Editor’s Note: NASCAR is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023. SPEED SPORT was founded in 1934 and was already on its way to becoming America’s Motorsports Authority when NASCAR was formed. As a result, we will bring you Part 17 of a 75-part series on the history of NASCAR as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News and SPEED SPORT Magazine.
And now, another episode of the weekly saga “As The Stock Car Turns.”
When we last visited NASCAR, Ford and Chrysler openly defied the Automobile Manufacturers Ass’n agreement and returned to Grand National competition with factory-backed teams. After a brief honeymoon period in late 1962 and early ’63, Ford’s on-track domination, particularly in races 250 miles and longer, led to controversy in 1964.
The season began with Ned Jarrett’s score in Concord, N.C. and Fireball Roberts’ triumph in Augusta, Ga., both in Fords.
Then, Wendell Scott made history in the third race of the season in Jacksonville, Fla., as he became the only African-American driver to capture a Grand National event. Scott drove his own Chevrolet to victory lane.
During that race, Buck Baker crossed the finish line first in the afternoon race and Scott protested the scoring, claiming he had won. After a long, laborious scoring check, during which the sun set and all the fans left, NASCAR discovered Scott had indeed won. He was presented his trophy in the dark, before an empty grandstand.
Richard Petty won the first race after a four-week Christmas break in a Plymouth, before Dan Gurney drove a Ford to the checkers for the second year in a row in the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside, Calif.
Petty Leads Plymouth Sweep
However, a season-long squabble between Ford and Chrysler emerged during Speedweeks in Daytona Beach, Fla. Paul Goldsmith grabbed the Daytona 500 pole in a Plymouth with a sizzling 174.910 mph qualifying speed, which smashed Roberts’ record 160.943 mph set in 1963.
The race was no different: Petty led a 1-2-3 Plymouth sweep with Jimmy Pardue and Goldsmith trailing at the stripe.
Marvin Panch drove the highest-finishing Ford, two laps down.
The secret behind Plymouth’s success was the “Super-Commando” engine, which Petty credited with “75 percent of (my) success.” Based upon the design of its 1956 hemispherical cylinder-head engine, the “Super-Commando” in Plymouths and the “Hemi-Charger” in Dodge featured hemispherical combustion chambers with conventional pushrod-operated valves.
With this new equipment, Petty increased his Daytona qualifying speed by more than 20 mph in one year.
Despite the discouraging finish in NASCAR’s premier race, Ford felt confident about the season because of its new overhead cam engine. That is, until the 16-valve engine was rejected by NASCAR because less than 1,500 were scheduled for production.
Obviously upset, Jacques Passino, the Ford performance chief, demanded three changes of NASCAR in the Feb. 26 issue of NSSN. He said the new Plymouth and Dodge engines must be ruled out and the Ford overhead cam engine should be eligible for Grand National competition. His third demand was the entry of lightweight Ford Fairlanes into NASCAR.
Chrysler’s retort was pointed: “They (Ford) were perfectly happy last season when they dominated the stock-car circuits. Now they talk about changing all the rules to make the competition ‘even.’ Who do they think they’re fooling?”
Tension Peaks Between Ford And Chrysler
Yet, after Daytona, the results from the 1964 season reflected Ford’s advantage from the prior season.
In the 10 races over 250 miles, Fords or Mercurys won six times and Plymouths or Dodges won four races. Ford products took seven of 10 races between 150 and 250 miles. In the 42 races of 150 miles and less, the results were almost equal, but Ford held a two-victory advantage, 22-20.
David Pearson in the Cotton Owens No. 6 follows Larry Thomas (36) and Jim Paschal (5) during a Grand National race on March 30, 1964. (NASCAR photo)
The tension between Ford and Chrysler peaked again in October when NASCAR announced its Grand National rules for 1965. Effective Jan. 1, 1965, the Chrysler hemi-head engine and the Ford hi-riser (overhead cam) engine were no longer eligible for competition.
Also, a minimum 119-inch wheelbase was required on cars competing on NASCAR’s four major tracks — Atlanta, Charlotte, Darlington and Daytona — while a 116-inch wheelbase was required on all others.
These rules changes eliminated the two cars Chrysler had prepared for 1965 Grand National races, the Daytona 500 pace car, the Dodge Coronet, and the Plymouth Belvedere model, which Petty drove to his first Grand National championship in 1964.
While Ford officials were ecstatic, Chrysler leaders were nonplussed:
“Racing has always prided itself on being progressive,” said Chrysler Vice-President Bob Anderson in the Oct. 21 issue of NSSN. “Here we are now, backing up. Any engine takes a couple of years of experimentation to develop its full potential. (These new rules) could mean we won’t be in Daytona.”
A few weeks later, Chrysler made Anderson’s speculation official when it announced its withdrawal from NASCAR racing.
Ronnie Householder, the Chrysler director of competitive products, issued a statement outlining Chrysler’s position in the Nov. 4 NSSN. He called the short notice NASCAR gave about the rules change unfair because it did not permit Chrysler adequate time to develop and test a replacement for the hemi-head engine.
Householder added that the “arbitrary elimination” of Chrysler cars deterred competition.
Driving a Plymouth Belvedere, Petty claimed the Grand National title on the strength of nine victories and 43 top-10 finishes in 61 starts (62-race schedule), outdistancing Jarrett, who posted a whopping 15 victories in 60 races. Petty earned a series best $114,771.
Bobby Allison claimed the modified championship and Rene Charland picked up another sportsman title. Two-time Grand National champion Joe Weatherly perished on Jan. 19, 1964 when his car crashed into a steel-plated wall at California’s Riverside Raceway.
On May 27, Roberts was involved in a fiery crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway and burned over 65-percent of his body.
He died on July 2.
Keyword: NASCAR In 1964 — The 75 Years Edition