Some old NASCAR trivia

[Trash Inturn4]

Right again..... I've gotta find at least one question you don't know the answer to.... Good job though.

Thanks Jacque.

I actually enjoy trying to find the answers.

I'm going to slow down answering the questions, and give others a chance to answer. I don't want to 'hog the thread'

[ancrdave]

Last win for a Mercury in NASCAR Cup - Neil Bonnett, 1980 Talladega 500, Wood Brothers Mercury... They switched to the Ford Thunderbird in 1981...

[ancrdave]

Wendell Scott was not the first African-American to run in a NASCAR Cup race... Who was the driver, what track and what year?

[Trash Inturn4]

Wendell Scott was not the first African-American to run in a NASCAR Cup race... Who was the driver, what track and what year?

Elias Bowie became the first African-American to race in NASCAR's top series, then known as Grand National, when he raced in the July 31, 1955 event at San Mateo, California at the Bay Meadow Speedway. Staring 31st, Bowie finished 28th in his only NASCAR race that was won by Tim Flock

A 2008 article on NASCAR.com states, "Charlie Scott will go down in history as the first African-American driver to make a NASCAR race. He competed on the Daytona Beach road course in 1956 in a Kiekhaefer Chrysler. When the checkered waved, Scott found himself in 19th place, earning $75 dollars for his efforts."

That was Charlie Scott's only race, and it occurred on February 26, 1956

I know what I said about slowing down answering the questions, but......sometimes, I can't help myself, the challenge to find the answer is too much to resist, LOL

[Jacque Debris]

Wendell Scott was not the first African-American to run in a NASCAR Cup race... Who was the driver, what track and what year?

I guess I'll throw my two cents in here.... Joie Ray, February 10, 1952 at Daytona's Beach and Road Course.

[Trash Inturn4]

I guess I'll throw my two cents in here.... Joie Ray, February 10, 1952 at Daytona's Beach and Road Course.

Joseph Reynolds "Joie" Ray Jr. (September 29, 1923 – April 13, 2007) was an American open-wheel and stock-car racer. Ray was born in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1947, Ray was the first African American licensed by the American Automobile Association. Ray raced primarily in the Midwest and raced in AAA, USAC, CSRA and other organizations, but despite many sources to the contrary, was not the first African-American to race in NASCAR's top series.


The Joie Ray who started 25th in the 1952 Daytona race in a Henry J was white, from Portland, Oregon and little is known about him. They were two different men.

[Jacque Debris]

Indy 500 Trivia

Since we have Memorial Day coming up, lets give you some NASCAR/Indy 500 trivia.

Which NASCAR driver's brother is a former winner of the Indianapolis 500... BONUS.... What is his brother's name, and what year did he win at Indy?

[ancrdave]

The only pair that comes to mind are Jim Rathmann and Dick Rathman, who were brothers although their last names were spelled differently... The reason for that is that Jim and his older brother Dick actually swapped names while teenagers. As a 16-year old going by the name of "Dick Rathmann," Jim wanted to start racing. In order to enter races, he borrowed his older brother's I.D. and assumed the identity of "Jim Rathmann." The name change stuck for life in public circles while Dick dropped the second "n" from his last name.

Dick ran in 129 NASCAR Cup races from 1951-55 and won 13 times...

Jim ran just 31 AAA/USAC Indy Car races during his career and won six of them including the 1960 Indy 500 after an epic battle with Rodger Ward...

Dick actually ran more Indy Car races than Jim did, starting 38 events, but never won an Indy Car race.

Jim ran in just three NASCAR Cup races with a best finish of 12th at Daytona in 1950...

Jim was much more interested in business and ran Jim Rathmann Chevrolet and other dealerships in the Cocoa-Melbourne area for many years... He was well known for "loaning" brand new Corvettes to the astronauts back in the '60s and '70s...

Photos:

1) Jim in 1951
2) Jim at Indy in 1952 - finished second
3) Dick at Daytona in 1952 driving Walt Chapman's Hudson
4) Dick's final NASCAR races were run in 1955 driving this Chrysler owned by John Ditz

[Jacque Debris]

Ancrdave..... It wasn't the Rathmann brothers. But your on the right track though.

[Trash Inturn4]

Hey Jacque

Since Ancrdave's answer meets the criteria of the question, does this mean that there are two sets of brothers that are possible correct answers ?

[Jacque Debris]

Since Ancrdave's answer meets the criteria of the question, does this mean that there are two sets of brothers that are possible correct answers ?

Yeah I guess so.... I didn't read Ancrdave's expanation well enough where he said that Jim Rathmann won the Indy 500. So yeah, there are two different answers then.

I should have known that he wouldn't be wrong.

[Trash Inturn4]

The Unser brother's both fit the criteria.

both have win the Indanapolis 500 and both have driven in Nascar

Bobby, drove in three NASCAR Grand National races from 1969 to 1973 with a best finish of fourth.

Al, competed in the 1968 Daytona 500 and four other NASCAR Winston Cup & Grand National races, all held on road courses with a best finish of fourth (twice).

[ancrdave]

So, you are thinking of Joe and Troy Ruttman... Troy Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, at the age of 22 years and 80 days and is, so far, the youngest winner of the race.

Joe Ruttman ran 255 NASCAR Cup races but never won, scoring 60 top-tens... He did win a BGN race at Dover in 1982...

[Jacque Debris]

So, you are thinking of Joe and Troy Ruttman... Troy Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, at the age of 22 years and 80 days and is, so far, the youngest winner of the race.

Joe Ruttman ran 255 NASCAR Cup races but never won, scoring 60 top-tens... He did win a BGN race at Dover in 1982...

Yeah, that was the answer that I was looking for... but the Rathmann brothers and the Unser brothers are correct too. I guess I need to do a little more research myself before I ask these questions. I'm a moron... ..duh

[Trash Inturn4]

Yeah, that was the answer that I was looking for... but the Rathmann brothers and the Unser brothers are correct too. I guess I need to do a little more research myself before I ask these questions. I'm a moron... ..duh

Don't be so hard on yourself, you are obviously an intelligent man.