1962 Daytona 500

in the first three Daytona 500s a pattern had developed that had Glen fireball Roberts concerned qualified well gram well but just couldn't finish I just can't win the big one here he said after leading for 145 straight laps in 1961 but retiring 13 laps short of the checker and his oil pan was punctured in a freak mishap 1962 he had once more won the pole and was the fastest qualifier nothing went wrong this time once again fireball was the man to be a powerful Pontiacs took the top 5 positions before the first time in the Daytona 500 there were more Fords than anything else the pace car gets out of their way the race is on coming into the backstretch Jo whether they move from second row into first patina the race got off to a wild start Jo Weatherly started forth but jumped out in front right away Weatherly fireball junior Johnson and cotton Owens all led at times in the first 25 laps Robertson Johnson lapped the field and took off the two of them skirmished all afternoon until juniors engine wins ends of lap one and the field begins to string out fireball Roberts number 22 Pontiac and jr. Johnson number 27 Pontiac flip pass brotherly and start to put some daylight between themselves and the traffic coming out of the back fetch johnson passes robert the leaders are laughing the field starting next to Roberts in the first row was 1960 NASCAR Rookie of the Year David Pearson his third appearance in the great American race making his debut was a young driver named Cale Yarborough he lasted only four laps but would go on to better things and Daytona was starting to attract interest from drivers in other series the legendary Dan Gurney qualified seventh but dropped out two-thirds of the way through with engine trouble others would follow with occasionally spectacular results Roberts number 22 passes Johnson what up battle oh come on the backstretch Robert this hill charging at 156 miles per hour even 155 miles per hour isn't good enough today Roberts and Johnson are still 1/2 Richard Petty's who started in 10th position has moved up to third a quarter of a lap behind the leader Richard Petty was back in the race in 1962 in a Plymouth prepared by his father Lee Roberts pitted Richard jumped into the lead pattern that would repeat itself throughout the race the number 22 Pontiac was faster and fireball regained the lead each time with relative ease he starts to close the gap any pit and he get in and out before fireball comes around not quite but as fireball let bump it down straightaway petty charges out right on the tail fire with 50 laps to go fireball Roberts had the lead and if his car lasted he would finally get to raise the Harley J Earle trophy he made his final pit stop then blew by petty to reclaim the lead top signals first place but fireball is turning laps at 157 miles per hour breaking every track record with a magnificent exhibition of car handles with only 70 miles to go Teddy makes his fourth pit stop setting a pace of a hundred and fifty eight miles per hour fireball barrels down the straightaway to take the lead again and he tears on the hip a trim a half lap behind fireball pours it on and unique attitude and only weighed it out the crowd is on its feet plenty laps to go and fireball with a lead of only 40 seconds is coming into the pin suddenly with 50 miles left it looked like fireball would be snake bit again fireballs torrid pace has earned up as fuel supply ten seconds can Richard get around in time 16 second and fireballs out and away still ahead a penny a quarter of a mile ahead quick work by his pit crew kept Roberts in the lead the race would soon be his fireballs catches lead to 27 seconds six laps to go two laps ago the last man and fireball gets a checkered flag his crew is jubilant Roberts and his Pontiac wheels into the winner's circle 500 miles at an average speed of a hundred and fifty 2.9 miles an hour an amazing achievement for driver car and equipment so on February 18th 1962 the only time in his career when he went the full 500 miles local hero fireball Roberts finally one that they tone up five hundred

Channel: NascarAllOut

Views: 46,709

Rating: 4.9382715 out of 5

Keywords: 1962, Daytona, 500

Id: BGGxQSDGvD0

Length: 7min 9sec (429 seconds)

Published: Sun May 13 2012

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[u/CrossFire43]

If anybody wants...I have the non elevator music version of this and can upload it if anyone desires...