Racing on the sand at Daytona Beach ended in 1958, but it has not been
forgotten. During Speedweeks each year, old-time racers and supporters
flock to the beach with their restored cars and their memories to relive
the past.
Some 80 old cars appeared on the beach for the Living Legends of Racing
parade. The cars and drivers took a leisurely drive on the hard-baked
sand to the delight of fans, tourists and friends of the competitors.
A number of former racers including Russ Truelove, "Mad" Marion
MacDonald, Johnny Allen, Jim Vandiver, Marvin Panch, Junie Donlavey, Jim
Bray and others were on hand to reminisce about the good old days.
In a bus tour sponsored by NASCAR, the media received an in-depth
walk-through on the history of racing in Daytona Beach. The buses
drove by the original home of Bill France, his gas station, the hotel
where France and others met to form NASCAR, and other notable spots.
The caravan also stopped at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse where several
restored cars were on display and old-time drivers had congregated.
Buzz McKim, NASCAR's resident historian, led the tour and accompanied by
many of the legends, the tour was very informative.
NASCAR raced on the beach from 1936 to 1958. From 1936 to 1947, racing
took place on a 3.2-mile course that included the picturesque State
Highway A1A and the beach itself. In 1948, the course was moved farther
south and it was a more rigorous 4.1 miles in length. The turns at each
end of the courses were tight and the sand was often quite rugged.
Said Allen, 72, "It was hard to see because of the sand and salt that
was flying through the air. The closer you were to the water the better
off you were. The best thing you could was to be your wheels on the edge
of the water (ocean) by just a hair. Most of the time you had to lean
your head out the window to see where you were going."
Allen also raced in the first Daytona 500, starting last without benefit
of practice time, he successfully climbed to an 11th place finish.
Truelove, 83, is best remembered as a Mercury driver and he said his
cars came off the showroom floor. "It was very exciting to race on the
beach," he said. Seagulls were everywhere but they scattered once the
races started. The late Tim Flock (another legend) drove convertibles on
the beach and he told Truelove the seagulls often dropped their calling
cards on the drivers.
1961 Daytona 500 winner Marvin Panch also raced on the beach three
times. He observed, "Our biggest problem is that you couldn't see where
you were going. We cut holes in our windshields as the sand pitted them
quickly." He also indicated the corners were "like a plowed field."
While Panch made the successful transition to the 2.5-mile oval, he said
a greater concentration level was needed on the banked track as the wind
moved the cars around so much. "It was like flying an airplane; you had
to keep it smooth," he said.
MacDonald worked in a gas station owned by Bill France and as a teenager
he raced on the beach twice in the late 1930s. "It was fun in those
days," MacDonald, now 88, said. "We weren't racing then; we were just
having fun. I raced close to home and we often had to steal gasoline to
get home after a race."
Everyone involved had a great time talking with the veteran drivers and
looking at their restored cars. A year from now, the stories should be
even better, which makes one and all look forward to the 2008 reunion.
