1950

First Race

The year of 1950 had an exciting start at Occoneechee. On August 13, Glenn “Fireball” Roberts scored his first win in his glorious Grand National Career. Fireball was only 21 years of age when he took the checkered flag in front of Curtis Turner to pocket $1,125. The race had one serious accident when Sterling Long flipped his Hudson several times but was unhurt. But in time trials there was a serious accident involving Lloyd Moore flipping his Mercury three times. He sustained a neck injury but was treated and released from Duke Memorial Hospital.

1 15 71 Fireball Roberts Sam Rice ’49 Oldsmobile 100 1,125 running 43
2 2 41 Curtis Turner Eanes Motor Co. (John Eanes) ’50 Oldsmobile 100 750 running 45
3 1 25 Dick Linder Don Rogalla ’50 Oldsmobile 500 running 0
4 80 Bill Rexford Julian Buesink ’50 Oldsmobile 400 running 0
5 19 Clyde Minter Clyde Minter ’50 Mercury 300 running 0
6 Gene Austin ’50 Oldsmobile 200 0
7 42 >Lee Petty Petty Special (Petty Enterprises) ’49 Plymouth 150 0
8 92 Herb Thomas Herb Thomas ’50 Plymouth 125 0
9 77 Chuck Mahoney Brooks Motors ’50 Mercury 100 0
10 90 Johnny Mantz Red Star Garage ’49 Lincoln 75 0
11 60 George Hartley Julian Buesink ’50 Ford 50 0
12 47 Pee Wee Martin Ed Lawrence ’47 Buick 50 12
13 37< Bill Snowden Nash Motor Co. (Nash Motor Co.) ’50 Nash 50 0
14 Lyle Scott ’49 Lincoln 50 0
15 Don White ’49 Ford 50 0
16 Pap White ’50 Mercury 0
17 6 Marshall Teague Paul Cox ’49 Lincoln 0
18 Bill Joslin ’49 Ford 0
19 27 Jimmy Florian Euclid Motor Co. (Jimmy Florian) ’50 Ford 0
20 Gayle Warren ’49 Oldsmobile 0
21 0 Jimmie Lewallen Sam Rice ’50 Oldsmobile 0
22 18 Dick Burns ’50 Oldsmobile 0
23 10 Ray Duhigg ’50 Plymouth 0
24 49 Glenn Dunnaway Glenn Dunnaway ’49 Oldsmobile 0
25 11 Bob Apperson Bob Apperson ’49 Oldsmobile 0
26 31 Sterling Long Gate City Truck Stop (Sterling Long) ’49 Hudson crash 0
27 2 Bill Blair Sam Rice ’49 Oldsmobile 0

Second Race

The second race was the final Grand National race of the season. And it was an exciting conclusion to the season with the points championship at stake. Bill Rexford and Fireball Roberts were vying for that title. So October 29th started off with a bang in time trials with Louise Smith leaving the track and landing upside down near the edge of the river. She was unhurt. Fonty Flock grabbed the pole with Fireball outside pole. The race was an exciting one with Fonty and Fireball battling it out early. Bill Rexford, championship leader fell out early and was 26th in final running order. One would think Fireball would go conservative but he kept charging hard. His reasoning for this, the winners purse paid $1,500 and the championship $1,000. But on the 126th lap, Fireball’s engine blew and there went the win and the championship hopes. There was one serious accident during the race. Jimmy Ayers rolled his Plymouth three times going into the first turn. In the end, Lee Petty battled hard all day and scored the win. Bill Rexford was crowned champion in 1950.

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 15 42 Lee Petty Bardahl (Petty Enterprises) ’49 Plymouth 175 1,500 running 43
2 5 87 Buck Baker Griffin Motors ’50 Oldsmobile 1,000 running 0
3 18 72 Weldon Adams Harold Mays ’50 Plymouth 500 running 0
4 9 98 Tim Flock Southern 500 Winner (Hubert Westmoreland) ’50 Plymouth 400 running 0
5 7 41.5 Bill Blair Bill Blair ’50 Oldsmobile 300 running 0
6 13 44 Gayle Warren ’50 Plymouth 200 0
7 20 10 Ray Duhigg ’49 Plymouth 150 0
8 12 99 Jim Delaney ’50 Plymouth 125 0
9 10 18 Herbert Burns ’49 Lincoln 100 0
10 14 8 Jack Holloway ’50 Mercury 75 0
11 19 61 George Hartley Julian Buesink ’50 Mercury 50 0
12 7 47 Johnny Grubb Johnny Grubb ’50 Oldsmobile 50 0
13 4 21 Tommy Melvin ’50 Oldsmobile 50 0
14 21 78 Ewell Weddle Esso Service (Ewell Weddle) ’49 Lincoln 50 0
15 24 93 Ted Chamberlain Ted Chamberlain ’50 Plymouth 50 0
16 16 26 Slick Smith ’50 Plymouth 0
17 8 59 Lloyd Moore Julian Buesink ’50 Oldsmobile 0
18 11 92 Herb Thomas Herb Thomas ’50 Plymouth 0
19 25 94 Louise Smith Leslie Motor Co. (Louise Smith) ’50 Nash 0
20 1 7 Fonty Flock Bob Flock Garage (Frank Christian) ’50 Oldsmobile 132 mount 124
21 2 11 Fireball Roberts Sam Rice ’49 Oldsmobile 126 75 engine 8
22 22 3 Jimmy Ayers Jimmy Ayers ’50 Plymouth crash 0
23 23 25 Coleman Grant ’49 Lincoln 0
24 17 53 Jack Reynolds ’50 Plymouth 0
25 3 38 Clyde Minter B.F. Goodrich (Clyde Minter) ’47 Buick 0
26 29 62 Bill Rexford Julian Buesink ’50 Oldsmobile engine 0
27 27 101 Bucky Sager Bucky Sager ’50 Plymouth 0
28 26 2 Jim Paschal Hubert Westmoreland ’50 Oldsmobile 0
29 28 41 Curtis Turner Eanes Motor Co. (John Eanes) ’50 Oldsmobile 1 engine 0
* Race shortened to 175 laps due to darkness.

1949——1951

Joe Weatherly

Joe Weatherly was born on May 29, 1922. His home was in Norfolk, VA. He started his racing career in 1950 and won the very first race he entered. He was crowned Nascar’s Modified champ in 1952 and 1953. He also was also an American Motorcycle Asssociation Champ for 3 years. He entered Grand National racing fulltime in 1956. His first win came in 1958 in Nashville, TN. He would finish his career with 25 total wins with his last coming at Occoneechee/Orange Speedway in 1963. He also won two Grand National Championships in 1962 and 1963. His final stats at Occoneechee/Orange Speedway was two Grand National wins and two Convertible wins. On January 19, 1964, Joe lost his life at Riverside International Raceway in a racing accident.

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