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MAY 10

1906
George Barringer ... Born ... AAA driver from the 1930's and 40's. He ran the Indy 500 six times with a best finish of 6th in 1939. He and George Robson were killed in same multi-car pile-up at the Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia(Sept 2, 1946).
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1917
Billy Taylor drove his Stutz to victory in the 112.5 mile 'Universal Cup' AAA Championship race at Uniontown Speedway in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Taylor averaged 89.25 mph on the 1.125 mile board track that featured turns banked nearly 40 degrees. It was Taylor's only AAA Championship race win.
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1926
Earl DeVore won the 250 mile AAA Championship race on the 1.25 mile board Charlotte Speedway in Pineville, North Carolina. DeVore was driving a Miller in what proved to be the only Champ win of his career.
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1952
Buck Baker drove his Cadillac powered car to victory in a 200 mile event at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. It was the debut race for the NASCAR Speedway division, a class for Championship cars powered by stock block engines. The class first appeared in February with "speed trials" on the Daytona beach during Speedweek, but Darlington marked the first race. When qualifications during the week before the race saw many cars not ready and those on hand plagued terribly by overheating, worried officials quickly added a Grand National Stock Car event as a support race. 21 cars started, led by New Jersey speed shop operator Tom Cherry, who won the pole by turning 4 laps around the 1.25 mile oval at 102.42 mph in his Mercury powered car. Ford powered the most entries with 6, but other engines represented were Cadillac, Mercury, Hudson, Studebaker, Nash, DeSoto and even one GMC. The race was remarkably competitive with 15 lead changes among 5 drivers. Baker took the lead to stay on lap 114 and went on to take the checkered 3 laps ahead of Bill Miller's Olds powered car. Cherry wound up another lap back in 3rd. Surprisingly, 14 cars were running at the finish. Notable drivers in the field: future Indy drivers Al Keller and Dick Rathmann (both then regulars on the GN circuit), fellow GN regulars Jack Smith and brothers Jimmy & Speedy Thompson, Modified ace Buddy Shuman and New Jersey's Wally Campbell, who was at home in both Stocks and open wheelers. The division would have car count problems, which in turn made promoters reluctant to schedule events. After 7 races in May and June, NASCAR pulled the plug on the season.
Dick Rathmann drove the Walt Chapman Hudson Hornet to victory in a 100 mile NASCAR Grand National race on the 1.25 mile Darlington Raceway. It was the 2nd straight GN win for Rathmann. The event was quickly added to the schedule as a support race for the Speedway division when raceway officials became concerned about the size of the field for the new open wheel class. With no time for full qualifying, drivers drew for starting positions. After pole sitter Fireball Roberts led the first 15 laps in his Ford, the mighty Hudsons took control with Buck Baker and Tim Flock hooked up in a duel until joined by Rathmann. Later, Herb Thomas briefly made it a four Hudson battle. Rathmann took the lead for good on the 61st of 80 laps and went on to take the win. Tim Flock was 2nd with brother Fonty Flock taking his Olds to 3rd, 2 laps down. Baker retired with radiator problems after 66 laps and Thomas faded late. Point leader Lee Petty drove his Plymouth to 7th, 4 laps behind. Baker and Rathmann also drove in the Speedway division race.
Dick Frazier won the AAA Midget race at the Oak Bridge Sportsdome, Knoxville, TN.
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1953
Jimmy Bryan won the AAA Eastern Sprint car race at the Hatfield Speedway,Hatfield, PA
Paul Russo won the AAA Sprint car race at the Illiana Motor Speedway,Schererville, IN
Bobby Grim won the IMCA Sprint car race at the Vermilion County Speedway,Danville, IL
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1957
Bob Tattersall won the USAC Midget race at the Eighty-One (81) Speedway, Wichita,KS
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1959
Len Duncan won the ARDC Midget race at the Southside Speedway, Richmond,VA
Frankie Thompson won the Super Modified race over Johnny Dubendorf, Dick Tobias, Buzz Wilson and Al Chamberlain at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
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1960
Erwin George "Cannon Ball" Baker... Died ... He was a motorcycle and automobile racing driver and organizer in the first half of the 20th century. In 1908, Baker purchased an Indian motorcycle and began entering and winning local races. His most famous victory came in 1909 at the first race ever held at the newly built Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Baker also raced at the 1922 Indianapolis 500, placing 11th in a Frontenac. He later became the first commissioner of NASCAR. Baker was inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
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1964
Don Prudhomme was officially nicknamed "The Snake" when it is used in an article in Drag News magazine.
Mack Clingan won the Super Modified race over Lou Blaney and Hank Jacoby at the Sharon Speedway, Hartford,OH
Sammy Sessions won the Super Modified race over Nolan Johncock and Benny Rapp at the Toledo Speedway, Toledo,OH
Jim McCune won the IMCA Sprint Car race over Bob Pratt, Jerry Richert, Dick Gaines and Jay Woodside at the Winchester Speedway, Winchester,IN
Frankie Schneider won the Modified Stock Car race at the Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, PA. ( Click here for the race report. )
Joe Csolak won the Limited Sportsman Stock Car race at the Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, PA. ( Click here for the race report. )
Jim Lacy won the ATQMRA race at the Pine Brook Stadium, Pine Brook, NJ. ( Click here for the race report. )
Dick Tobias won the Modified Stock Car race at the Susquehanna Speedway, Newberrytown, PA. ( Click here for the race report. )
Red Coffin won the Sportsman Stock Car race at the Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA. ( Click here for the race report. )
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1967
Lorenzo Bandini ,F1 driver, died from his injuries suffered in the Monaco GP. He was running second to Denny Hulme in the Monaco GP when he lost control at the chicane and crashed. The car overturned and caught fire and Bandini was trapped beneath the flaming wreck. It was several minutes before he was rescued and his burns were terrible. For three days he fought for his life before succumbing to his injuries.
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1968
Bobbie Adamson, driving the # 35 Hawthorne Chevy, won twin Super Sprint car features over Kenny Weld at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
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1969
Johnny Coy won the ARDC Midget race over Don Kreitz, Dutch Schaefer, Leigh Earnshaw and Roger Bailey at the Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville,PA
Jerry Blundy won the Sprint Car race over Earl Wagner, Bob Williams, Joe Saldana and Jan Opperman at the Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville,IA
Gus Linder won the Super Sprint Car race over Kenny Weld, Bobby Allen, Bob Tester and Buddy Cochran at the Lincoln Speedway, Hanover,PA
Lynn Paxton won the Super Sprint Car race over Junior Ritchey, Johnny Grum, Milt Miller and Don Kimberling at the Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal,PA
Mitch Smith won the Super Sprint Car race over Bob Shaw, Tom Spriggle, Frank Gorichky and Jim Wilbur at the Selinsgrove Speedway, Selinsgrove,PA
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1970
Larry Dickson won the USAC Sprint Car race over Sammy Sessions, Bill Puterbaugh, Todd Gibson and Gary Bettenhausen at the Capital Super Speedway (1/2p), Madison,WI
Kenny Weld won the Super Sprint Car race over Johnny Grum, Ed Zirkle, Bobby Allen and Smokey Snellbaker at the Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown,MD
Jerry Blundy won the IMCA Sprint Car race over Dick Sutcliffe, J.D. Leas, Don Hewitt and Rick Ferkel at the Queen City Speedway, Cincinnati,OH
Joe Saldana won the Sprint Car race at the Eagle Raceway, Eagle,NE
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1972
Butch Wilkerson won the Sprint Car race over Bob Kinser, Herman Wise, Bobby Black and Sheldon Kinser at the Louisville Fairgrounds, Louisville,KY
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1974
Lou Blaney won the Sprint Car race over Jack Soderman, Buddy Cochran, Herb Buck and Ralph Quarterson at the Lernerville Speedway, Sarver,PA
Paul Pitzer won the KARS Super Sprint Car race over Bobby Weaver, Kenny Weld, Roger Larson and Lynn Paxton at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
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1975
Darrell Waltrip won the Music City 420 over Benny Parsons at the Nashville Speedway , Nashville , TN
Lee Osborne won the USAC Sprint Car race over Chuck Gurney, Billy Cassella, George Snider and Tom Bigelow at the Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis,IN
Harry Benjamin won the URC Sprint Car race over Kenny Weld, Wayne Reutimann, Bill Schroth and Garry Gollub at the Orange County Fair Speedway, Middletown,NY
Mitch Smith won the Super Sprint Car race over Lynn Paxton, Kramer Williamson, Smokey Snellbaker and Roger Larson at the Selinsgrove Speedway, Selinsgrove,PA
Rick Goudy won the CRA Sprint Car race over Bob East at the Ascot Park Speedway, Gardena,CA
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1980
Richard Petty won the Music City 420 over Benny Parsons at the Nashville International Raceway , Nashville , TN
Pancho Carter won the 40 lap USAC Sprint Car race over Gary Bettenhausen, Sheldon Kinser, Mack McClellan and Greg Leffler at the Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis,IN.
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1985
Gordon Johncock , two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, announced his retirement.
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1988
Rick Mears turned the first unofficial 220 mph lap (220.048) at Indy.
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1997
Mark Martin won the Winston 500 over Dale Earnhardt at the Talladega Superspeedway , Talladega, AL.
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