Daytona - 30 Years Ago...

[ancrdave]

Wanted to have these up before the 500 this year but just did not have time... I've got a buncha photos from Speedweeks 1979 now up on www.floridaracinghistory.com (Daytona Intl Speedway album)... Most are my photos but Larry Harrell provided quite a few plus two very famous ones by Rick Feld of the Cale Yarborough/Donnie Allison incident that handed the win in the 500 that year to Richard Petty... A few from the album:
1) Richie Evans on his way to winning the Modified 200...
2) The old Baby Grands in action on Friday...
3) It rained before race time... Shot by Larry Harrell of the grid from the stands...
4) Side by side with Darrell Waltrip and Donnie Allison
5) Petty passes Benny Parsons...

[SeminoleWind]

The Baby Grands look like a bunch of ministocks. The Friday Speedweeks race used to be a good one to catch. It usually started at 11 a.m., you could sit anywhere you wanted to. My brother was a student pilot at Embry-Riddle University, right next to the track. His fraternity would work the beer stand so he would get me in for free and then supply me with complimentary beverages. By noon, I was feeling pretty good!
Although the Baby Grands, Darlington Dash, Daytona Dash or Goodys Dash series was another working man division killed by Nascar, I always was a little nervous watching these guys (and girls) on the big track. The speeds were no higher than 160m.p.h., but there were some vicious wrecks. It seemed like every other year had a fatal.

[bro Dave]

what are those

Oh yeah, those are STOCK cars. At least they are close to stock that you could tell them apart. Not like that cookie cutter crap the pass off as stock cars today.