1978 Los Angeles Times 500

here we go you saw on CBS a dramatic Neil Bonnett coming to the finish line inches well a few feet this is how they look one here against line pull the big upset petty hopes to do that kind of thing today to someone else for sure be in first place in the pits for today's action is rocky a sensational day for racing here in Ontario he has a good genus today but this man is going to have an awful lot to say whether King Richard returns with sitting on the pole as David said a record shattering speed almost two miles record he's won 30% of the grand national reason and he is definitely the man to beat this afternoon next to him Bobby Allison 15 winner the Daytona 500 this year another strong strong contender guys way back in the 40 car field two young men who are fighting special prize why not tell us a little bit more about that Ken indeed you're right Brock there is a great battle further back today it's worth $50,000 for Rookie of the Year decided between Roger Hamby and Ronny Thomas and we'll follow that duel let's take a look at the course from the start line number one fastest part of the track that's a 9 degree turn as they all are 600 foot straightaway to turn to at about 130 miles per hour back straightaway really sailed out have to use a lot of brake into turn number three another short span to what 75 foot wide main straightaway back in front of the grandstand last is part of the course about 180 miles per hour the field organizing for the start of the race to give the command to fire the engine one of CBS sports his own Phyllis George brings the field to life Janet her car number 68 is qualified back in the 15th position the field beginning to roll down for the start of the event let's check the truck three time in first man to win it three times successively in that scar cale yarborough liking him post position number two a former winner of this event in 1974 Bobby Allison and in third starting position the man Richard Petty himself starting fourth is the tiger this is Darrell Waltrip in car 88 the fifth position is Donnie Allison the brother of Bobby Allison who just won the last Grand National race at Atlanta starting beside him is the Silver Fox three-time Grand National Champion David Pearson then back in the seventh position is car number 72 the former national champion from ellaby North Carolina in Detroit Michigan Benny Parsons and flanking him the 1975 LA Times charities 500 winner that Buddy Baker now let's take a look at the rest of the starting field as the cars moved between the first and second turns of this two and a half mile track the difference in qualifying has been a difference of 9 miles per hour between the car on the pole and the 40th position started for today now that battle for Rookie of the Year honors notice that Roger Hamby is qualified back in row 13 with car number 17 happy will start 25th and Ronny Thomas who currently is number one in the rookie standings as qualified 32nd back in the 16th row the man in the pole Cale Yarborough makes us think it's going to be a very fast race he broke the old track record of 154 point nine miles per hour for one lap he scorched his track at 156 point one 900 miles per hour and we're getting set for the start we have a problem here on the start David Cale Yarborough's car number 11 the pole position automobile has broken down and that Cecil Gordon of Horseshoe North Carolina number 24 bringing him back to the pit area well I've seen some Cammarata and racing before but never anything like that whereas drivers been actually pushed back to the pit and you see the pace car or an indicating to the field there'll be one more lap before the field is turned loose in this 500-mile race that concludes the 1978 racing season Yarborough is coming in we don't know what the problem is ROC gates down there hoping to get a report one guy through the side of the car in a hurry well the co is obviously completely powerless and just drifted in so it could be electrical but it could be field let's go to Brock to continue distributive problem they're reporting on the car ten times a winner this year but already following the 40th position he may go a lap down the field coming to turn number four as we get set to begin this 500-mile race here on CBS Chip Warren holding the field back you're watching the starter as he is about to Drake the green flag over 39 cars Richard Petty has pulled up he is now on the point for the start remember petty now driving a Chevrolet rather than a Dodge the race is underway and look at that start what an incredible sight going to turn number one who will it be in front still side by side Cale Yarborough's automobile is running he's all the way back in 40th position David but he is away well as long as he doesn't go that dreaded lap down because on the two-and-a-half mile of track it's an awful job to get back that lap but he's away and he's not gonna lose Allah it's about a minute a lap around this track and on the back straightaway look at this land rush for the first position everybody into the wall there's Pearson way down low in number 21 for cars wide into turn three David Pearson three-time national champion the Silver Fox goes out in front and they're still trying to make them three wide as they come in that short straightaway [Music] absolutely incredible first lap three deep through turn number four as they come down to the line they're still free why about four columns back that's Waltrip on the inside penny in the middle and up on the outside goes Bobby Allison Bobby Allison who clipped the wall air coming off turn four under the start/finish straight C through taking a bit of a lead there quite a largely for this race so far Darrell Waltrip follow closely behind Miss Cale Yarborough pulling up right at the Baxter Cale Yarborough trying to get him top selected to get back in this race he needs a caution flag badly they are harder leaders Bobby Allison out in front he is challenged by Franklin Tennessee's Waltrip one car going down early that's the alcohol for pharma Carruthers California ray Elder number 32 his engineer up seen out there meanwhile look at this battle for the lead David well they gain to these turns of course if you said earlier Ken there are only nine degrees back there not used to that so the thing a look at that too and Richard Petty trying to make it three abreast soon and there's some driving on the introductory black turn and on the straightaway fastest part of course Richard Petty's going for the lead Richard Petty goes out in front and down the inside honey pond is going to second wholesale change of positions of the main straightaway you know any pond has done well he's pulled up in 10th place on the grid meanwhile Bobby Allison is running third patty out in front by about one car lengths as they clear turn number two back straightaway and they have a tremendous grass going here they just seem to overhaul each other David look at pod moving for the lady Lenny ponds Virginian down on the inside he challenges petty my totally gonna take Bobby Allison with at the end with Bobbi humming back there although he's very very quick coming off the corners look at that already he's made look at the ground he's making on that short shoot between three and four very tricky turn for some reason turn number four in front of these grandstands there isn't much wind moines you can really sail down the straightaway as you just saw here they are three wide again Bobby Allison to the middle now Lenny pond relents Abbott pulls in behind Petty Walton factor in fourth David Pearson and fifth 12 cars running West with a second apart penny way wide in turn number one whoa that's some kind of racing Dave talk about the meat in the sandwich dead for already fun jam brought up against the wall and by Bobby Allison it's very unusual to see these cars going around these flat turns so many oppressed to and obviously we've seen three abreast here comes Waltrip challenging on the inside he takes two automobiles and Pearson way down low sweeping by one two almost three automobiles and then losing ground up in turn number three well it's difficult when he's so tight on the line going in to make a good job of that corner so he have to give away a bit Richard Petty out in front boy he looks great today he watched 43 straight races he hopes to put it all together this afternoon and racing fans throughout America hope he pulls one off shortly this could be today just back there we had a beautiful shot of turn four from the back and you could see the smoke coming off the tires of at least three of those cars including Richard Petty's slide fly down there a when do you start sliding these cards their way nearly 4,000 pounds it's a lot of machinery to get out of hand here is Richard Petty in front Lenny pond appropriating second positions still another time and right behind him comes an absolute chain gang of automobiles there's pond holding up on petty and then comes Bobby Allison in third back at turn three return for and into this straightaway you're going to see that kind of maneuvering both of these grand national cars can do so competitive when here we have four cars together and then a break of about three car lengths back to another pack of four automobiles and a challenge for the lead still another time we have the clock on as leni pond retakes the lead it won't matter so much about getting an individual man for the lap but this is bottled his first pack of cars and see how quickly they're coming around this quartz pond is in front heading is rim riding up in turn number two he sure is rim riding he was awful close to the wall they're coming from one to two he's retaking second place off Bobby Allison Darrell Walters coming up behind him and using the combined draft of Petty and pond in the middle of those drafts there's got to be a lot of fun David there's a lot of fun it it really moves the car around a tremendous amount because it just sucks the car I mean the most unbelievable thank you here we are back in turn number four Lenny pod looking good remember he wanted Talladega Alabama earlier this year on the world's fastest track flipping down the main straightaway we'll have a time for you for one lap on this pack of automobiles as Allison drops low well there you see it just about a minute 149 mile an hour - that's not bad for Sunday afternoon drivers it really Richard Petty in second and still high and wide through those corners he seems to be able to go with the others can't that's the old daddy out there today remind you of Daytona and when he rides the tri-oval just inches from the outside of the track not many other folks go out there he certainly seems to have a very great liking for those walls brother like Mario and rent you and he's go typhoon in the a long time ago Richard Petty is back in front Bobby Allison going to second Darrell Waltrip in the third Lenny pond high on the outside as they come down into turn three here they are in turn number four and petty is losing ground the Thunderbird of Bobby Allison just sneaks a peek at first place there in that short 600 foot straightaway Oh talk about speed and talk about competition look at that that's just incredible its turn one petty in front Allison and second and Lenny pond retaking third position from David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip who's up by the wall there this is a pretty good old race here it's a pretty low Bank track and there's Don yet Bobby Allison I'm sorry Bobby baking ground on Richard Petty in the draft down that long last race shouldn't coming out Steve fight from San Francisco and spun his automobile and Dave it they're racing back to the flag there goes David Pearson down below Lenny pot as they fight for third position here they're racing back to the flag well David Penton keeps on trying to take that low line going into number of turn three and it just doesn't work as water race to the flag that is what's called tailgating out here in California Richard Petty comes back to the flag here they come for third spot you couldn't get much closer than that on the restart it will be petty in front and Allison who swept by and will be in second Cale Yarborough catching up here with this caution flag and if you don't think it was close for third there is a trifecta for you very effective trifecta and also terribly effective to Cale today created by Steve Pfeiffer spending he continued they wanted to check the track now the front of the field fact all of the field is coming on pit road for a change of tires and fuel well practically everybody will change the outside rubber at least obviously all gas up some people may try to change all four wheels there's Buddy Baker coming in and Richard Petty his old teammate right behind him there's Calvin there's a bit of Jesse Jesse that got in the back he's pushing up the rear spoiler which will help Cale dopa need faster Richard Petty winner 185 races earlier we took him out of the garages into our working area to talk about what's happened he hasn't won recently the well-known American columnist Jim Murray has said that what the Yankees are to baseball Notre Dame is to football Vince Lombardi to coaching and Jack Nicklaus to golf Richard Petty is to stock car racing just doesn't seem right says Murray to see Richard Petty without a trophy over his head but for the past better than a year since the 4th of July 1977 there haven't been any trophies Richard when is this all going to come to an end well I hope it comes very soon but it's just been a kind of a deal that things just haven't been our way we went good to go July last year and you know then all of a sudden we hadn't won any races since then and we started this year with with a new car and they just then didn't seem to work out and then we changed cars in the middle of the stream more or less and you know we're gaining on it we're getting a little bit better every race and in fact a couple weeks ago we got close enough when the race was over to argue about who won their race so you know it's been a kind of a deal that we knew it would take a little time to get used to the car and get the mechanic she's doing the driver used to it and stuff but it's coming around real good Richard let me ask you something they say that in motor racing the most essential element besides having a car that really works is the will the desire to win you're many times a millionaire you've won a hundred and eighty five races nearly twice as many as anyone else has that changed your attitude well I don't think it has I look at it from the standpoint that I expect to win more now than I did when I had in one very many races it's kind of deal is sort of habit-forming and if you don't win and it really hurts that much more anybody never won a race can't be as hungry as somebody that's done won a race because you get the feel of winning and that's all you know and that's all you want to do and ferments them for when I don't think it's the wheel as much as it is getting the wheel of the car if I can get the car to do it I know how the driver can do it well that's riches beautiful fares but meanwhile I'd ask Maurice petty his brother and also his chief mechanic if he really thought that rich was putting it up there now he does he does pretty good yeah if we could get him into the garage and he worked more there would be a lot better off what do you mean is the guy he lays in arriving in the morning he does like to sleep then I ask the page out of the family Lee petty what he thought of his sons driving in fact it's hard to me because I'm up where I can see where he should do in a lot of times he don't look do what he should do he goes for a different angle you know what I mean and a lot of times I like to get a stick after well that's like when you drive as a family if you lose you get your head bashed in by your dad but basically the penny family's girls have been as fantastically successful family unit in racing and they all pull together it must be really great broad whoo steel pulling out of turn number Flores we're ready for the race to resume Cecil Gordon briefly holding the lead remember he pushed Cale Yarborough in was first latching Yarborough would have been left out there on the track and for sure have gone a lap down race is underway and here we are three wide with Donnie Allison of Hueytown Alabama thrusting the Hollings and car out in front Dave Marcus going to second that's Benny Parsons in third here's Bobby Allison putting the move on Benny Parsons at turn to Allison going for third spot number one Donnie Allison in first Dave Marcus in second it still Bobby Allison on the inside of Benny Parsons fighting for third Richard Petty back in fifth but here he comes to make it three wide the battle for third petty going to third Marcus goes for the lead Dave Marcus Washington Wisconsin goes out in front by half a car length five automobiles still pressing for the lead Richard Petty now in third a dead heat for first Bobby Allison gets beneath Richard Petty here comes this quintet Dow to finish another lap and they go three wide to the line Bobby Allison looks like he may be taking the lead from everyone here it's Bobby Allison a former winner with a Roger Penske Matador now going out in front of the LA Times Charities 500 Allison in first Benny Parsons back to second we overuse the word David but this is incredible it's absolutely incredible I'm just going to turn to there Donnie Allison and Benny Parsons must have been absolutely lick of a paint away from each other look at them all drafting down that back straight Donnie Allison to the inside on Benny Parsons Bobby Allison his brother leading back to turn three the Allison brothers the Alabama gang runs one and two Bobby Allison still coming off that corner just like us early on in the race comes off the corner very quickly brother making ground going into turn four that that's car number 15 the geometry of but more if it's working now it could work all day and they sure with all their experience could put him in victory lane when it's over it is a six car draft for the lead Bobby Allison in first Donnie Allison's second Benny Parsons third in that number 72 car and then the familiar colors of Richard Petty and forth and they're still not room to put your hand down between those cars is thinking one of those corners tape well Richard Petty was saying at the beginning of the race that his car was working better now it has been all through the year and of course better than since last July and he's really hanging in there well just look at that leading quartet Parsons tried another time he is fell on ill-fortune in the latter half of this season he gets up inside of Donnie Allison but can't put him away here's Bobby Allison pulling away by three car lengths look at that dice for a second Robert Vance Adelson has a way of getting to corners which is just completely his here's petty diving to the inside making it three wide for second place earlier I asked Bobby about his cornering technique how he did it well I keep my eyes closed as much as I can well he must have read the Ken Squier magnet of high-speed driving as well as me uncle I was the only one that did that apparently he read it a little more carefully he's out front five more Carling Richard Petty second Bobby Allison running third here is Bobby Allison just motoring away down the back straightaway with a pretty good advantage Richard Petty is in second Donnie Allison third more in a moment [Music] the only times charities 500 with Brock Yates and David Hobbs I'm Ken Squier watching a scorcher of a race as Bobby Allison is out in front of Richard Petty and it's continued almost since the beginning to be a five-car battle there you see five automobiles dicing the lead actually we have seven cars within a second and a half of each other Bobby Allison seeking his 51st Grand Nashville win in front Richard Petty trying to break that losing streak which has gone 43 races the same as the number on his car we have a machine smoldery down here at turn number one that appears to be the ultimate valve Benny Parsons in trouble yes smoking very badly going to turn one let's hope it's not terminal - Benny there he's going through turn two onto the back straight smokey a little bit but still under its own power trying to get back to the pits Benny Parsons 1973 national champion Allison in front Richard Petty still in second another Allison Donny back there in third they're into turn number three Bobby Allison started winning back in 1966 up at Oxford Plains me and he won his very first Grand National race Chevrolet is now out in front holding off Richard Petty's still another time and Richard Betty still using that Highline Richard really loves those walls Daytona to Ontario he's always up there near the wall you could see quite clearly going through turn four how close he was to wall Parsons in the pits number 72 that changing all that changing the outside brother if they haven't got the hood up so obviously that smoke was not to do the engine maybe it was a in fact a deflated tire winner of three races this year out of Riverside California not too far from here as well as Richmond Virginia Darlington in front it's still Bobby Allison's pulled out five wins this year Richard Petty trying to break that losing streak still just one car lengths behind Allison Dave hanging right in there cuz there's no real need there's Benny parts are just leaving the pits everything seems to be okay now no smoke and everything's going fine he doesn't want to get a lap down though but he will who came in very slowly here comes the field by him Alyson and first Richard peteus constant second and petty seems to have no desire to move by the leader right now David well of course in the 500-mile race he's not essential to lead at the halfway stage is essential to be around at the end and that's the main thing hanging there here's a couple of fans obviously completely enthralled by what's going out there on the track at Ontario Darren our fight thing here's number 15 Alison would it still the one car length advantage in the second turn here's a battle for sixth position that's Lenny pond number 54 leading the battle for six with David Pearson in seventh and Darryl Waltrip is in there an eighth spot leading the battle for six with David Pearson in seventh and Darryl Waltrip is in there an eighth spot if you look a little further back in the field Pearson down low and he guns down Lenny pond to take over in six and drags Darryl Waltrip along with him it at seven wasn't too many years ago Allison and petty with a headline stories week after week a tremendous rivalry tracks like Bristol and North Wilkesboro in Richmond they just battered those cars to pieces on the shorter tracks here they are a Ford driven by Bobby Allison leading Richard Petty's Chevrolet car the strange thing to say about Richard Petty after all those years he was with a Dodge machine yeah absolutely incredible for him to change out that in the course it's nice to see that for doing so well because people had begun to think that maybe that NASCAR racing was being dominated by one make rather too much but it looks as if the force coming back another Ford number 21 Pearson and six is closing on fourth place Buddy Baker and Dave Marcus number two riding in fifth and right behind number 21 Pearson in seventh place remains Darrell Waltrip in 88 Dow's not having such a good days I thought he would actually but on the other hand of course he might also be looking this is a 500-mile race and just waiting his time as though we're getting too far back here's Pearson down the inside he's getting under Marcus taking what he's blowing to engine David Pearson erupting an engine and Waltrip nearly dropped kicked him right out of the Ontario Motor Speedway well that was fantastic because Walt's it was right behind him gaining ground here we see it again in slow motion right up behind him catching him up in the draft suddenly pierced his engine let's go in the biggest possible way and Walsh it was unbelievably lucky and drove very well to avoid running into the back of David Pearson Marcus on the outside gave Waltrip no place to go then he realized it and he pulled over I'd spend the L reactions work very well that also and the heart drops right into the plate you might wonder why early on in the race they all charged so hard we asked David Pearson the question about that so many cars is all competitive and are capable of winning the race you got to hang with him and if they run off maybe you've lost it so you got to stick well with him that's one of the Gamble's of motorsport and he rolled snake eyes that David Pearson this afternoon here in this last race of the 1978 season meanwhile Bobby Allison seeking his sixth win of 1978 is in front chasing his first one of the season Richard Petty and second as we see the Pearson crew beginning to roll the hardware back to the garage area while I determine not to go home empty-handed of course that's stealing someone else's tools actually in third place is Dottie Allison and there is Leonard Wood talking with David Pearson about what happened how they made an interesting conversation to being on the battles of fourth place Darrell Waltrip has it cale yarborough has come all the way from last position into fifth the challenge here with Buddy Baker next let's go to broccoli a bunch of oil laying on the ground yeah this is time we did blow the engine definitely it just seemed like everything he did come out and it was kinda unexpected that's all it was the fact as long as I've been driving for my house later this is the first time I've ever heard about an engineer sarah area just came apart yeah now we have had by offspring to break and push rod to jump out of stuff like that before is actually a blown engine this is what I'll call blown engine Pearson joined the Wood Brothers six years ago first engine he's born at some story this too is a story 25 Ronnie Thomas and number 17 Roger Hamby racing for Rookie of the Year honors and they're side by side for 14th position that's Jake Thomas putting out the board to tell his son Ronnie to pit to come in for tires here that Rookie of the Year battle going right down to the final race the battle for fourth place on the inside Cale Yarborough challenging Darrell Waltrip and taking the place away from it cale yarborough has Dudley clawed his way back to this field he was nearly a lap down at the beginning of this race and here he is running in fourth spot now an incredible story the number 15 car of Bobby Allison sails around it's two and a half mile on cheerio Motor Speedway with the advantage Richard Petty right behind him two seconds back is Donnie Allison in third Cale Yarborough now and fourth Waldrop fifth Baker in six all of these cars are still in the lead lap we're going to leave you now in the back late this afternoon with more of the most competitive automobile racing in the world at Ontario California these are the current standings the most competitive automobile racing series of the world the final race of the season grand national drivers have Bobby Allison in front Richard Petty is running in second place Brock gates and David Hobbs I'm Ken Squier and this battle is gone on all afternoon between these two old rivals its Robert Vance Allison seeking his sixth win of the season it's Richard Petty deployed in the second position seeking his first win in a year and a half of exile from Victory Lane back in the back straightaway on this two and a half mile track here comes Richard Petty in pursuit and he's going through to take the lead petty is once again out in front of this seesaw battle between himself and his old rival he certainly put it to an end and both these guys are going incredibly well this afternoon there's the third-place paddle that is Darrell Waltrip number 88 in third number 11 Cale Yarborough and forth and Yarborough's attempting to change position out here let's see if Waltrip can fend him off the are besieged just a little bit more down the straightaway there and in fact takes away third place from darrell waltrip going into turn three everyone claims through this tremendous horsepower out of those junior Johnson cars that Cale Yarborough is using the day that they can just whistle down these straightaways meanwhile look at this draft between Richard Petty and Allison here comes Allison going for first again he has it back well this could get monotonous if you're going out all off of it's just a little bit of an idea why they call it the most competitive racing never it talk about competitive look at that that's Buddy Baker number 27 and number one Donnie Allison now that is a two-car drop turned into a one car drop that's for fifth position unbelievably close racing it really is incredible and of course we're going to bring it to you live come February 18th from the greatest stock car race in the world the Daytona 500 right here on CBS there's Bobby Allison back in front again Richard Petty right behind him will he get by them again as I say this could go on all afternoon see-sawing from the first the second position that's a battle of folks love to see between two different Carmen Carmen Richard he's obviously got in the wrong place in Bobby Allison's drop lost some of the downforce on his car and really got squirrely now here comes the battle for Rookie of the Year this is gone on all afternoon number 17 happy number 25 is Ronnie Thomas fighting there with him here's Thomas down to the inside they are back in 12th position still wheel the wheel and turned to Ronnie Thomas's dad Jeb campaign to number 25 for two decades he's retired now from driving he's turned the controls over to his son Rookie of the Year honors and earlier this week I climbed up in the holler the taxicab the mobile home for this racing team from Virginia went out to the track with him we interviewed them about racing on their level and Jake Thomas shared some thoughts about his son as a race driver on the grand national tour well Ronnie is he don't abuse the car he just abuses my money and money my little baby for using the car you know when takes the extra lot of money but actually he's he's easy on the car you don't go out and rip it started and tired up he takes pure they have but it's taking a lot of money even going now the way Ronnie runs up how does that compare the way you ran well can I feel like it probably I'll he's gone it uses up about two and a half times what I would I wired flowers out where I'm down the inner liner then we're a little bit off the cheese or forget a change when a little bits going off the tonton new tire he won't snow tires both tube and olive oil you're frying what I tell him to do is Ronnie is going to be a professional and you know have one of the better rides it could be had if he listens to me now if he goes out here and we run through everything we've got early in the study knows season in the race and his racing career if we run to it and have to quit nobody he'll never know [Music] now that there's an example how to make it that Baltar would cost you if you went down here to buy it cost you a 95 saying you seen me pick it up then you Ronnie don't you consider that for what you want to do you're a pretty lucky guy right now the kind of deal you got you know I first of all I guess I I've come in you know what I'm I'm a little mad because Here I am running 15th or 20th or 22nd or so long and I earned you know I say well I want to be real enough are with Richard or David or one of those guys and you look at that way but then again you look up in the stands you look at all the other kids my age it says well I just like to be in that car on the same track Richard Padian just to be able say I've run with those guys I guess I'm you know it's no way to to measure you know how lucky I am to be in the sport [Music] very warm relationship in that family just like the fede family we saw earlier on and maybe one of these days running a beer successful Richard meanwhile Bobby Allison here in the race has pitted six cars running to lead laughter to put him back in the sixth position and Richard Petty will inherit first place here is Bobby Allison coming back to speed after a very good pit stop with a but more crude cale yarborough is running in second there's kale car number 11 what a story here started 40th today had trouble in one of the preliminary laps and fought his way back up to contend for the petty Richard Petty has blown car number 43 running very slowly down the main straightaway petty had been deployed in first he's now out of it he's going behind the wall and he will lose his 44th straight race Richard Petty retiring his automobile Park rumbling to a stop down here on pit row after making a u-turn and this will put Cale Yarborough in the lead Cale from 40th in the first [Music] here in the los angeles times charities 500 you're following the battle now between fourth place campaigners that Buddy Baker in fourth right behind him is Donnie Allison running in the fifth position lot of scramble they're heavy battles up in front that was further back in the field that's been the story all day with Brock Yates and David Hobbs I'm Ken Squier the field these two competitors now coming through turn four of his two and a half mile track down into the main straightaway car number 98 Dale Earnhardt who's a lap down running with them here they are overtaking about the lap back Parker bill Schmidt going into turn number one Baker flowing through and Baker gets hit maker sliding control [Music] Bonni bakery big trouble baby he how long did that extremely well as he's going around the outside of bill Schmidt Schmidt didn't leave them quite enough room obviously just clip the back of buddy's car sent him into a very linear spin but he did well to hang on to it alright we're going to get a chance to see that again and replay as we went into turn number one body baker getting himself in trouble while running in fourth place and trying to fend off Donnie Allison who was running in fifth caution is on the track by the chief starter chip Warren as the field motors down on the pit road to take on tires and fuel let's look again and replay at exactly what happened in turn number one as those cars were barreling in they're about 140 miles per hour yeah well there's Buddy Baker leading Donnie Allison into turn one going round the outside the bill Schmidt who you can see is running about in the middle of the line Buddy Baker getting near the top head to the line and just he goes down the front bill Schmitz front end just Clips the middle of buddy's car and starts to send him into spin Schmidt holds onto his car pretty well but buddy's away but he hangs on look at the opposite lock on the front wheel there you can see how he's turned into the skid and he managed to keep the thing all together so Buddy Baker brings out a caution flag and this will give an opportunity for all the crews to pull on pit road and take on tires and fuel so many times we discussed the frenzy the frenetic activity on pit road and that's exactly what it is here's the but more crew changing to tires they're going to make a four-tire change they'll have him out in about 40 seconds before brand new tires and fuel here's Darrell Waltrip coming in earlier he simulated a pit stop for us watch this the jack man specially built jack has the car in the air with just six pulls the jack right out of the lug nuts coming off the front tire and the rear tire simultaneously tire carrier brings new rubber around lug nuts for the second tire as glued on we don't have to go looking for them the gas man has 11 gallons already in starts a second set as they clean off the windshield and usual way ok David they're coming down for a restart what do you think well it's very exciting to see Richard Petty out of the race but boy it's a usual NASCAR Russian bus out there they're really having a hell of a time down here in Ontario all right here they come for the green with Bobby Allison or Darrell Waltrip hard at it as they stand it's Bobby Allison in first Benny Parsons two laps down is running just in front of him actually in second is number 11 Yarborough with a third spot Donnie Allison and in fourth is Walters all close together after that pit stop now they going to turn number one there's an Allison your leader number two turn to add a blown engine on rookie Ronnie Thomas bunny Rookie of the Year man he's trying to beat is going by a number set handy anxiously Ronnie Thomas band in the pits now back in the pits and his dad is lifting up the hood to see if there's anything they can do for car number 25 and he's in the behind [Applause] we have trouble on the back straightaway Steve vipers spinning twirling his automobile around front of the field just missing him the car line paralyzed this will bring out caution let's go to the pits with Jake Thomas he has to finish seventh Abeyta now however if he finishes eighth the ninth we have steel beating the one horn the he Jade Thomas is referring to is Roger Hamm be tried to defeat Jade son Ronnie Thomas for lookyou the Year honors there's Roger hampi can he do it we'll find out shortly these are the standings was less than 10 laps to go in the LA times charities 500 block Yates and David Hobbs line fence wire the field is back under green cale yarborough is leading with car number 11 in the second position number 15 Allison sandwiched in between them is the lap car number 2 being driven by Dave Marcus and he is gave Marcus and he is down a couple of laps he headed for the second turn there is the third place automobile Donnie Allison and directly in front of him Buddy Baker who spun earlier back on the track and going well the fourth place his par number 88 Waltrip back straightaway 11 the leader 15 the Challenger Bobby Allison what an incredible story tooth of caviar becoming back from the forties position nearly a lap down at beginning of this race and he's fought his way up there and now he's leading the race from Bobby Allison these two cars a moment seemed to be dictating the pace of this race and it was going to be an incredibly close finish at the end seniors who pulled it up Taylor's won ten races this year in time after time when they hadn't counted out came back amazing proof and there's an amazing crew the but more people who have Bobby Allison currently in second place remember now they're seeking their sixth win of the season and there you see the Cale Yarborough jr. Johnson through first and second place is a tight battle as they head for the second turn allison is making a move on the inside and there you see it Bobby Allison once again in front we've got over 20 lead changes thus far Bobby Allison pushes the Thunderbird in front and the Oldsmobile rides in second place down the backstretch Bobby Allison is pretty well dictated the pace of this race all throughout and Cale didn't look terribly competitive at about the midway stage but he certainly sprung to life here for these last few laps it's gonna be a dash to the finish there's no doubt about it and there is Darrell Waltrip still winging his way from traffic he has caught him some lap tottemo Beals from trying to work his way around Buddy Baker Baker won this race a couple of years back but in the MC Anderson car things are not going well today there's walked down the inside he is in fourth number 88 and we need himself won smartly himself in traffic darl hasn't done quite as well in this races I thought he might do you can see the black marks on the wall there where these guys are brushing the wall coming off those turn side by side for the lead K on the inside and there are five laps to go five laps remaining Cale Yarborough back on the inside taking the lead and here comes Allison dropping even Lauren look it's that line yeah he just let him go by and just drop straight down the inside because you're taking a bit of a risk there cuz you've got to drive right through the slipstream or the draw and that can be very unsettling on these thirty-eight hundred pound cars just a bit of a wiggle out of turn number two on Allison's carbon what I handle that car has today the tuning of the suspension seems perfect on number 15 Yarborough back he puts the horses to work and again their wheel the wheel in turn three still side-by-side Yarbrough on the inside Bobby Allison wheel-to-wheel on the outside a high rim ride at turn four that's close to the wall Allisyn back in front four laps to go snapping across the bowels of Carroll Yarbrough there I'm not quite sure the reason for that tactic but what if it was he still maintains the lead Cal is right right close behind him through turn one up to the wall there you can see those marks on the wall where all afternoon people just been grazing with those rear tires or front tires on the side of the car here's Yarborough ready to make still another challenge if it gets close at the end very close Bobby Allison what will your strategy be out here today well I think it depends on where the car where I feel like I can beat him if the car is better on the straightaways then I'm gonna wait on them if my car is better in the corner then I think I need to to go for broke right as soon as I can because if we can beat him in the corner and they can beat us on the straightaway you know I think that I if I ran behind I'd be taking a chance on using my tires up you know and gambling on winning the race rather than trying to take it away from whoever I'm having a race against three laps to go and what a fantastic duel we have out here in the California Sun this afternoon down into turn number one Yarborough making another move and Allison closes the door well this two really showing their class now that obviously left the rest of the field standing because Cale Yarborough as I said before has really come to life and just look at that through turn two right on the back of Bobby Allison and energized Cale Yarborough giving it his all in the back straightaway as the laps are running out Cale how are you gonna feel when this is over well you're always tired identified one of miles anywhere but this racetrack is not as physically demanding is of a high bank racetrack but you'll be child enough I get exhausted just watching them out here on a race like this when it's this intense David well it's not as physically tiring as the high bank tract as he says but these flat tracks like this do require a lot of driving skill to get run those corners as quick as these guys are going it's just two laps five miles to that victory circle here at the Ontario Motor Speedway and here's Alison drawing away to about a five car lengths advantage a little more than that in turn number one this time that's a sort of advantage she's been enjoying all afternoon but kale seem to really come to life and you see Cale squirrely their identity touched the wall we got pretty close to it meanwhile the front of the field Alison and Yarborough are back in heavy traffic there's kale lapping James Hilton and here is Yarborough a rather Allison just busting through automobiles picking off three cars down the back straightaway pulling away and getting an advantage now is Bobby Allison as we head toward the white flag and one lap to go and how many times we've seen it come right down to this and then the leader come up with some little gremlin the engine in the transmission run out of fuel and sit on the wayside for the end of the race here they are back to the line I might point out to you as there is one lap to go this is it for Bobby Allison for his sixth win of the season I might point out to you that among the banquet in today's race David Pearson fell by the wayside of the broken engine Neil Bonnett last year's winner fell out Richard Petty his engine expired after he made a magnificent effort earlier down to turn number two Allison really has the old pedal to the metal David yeah and even in that traffic he was using that traffic to the best advantage drafting behind that guy that just giving out a little bit of extra speed down the straight so he's thinking all the time and working at this win going for his 52nd victory makes him fourth and overall career behind only Richard Peddie David Pearson and Lee petty here's Bobby Allison skirting the final part of the track he has an advantage of a little over a second now we still have three cars the lead lap the automobile of Waltrip has fallen back some here at the finish we're watching Allison coming to the line chip warned about to extend the checkered flag a welcome sign is out for Bobby Allison he has won the Los Angeles Times Charities 500 Allison is your winner the victory lane will be covered by Brock Yates as Bobby Allison pulls in the Kenta Norris automobiles prepared by Bud Moore let's go down to Brock with the winner congratulations thank you it looked pretty easy for a while there about mid-race then I was gonna get a little tense near the end yeah you know caution flag cut everybody up Nikhil's really tough down the straightaway he's had a good engine all year long and he just really been left and handled but we had a beat in the corners today you sure had them handled the Alabama gang outrunning a posse here in the final event of the year Bobby Allison first Donnie Allison in third and now it's just about six weeks until the $5,000,000 31 race tour rolls again starting at Riverside California January 14th and then on to the Daytona 500 the most competitive automobile race in the world which you'll see live on CBS Sunday February 18th [Music] from Brock Yates and David Hobbs and yours truly Ken Squier our congratulations the Rookie of the Year [Music]

Channel: SMIFF TV

Views: 7,890

Keywords:

Id: 9tI_chYVUKQ

Length: 48min 57sec (2937 seconds)

Published: Wed Oct 11 2017

Reddit Comments

[u/Easy-D121595]

Great racing, thought the sub might like it.

[u/mustang6172]

Whenever people complain about the racing at Indy, I show them this to prove the cars are the problem.

[u/DWS44]

Some interesting footage. Knew of Ontario, but not sure I've ever seen any video of a race there before.

[u/[deleted]]

Reminds me of Pocono.

[u/mortenpetersen]

Such an interesting concept taking the Indy layout west, shame it didn’t last long

[u/WhatsGucciItsNick]

Wow, go to Ontario Mills every year for Auto Club and Reign hockey, had no idea this was right where I spend my race weekend

[u/PierreVonZeus]

Ontario Motor Speedway, what could had been. Was dubbed as “Indianapolis of the West”, broke ground in ‘68 & opened in 1970. Was one of the first state of the art facilities at the time, which was groundbreaking in the 70s. The track hosted Indy Car/USAC, F1, & NASCAR events over the years, as well Evel Knievel’s historic jump & California Jam, a Rock festival-type concert. The operators of the track got in a lot of debt with municipal bonds and had to sell their stake to another CEO while attendance & promotion dwindles in subsequent years. Track closed in 1980 when the price of the land rose to $150K per acre from the prior $7,500 per acre.

‘Til this day, the only part of the track that remains is the embankment of turn 3 in a private property lot enclosed in a fence.