Lee Petty was declared winner of the 160 mile NASCAR Grand National race at Daytona after apparent winner Tim Flock was disqualified. In a post race inspection, Flock's Olds was found to have a polished and soldered carburetor. Petty's Chrysler had finished 1 minute, 28 seconds behind Flock on the 4.1 mile beach & road course. It was the second time that Flock had lost a win at Daytona through disqualification and he quit the GN circuit because of the ruling.
Bill Homier won the AAA Midget race at the Gardena Stadium, Gardena, CA .
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1957
Scott Lagasse Sr.... Born ... A Southern Florida Stock car racer and car builder.
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1960
Parnelli Jones won the 100-lap CRA Western States Sprint Car Championship race on the 1 mile dirt Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, AZ. ( Click here for the race report. )
Daytona ... Dodges and Plymouths equipped with the new hemi engine dominated the twin 100 mile NASCAR GN qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway. Junior Johnson did not lead a lap until pulling off a "slingshot" move to pass Buck Baker off the final turn to win the first race. Johnson's Ray Fox Dodge crossed the line one car length ahead of Baker, who was in a Petty Engineering Plymouth. Paul Goldsmith, who won the pole for the '500' at a record 174.910 mph, led the first 17 laps in the Nichels Plymouth, but blew the engine after 28 laps. In the second 100, Richard Petty ran out of fuel with a half lap lead, setting up one of the wildest finishes in Daytona history. As Petty coasted on the apron, the Ray Nichels Dodge of Bobby Isaac and Jim Pardue's Burton-Robinson Plymouth came roaring toward the checkered side by side. Pardue got slightly out of shape as the cars crossed the line three wide. It took a photo finish and three hours before Isaac was declared the winner.
Don Yenko a 36 year old Chevrolet dealer from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, drove his Chevrolet Camaro to victory in the NASCAR Grand Touring 'Citrus 250' on the 3.81 mile combined oval/road course at Daytona International Speedway. Yenko, also won the pole ahead of pre-race favorites Parnelli Jones and Lloyd Ruby.
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1982
Dave Marcis stayed out during a caution while the leaders pitted and was at the head of the pack 5 laps later when rain stopped the NASCAR GN 'Richmond 400' after 250 laps at Richmond, Virginia. It was Marcis' first win in almost six years and his 6th career GN win. Marcis only led the last 5 laps in his Chevrolet Malibu from his own shop. Joe Ruttman appeared headed to his first career win when he blew a left rear tire and spun off turn 4 to cause what proved to be the final caution.
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1985
Frank Wearne... Died ... AAA driver from 1936 to 1947
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1987
Brad Doty won the first day preliminary feature of the Midwinter Nationals World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at the Ascot Park Speedway, Gardena, CA. ( Click here for the race report. )
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1988
Neil Bonnett won the NASCAR Winston Cup race at the Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond, VA.
Ricky Rudd finished second followed by Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Sterling Marlin.
Brad Sweet won the USAC Mopar National Midget Car race at the USA Raceway, Tucson, AZ. Bobby East was second followed by Tracy Hines, Dave Darland, Brad Kuhn, Bryan Clauson, Brad Loyet, Darren Hagen, Jerry Coons Jr. and Mike Hess.
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2021
Christopher Bell won the NASCAR Cup Series O'REILLY AUTO PARTS 253 AT DAYTONA, on the infield road course at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL. The win was Bell's first in the NASCAR Cup Series. Joey Logano was second followed by Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, and Brad Keselowski.
ONE DAY
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