[wingkey1]

Who won the last "official" race?

A name I am sure everyone will recognize.

[Quality88]

FireBall Roberts

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by Quality88

FireBall Roberts

That would have been my answer too. Unfortunately that would make us both incorrect.

I believe the following helper/hint should result in uncovering the answer: 29 was the car number.

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

Who won the last "official" race?

A name I am sure everyone will recognize.

Here comes a clarification that just might make this all too easy:

• “A name I am sure everyone will recognize” - was tongue in cheek. Likely many do not recall this driver by name
• The “convertible division” actually/officially ended prior to the last win by a ragtop
• The last win did however count towards the Grand National title. “Grand National” refers to what later became the Winston/Nextel Cup thing we know today

Okay - now someone can do a "slam dunk"

[LSC9901]

Oct. 14, 1956
Curtis Turner
Hillsboro, NC

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Oct. 14, 1956
Curtis Turner
Hillsboro, NC

Curtis drove the #26. See earlier "clue" - #29

Good high probability answer since Turner won a number of the convertible division races. However -----

Think Darlington, 1962

I expect now this "mystery" will not last much longer.

Next trivia challenge will be a bit easier. Just trying to figure how best to present it.

[LSC9901]

Nelson Stacy

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Nelson Stacy

I believe your right LSC. I saw Nelson's name before and was gonna put that in after my first guess. I thought Fireball mad more sense at the time.

[LSC9901]

The joy of this thread is that you do get to learn something new, or old in this case !!

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Nelson Stacy

Excellent LSC9901!

Indeed 'twas Mr. Stacy.

See following:

The final Convertible Division race, Darlington International Raceway's Rebel 300, takes place May 12. Although the Convertible Division ended after the 1959 season, Darlington continued to present convertible events during the track's spring event from 1960-1962, which counted as official Grand National races. Nelson Stacy won the final ragtop race.

KNOW YOUR NASCAR > LOOKING BACK, SEASON BY SEASON > 1962 SEASON SUMMARY

Also - take moment and visit Stacy Motorsports

Some in the family still race and they have some of Nelson's cars kept in real fine shape. You can view them via the link on their page.

Good stuff.

[jimsowder]

Stacy was a great driver in his short career,for every race in his 3 year career that he finished,he finished in the top 10 but one and he finished 11th in that race,my dad worked in the pits for him his rookie Grand National [Nascar] season.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by jimsowder

Stacy was a great driver in his short career,for every race in his 3 year career that he finished,he finished in the top 10 but one and he finished 11th in that race,my dad worked in the pits for him his rookie Grand National [Nascar] season.

Welcome jim to goteamsgo. Intersting fact. Hope you will stick around and talk nascar with us. It's a little slow right now, but business will soon be pickin up.

[salstacy]

Nelson was my late brother. He had a relatively short NASCAR career but won the Southern 500 as a rookie (39 yrs old) in 1961 - signed with Holman Moody in 1962 and was a "factory driver" with Freddie Lorenzen.
Won the Rebel 300, last convertible race at Darlington and the World 600 and the fall Martinsville race in 62. Had a wreck in Atlanta in 1963 which pretty much ended his career.
He did run a "factory" Ford in ARCA in 64 but outside of winning ARCAs first Daytona race - he didn't do much. I think the wreck in Atlanta pretty much took the racing out of him.

[LSC9901]

Hi SalStacy and welcome to our NASCAR Forum. We have another member who had a relative in racing. Racer Duck had a brother who raced several years ago. You two will need to get together and compare notes. He ran in the early 70's I believe.

[Racer Duck]

Hi SalStacy, Let me add my welcome to GoTeamsGo and the NASCAR Forums.

LSC is right. My brother, Clarence Lovell, raced for exactly 1 year: spring Talladega '72 to spring Talladega '73. We're proud his last race was so successful for an independent (he finished 4th.) Unfortunately he was killed in a single car accident the following Thursday evening on his way home from seeing some friends.

Your brother's career coincided with my playing sailor in the US Navy, so I wasn't able to see him race. And at that time my brother was still in high school - or was supposed to be, I know he frequently played hookey.

Again, Welcome.