie Bucknum co-drove the third place #5 GT-40 Mark IIA at Le Mans
in June of that year, completing 4682 laps and following two other GT-40s. That same year he finished third in the 1966 NASCAR points battle, despite only competing in 14 races.
In 1967 Dick Hutcherson made 33 starts with 2 wins, 20 top 5's, and third overall, Richard Petty, the 1964 champion, made David Pearson's 1966 season look somewhat mortal. Petty won 27 races in 48 starts. On March 19, 1967, at the seventh race of the season, David Pearson earned his first career victory at Bristol in the Southeastern 500, with Dick Hutcherson finishing fifth. On July 27, 1967 Hutch won the Dixie 500 at Atlanta, after a blown engine while leading put Petty out of the race. Dick Hutcherson won the Dixie 400 on August 6, 1967, leading up to Petty’s string of 10 straight wins. Petty was officially anointed as "The King" during his extraordinary season. With five races to go at Martinsville, VA - Richard Petty had his ninth straight win. Dick Hutcherson was third in points and was runner-up to Petty in the race. It was the same story with four races to go, with Richard Petty winning his tenth straight with Dick Hutcherson runner up. With three races to go, at Charlotte, NC driver Buddy Baker
broke Richard Petty’s winning streak. Dick Hutcherson again ran strong, coming in third. With two races to go at Rockingham, NC native Bobby Allison
won and solidified his first top five finish in the point standings. After leading late in the race, Dick Hutcherson came home in the 13th position. At the final race in Weaverville, NC Bobby Allison won his second straight victory. Dick Hutcherson finished the season with another top five finish. In 1967, Dick took the checkered flag first at Maryville and Atlanta, and wound up third in the points despite running only 33 times compared to Richard Petty's 48 and James Hylton
's 46. Dick averaged 1,020 points per race as compared to Petty only averaging 885 points and Hylton only 792 points per race. Hutcherson retired at the end of the season.
Another step in his career became a reality after his tenure with Pearson when he was named general manager of Holman-Moody, a position he held until December 1971 when he and West Coast driver Eddie Pagan formed Hutcherson-Pagan, a business to build and repair race cars. The two were very successful as they built cars for A.J. Foyt, Darrell Waltrip, Rick Wilson, and others.
Recalling his involvement with A.J Foyt, Dick Hutcherson said that "A.J. had bought a Camaro to run USAC stock cars and we were running at Texas World Speedway
at College Station. He had gotten mad about what some reporters had written about him in the days before the race. Well he sat on the pole and was leading the race when he pulled in with just a couple laps to go. I leaned in the car and asked him what was wrong and he said, 'Overheating.' I looked at the gauges which were normal and said, 'Why'd you pull out?' He looked at me and said, 'I didn't want to talk to those reporters in Victory Circle.' We had the race won and he parked the damn car!" http://www.foytracing.com/AJFoyt/aj_legends.html
In 1976 Dick Hutcherson un-retired to drive at 24 hours of Le Mans
again. He co-drove a 7 liter Ford Torino
with Dick Brooks
and Marcel Migiot. The Torino exited in the 11th hour with an oil leak.
Dick become sole owner of the firm after the death of Eddie Pagan in 1984. one of the sport’s most successful car building operations over the last 30 years. Hutcherson-Pagan parts trucks are still a familiar site around the nation’s race tracks. After being a former owner, President, and one of the founders of Hutcherson-Pagan, Dick retired. He died on November 6, 2005 on his way home from Florida.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and a former stock car
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
racer. A native of Keokuk
Keokuk
Keokuk may refer to:*Keokuk Places or warships named after Chief Keokuk:*Keokuk, Iowa, USA*Keokuk County, Iowa, USA*Keokuk Airport, USA*Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge, USA*Keokuk Rail Bridge, USA*USS Keokuk, several US Navy ships, including:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Hutcherson drove in 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...
competition from 1964 to 1967. In 1965 he finished second in the overall NASCAR Drivers Championship and had nine wins. In 1967 he finished third overall but after four years of top-level racing he retired at the season's end to devote his energies to "Hutcherson-Pagan Enterprises," a highly-respected chassis-building business in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
.
Dick hailed from Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, which has long been called the "Home of Champions" and the "Racing Capital of the World". The “Keokuk Gang” consisted of “Old Man” Ernie Derr, Don White
Don White
Don White or Donald White may refer to:* Donald C. White , Pennsylvania state senator* Donald J. White , Environmental Strategist* Don White , English rugby union footballer...
, Ramo Stott
Ramo Stott
Ramo Stott is a retired American stock car driver from Keokuk, Iowa. He competed in NASCAR Winston Cup, USAC stock car, and ARCA.-USAC:...
and Hutcherson himself. Dick Hutcherson said of Derr: 'Got to beat the old man. The old man will be tough to beat if you have to haul him out in a wheelchair.' He started racing in 1956 and moved up to the International Motor Contest Association
International Motor Contest Association
The International Motor Contest Association was organized in 1915 by J. Alex Sloan, and is currently the oldest active auto racing sanctioning body in the United States. IMCA is currently headquartered in Vinton, Iowa, and features several classes and divisions of weekly racing in six geographical...
(IMCA) circuit in 1959. Hutch was a quick learner and very competitive and took the IMCA championship in 1963 and 1964. He was the Late Model
Late model
A "late model car" is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. The term is broadly used in car racing, and often appears in common use, as in "The officer was driving an unmarked, late model sedan."There is no precise...
champion at Huron, South Dakota
Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair...
’s Dakota State Fair Speedway in 1960 and 1964. He has 81 IMCA wins to his credit. During this time he also raced in the Midwest Association for Race Cars circuit.
In the spring of 1962 Curtis Turner fielded a race at Virginia International Raceway
Virginia International Raceway
The Virginia International Raceway is a road course located in the community of Alton, Virginia near Danville, Virginia. It is found less than a half-mile from the North Carolina/Virginia border just outside Milton, North Carolina on the banks of the Dan River...
in an attempt to compete head to head with NASCAR http://www.virhistory.com/vir/62-stock/. The road race was on April 1, in direct competition with the regular event at Richmond the same day. Most of the NASCAR regulars chose to compete at Richmond, some because they were afraid to incur the wrath of Bill France
Bill France
Bill France may refer to one of two people involved in NASCAR, father and son:*Bill France, Sr. , nicknamed "Big Bill", the founder of NASCAR and its president from 1948–1971...
. Entries in Turner’s race included Tim Flock
Tim Flock
Julius Timothy Flock was one of NASCAR's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock and Fonty Flock.- NASCAR career :...
, who had been NASCAR Champion in both 1952 and 1955, three time NASCAR Convertible Division
NASCAR Convertible Division
The NASCAR Convertible Division was a division of convertible cars early in NASCAR's history.-History:NASCAR purchased SAFE 's all-convertible Circuit of Champions “All Stars” circuit late in 1955. Most drivers did not make the transition to NASCAR's sanction. NASCAR ran the division from 1956...
Champion Bob Welborn
Bob Welborn
Robert "Bob" Joe Welborn of Denton, North Carolina, USA is a former NASCAR Grand National driver. He was named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998...
, and Hutcherson.
NASCAR career
On March 28, 1964 at the Greenville-Pickens SpeedwayGreenville-Pickens Speedway
Greenville-Pickens Speedway is a race track located in Pickens County, South Carolina, just west of Greenville, South Carolina, USA, and just east of Easley, South Carolina. The track hosts weekly NASCAR sanctioned races. Several touring series visit the track each year, including the Whelen...
in South Carolina former IMCA champion Dick Hutcherson was a surprise entry and put his Ford on the pole. He led the first 60 laps before Richard Petty moved into the lead until lap 87. Failure of lug bolts on his right front wheel forced him to the pits after his 109th lap. David Pearson passed Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion.Jarrett was best known for his calm demeanor, and he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett", yet he was an intense competitor when he put his two hands on the steering wheel of a NASCAR Grand National stock car...
23 laps from the finish and won the 100-mile race
As he was racing in the Midwest, he kept hearing about the great racing and the big purses in 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...
, so he moved south and started on the Grand National circuit, the earlier name of today's Sprint Cup Series. He won 14 NASCAR races in 103 starts in the #29 Holman Moody
Holman Moody
Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...
car from 1965 to 1967. Dick was the hands-down favorite to win rookie of the year in 1965, but was ruled ineligible for the award because he was a past champion in IMCA. He was part of the Ford factory team
Works team
A works team is a sports team that is financed and run by a manufacturer or other business. Sometimes, works teams contain or are entirely made up of employees of the supporting company.-Africa:...
that dominated the season, including the impressive feat of winning the pole position in back to back events at Myrtle Beach and Valdosta, and he nearly won the NASCAR championship in his first full season, settling for second.
In 1966, Ford briefly withdrew from official sponsorship of NASCAR, and Hutcherson took up Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
racing as part of Ford’s challenge to the dominance of Ferrari. Hutcherson and Ronnie Bucknum co-drove the third place #5 GT-40 Mark IIA at Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
in June of that year, completing 4682 laps and following two other GT-40s. That same year he finished third in the 1966 NASCAR points battle, despite only competing in 14 races.
In 1967 Dick Hutcherson made 33 starts with 2 wins, 20 top 5's, and third overall, Richard Petty, the 1964 champion, made David Pearson's 1966 season look somewhat mortal. Petty won 27 races in 48 starts. On March 19, 1967, at the seventh race of the season, David Pearson earned his first career victory at Bristol in the Southeastern 500, with Dick Hutcherson finishing fifth. On July 27, 1967 Hutch won the Dixie 500 at Atlanta, after a blown engine while leading put Petty out of the race. Dick Hutcherson won the Dixie 400 on August 6, 1967, leading up to Petty’s string of 10 straight wins. Petty was officially anointed as "The King" during his extraordinary season. With five races to go at Martinsville, VA - Richard Petty had his ninth straight win. Dick Hutcherson was third in points and was runner-up to Petty in the race. It was the same story with four races to go, with Richard Petty winning his tenth straight with Dick Hutcherson runner up. With three races to go, at Charlotte, NC driver Buddy Baker
Buddy Baker
Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
broke Richard Petty’s winning streak. Dick Hutcherson again ran strong, coming in third. With two races to go at Rockingham, NC native 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....
won and solidified his first top five finish in the point standings. After leading late in the race, Dick Hutcherson came home in the 13th position. At the final race in Weaverville, NC Bobby Allison won his second straight victory. Dick Hutcherson finished the season with another top five finish. In 1967, Dick took the checkered flag first at Maryville and Atlanta, and wound up third in the points despite running only 33 times compared to Richard Petty's 48 and James Hylton
James Hylton
James 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...
's 46. Dick averaged 1,020 points per race as compared to Petty only averaging 885 points and Hylton only 792 points per race. Hutcherson retired at the end of the season.
After retirement
With 22 poles and 14 wins between 1964 and 1968, Hutch retired from full-schedule racing to concentrate on his chassis-building business in Charlotte. After four years of top-level racing he became crew chief for his friend and fellow driver David Pearson in 1968. The combination won the championship in 1968 and 1969. In 1968 he also appeared in the Elvis Presley stock car racing movie Speedway.Another step in his career became a reality after his tenure with Pearson when he was named general manager of Holman-Moody, a position he held until December 1971 when he and West Coast driver Eddie Pagan formed Hutcherson-Pagan, a business to build and repair race cars. The two were very successful as they built cars for A.J. Foyt, Darrell Waltrip, Rick Wilson, and others.
Recalling his involvement with A.J Foyt, Dick Hutcherson said that "A.J. had bought a Camaro to run USAC stock cars and we were running at Texas World Speedway
Texas World Speedway
Texas World Speedway was built in 1969 and is one of only seven superspeedways of two miles or greater in the United States, the others being Indianapolis, Daytona, Pocono, Talladega, Auto Club, and Michigan. TWS is located on approximately 600 acres on State Highway 6 in College Station, Texas....
at College Station. He had gotten mad about what some reporters had written about him in the days before the race. Well he sat on the pole and was leading the race when he pulled in with just a couple laps to go. I leaned in the car and asked him what was wrong and he said, 'Overheating.' I looked at the gauges which were normal and said, 'Why'd you pull out?' He looked at me and said, 'I didn't want to talk to those reporters in Victory Circle.' We had the race won and he parked the damn car!" http://www.foytracing.com/AJFoyt/aj_legends.html
In 1976 Dick Hutcherson un-retired to drive at 24 hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
again. He co-drove a 7 liter Ford Torino
Ford Torino
The Ford Torino is an intermediate automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. The car was named after the city of Turin , which is considered the Detroit of Italy...
with Dick Brooks
Dick Brooks
Richard "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...
and Marcel Migiot. The Torino exited in the 11th hour with an oil leak.
Dick become sole owner of the firm after the death of Eddie Pagan in 1984. one of the sport’s most successful car building operations over the last 30 years. Hutcherson-Pagan parts trucks are still a familiar site around the nation’s race tracks. After being a former owner, President, and one of the founders of Hutcherson-Pagan, Dick retired. He died on November 6, 2005 on his way home from Florida.