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1957 Virginia 500

Auto race held at Martinsville Speedway in 1957

1957 Virginia 500

Auto race held at Martinsville Speedway in 1957

FieldValue
TypeCUST
DescriptionRace 17 of 53 in the [1957 NASCAR Grand National Series](1957-nascar-grand-national-series) season
Race NameVirginia 500
Details ref
Fulldate
Year1957
Race_No17
Season_No53
Image1957_Virginia_500_program_cover.png
image-size200px
image-alt
Caption1957 Virginia 500 program cover
WeatherTemperatures of 81 F; wind speeds of 11.1 mph
Official nameVirginia 500
LocationMartinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia
Course_mi0.500
Course_km0.805
Distance_laps441
Distance_mi220.500
Distance_km354.860
Scheduled_laps500
Scheduled_mi250.000
Scheduled_km402.336
Avg57.318 mi/h
Pole_DriverPaul Goldsmith
Pole_TeamSmokey Yunick Racing
Most_DriverBilly Myers
Most_TeamBill Strope
Most_laps201
Car87
First_DriverBuck Baker
First_TeamHugh Babb

| image-size = 200px | image-alt =

The 1957 Virginia 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 19, 1957, at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia.

Barney Oldfield made his only NASCAR Cup Series appearance at this event. Months after this race, the Automobile Manufacturers Association decided to legally separate themselves from all forms of automobile racing that was being held in the United States; donating millions of dollars in machinery directly to the drivers.

Background

A map showing the layout of Martinsville Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Martinsville Speedway is one of five short tracks to hold NASCAR races. The standard track at Martinsville Speedway is a four-turn short track oval that is 0.526 mi long. The track's turns are banked at eleven degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at zero degrees. The back stretch also has a zero degree banking.

Race report

It took nearly four hours to race 441 laps worth of stock car automobile racing. While originally scheduled for 500 laps, it was stopped prematurely due to a bad in-race crash. Tom Pistone and Billy Myers would end up getting involved in the collision on lap 441; making Buck Baker the automatic winner. Just before the accident took form, Pistone straightened his car and continued. Myers headed for the wall and then jumped it near where a crowd of folks was standing. The 24-driver starting lineup was made up of drivers who were all born in the United States of America. T.A. Toomes would take up the last-place position due to problems with his gasket on lap 121.

Paul Goldsmith, Tiny Lund and Buck Baker would dominate the laps prior to the accident. The victory of Buck Baker over second-place finisher Curtis Turner would demonstrate the power of the 1957 Chevrolet. Although its real-life counterpart had fuel injection, the NASCAR version had to use a carburetor. Fuel injection did not become legal in what is now known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series until the 2012 season.

Individual race earnings for this event ranged from the winner's share of $3,170 ($ when adjusted for inflation) to the last-place finisher's share of $125 ($ when adjusted for inflation). A grand total of $12,240 was handed out by NASCAR officials for the explicit purpose of paying off the qualifying drivers ($ when adjusted for inflation). Jess Potter was the only notable crew chief to take part in the race, leading the pit road crew of Brownie King's Chevrolet.

Qualifying

GridNo.DriverManufacturerOwnerTimeAvg. Speed12345678910111213141516171819202122232425Failed to qualify
3Paul Goldsmith'57 FordSmokey Yunick27.40065.693
46Speedy Thompson'57 ChevroletHugh Babb27.44065.598
55Tiny Lund'57 PontiacA.L. Bumgarner27.50065.454
50Tom Pistone'57 ChevroletHugh Babb27.52065.407
98Marvin Panch'57 FordPete DePaolo27.53065.383
14Billy Myers'57 MercuryBill Stroppe27.62065.170
22Fireball Roberts'57 FordPete DePaolo27.71064.958
42Lee Petty'57 OldsmobilePetty Enterprises27.72064.935
88Ralph Earnhardt'57 OldsmobilePetty Enterprises27.89064.539
99Curtis Turner'57 FordPete DePaolo27.95064.401
64Johnny Allen'57 PlymouthSpook Crawford28.01064.263
47Jack Smith'57 ChevroletHugh Babb28.07064.125
29Russ Hepler'57 PontiacHoward Coulter28.08064.102
87Buck Baker'57 ChevroletHugh Babb28.28063.649
6Cotton Owens'57 PontiacRay Nichels28.45063.269
32Brownie King'56 ChevroletJess Potter29.65060.708
421T.A. Toomes'56 DodgeC.M. Julian29.75060.504
881Jim Linke*OldsmobilePetty Enterprises30.09059.820
76George Green'56 ChevroletLonnie Fish30.18059.642
74L.D. Austin'56 ChevroletL.D. Austin30.28059.445
94Clarence DeZalia'56 FordClarence DeZalia0.0000.000
28Eddie Skinner'57 FordEddie Skinner0.0000.000
24Barney Oldfield'56 FordRat Garner0.0000.000
17Jim Paschal'57 MercuryBill Stroppe0.0000.000
71Bill Bowman'56 ChevroletBill Bowman0.0000.000
11Emanuel ZervakisChevroletEmanuel Zervakis0.0000.000
35Bill ChampionFordBill Champion0.0000.000
80Frank JamisonChevroletFrank Jamison0.0000.000
154Nace MattinglyFordNace Mattingly0.0000.000

Failed to qualify: Emanuel Zervakis (#11), Bill Champion (#35), Nace Mattingly (#154), Frank Jamison (#80)

*Withdrew.

Timeline

Section reference:

  • Start of race: Paul Goldsmith started the race with the pole position.
  • Lap 55: Tiny Lund takes over the lead from Paul Goldsmith.
  • Lap 121: Problems with the vehicle's head gasket made T.A. Toomes into the last-place finisher.
  • Lap 128: Buck Baker takes over the lead from Tiny Lund.
  • Lap 145: Billy Myers takes over the lead from Buck Baker.
  • Lap 146: The rear end of Eddie Skinner's vehicle became problematic, forcing him to quit the race.
  • Lap 211: Cotton Owens had a terminal crash; causing him to withdraw from the event.
  • Lap 233: Buck Baker takes over the lead from Billy Myers.
  • Lap 281: Tiny Lund's engine developed problems, forcing him to make an early exit from the race.
  • Lap 329: Billy Myers takes over the lead from Buck Baker.
  • Lap 377: Johnny Allen noticed that his vehicle's clutch had some issues, causing him to pull over and end his hopes of winning the race.
  • Lap 441: Tom Pistone and Billy Myers crashed into each other, jointly ending their chances of winning the race.
  • Finish: Buck Baker was declared the winner after starting the event in 14th place.

Finishing order

Section reference:

FinSt#DriverMakeTeam/OwnerSponsorLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings123456789101112131415161718192021222324Failed to qualifyWD
1487Buck Baker'57 ChevroletHugh Babb441113running500$3,170
1099Curtis Turner'57 FordPete DePaoloDePaolo Engineering4410running480$1,770
450Tom Pistone'57 ChevroletHugh Babb4410crash460$1,125
614Billy Myers'57 MercuryBill Stroppe441201crash440$980
842Lee Petty'57 OldsmobilePetty Enterprises4400running420$675
1247Jack Smith'57 ChevroletHugh Babb4360running400$500
13Paul Goldsmith'57 FordSmokey YunickSmokey's Best Damn Garage43254running380$475
598Marvin Panch'57 FordPete DePaoloDePaolo Engineering4310running360$400
722Fireball Roberts'57 FordPete DePaoloDePaolo Engineering4270running340$300
2317Jim Paschal'57 MercuryBill Stroppe4160running320$300
246Speedy Thompson'57 ChevroletHugh Babb4090running300$275
1632Brownie King'56 ChevroletJess Potter4040running280$200
988Ralph Earnhardt'57 OldsmobilePetty Enterprises3910running260$200
1974L.D. Austin'56 ChevroletL.D. Austin3910running240$200
1876George Green'56 ChevroletLonnie Fish3880running220$200
1164Johnny Allen'57 PlymouthSpook Crawford3770clutch200$200
2471Bill Bowman'56 ChevroletBill Bowman3630running180$175
2224Barney Oldfield'56 FordRat Garner3560running160$150
2094Clarence DeZalia'56 FordClarence DeZalia3510running140$150
355Tiny Lund'57 PontiacA.L. Bumgarner28173engine120$295
1329Russ Hepler'57 PontiacHoward Coulter2700bearing100$125
156Cotton Owens'57 PontiacRay Nichels2110crash80$125
2128Eddie Skinner'57 FordEddie Skinner1460rear end60$125
17421T.A. Toomes'56 DodgeC.M. Julian1210gasket40$125
11Emanuel ZervakisChevroletEmanuel Zervakis
35Bill ChampionFordBill Champion
80Frank JamisonChevroletFrank Jamison
154Nace MattinglyFordNace Mattingly
881Jim LinkeOldsmobilePetty Enterprises

References

References

  1. [http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/VA/Martinsville/1957-05-19 Weather information for the ''1957 Virginia 500''] at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. [http://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=1957&race=17&series_id=2 Barney Oldfield's only NASCAR Cup Series race] at Race Database
  3. [http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/nascar/season-recaps/1950s/1957-nascar.htm ''1957 NASCAR Grand National Recap''] at How Stuff Works
  4. "NASCAR Race Tracks".
  5. "NASCAR Tracks—The Martinsville Speedway". Martinsville Speedway.
  6. [http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1957_Virginia_500/W ''1957 Virginia 500''] racing information at Racing Reference
  7. [http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1957/martinsville-speedway/virginia-500/507 Winnings information for the ''1957 Virginia 500''] at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  8. [http://www.racing-reference.info/entrylist/1957-17/W/C ''1957 Virginia 500''] crew chief information at Racing Reference
  9. [http://www.racing-reference.info/getqualify/1957-17/W Qualifying information for the ''1957 Virginia 500''] at Racing Reference
  10. "1957 Virginia 500 - The Third Turn".
Info: Wikipedia Source

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