West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame

1972 - The Longest Season From "Racings Real McCoy"

Sharing the road with the pioneers of the wild west.

“Bill France Retires from NASCAR,” were the headlines in the racing trade press in January of 1972. At age 62, Bill France had resigned as President of NASCAR and turned the reins over to 38-year-old William France, later to become known as Bill France, Jr., to run the NASCAR organization.

Before his retirement, however, he had restructured the NASCAR-Winston Cup Series, eliminating most of the short track races and concentrating on races of 250 miles or more. These changes were brought about mostly at the request of R.J. Reynolds, the Winston Cup sponsor, and television considerations that were becoming more significant in big league stock car racing.

While the Grand National series had run seasons with as many as 62 events in one campaign, and averaged 51 championship events over the 15 years preceding this announcement, it was announced that the 1972 Winston Cup season would consist of 31 major events - all 250 miles and more. And most of the short tracks previously run, would be regulated to a Grand National East series - to be patterned similar to the Grand National West Series that currently, successfully existed.

The West, however, was headed in an entirely different direction. When we had first joined this series in 1965, there was one major event at Riverside and 13 short track events. In ‘66, this was relegated to 14, in ‘67 18, and in ‘68 and ‘69, we had 19 - race seasons, plus the annual trek to Riverside.

In 1970, our schedule was escalated to three major Cup races, with the addition of the Texas event, under the guidance of Les Richter. A record 23 short track events were held. In 1971, with Pete Keller at the helm, we ran four Cup events with the addition of the Ontario Motor Speedway, and 22 short track races.

However, in 1972, Keller was gone and an ambitious Ken Piper was setting the schedule. Texas was gone now, but we still had three Cup events including Riverside and Ontario. However, Piper’s schedule called for a record 26 short track events - up and down the West Coast.

We had our own points system now going within the Winston Cup races, whereas the best finishing Western driver would be declared a Western race winner, and with the second place best Western driver second, et ceter.

Three-time champion Ray Elder had secured Olympia Brewing Company sponsorship for the ‘72 season, as had Hershel McGriff for his sportsman efforts. However, the rest of the field, with the exception of Black & Decker-sponsored Kevin Terris, were either sticking with their lower-dollar sponsors or searching.

Dick Bown retained the backing of Ober Logging, which had been with him seemingly forever. And our McCoy-Conn team started the year under temporary sponsorship of the Rebel Shop - a men’s clothing chain.

Ground was broken for a brand new speedway to be built at the Madera Fairgrounds - an effort that was ram-rodded by Smokey Hanoian, Joe Galean and Bob Klemm.

The Riverside race in January had plenty of cars show up and attempt to qualify for the 40-car field. Eighteen of the starting drivers were West Coast regulars, in a race that saw the first outing of Roger Penske’s ‘72 Matador, driven by Mark Donahue to qualify third, pole sitter A.J. Foyt in the Wood Brothers’ Mercury, and outside front row Richard Petty in his Plymouth. Elder lined up fourth, Dick Bown fifth, and McGriff sixth. Our team, while running well in the early stages of the event, could only manage 37 laps until transmission problems sidelined us.

2006 West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame Banquet

 
What: 5th Annual West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame 
Induction Ceremony and Banquet
When: Friday, July 21, 2006
5 to 7 pm: Reception 
7 to 8 pm: Dinner
8 to 11 pm: Induction Ceremony
Where: Holiday Inn Monrovia
Grand Ball Room
924 West Huntington Drive 
Monrovia, CA 91016

Admission: $50 per person, deadline for reservations is July 14, 2006 the number of tickets are limited so please order early and please specify if ordering with a group.

Guest rooms are available for a special rate ($99), you may make room reservations by calling 626-357-1900 and be sure to ask for the WCS stock car hall of fame room rate.

Directions: The hotel is located on the west side of the 210 freeway at Huntington Drive about 6 miles west of the 605 freeway.

Info: This is the 5th Annual event to honor the 2006 West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame Inductees: the 2006 inductee: 1946-1969, Beryl Jackson, Johnny Kieper, Jim Rush, Walt Faulkner, Jim Cook, Don Noel. 1970 to Present, Ray Clairidge, Mike Curb, Ivan Baldwin, Gary Nelson.

This is also the same weekend of the NASCAR Grand National, West division race at Irwindale Speedway July 22, 2006.

Dress Code: Semi-formal attire

For more information: Tim Meyer @ 435-635-2257, Cell: 435-668-9347 or FAX: 435-635-2298 by email: info@stockcarreunion.com or visit the hall of fame website: www.stockcarreunion.com

 
West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame
31 North 700 East #151
St. George, UT 84770