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The Winston Cup series currently visits 23 racetracks to complete its 36 race schedule. This week the teams are again on the hallowed grounds of the “Lady in Black”, the original of the “super speedways”.
Started wondering about the other tracks and just when was their “born on date” for Winston Cup (or Grand National in the good ol days). Dug up a little info and compiled the following. Note that some tracks have been reconfigured over the years, major reconfigurations may be noted though not all of them are.
September 25, 1949 – Martinsville (dirt) Red Byron in an Olds wins.
The track was later paved and the first race was on October 16, 1955 won by Speedy Thompson in a Chrysler.
September 4, 1950 – Darlington’s first race is won by Johnny Mantz in a Plymouth.
April 19, 1953 – Richmond, then known as the Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds (a dirt track), was won by Lee Petty in a Dodge.
The track was paved and called the Virginia State Fairgrounds and David Pearson in a Mercury won the first race under that configuration on March 24, 1968.
August 4, 1957 – Watkins Glen host its first Winston Cup race won by Buck Baker in a Chevrolet.
February 22, 1959 – Daytona gets off the beach on the speedway. Lee Petty wins that first race in an Oldsmobile. Back then the qualifying races were points races, but I didn’t count them. The first was on February 20, 1959 and won by Bob Wilburn in a Chevy.
June 19, 1960 – Charlotte Motor Speedway makes it appearance with Joe Lee Johnson taking the win in a Chevrolet.
July 31, 1960 – Atlanta International Raceway debuts with Fireball Roberts winning in a Pontiac.
July 30, 1961 – Bristol as an asphalt track is conquered by Jack Smith in a Pontiac.
October 31, 1965 – North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham) is on the schedule and Curtis Turner takes the checkers in a Ford.
June 15, 1969 – Michigan International opens its doors and Cale Yarborough wins it in a Mercury.
July 6, 1969 – Dover Downs yet to become the Monster Mile is won by Richard Petty in a (gasp) Ford.
September 14, 1969 – Talledega at its controversial best debuts. A race of “substitutes” is won by Richard Brickhouse in a Dodge.
August 4, 1974 – Pocono’s “roval” makes the Winston Cup scene with Richard Petty in a Dodge taking the day.
November 7, 1988 - Phoenix is added to the mix and Alan Kulwicki wins it in a Ford.
June 11, 1989 – Sears Point is the new kid on the block and Ricky Rudd is first to finish in a Buick.
July 11, 1993 – New Hampshire convinces the boys to come north and the Pontiac of Rusty Wallace is in Victory Lane.
August 6, 1994 – The Brickyard goes country and Jeff Gordon gets to kiss the bricks. Need I mention he was driving a Chevy?
April 6, 1997 – Texas Motor Speedway brings Winston Cup back to the Lone Star State with Jeff Burton winning in a Ford.
June 22, 1997 – California Speedway debuts and Jeff Gordon wins the first one in a Chevrolet.
March1, 1998 – Las Vegas brings the show to the desert with Mark Martin cashing in driving a Ford.
November 14, 1999 – Homestead opens its Winston Cup runs with Tony Stewart piloting his Pontiac to the win.
July 15, 2001 – Chicagoland shoulders a race for the gang and Kevin Harvick wins in a Chevrolet.
September 30, 2001 – Kansas puts Winston Cup on the plains and Jeff Gordon wins in a Chevy.
Started wondering about the other tracks and just when was their “born on date” for Winston Cup (or Grand National in the good ol days). Dug up a little info and compiled the following. Note that some tracks have been reconfigured over the years, major reconfigurations may be noted though not all of them are.
September 25, 1949 – Martinsville (dirt) Red Byron in an Olds wins.
The track was later paved and the first race was on October 16, 1955 won by Speedy Thompson in a Chrysler.
September 4, 1950 – Darlington’s first race is won by Johnny Mantz in a Plymouth.
April 19, 1953 – Richmond, then known as the Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds (a dirt track), was won by Lee Petty in a Dodge.
The track was paved and called the Virginia State Fairgrounds and David Pearson in a Mercury won the first race under that configuration on March 24, 1968.
August 4, 1957 – Watkins Glen host its first Winston Cup race won by Buck Baker in a Chevrolet.
February 22, 1959 – Daytona gets off the beach on the speedway. Lee Petty wins that first race in an Oldsmobile. Back then the qualifying races were points races, but I didn’t count them. The first was on February 20, 1959 and won by Bob Wilburn in a Chevy.
June 19, 1960 – Charlotte Motor Speedway makes it appearance with Joe Lee Johnson taking the win in a Chevrolet.
July 31, 1960 – Atlanta International Raceway debuts with Fireball Roberts winning in a Pontiac.
July 30, 1961 – Bristol as an asphalt track is conquered by Jack Smith in a Pontiac.
October 31, 1965 – North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham) is on the schedule and Curtis Turner takes the checkers in a Ford.
June 15, 1969 – Michigan International opens its doors and Cale Yarborough wins it in a Mercury.
July 6, 1969 – Dover Downs yet to become the Monster Mile is won by Richard Petty in a (gasp) Ford.
September 14, 1969 – Talledega at its controversial best debuts. A race of “substitutes” is won by Richard Brickhouse in a Dodge.
August 4, 1974 – Pocono’s “roval” makes the Winston Cup scene with Richard Petty in a Dodge taking the day.
November 7, 1988 - Phoenix is added to the mix and Alan Kulwicki wins it in a Ford.
June 11, 1989 – Sears Point is the new kid on the block and Ricky Rudd is first to finish in a Buick.
July 11, 1993 – New Hampshire convinces the boys to come north and the Pontiac of Rusty Wallace is in Victory Lane.
August 6, 1994 – The Brickyard goes country and Jeff Gordon gets to kiss the bricks. Need I mention he was driving a Chevy?
April 6, 1997 – Texas Motor Speedway brings Winston Cup back to the Lone Star State with Jeff Burton winning in a Ford.
June 22, 1997 – California Speedway debuts and Jeff Gordon wins the first one in a Chevrolet.
March1, 1998 – Las Vegas brings the show to the desert with Mark Martin cashing in driving a Ford.
November 14, 1999 – Homestead opens its Winston Cup runs with Tony Stewart piloting his Pontiac to the win.
July 15, 2001 – Chicagoland shoulders a race for the gang and Kevin Harvick wins in a Chevrolet.
September 30, 2001 – Kansas puts Winston Cup on the plains and Jeff Gordon wins in a Chevy.
