Jim Roper, Fonty Flock, charlotte , NC
First NASCAR race winner dies at age 83 in Newton
Friends say he had suffered from illnesses
By Jennifer Newton Reents
Newton Kansan
Christian "Jim" Roper's name became a part of history when he won the first ever NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race June 19, 1949 in Charlotte, N.C.
Roper, 83, formerly of Halstead, died Friday at Friendly Acres Retirement Community in Newton. He had been ill with cancer in recent years and suffered from heart and liver failure, friends said.
Behind him he leaves a story about the day the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit was born.
After reading about the upcoming first NASCAR Strictly Stock car race for modern sedans in a syndicated comic strip in 1949, he and friend Millard Clothier headed for the Charlotte Speedway in two Lincolns from Clothier's car dealership in Great Bend to race in the 150-mile, 200-lap event. It was the second NASCAR-sanctioned race, but the first ever for stock car racing. The first NASCAR-sanctioned race was in February 1948.
The Charlotte Speedway, now closed, which had been hosting events for modified race cars, had a dirt racing surface that was reportedly bumpy in spots and difficult to negotiate, even in the best of conditions. After about 50 laps, eventual NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock told NASCAR Winston Cup Series magazine all the cars were "running hot. It was really mass confusion."
"NASCAR was brand new," Roper told the Kansas City Star in 1998. "It started out well, one of the biggest crowds they ever had."
Though it seemed all the drivers were having trouble, Roper said told NASCAR Winston Cup Series magazine in 1998, there was no need to grumble.
"Back then you didn't (complain) about the race track like they do today," he said. "Back then almost everything was dirt. You're going to have a hole or two. You can't race very hard and not have one or two."
On the day of the race, there was an estimated 23,000 in the crowd. While Roper, then 31, eventually was declared the winner, the story behind his win is telling.
Driver Glenn Dunnaway, from Gastonia, N.C., took the checkered flag and was three laps in front of Roper, whose Lincoln Cosmopolitan was overheating. Dunnaway appeared to be the one to grab the $2,000 purse.
But upon an inspection of his car, it was revealed Dunnaway's springs were illegal because they were not a factory installed component and the car was disqualified, NASCAR Winston Cup Series magazine reported. Rules back then required cars to be showroom versions that were available to the general public.
Roper was declared the winner, Fonty Flock in second, future Hall of Famer and Strictly Stock overall champion for 1949 Red Byron in third, Sam Rice in fourth and Tim Flock in fifth. Other legendary racers who competed that day were Lee Petty, Curtis Turner and Buck Baker.