1959 Nascar Daytona 500

a racetrack fork yet built a racetrack that runs from here to tomorrow [Applause] today's men in today's cars strain their ability and the endurance of those cars to bring tomorrow a little closer they practice at a hundred and forty miles an hour on what is designed to be the fastest racetrack in the world the Daytona International Speedway [Music] if they can run for same way this will be a race to rewrite the record books of performance the marching bands and majorettes the cheering crowds and in the clear sky the sound of man-made thunder all these salute [Music] [Music] race day 47,000 fans the largest cloud ever gathered at they Tona wait for the fast cars to run year after year as speeds grew hires were broken and new record set with the official gasoline at Daytona Beach and now on Daytona's International Speedway Pure's racing gasoline as again proved that it delivers record performance when record performance is called for [Music] the mechanics can do no more it's up to the drivers now the best drivers in the business the pace lap begins one slow lap before a flying start a 2 and 1/2 mile Speedway three million dollars to build out of the pit road into the main straightaway and leading to the first turn a turn bank 31 degrees stock cars have run in practice at a hundred and forty five miles an hour how fast can they go in competition passing other cars measuring their nerve and skill while invisible forces strain and twist the chassis at racing speed the engine threatens to rip itself apart and the wind is a living force slamming drivers sideways coming off the corner how fast can they go 500 miles from now they'll know the race is on in half a lap the lead changes twice fritzsche Wilson a rookie leads them through the first turn trying to stay in front out of the swirling tornado of traffic on the back stretch Wilson hits a hundred and forty miles an hour roaring up on the third turn Wilson has the nerve but not the experience to keep his foot down and the lead changes Bob well burns number 49 sets the pace [Music] [Music] in five laps the pattern becomes clear the leaders wait for a passing chance run in front then drop back saving their cars the early leaders Bob Wellborn Joe Weatherly tothis Tony measure each other in short bursts of speed then wait for challengers to work their way through the field the lead changes six times in the first 30 mile the first 50 miles are run in 23 minutes 142 miles an hour the fastest official time ever recorded by stock cars on a closed course [Music] Bob Wellborn in a Chevrolet and Thomas Tony and a Thunderbird blazing the trail but half a lap behind coming from 46 starting position a black and gold comet is working through the field player bo Robertson number three Pontiac [Music] rim riding at 145 miles an hour fireball Roberts has passed 34 cars in one of the most amazing rides ever seen on a racetrack [Music] Roberts leaves shaking off challengers at a hundred and forty six miles an hour Bob Wellborn an early leader in the pits his engine failing 12 cars have already left the race they had early speed they couldn't make it last the secrets of why they failed are puzzled out in the quiet leisure of the garage [Music] half a lap ahead of other front runners fireball Roberts continues an amazing pace [Music] a hundred and forty-six miles an hour scheduled pit stops for fuel and fresh tires begin Jack Smith brings in his Chevrolet pass smooth driving brought him into third place before his stop [Music] right behind Smith Lee petty roars into the pit the crafty 44 year old NASCAR national champion must refuel dick petty signals a spot young petty is in charge of his father's pit crew [Music] then the front-runner fireball Roberts Pontiac comes in and the race is wide open again as Robert slows Jack Smith Chevrolet is ready to race [Music] leave petit roars away from the pit wall to follow Smith [Music] and fireball Roberts is underway something is wrong his engine stalled he can't restart [Music] Jack Smith roars past the pets into first place [Music] Roberts is out of the race he'll bump me [Music] 200 miles becomes 300 with jack smith holding a slim lead as the laps are completed and the seconds tick away only 40 cars still running at 300 miles the average speed including pit stops a hundred and thirty-six miles an hour [Music] a few and run that fast mile after mile many cannot some pit stops are five minutes long tall mechanics attempt makeshift repairs [Music] after weeks of practice and nights without sleep the last thing you do is quit until there is no hope left and no iron a rung [Music] Jack Smith opens a slim lead the pursuit is pop and relentless Johnny Beauchamp in a Thunderbird Lee petty in an Oldsmobile Joe Weatherly Chevrolet Curtis Turner in a Thunderbird running like the four horsemen [Music] the steady hypnotic speed mile after mile is the great danger [Music] Jack Smith the leader makes an unscheduled pit stop the incessant running at 140 miles an hour the unceasing pressure of competition broke Smith's pre-race strategy [Music] as precious seconds slip away Lee petty and number 42 and Johnny Beauchamp in 73 roar into first and second place with their pit crews whipping them on [Music] petia number 42 Oldsmobile Beauchamp at number seventeen Thunderbird in a showdown race pasted together at a hundred and thirty-five miles an hour [Music] bleep Eddie an answer to a sun signal takes a small lead [Music] Beauchamp hangs on Peddie's tail using the vacuum created by number 42 to pull him along [Music] number 48 tow Weatherly is a lap behind [Music] [Music] there's the white play the leaders enter the last lap in a dead heat [Music] Weatherly I laugh behind a number 48 in 42 and Beauchamp in 73 the leaders one mile to go [Music] in the final stretch Weatherly is high on the track Lee petty in the center Beauchamp Valois checkered flag the race is over both Petty and Beauchamp o'clock in the identical time three hours 41 minutes 22 seconds Beauchamp and petty both wheeled to the winner's circle both accept congratulations of the crowd in one of the most amazing finishes ever recorded in stock car racing the on-the-spot unofficial decision went to Johnny Beauchamp pending examination of photos both cars posted the speed of a hundred and thirty five point five two miles an hour thirty four miles an hour faster than any race ever run by an American stock passenger automobile the final decision was delayed while all photographic evidence was carefully examined the official decision based on photos such as this gave Lee petty in number 42 the victory by a margin of less than one year over Johnny Beauchamp number 73 Jo Weatherly and number 48 a lap behind took fifth place after 500 miles Lee Petty's margin of victory was one yard Penny's Oldsmobile powered by Daytona's official fuel set amazing new records for stock car performance this afternoon at every distance from one mile to 500 Lee petty became the first winner of the first 500 mile event on Daytona's International Speedway [Music]

Channel: CrossFire43

Views: 104,157

Keywords: Nascar, Stock Car, Racing, CrossFire43, Daytona 500, Daytona, 1959, Lee Petty, Motorsports, Golden Era of Racing, Classic Racing

Id: BTAUxYHjSgU

Length: 14min 54sec (894 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 20 2013

Reddit Comments

[u/TheCook73]

The sacks on the guys driving the convertibles...

[u/[deleted]]

THis is one of my favorite NASCAR videos of all time. If you want to explain what NASCAR is about at it's core, this video is a great start.

[u/USCswimmer]

dat flyover...

EDIT: Also, Dick Petty is pretty funny.