Rewriting NASCAR's Modern History, 1971 and Beyond

[tcoley]

Hello everybody, and welcome to Rewriting NASCAR's Modern History, 1971 and Beyond!

This dynasty will be run using the PC simulation, NASCAR Racing 2003 Season with races run at 100% length, full damage, and in simulation mode. Each race is simulated until a certain young driver begins their late model career in 1990. The season schedules will closely follow the actual schedules of the time, but there will be some changes made.

You'll see all the stars of the 70's, 80's, 90's...and so on. You will also meet some new stars, some "hot shoes" and fictional movie characters as well. We will also be able to see how gone-too-soon drivers like, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Neil Bonnet, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and others could have finished their careers. Follow Dale Earnhardt's career, that won't end with the 2001 Daytona 500. Can he and Petty still win 7 titles, or will another driver become "The King?" Along with the Cup Series, you will also see the beginning of the Grand National Series (1982), the Truck Series (1995), and perhaps even some mid-west late model series history! You may be able to follow a driver from their first late model race all the way through their NASCAR career-if they make it that far!

The year is 1971, RJ Reynolds brings in their Winston brand as the primary sponsor for Cup Series to compete with Indy Car for the top racing circuit in North America. With the new Winston agreement, that "less is more" attitude takes center stage, and the Winston Cup Series' schedule is drastically reduced and realigned. By doing so, NASCAR will begin to gain traction on mainstream level. Gone are the years of races at local dirt short tracks, and racing 3-4 races a week.

What tracks will be run? Good question. As the seasons go by, new tracks will be built, and be granted a NASCAR race. Does this mean that a track will lose a race? Another good question! Not necessarily. Since this is a simulation, and we don't have to actually worry about weather, and loading up 40-50 teams and getting them to a real track, a race will most likely be added to the schedule. Tracks like Texas World Speedway, Riverside International Raceway, North Wilkesboro, Ontario Motor Speedway and Rockingham, will ALWAYS be on the Cup schedule. They may get reduced to 1 race a season as more tracks get added, but they will be on the schedule! When will a new track get added into the schedule? Races will be added to the schedules based off of when they were either actually built, or added to the schedule IRL. There will also be some tracks added in, that never held a NASCAR race, like the short track, Irwindale Speedway in California. Some tracks however, that actually have 2 races, may not ever get those 2 races per season-Loudon, I'm looking at you!

The season will ALWAYS start with Daytona Speedweeks! As much as I love Riverside Int'l Raceway, it should never have started the season, it will move to race #2.

Tracks currently on the circuit:

Daytona (2)
Riverside (2)
Ontario (1)
Richmond Fairgrounds (2)
Rockingham (2)
Bristol (2)
Atlanta (2) Pre-cookie cutter
North Wilkesboro (2)
Martinsville (2)
Darlington (2)
Talladega (2)
Charlotte (2)
Dover (2)
Michigan (2)
Nashville Fairgrounds (1)
Texas World Speedway (1)

Check back for the 1971 Winston Cup season preview soon!

[tcoley]

November 1st, 1970
Milwaukee, WI

He had always wanted to race, race competitively. If he couldn't do it right, he didn't want to do it at all. With a wife and 4 kids, and recently coming out of the service, life was crazy. Another problem with making the circuit was that there were too many races to compete for the championship. Looking back over NASCAR's recent seasons, with anywhere from 45-62 races, it was easy to understand that going from 0 races to 62 was not feasible.

Milwaukee...he hated Milwaukee! It was cold and icy half the year, and hot and humid the rest of the year. The only good thing about Milwaukee was that there were a lot of racetracks in the area. He loved the Milwaukee Mile, and the short tracks; Madison International Speedway, Slinger Super Speedway, and Hale's Corners Speedway, just to name a few. He'd take his kids to the races each week. He'd teach them the lines, the lingo and how to see what a car was doing on the track. The 2 boys, Bryan Lee and Boyd Allen took notice. All that was about to change...

Staying in Milwaukee was not the answer. He had to make a decision, follow his racing dream, putting everything that his young family had into racing for the NASCAR championship, (which would be too much at 40-65 races per season) or, move his family to the Gold-lined streets of California. They could start fresh and really make something of their live's out there. Business's are booming in California, he could find a good paying job. Maybe getting away from racing, what he wanted to do more than anything, would make it easier choosing California over his dream. Being able to hit a racetrack almost any night of the week in the racing hotbed of Wisconsin was maybe torture instead of serenity. He was about to find out.

With the 4 kids packed in the back seat, trunk stuffed full, and luggage strapped to the roof, they pulled out of his parent's driveway and headed for the Golden Coast!

[tcoley]

1971 Winston Cup Season Preview

Schedule
Daytona 500 Qualifying Day
Daytona Gatorade Twin 125's (To determine starting line-up for the Daytona 500)
1-Daytona International Speedway-Daytona 500*
2-Riverside International Raceway-Riverside 500
3-Ontario Motor Speedway-L.A. Times 500*
4-Richmond Fairgrounds-Richmond 500
5-North Carolina Motor Speedway-Rockingham 500
6-Bristol International Raceway-Bristol 500
7-Atlanta International Raceway-Atlanta 500
8-North Wilkesboro Speedway-Wilkesboro 400
9-Martinsville Speedway-Martinsville 500
10-Darlington Raceway-Rebel 400
11-Alabama International Motor Speedway-Talladega 500
12-Charlotte Motor Speedway-World 600*
13-Dover Downs International Speedway-Mason-Dixon Line 500
14-Michigan International Speedway-Gabriel 400
15-Riverside International Raceway-California 400
16-Daytona International Speedway-Firecracker 400
17-Bristol International Raceway-Tennessee 500
18-Nashville Fairgrounds-Music City 250 (420 laps, 250 miles)
19-Atlanta International Raceway-Dixie 500
20-Michigan International Speedway-Yankee 400
21-Alabama International Motor Speedway-Alabama 500*
22-Darlington Raceway-The Southern 500*
23-Martinsville Speedway-Old Dominion 500
24-Charlotte Motor Speedway-National 500
25-Dover Downs International Speedway-Delaware 500
26-North Carolina Motor Speedway-American 500
27-Richmond Fairgrounds-Capital City 400
28-North Wilkesboro Speedway-Wilkes 400
29-Texas World Speedway-Texas World 500

*denotes, race is considered one of the crown jewel events of the series

[tcoley]

1971 Winston Cup Championship Contenders
Page 1

#43 Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises STP Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird
Plymouth's top team, and top driver. Considered to have the best equipment on the circuit, not far behind is Petty Enterprises teammate, Pete Hamilton in the #40 Superbird. Petty seems to get around every track with excellence, but with the reduction in the number of races, can some of the other teams capitalize? (IRL, 1971 was the last season with 40+ races, 48, Petty won 21 of 46 that he entered)

#17 David Pearson, Holman Moody Ford Torino Cobra
Long considered to be one of the toughest, but smoothest competitors in the garage area, Pearson looks to compete full-time. This can only mean bad news for his competitors. If David is in the race, he has a chance to win! Now, if he and the car owners can just stick together...(IRL Holman Moody and Pearson split near the middle of the season after Pearson refused to take a 10% pay cut, Pearson only ran 17 races.)

#21 Cale Yarborough, Wood Brothers Racing Purolator Mercury Cougar
If David Pearson is considered one of the toughest in the garage, it may only be second to this man! With Ford re-committing to NASCAR, with some persuasion by NASCAR, Cale and David once again stand a chance against the Dodge and Plymouth "super cars." In 1970 Ford briefly pulled support due to the pure dominance of the new Dodge and Plymouth products, but during the off-season, NASCAR, along with the former Ford teams, were able to convince Ford to re-commit to getting back into the sport. We'll see if it will pay-off...(IRL, Cale was released from Wood Brothers Racing after the 1970 season when Ford did pull out. He floundered for a couple years only competing in 9 races. In 1973 found a ride and ran the full season finishing 2nd in the championship)

#71 Bobby Isaac, Nord Krauskopf K&K Insurance Dodge Charger Daytona

With the eventual legendary crew chief Harry Hyde calling the shots, Bobby Isaac can get it done! Last year's NASCAR Champion looks to repeat this year. Although, we are in a new era now, the Modern Era, if Isaac wants to repeat, he'll have to do so against much tougher competition that can run the full season! (IRL, NASCAR still ran 48 races in 1971, but Bobby only ran 25. The team was ready for the Winston schedule reduction. In those 25 starts, they had 4 wins.)

#22 Bobby Allison, Coca-Cola Dodge Charger Daytona

The Allison brothers return in 1971, both running full-time. Bobby looks to be one of the favorites going into the season as he now has one of those "super cars" as he enters with Dodge and backing from Coca-Cola. (IRL, Bobby started the season in his own car, but when the Pearson-Holman Moody breakup happen, Bobby went to drive most races for them. At one point, winning 5 straight! He finished 4th in points, competing in 42 of 46 races)

[tcoley]

1971 Winston Cup Championship Contenders
Page 2

#27 Donnie Allison, Banjo Matthews Mercury Cougar
Donnie has never raced in NASCAR full-time...until now! Another driver and team that will benefit from Winston's reduced race schedule. Donnie really only showed up to the big money races, well thanks to Winston, all the races are now big money races! It has always been speculated that Donnie was the superior driver of the Allison brothers, now he has a chance to prove it! (IRL, Donnie only ran part-time, he and Banjo Matthews split up after Daytona. He then went to run for the Wood Brothers for the rest of '71, winning at Talladega.) For this dynasty, he will stay with Banjo for at least this season.

#6 Buddy Baker, Cotton Owens Dodge Charger Daytona

Here he is, Mr. Superspeedway himself! If you need a driver that puts the pedal to the floor more than any other driver, this is your guy! Just last year, Buddy became the first stock-car driver ever to exceed the 200 mph mark on a closed course. In cars prepared by Cotton Owens, you can be sure that this year, Buddy Baker running a full-time schedule will be tough to beat! Baker was said to be ecstatic when the news of Winston cutting back the schedule came out. (IRL, Buddy ran 19/48 races in 1971 in the #11 Petty Enterprises car, winning the Darlington 400.) For this dynasty, he will stay in the #6 for at least this season.

#40 Pete Hamilton, Petty Enterprises 7-UP Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird

Pete showed everybody how it's done last year, winning 3 of the 4 super speedway races including the Daytona 500 and sweeping Talladega! Can you say this car is fast? Oh yeah! Last season the second Petty Enterprises car only ran the big tracks, but this season they are on the hunt for the championship, running the full season. (IRL, Pete and the Petty's parted ways at the end of 1970...HOW? Hamilton went on to drive Cotton Owen's #6 in 1971. Pete retired in 1973.)For this dynasty, he will stay in the #40 for at least this season.

#11 A.J. Foyt, Jack Bowsher Ford Torino Cobra

You read that right folks! A.J. Foyt is running in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series-FULL-TIME! NASCAR and Winston are in full court press mode to overtake the Indy Car Series as the premiere racing series in North America, and what better way to get indy car fans to tune in, than to get a couple, yes a couple Indy car drivers to compete full-time?

Along with A.J. comes...

Mario Andretti in the Holman Moody #97 Ford Torino Cobra

Not to be outdone by A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti is stepping into the full-time world of NASCAR. For both men, they have a lot to prove. Indy car drivers are considered the greatest, if they don't perform well, it may not look good for Indy car drivers as a whole. Will these men be held back by their Ford cars, or has Ford also stepped up their game to compete with the Super Cars of Chrysler? I'm willing to bet that if Ford was able to land Foyt and Andretti, they may have something up their sleeve for 1971!

Other Notables:
Anybody in a Chrysler product; #30 Dave Marcis, #99 Chrysler test driver, Charlie Glotzbach, #06 Neil Castles, and #32 Dick Brooks.
Other Ford product drivers on the scene; #72 Benny Parsons, and #98 wildman Leeroy Yarbrough.

[tcoley]

January 10, 1971
Ontario, CA

He opened his L.A. Times Sunday paper to the sports section. He was hoping for anything regarding the new Winston sponsorship with NASCAR, any tidbit of information, as he did every weekend before with no luck. The problem was, he was on the wrong side of the country. In California, NASCAR only mattered when they came to the road-course in Riverside, or the Ontario Motor Speedway. Between the 2, they had 3 races each year. Riverside and Ontario were races 2 and 3 of the season, so he'd have his fix soon! Then it was right there, right in front of him, page 7 and 8, the complete NASCAR schedule with the contenders for the season-long championship! He couldn't believe his eyes!

"Karen! Karen, come tell me if I'm seeing this right!" He called for his wife who was in the kitchen cleaning the morning dishes. She walked in drying her hands on a towel.

"What do ya have there? What is it?" She took a look at the paper, and looked back at her husband who's cigarette ashes were falling down upon his robe as he was in shock.

"Can you believe it? Never did I think they'd cut down the schedule down that much! Them Winston boys mean business, and we need to be there to cash in on it! I wish they would'a released this earlier." He sprung from the bed, cigarette ashes falling everywhere. "We need to get to work!" He hustled out of his robe and into some clothes that he obviously wore when he worked in the garage.

She read over the schedule more intently, looking for more information that wasn't there. She was getting nervous. Their life in California was starting to get on track, now with this news, everything would change. Karen could hear him in the main room talking to himself, bits and pieces, nothing really she could understand. She lit a cigarette to calm herself and quietly think about the possibility of what was to come.

She wondered out to the garage a little while later to find her husband and two sons working on some car parts. She didn't know what they were, just knew that they were taking great deal of care with each piece.

"Gene, what are you planning?" She asked, already knowing the answer, puffing on her cigarette.

"Well Karen, we're goin' NASCAR racin'," he answered with a newly lit cigarette hanging by the corner of his mouth, "and we're gonna beat that damn Petty!" Bryan and Boyd looked at each other, they hadn't heard the news yet. They were already working in the garage when their father came in. Upon hearing their father's news, they shot a quick smile, then realized they had A LOT of work to do.

[tcoley]

Speedweeks
Daytona International Speedway

Reporter-Chris Economaki

There are 60 teams in Daytona vying for a Daytona 500 victory, but it's been a week's of practice dominated by the super cars of Chrysler! Richard Petty's Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird has looked very impressive, topping the charts in 3 of the 6 days of practice leading up to today's qualifying for next Sunday's Daytona 500! Other drivers to take the fast lap of a practice day this week included; Bobby Allison in his #22 Dodge Charger Daytona, Dave Marcis in his #30 Dodge, and Buddy Baker's #6 Dodge. In just a couple short hours, we'll find out who will lead the field to the green flag in the Daytona 500!

...Meanwhile on the other side of the country...

Riverside, CA

"Well boys, clearly, we ain't making Daytona." He said exhausted. Gene, Boyd, 11 years old, and Bryan, 15 years old, had been in the garage preparing parts for a new Plymouth that hadn't been delivered yet. All 3 knew that they still had a ton of work ahead once the new car showed up, but at this point, Plymouth was holding them back. All three of them had just pulled another all-nighter, and all three were covered in dirt, grease and oil, and needed sleep. The boys would have school tomorrow, and they would need to be fresh for the week.

"Dad," Bryan started, "didn't you say that Winston was running a new rookie of the year deal? I know you wanted to run for the championship, but can we still win the rookie title?"

Gene looked back at his son, who could find the positive in just about anything. Here they were, missing the Daytona 500, the biggest race of the season, they'd also miss at least the next few weeks-two races in their own backyard, the Riverside 500, and Ontario 500, but Bryan still found a bright spot. NASCAR was going to be so close, and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it, but watch. Boyd looked to his father for his answer, hoping all the work they put in would pay off. Gene took out a cigarette, lit it and began to smoke.

"They did," he answered, exhaling smoke out the side door of the garage, "and we will win it," he said matter-of-factly. "I don't know who the rookies are this year, and maybe NASCAR doesn't either, but I didn't see any in the season preview a few weeks ago. I'm only concerned with going fast, if we're not fast, we're not going to win s**t. That's why I've had you guys out here with me everyday for the past month. We've got spare parts for our spare parts! If we want to make this work, it needs to be a full family deal. Look at the Petty's. His daddy raced, and Richard worked on the cars, now Richard has Kyle working on his. The Allison's, those boys are hard workers and know their cars too. I'm plannin' for the future of our family boys, not to be a flash in the pan." Bryan and Boyd looked at each other in amazement and couldn't believe what they heard. Their dad didn't speak too much about his long-term plans, they had no idea what they were in for. "Let's get inside, get cleaned up, maybe we can find qualifying somewhere on the radio."

[tcoley]

Dodge Sweeps the Front Row for Daytona 500

Reporter: Chris Economaki

Bobby Allison's #22 Dodge Charger Daytona has captured the pole for next Sunday's Daytona 500. Allison logged a time of 48.361 seconds, 186.100 mph! Allison has looked strong all week, and was able to follow-up his strong practice runs all week with the top spot! Allison will need to keep his car safe in Thursday's qualifying race, if he wants to keep that coveted #1 starting spot.

Starting along side Allison's Dodge will be fellow Dodge driver, Dave Marcis. Marcis' #30 finished with a time of 48.433 seconds, 185.824 mph. Dave will lead his qualifying race to green on Thursday, he'll also need to protect his car. If Marcis or Allison have to go to back-up cars after the Qualifying races, they will start the Daytona 500 from the rear of the field.

The fastest car in all the practices combined, #43 Richard Petty, could only muster an 8th place qualifying effort. Petty was said to be upset he couldn't capitalize on his car's speed, and is looking forward to Thursday's qualifying races to improve his starting position.

Although the Chrysler products swept the front row, the Fords and Mercurys weren't far behind. David Pearson (3), AJ Foyt (5), Donnie Allison (6), James Hylton (7) and Cale Yarborough (10), all had great qualifying efforts. Be sure to check back Thursday evening as we will have the full rundown of Thursday's Gatorade Twin 125's, and the starting lineup for the Daytona 500!