Darlington Record Club

Darlington Record Club
The Darlington Raceway's unconventional "egg" shape

The Unocal-Darlington Record Club was a club in the NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series from 1959 to about 2001, based at Darlington Raceway. Membership was achieved based on setting qualifying records during time trials for the annual Southern 500 held on Labor Day weekend. During its heyday, it was considered one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs in motorsports.[1][2][3]

The club was sponsored by longtime NASCAR sponsor Unocal/Union 76. Previously it was sponsored by Pure Oil. At some time after the 2001 season, the club was quietly retired. The club ended permanently when Unocal left the sport in 2003, and the Southern 500 was removed from the schedule after 2004.

The original eight charter members were selected in 1959: Dick Joslin (Dodge), Marvin Panch (Ford), Joe Caspolich (Oldsmobile), Bob Burdick (Thuderbird), Speedy Thompson (Chevrolet), Richard Petty (Plymouth), Elmo Langley (Buick), and Fireball Roberts (Pontiac). Roberts was selected as the first president; Former Darlington Raceway president Bob Colvin contributed in creating the club.[4]

Contents

Membership qualifications

Drivers were awarded membership in the club based on official time trials for the Southern 500. The fastest single driver of each car make (e.g. Chevrolet, Ford, etc.) each won the membership. The general requirements for eligibility were as follows:[1]

  • Car making the qualifying attempt must be a current model year chassis.
  • At least three cars from each car make must be entered for that make to have an automatic berth in the club for that year.
  • The fastest single driver from each of the various car makes qualified for the club, provided their speed was within 2% of the fastest overall car in the field.

Special provisions were made for other cars:[1]

  • If only one car from a particular make is entered, that driver was only eligible if he set a track record for that car make; and was within 2% of the fastest overall car in the field (i.e., the pole position winner for the race)
  • If the car was not a current model year chassis, that driver was only eligible if he was the overall fastest driver for that make (i.e., faster than all the current model year chassis of that same make); and he was within 2% of the fastest overall car in the field.

By 2000, the "within 2%" rule was tightened to "within 1%."[2]

Drivers who qualified for the club attended a special dinner and reception and received a special blue blazer. Drivers who entered the club by setting an overall Darlington track record, however, received the more prestigious white blazer. A ring,[5] a plaque and a cash award were also presented. Entry into the club was a lifetime membership, but only active members participated in actual duties. The reception dinner was held on the Friday of Labor Day weekend (two days prior to the Southern 500), and would recognize the drivers who qualified based on the previous year's event.[1][2]

Only records set in the Labor Day weekend Southern 500 were recognized for the club. Any records set during the spring race (known as the Rebel 500 and later the TranSouth 500) were not eligible. Nor were any records that might be set in the Busch Series, Truck Series, or any other support races.[1][2]

Competition Board

Once the membership was established, the active members of the club were eligible for the annual Competition Board. All active members who qualified for the race within 2% of the fastest car in the field (later 1%) were placed on the board. The board's primary responsibilities were to assist NASCAR in training rookies for racing at each race during the season.[1][2]

Once the Competition Board was established, the board members voted amongst themselves to select the Club President and Club Vice-President. Each had a tenure of one year. The president's duties primarily were to lead the rookie training, and conduct the annual Southern 500 rookie orientation meeting/test.[1][2][3] Through the late 1980s, rookies were required to pass a rookie orientation test before attempting to qualify at Darlington. Likewise, they were not allowed to qualify on the first day of time trials, and were relegated to the second round only.[3][6]

Record Club by car make

Chevrolet
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Speedy Thompson
1960 Rex White 125.698
1961 Dave Mader 125.578
1962 Rex White 127.462
1963 Junior Johnson 133.414
1964 J. T. Putney 126.840
1965 Jim Pascale 134.739
1966 Bobby Johns 135.989
1967 Bobby Johns 138.577
1968 Bobby Allison 138.389
1969 Bobby Johns 142.008
1971 Charlie Glotzbach 147.519
1972 Bobby Allison 152.228
1973 Bobby Allison 149.434
1974 Benny Parsons 147.312
1975 Benny Parsons 151.632
1976 Darrell Waltrip 152.862
1977 Darrell Waltrip 153.493
1979 Donnie Allison 154.506
1981 Ricky Rudd 151.889
1983 Neil Bonnett 157.187
1985 Benny Parsons 155.857
1986 Tim Richmond 158.489
1987 Terry Labonte 156.313
1988 Dale Earnhardt 160.198
1989 Ken Schrader 160.021
1990 Dale Earnhardt 158.448
1991 Dale Earnhardt 161.317
1992 Ernie Irvan 161.992
1993 Ken Schrader 161.259
1994 Ken Schrader 166.828
1995 Dale Earnhardt 166.501
1996 Jeff Gordon 170.833
1997 Ken Schrader 169.801
1998 Jeff Gordon 168.261
1999 Jeff Gordon 170.792
2000 Mike Skinner 169.211
2001 Jeff Gordon 167.916
Ford Thunderbird
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Bob Burdick 122.714
1960 Elmo Langley 122.244
Ford
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Marvin Panch 118.201
1960 Joe Weatherly 124.881
1961 Fred Lorenzen 128.437
1962 Fred Lorenzen 127.898
1963 Fireball Roberts 133.819
1964 Fred Lorenzen 135.727
1965 Junior Johnson 137.528
1967 Darel Dieringer 143.426
1968 Lee Roy Yarbrough 144.054
1969 Donnie Allison 151.177
1971 Walter Ballard 142.114
1975 Buddy Baker 152.663
1976 Buddy Baker 152.991
1979 Bobby Allison 154.881
1982 Bill Elliott 153.891
1983 Buddy Baker 155.188
1984 Ricky Rudd 154.099
1985 Bill Elliott 156.641
1986 Cale Yarborough 156.119
1987 Davey Allison 157.232
1988 Bill Elliott 160.827
1989 Alan Kulwicki 160.156
1990 Bill Elliott 157.777
1991 Davey Allison 162.506
1992 Sterling Marlin 162.249
1993 Bobby Labonte 160.303
1994 Geoff Bodine 166.998
1995 John Andretti 167.379
1996 Dale Jarrett 170.934
1997 Bill Elliott 170.513
1998 Dale Jarrett 168.879
1999 Kenny Irwin 170.970
2000 Jeremy Mayfield 169.444
2001 Kurt Busch 168.048
Pontiac
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Fireball Roberts 123.734
1960 Cotton Owens 126.146
1961 Fireball Roberts 128.680
1962 Fireball Roberts 130.246
1963 Bobby Johns 132.565
1964 Bunkie Blackburn 129.589
1965 Bobby Johns 133.585
1966 H. B. Bailey 134.310
1967 H. B. Bailey 136.410
1968 H. B. Bailey 133.901
1969 Roy Tyner 136.952
1971 David Pearson 147.569
1975 H. B. Bailey 139.107
1981 Harry Gant 152.693
1982 Ricky Rudd 153.368
1983 Tim Richmond 155.729
1984 Tim Richmond 154.598
1985 Tim Richmond 154.948
1988 Rusty Wallace 159.761
1989 Rusty Wallace 159.668
1990 Rusty Wallace 157.504
1992 Rusty Wallace 159.849
1993 Rusty Wallace 158.935
1994 Bobby Labonte 166.433
1995 Ward Burton 165.665
1996 Rick Mast 169.713
1997 Bobby Labonte 170.661
1998 Ward Burton 168.677
1999 Ward Burton 170.845
2000 Johnny Benson 169.409
2001 Ken Schrader
Dodge
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Dick Joslin 112.910
1960 Jim Whitman 117.710
1961 T. C. Hunt 121.988
1962 Larry Thomas 123.773
1963 David Pearson 131.204
1964 David Pearson 135.979
1966 Lee Roy Yarbrough 140.058
1967 Buddy Baker 142.733
1968 Charlie Glotzbach 144.830
1969 Bobby Allison 151.482
1971 Buddy Baker 145.909
1972 Richard Petty 149.072
1973 Richard Petty 147.848
1974 Richard Petty 150.132
1975 Richard Petty 152.839
1976 Dave Marcis 152.839
1978 Earle Canavan 147.247
2001 John Andretti
Plymouth
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Richard Petty 123.124
1960 Richard Petty 125.074
1961 Richard Petty 125.906
1962 Richard Petty 127.143
1963 G. C. Spencer 131.074
1964 Richard Petty 136.815
1965 Curtis Turner 134.474
1966 Richard Petty 139.719
1967 Richard Petty 143.436
1968 Darel Dieringer 144.443
1969 Dick Brooks 146.367
1970 Dick Brooks 147.640
1971 Pete Hamilton 147.662
Matador
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1972 Dave Marcis 147.746
1974 Bobby Allison 148.842
1975 Bobby Allison 152.663
Oldsmobile
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Joe Caspolich 121.808
1960 Tiny Lund 118.840
1978 Cale Yarborough 152.182
1979 Cale Yarborough 152.358
1985 Buddy Baker 154.108
1986 Buddy Baker 156.666
1987 Lake Speed 156.268
1988 Lake Speed 158.046
1989 Harry Gant 159.300
1990 Harry Gant 157.217
1991 Harry Gant 160.843
1992 Harry Gant 160.811
Chrysler
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1961 Buck Baker 126.339
1962 Buddy Baker 126.372
1963 Neil Castles 119.033
1978 Ed Negre 146.322
Mercury
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1961 Curtis Crider 119.854
1962 Emanuel Zervakis 126.227
1963 Joe Weatherly 132.770
1964 Darel Dieringer 134.419
1965 Earl Balmer 136.551
1966 Darel Dieringer 139.593
1967 Lee Roy Yarbrough 140.625
1968 Cale Yarborough 144.830
1969 Cale Yarborough 151.985
1972 David Pearson 152.342
1975 David Pearson 153.901
1976 David Pearson 154.669
Buick
Year Driver Speed (mph)
1959 Elmo Langley 123.387
1982 David Pearson 155.739
1983 Joe Ruttman 155.022
1984 Bobby Allison 154.452
1985 Greg Sacks 154.773
1986 Bobby Hillin, Jr. 156.397
1988 Morgan Shepherd 158.198
1989 Ricky Rudd 158.607
1990 Brett Bodine 157.434

 

Note that in 1959 & 1960, the Ford Thunderbird was categorized separately from Ford.

Sources:[1][2]

Alphabetical member list

Bold indicates track record member (white blazer)

Note: Kenny Irwin, Jr. qualified for the club after winning the pole position with a new track record in the 1999 Pepsi Southern 500. However, he was killed in a crash at Loudon on July 7, 2000, prior to his induction ceremony dinner.

Sources:[1][2][7]

One of the award plaques presented to Bobby Allison was featured on the television program American Pickers. It was acquired for display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.[8]

Club presidents

Tenure runs for 12 months, from September to September of each year.

See also

  • Unocal 76 Challenge
  • Unocal 76 World Pit Crew Competition

Sources

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 1994. Charlotte: UMI Publications, Inc.. 1994. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h The Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide 2001. Charlotte: UMI Publications, Inc.. 2001. 
  3. ^ a b c d Rudd, Ricky (2003-08-27). "Manic Monday". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1033330/2/index.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-00. 
  4. ^ Dick Joslin Facts
  5. ^ "Pure Record Club Members". FireballRoberts.com. http://www.fireballroberts.com/Pure_Record_Club.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
  6. ^ "Martin paces 2nd day of qualifying". Times Daily Tennessee Edition (Florence, AL). March 26, 1988. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19880326&id=-mYeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qsgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4202,4286845. Retrieved 2011-10-07. 
  7. ^ Racing-Reference.info - Race Results at Darlington Raceway
  8. ^ NASCAR Challenge. History Channel. 2011-04-11.

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