February/March 1972 in NASCAR
The defending Winston Cup champ is off to another fast start in 1972.
Editor’s note: This is a fictional account of the history of the NASCAR beginning in 1972. This narrative was created by playing NASCAR Grandstand. For an introduction to this dynasty, visit: https://medium.com/historical-sports-gaming/re-writing-nascar-history-an-introduction-8bf5149377ab?
AROUND NASCAR —February/March 1972
Feb. 27—Richmond 500 at Richmond Fairgrounds Speedway
Qualifying: Petty Enterprises had a fast car in qualifying, but it wasn’t Richard Petty’s #43. Instead, it was the #11 of Buddy Baker, who picked up his ninth career pole and first of 1972. A total of 40 cars attempted to qualify for 30 starting spots. A number of full-timers failed to qualify, including Elmo Langley, Raymond Williams, Charlie Roberts and Bill Champion.
Up Front: The first half of the race was controlled by James Hylton’s #48 car. Hylton snatched the lead away from the polesitter Baker in segment two and maintained through two green flag runs. The surprise challenger was the #6 of Neil Castles, who passed Hylton for the lead in segment seven and managed to keep the lead until almost the end of the race. In the final pit stop of the race, however, Hylton pulled a bold move, taking two tires to gain position and take the lead over Castles. Hylton would hold off Castles’ late charge for his second career victory.
Crashes: Shockingly none. It was the first race of the year without a wreck.
Biggest Mover of the Race: Richard Petty had a terrible qualifying run by his standards and started back in 22nd. The King was outstanding during the race, however, working his way up to a fourth place finish. Petty likely could have challenged for the win if not for the poor starting position.
March 5 —Miller High Life 500 at Ontario Speedway
Qualifying: Bobby Isaac has struggled during races at times, but his #71 car has been the best in qualifying so far. Isaac picked up yet another pole, his third of the season already, at Ontario. The DNQ list is enormous, with 62 cars attempting to qualify for 40 spots. Notable DNQs include Raymond Williams and Elmo Langley for the second straight race, Riverside winner Kevin Terris and Richmond contender Neil Castles.
Up Front: Front row starters Isaac and Richard Brown succumbed to mechanical issues early, allowing Jim Vandiver to take the lead at segment three and hold it. Vandiver’s car was not fast, however, and he was quickly challenged by A.J. Foyt in the Wood Brothers #21. The Daytona 500 winner took the lead at the halfway point, but couldn’t cruise from there. A blazing fast Richard Petty challenged Foyt right away. The second half of the race was a two-car duel between Foyt and Petty, with the pair exchanging the lead three times. Petty took the lead from Foyt for good at segment 19 and held on for his first victory of the season.
Crashes: A big wreck on segment three saw Walter Ballard and Cecil Gordon get tangled up on the back stretch, with the two collecting Bill Champion as well. Ballard was out, while Gordon and Champion returned to the track after repairing damage. A second wreck on segment nine ruined a top-10 run by Dick Bown as he got spun on turned three and collected Richmond winner James Hylton’s car as he came down the track. The final wreck on the day came late on segment 17 as Joe Frasson wrecked into the back of Vandiver’s car after Vandiver blew his engine on the backstretch.
Biggest Mover of the Race: The #70 of J.D. McDuffie barely qualified for the race in 36th place, but McDuffie managed to mostly avoid trouble and work his way up the field. McDuffie lost his engine in the final laps of the race, but outlasted so many other racers that he ended up finishing a solid 13th.
March 12 — Carolina 500 at Rockingham Speedway
Qualifying: In an airtight battle for the pole, Richard Petty came out on top as he barely edged David Pearson in the #21 for the top starting position. 48 cars attempted to qualify for 40 spots, with full-timers such as Ed Negre, Bill Champion and G.C. Spencer failing to qualify.
Up Front: In the craziest race of the season yet, Rockingham saw a season-high seven different leaders. A wild battle ensued after Pearson, leading most of the race’s first half, lost his engine on segment 13. Petty similarly cut down a tire around that same time, costing him a ton of time that he was unable to make up. A pair of journeymen, Charlie Roberts and J.D. McDuffie, did battle with both looking for their first-ever win. McDuffie took the lead from Roberts at segment 16 and looked poised to capture the checkered flag. On the final lap, however, Roberts charged and passed McDuffie on the back stretch. Roberts hung on to win his first-ever Cup race in the biggest shocker of the season so far.
Crashes: The lone crash of the race came on segment 6. Rookie Larry Smith #92 car was trying to pass #13 Eddie Yarboro for position when he slid up the track, putting both cars into the wall. Both drivers would continue, with Yarboro finishing a respectable 15th while Smith succumbed to engine trouble late.
Biggest Mover of the Race: Driving in Don Robertson’s #25 car, Jabe Thomas had a quiet first few races in 1972. Carolina would be his best run yet, however as Thomas overcame an awful 36th place starting position to finish in the top-10.
March 26— Atlanta 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Qualifying: Running in his final race for the NASCAR season in 1972, Mark Donohue showed a ton of speed and earned the pole at Atlanta. A total of 52 drivers tried to qualify for 40 spots. Among the drivers failing to qualify was Rockingham winner Charlie Roberts, runner-up J.D. McDuffie, as well as full-timers Henley Gray and Walter Ballard.
Up Front: The first quarter of the race saw Donohue and fellow front row starter Bobby Allison exchange the lead back and forth. Allison dropped out with mechanical trouble at segment six. At that same time, A.J. Foyt in the #21 came surging out in front. Foyt snatched the lead from Donohue and went on to dominate the rest of the race. Foyt not only led the rest of the way en route to his second victory of the year, he lapped the field in the race’s waning laps.
Crashes: The only crash came in segment 6 and brought out the caution. Coming out of turn four, Coo Coo Marlin in his #14 car spun out and hit the wall hard. He would go behind the wall for repairs, but would return to finish the race many laps down in 18th.
Biggest Mover of the Race: Running most of the early season races as a non-Winner’s Circle Program car, Johnny Halford and his #32 team have shown speed in the early going. Halford overcame a poor qualifying effort at Atlanta to finish just behind points leader Richard Petty in seventh.
TRANSACTIONS THIS MONTH
#90 —In a somewhat surprising move, Junie Donlavey has signed on British driver Jackie Oliver to run most of the #90 car’s races through the end of May. Oliver ran at both Rockingham and Atlanta for the team, struggling in both races.
NASCAR Standings Update:
Richard Petty hasn’t dominated so far in 1972 on the track, but his consistent runs have him way atop the points standings early. Petty has five consecutive top-10 finishes heading into April, something no other driver can boast. Finishing races is the most important thing in this era. Cecil Gordon is third in points despite not having a top-5 finish yet, but he’s been running at the end of five out of six races. The disappointing driver so far has been David Pearson, who has suffered through a ton of bad luck in the races he’s run for Wood Brothers so far. Surprises including Johnny Halford, who is 13th running in Dick Brooks’ #32 car; and Ben Arnold, who has finished in the top 10 of every race’s he has run so far this season.
