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1961 Daytona 500


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NASCAR Grand National race number 5 of 52
Sunday, February 26, 1961 at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
200 laps on a 2.500 mile paved track (500.000 miles)

Time of race: 3:20:32
Average speed: 149.601 mph
Pole speed: 155.709 mph
Cautions: none
Margin of victory: 16 sec
Attendance: 51287
Lead changes: 9

Glossary    1961 NASCAR Grand National results   /   1961 standings

PosSt#DriverCarLapsMoneyStatusLed
1 420   Marvin Panch Smokey Yunick'60 Pontiac20021050running13
2 28   Joe Weatherly Stephens Pontiac   (Bud Moore)'61 Pontiac2009150running0
31731   Paul Goldsmith Diesi Pontiac   (Ray Nichels)'61 Pontiac2005900running0
44580   Fred Lorenzen Independent Garageman's Association   (Tubby Gonzales)'61 Ford1983825running0
5 66   Cotton Owens Hedges Pontiac   (Cotton Owens)'61 Pontiac1982975running0
6 547   Jack Smith Jack Smith'61 Pontiac1972075running0
7 911   Ned Jarrett Dash-Dash-Dash Corp.   (B.G. Holloway)'61 Chevrolet1961550running0
84769   Johnny Allen Win-Win-Win Corp.   (B.G. Holloway)'61 Chevrolet1961050running0
9 787   Buck Baker Buck Baker'61 Chrysler196850running0
101859   Tom Pistone Go-Go-Go Corporation   (B.G. Holloway)'61 Pontiac196750running0
112949   Bob Welborn Bob Welborn'61 Pontiac194600running0
12414   Rex White Rex White'61 Chevrolet194500running0
13167   Jim Reed Royal Beach Motel   (Jim Reed)'61 Chevrolet194400running0
144623   Sal Tovella Sterling Harris Ford   (Bob Rose)'61 Ford191350running0
152265   Charlie Glotzbach Melvin Black'61 Pontiac191350running0
161032   Darel Dieringer Ray Nichels'61 Pontiac191325running0
173252   Tom Dill Julian Buesink'61 Ford190325running0
181485   Emanuel Zervakis Toots Transfer   (Monroe Shook)'61 Chevrolet189300running0
194937   Joe Kelly Don House'61 Ford188300running0
20 122   Fireball Roberts Smokey Yunick'61 Pontiac1874750engine170
213066   David Pearson Tony Lavati'61 Pontiac186200running0
223730   Friday Hassler Fred Clark'60 Chevrolet186200running0
235741   Elmo Henderson Charlie Chapman'60 Ford184200running0
243183   Tim Flock Meilwain Ford   (Jack Meeks)'61 Ford184200running0
253816   Elmo Langley Happy Steigel'59 Pontiac184200running0
265088   Harlan Richardson Royal Beach Motel   (Jim White)'61 Ford184200running0
27 894   Banjo Matthews Warrior Motel   (Banjo Matthews)'61 Ford181250crash3
282691   Robert Roeber R.G. Henschel'60 Pontiac180200running0
293468   Ed Livingston Curtis Crider'60 Ford177200running0
302454   Jimmy Pardue Fred Gaddy   (Jimmy Pardue)'60 Chevrolet176200engine0
313640   Bobby Allison Ralph Stark'60 Chevrolet175200running0
325364   Paul Parks Spook Crawford'60 Ford173200running0
332724   Roscoe Thompson James Turner'60 Pontiac169200timing chain0
343919   Herman Beam Herman Beam'60 Ford167200running0
354033   Reb Wickersham Flying Rebel Racing   (Reb Wickersham)'60 Oldsmobile158200engine0
361553   Bob Burdick McKenzie   (Roy Burdick)'61 Pontiac157200engine0
371289   Joe Lee Johnson Adcox-Kirby Chevrolet   (Joe Lee Johnson)'61 Chevrolet153200engine0
382576   Larry Frank Dick Wright'60 Ford152200fuel pump0
39481   Paul Lewis Scruggs Automotive   (Jess Potter)'61 Chevrolet149200running0
402886   Buddy Baker Buck Baker'61 Chrysler145200running0
415439   Marshall Sargent Marshall Sargent'59 Pontiac115200transmission0
425836   Brian Naylor Warner Brothers'60 Ford85200engine0
435638   Ed Markstellar Bunnell Motor Co.   (Matt DeMatthews)'61 Ford81200oil leak0
441329   Nelson Stacy Holt-Stacy   (Dudley Farrell)'61 Ford79200engine7
45192   Tommy Irwin Tom Daniels'60 Chevrolet67200engine0
463518   Darrell Dake Weldon Wagner'61 Chevrolet47200fuel pump0
474327   Junior Johnson Holly Farms   (Rex Lovette)'60 Pontiac44300engine7
485115   Red Hollingsworth Red Hollingsworth'60 Chevrolet35200rocker arm0
49 33   Jim Paschal Daytona Kennel   (John Masoni)'61 Pontiac30200seal0
501172   Bobby Johns Shorty Johns'61 Ford26200overheating0
515560   George Tet Tetsuo Fuchigami'60 Ford24200valve0
522110   T.C. Hunt Fred Wheat'60 Dodge23200engine0
532362   Curtis Crider Curtis Crider'60 Ford12200oil pressure0
542075   Don Odell J.D. Braswell'61 Pontiac10200bearing0
553321   Curtis Turner Courtesy   (Wood Brothers)'61 Ford6200engine0
564499   Wilbur Rakestraw Joe Jones'61 Ford5200engine0
575255   Ernie Gahan Air Lift   (John Koszela)'59 Chevrolet3200water pump0
584250   Ken Johnson James French'60 Ford3200head gasket0

Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes:
PosNameNbrSponsorOwnerCar
Dave Mader00Dave MaderChevrolet
Lee Petty42Petty EnterprisesPlymouth
Richard Petty43Petty EnterprisesPlymouth
Jim Hendrickson56Charles FrenchChevrolet
Wes Morgan57J.J. DiversChevrolet
Pete Boland63Pete BolandFord
Johnny Beauchamp73Dale SwansonChevrolet
Buzz McCann77Buzz McCannFord
Brian Naylor78Fred LovettePontiac
WDJoe Dolphy61Dick JohnsonChevrolet

Lap leader breakdown:
LeaderFrom
Lap
To
Lap
# Of
Laps
  Fireball Roberts11212
  Banjo Matthews13153
  Nelson Stacy16172
  Fireball Roberts183013
  Nelson Stacy31333
  Junior Johnson34374
  Nelson Stacy38392
  Junior Johnson40423
  Fireball Roberts43187145
  Marvin Panch18820013