Richard Petty Faces Challenge CHARLOTTE, N.C. ?Only two obstacles appear in the path of Richard Petty that could keep him from continu ing his winning ways into the National... 500 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 15. Those obstacles are his record at the track and the challenging f ieldof top drivers! The demanding banked turns and swift straightaways of the mile and a half super track have never hosted Richard Petty into the winner's cat egory in a big race. Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only remaining big track where the remarkable second generation driver has not recorded a win In either of its big races, although Petty did win a 100 mile preliminary race in 1961. The likeable young pro fessional racer, who has won over $120,000 during the cur rent NASCAR season ranks sixth in the money winners column at Charlotte with $40, 090 to his credit. Petty ranks highest in this department of those who have now won and has gained this position through three second place finished including the first two editions of the fall speed classic. The Randleman, N. C? native has already proven this season that history is not a barrier to the blue Plymouth by taking his first Southern 500 win at Darlington on La bor Day. He has also led the way to the checkered flag in several other races which had previously eluded him. The other drivers may prove to be more difficult to overcome. Among the note ables who have already filed entries for the $100,800 event at Charlotte are Indianapolis and LeMans winnerA.J.Foyt, Daytona 500 winner and de fending USAC championMario Andretti. sports car and In dianapolis veteran Jerry Grant, Don White the 1967 USAC stock car champion, defending National 500 winner Lee Roy Yarbrough, qualifying record holder, Daytona 400 and Atlanta 500 winner Cale Yarborough, two time World 600 winner Jim Paschal, Dixie 500 winner Dick Hutcherson and a horde of the NASCAR regulars. ? Buddy Baker, the huge second generation NASCAR driver came in first at Char lotte Motor Speedway fol yowed closely by rookie star Bud Moore. The pair were racing to sign entry blanks for the $100,800 National 500 race racing to sign entry blanks for the $100,800 National 500 race set for the mile and a half track on October 15. Both of the young profess ional racers hope that their signing order is an indication of the standings at the end of the 150 mile an hour chase in mid-October. Baker, 26, is the son of two time NASCAR champion Buck Baker and is still looking for his first grand national win despite having led nearly every race he has en tered in the Dodge Charger built by master mechanic Ray Fox of Daytona Beach, Fla. The six foot five inch, 240 pounder, who had attracted the attention of several college football and basketball scouts before deciding to follow the Ure tracks of his famed father, teamed up with the fabled Fox for the first time at Char lotte Motor Speedway in the 1966 World 600 race. In that event the husky astonished the experts by jumping to the lead early in the race and staying their until sidelined a broken engine. Prior to joining the Wiley Florida car builder, the hand some father of two sons had scored a pair of impressive second place finishes while driving a 1965 Dodge for his rather. Young Baker was second the A. J. Foyt in the July 400 miler at Daytona, Fla. and followed that up with a second place finish to Ned Jarrett, now retired, in the Souther 500 at Darlington. S. Bud Moore, a natlveofChar leston, S. C. who now resides with his wife and daughter in Charlotte, filed his entry for the 500 mile event just sec onds after Baker. He re turned to grand national com petition, the 26yearoldMoore has attracted a great deal of attention from the fans, press and his fellow competitors by driving the A. j. King owned uodge Charger to fifth place finishes in the Dixie 500 at Atlanta and the Southern 500 The driving performance by the bespectacled in the Darlington event onLaborDay earned him the Bob Colvin 'Little Guy" Award as voted ?y the members of the press covering the race. Many of the knowledgables in racing are predicting a bril liant future for the young pro fessional and have tabbed him as one of the future stars of racing. ?Despite Petty and Ply mouth, Ford drivers have served notice that they have of w'nning the $100,800 National 500 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 15. 1 During a series of tests for the racing division of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company at the mile and a half track last week. Ford ^wiVe.rS Darel ?ieringer of Charlotte andDickHutcherson of Camden S. C? put in some 1,500 miles of testing at speeds in excess of 152 miles per hour. Goodyear engineers noted that the tests were run in ideal weather conditions with cool temperatures and part ially cloudy skies. Hutcherson, who scored his first super speedway victory n-war!?^ugust ^ w'nning the Dixie 500 at Atlanta's one and a half mile oval, broke into the la5 MPH bracket while ?Q^ep?fel of Bondy Long's 1967 Fairlane. The tall for mer citizen of Keakuk, Iowa, boasts one of the best finish records among the NASCAR grand national competitors. Also shattered, although un officially, were the track qual ifying standards established by Ford driver Cale Yar j borough turned in a 4 lap, jsix mile, qualifying run of 154.385 MPH including a fast single lap of 154.816. Lee Roy Yarbrough's marks at the comfort you get with Patented Automatic OIL HOME HEATER THE COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW AND THE GOSPEL SUG, two of the annual highlights of the Georgia Mountain Fair, will be repeated this weekend during the height of the fall color season in Hiawassee, Ga. The Fall Country Music Festival will be hid Friday from 7 to 11, Saturday, 10 to 4, and Saturday night 7 to midnight. On Sunday, The Singing Rambos (pictured above), the Chuck Wagon Gang, and the Gospel Tones will highlight the Gospel Sing from 2 to 5 Sunday afternoon. Porceeds from the gospel program will go toward the rebuilding of the Towns County Hospital. All shows will be in the big tent on the fairgrounds. are sure to fall when time trials, used to determine starting positions in the 44 car field, get underway on Wednesday, October 11. Goodyear representatives also stated that Cale Yarb orough's marks should also be surpassed provided the same cool temperatures prevail in Oct. "We fully expect it to take a speed of about 156 miles an hour to win the pole pos ition for the National 500." stated a Goodyear represen tative. "Of course that speed will require the same idealic weather and track conditions which we have had during this test program." He added. The record for the 500 mile distance stands at 130. 743 MPH set by Yarbrough in the 1966 event. Other drivers filing entries for the eighth annual edition of the fall classic at Char lotte included Wendell Scon in a Ford, James Hylton in a Dodge, Roy Tyner in a Chevrolet, Clyde Lynn in a Ford and Bobby Johns in a Chevelle. Over 60 cars are anticipated Oct. 15 at Charlotte. Richard Howard, vice pre sident and general manager, commented last week that he is expecting one of the largest fields of entries with the larg A -Hun ting We Will Go Whether it's duck or deei you're going after, here are some tips for happy hunting. Waiting in a duck blind can get cold and damp. Maybe a Thermos Swivel Seat Shell Box isn't as cozy as your favorite fireside armchair, but it spells comfort in the marshes. Built of heavy guage steel for long and rugged use, it holds six to eight boxes of shells and the durable sponge rubber swivel seat adjusts quickly to either high or low posi tion. To keep the inner man feeling topnotch, be sure your gear includes a Thermos vacuum bottle of hot coffee jr soup. Make your equipment do doub'e duty on hunting trips. For instance, an ice shest can keep food fresh for days out in the field. Use it^ homeward bound to :arry small game. For a roof 3ver your head, take along a 'Pop-Tent" and set up camp in seconds. (NP Features) FOR ALL SEASONS! Sunglasses can protect your eyes from a full year's worth of glare- be it from Indian Summer foliage, a wonder land of snow, Easter Parade sidewalks, or vacation beaches. To see how well your sunglasses eliminate harsh, squint-producing glare. And a spot of reflected light nnd peer at it through the glassos. If the spot disap pears, chances are you're wearing a pair of Cool-Ray Polaroid Sunglasw-N. > est percentage of outstanding drivers in the eight year his tory of the Charlotte track. "It looks like we will have more than 65 cars trying to get into the starting field of 44." stated the portly track official. "This is the kind of entry field every promoter dreams of but seldom gets. The racing fans are in for one whale of a show here on October IS." concluded Howard. MdtkWmt Ms *68 Buick Skylark $2664.* Now we're talking your language. We g>ve Skylark a brand new look. And we cava her a price tag you can afford. $2664: H that talking your language? We also gave Skylark a new wheel ba?e. We shortened it by threelnches.lt partes easier. And you'll think you're driving a sports car. The engine runs on regular gas. Now you can take it easy on the family budget and travel in style. Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick? ThtVS Bulcks are at your Buicfc dealer's now. Ho's ready to talk your language. ED TOWNSON AUTO CO., Hill Street U. S. Highway 19 E. Phone 837-2322 Murphy, N. C. Introducing all that's new in home entertainment for 1968 FABULOUS OFFER! 5-RECORD STEREO ALBUM L PLUS STEREO HEADPHONES when yc- this RCA VICTOR STEREO Tin CAMPOBtllO Model VJT50 Solid State Stereo sound comes brilliantly alive with this home console stereo. Stereo headset is included free? lets you enjoy your favorite stereo music in complete privacy. 75-watt peak power amplifier drives six speakers. Record-protecting tone arm and diamond stylus. Sensitive FM-AM and FM Stereo radio tuner. ALL FOR ONLY $399.95 CONSOLE COLOR TV BUY! FIRST C?LOR TV I 20* d4?c>> 227 *Q. ?n. pictur* Th? CLEMENT Mod?l GJ 615 I Family- Size Screen Hara't a ipici tivn Color TV for bud gat-wiia thoppar*. New RCA Supar Bright Hi-Lita Color Tuba for 38% mora highlight brightnaM this yaar. Naw Viita VHF, Solid Stata UHF tuneri. Ona-sat VHF fina tuning au tomatically "ramambart" to giva tha bast picture. only $489.95 NEW SPORTABOUT TV with amazing Daylight Picture Boaster TMtMMT IMWIU4H 15* d.M . 129 M. M. Black plastic tun filter enhances contrast makaa tat idaal for porch and patio viewing. Sun flltar it datachabla? tnapa on and off In tacondt. Naw 15,000-volt Sport* bout chattit dalivara claar picturat with sharp detail. Built-in antannat. SENSATIONAL "Swtqgliqe" PORTABLE STEREO Tlx ALMA MATCH Modal VJPS7 RCA Victor'* *ee-througti Swingline cabinet it ultra-*llm, ultra-trim. Speaker wings (each contains two 4' tpeaker*) awing out 4-speed Studiomatic changer swing* forward. Solid State 6- watt peak power amplifier. $ 89.95 0 TNI MOST TRUST! 0 NAME IN iLECTNONICI COME IN AND SEE OUR COMPLETE LINE OF R.C.A. VICTOR PRODUCTS WALTER COLEMAN'S APPL. STORE MURPHY. N. C.

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view