Tom,
That book has been in my collection for a couple of years and is what stirred my passion for finding more out about Beauchamp and Swanson. I have always sided with the supposed "underdog" and these two guys venturing into NASCAR's front yard....and beating them was just an incredible story. I love history and my own memories of racing are surely history today. Seems like a long time ago, but it was a time when personal skills and innovation and driving could take the day. Hope you don't begrudge my carrying on about the historical aspects of these little cars we build today.
Hemiman,
Thanks for the info I will be sure to check that out.
Beauchamp and Lee Petty hideous crash on Daytona's high bank, in 1961.
This starts back with the controversy over just who won the first Daytona 500 in 1959. This story first came to me via "The Ghosts of NASCAR" and I have done further research on it as I can. In a photo finish in the first Daytona 500 Race, Beauchamp, driving a Ralph Moody 59 T-Bird, was declared the winner. Petty protested. After 3 days Big Bill France took the win away from Beauchamp and gave it to Petty. In the finish line photo Petty was slightly ahead of Beauchamp. But according to Beauchamp's pit crew, and others in the pits, Petty was a lap down. He had made one more pit stop than Petty. That was about 50 secs for one lap. Who counted laps for Petty? His wife! Legend has it that Petty won other races the same way. France did not want to let the idea of shoddy scoring get out. He had worked hard to covet the image that NASCAR in those days was honest and above board.
In 61 Beauchamp and Petty, and others, were driving in a shorter qualification race before the 500. Petty was ahead in a 61 Plymouth and Beauchamp drafting him. This you tube video shows a truly horrifying crash that ensued. The first time I saw this I could not imagine how anyone could survive such a crash. Cars were capable of 130- 140 mph then and had nothing like the cages that exist in cars today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohw7OMMAgUwIt is thought that Beauchamp was going to play bump and run and spin Petty out of the way. Grudges can do that plus that was always a part of racing at this level. It has looked to me like the two cars actually got hooked together as they went off the track right in line with each other still.
Screen shots from the video:
Petty is just starting to turn to the right and Beauchamp's 61 Chevy is right behind him.
PB2 by
Nathan Pitts, on Flickr
Petty's car is out of sight and Beauchamp is just going over the railing. Both cars rolled violently and crashed to the ground on their roofs.
PB5 by
Nathan Pitts, on Flickr
Who would have wanted to been in this car when it crashed? Clear the roll bar saved his life.
PB8 by
Nathan Pitts, on Flickr
Nobody ever said that racing cars was for the faint of heart!
MB