[Racer Duck]

Who was the first driver to give Cadillac their 1st pole? (cite date and track)

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

Who was the first driver to give Cadillac their 1st pole? (cite date and track)

Paul Parks, 4/16/50 the circle dirt track at Langhorne, #2 Sam Rice Cadillac, 77.067, DNF; threw rod on lap 112 of 150 lap race.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Paul Parks, 4/16/50 the circle dirt track at Langhorne, #2 Sam Rice Cadillac, 77.067, DNF; threw rod on lap 112 of 150 lap race.

Where do yo get your answers Bob. That is a ton of info !!!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Paul Parks, 4/16/50 the circle dirt track at Langhorne, #2 Sam Rice Cadillac, 77.067, DNF; threw rod on lap 112 of 150 lap race.

hmmm, I think we may need a 3rd source if yours holds up, 'cause I show Tim Flock on the pole on 4/16/50 at Langhorn in a 49 Lincoln, Len Brown 2nd in a 49 olds and Paul Parks 3rd in a Sam Rice 49 Caddy (dropping out at lap 95 with engine problems)...

My ref is 1950-03 - Racing-Reference.info

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

hmmm, I think we may need a 3rd source if yours holds up, 'cause I show Tim Flock on the pole on 4/16/50 at Langhorn in a 49 Lincoln, Len Brown 2nd in a 49 olds and Paul Parks 3rd in a Sam Rice 49 Caddy (dropping out at lap 95 with engine problems)...

My ref is 1950-03 - Racing-Reference.info

Never mind, I see where the problem is, and it's one of those "NASCAR" things.

Tim did, indeed, win from the pole but Paul Parks was the fastest qualifier. It says nowhere why he didn't start on the pole, only that Parks caddy was the fastest in qualifying?

Also, of interest, a quote last sentence in the newspaper report of the race:
"Also following the race, the FBI began investigating some "characters" who were trying to introduce racketeering and gambling into stock car racing."

I'm drawing a blank. I've run my info up through 9/3/51 and I haven't found a Caddy on the pole yet. I give up.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Never mind, I see where the problem is, and it's one of those "NASCAR" things.

Tim did, indeed, win from the pole but Paul Parks was the fastest qualifier. It says nowhere why he didn't start on the pole, only that Parks caddy was the fastest in qualifying?

Also, of interest, a quote last sentence in the newspaper report of the race:
"Also following the race, the FBI began investigating some "characters" who were trying to introduce racketeering and gambling into stock car racing."

I'm drawing a blank. I've run my info up through 9/3/51 and I haven't found a Caddy on the pole yet. I give up.

re-check June of '51...

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

re-check June of '51...

I got it; our boy Gober.

Here's some Gober trivia for you: How did he die? Hint: He was killed while working (at age 81!).

BTW, in your research material have you found out why Parks wasn't given the pole and Flock was? That one puzzles me. IF Parks were to have started way back in the field I would have chalked it off to the old method NASCAR used; two qualifying periods with the first period "locked " in. But Parks started 3rd?

That one baffles me.

[Racer Duck]

[quote=Bob Tanner;183602]I got it; our boy Gober.

Here's some Gober trivia for you: How did he die? Hint: He was killed while working (at age 81!).

BTW, in your research material have you found out why Parks wasn't given the pole and Flock was? That one puzzles me. IF Parks were to have started way back in the field I would have chalked it off to the old method NASCAR used; two qualifying periods with the first period "locked " in. But Parks started 3rd?

That one baffles me.[/quote]
I can't help, either



The only thing I have for Gober's death is it was an "agricultural accident" in 1966.


There's some good stories about the "Wild Injun", but the one I like the most follows:

Whenever Gober Sosebee got down to Daytona he always liked to tell how he made NASCAR re-write their rule book, one year, after a sports car beach race.

Seems back then the gas tank was kept inside the cock pit where it was safe from rear end damage. Well, a lot of the races run back then were short enough to not need refueling during the race. But Gober, the "Wild Indian" had a plan if he should come in need of re-fueling. His first opportunity for his brilliant idea for a pit stop came during a sports car race at Daytona Beach. As he pulled to a quick stop in his pit a crew member jumped into the car with a 5 gallon can of gas. After a brief 2 or 3 second stop he was off, with crew member aboard.
The crew member fueled the car on the go and remained in the car until the finish. The 3 second stop was enough to give Gober the win but within seconds NASCAR was talking "disqualification". They claimed that having the crew member aboard was a violation and they were taking his win away.
But Old Gober was ready for them and immediately stated that there was no rule against a second man on board. NASCAR read, searched and reread their rules before finally deciding that there was no rule against a 2nd man in the car. The "disqualification" talk quickly ended and Sosebee took home the trophy.
The following year there was an addition to the rule book: "No car shall carry more than one person at any time during a race, practice, or warm-up."