1958 Darlington 500 Pic's

[Thor]

I ran across this looking for 58 Fairlane pic's (what I will be working on). Lots of cool 1957 and 58 Fords as well as plenty of other makes. I find this kind stuff very cool and thought I would share.

https://carrosantigos.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/nascar-darlington-500-setembro-de-1958/

[Zapato]

so who won Darlington in 58? Sure hope it was Ford.

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[Zapato]

Wish I hadn't asked it was Fireball Roberts in a Chevrolet.

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[Frankenstein57]

Nice pictures, not to picky on the rules back then. One 58 had the hood scoop covered up, that thing had to catch lots of air.Speaking of air, lots of guys sailed out of that place.

[hiball3985]

Great pictures, I'm surprised I hadn't seen them before. The good old days of Nascar before $$$ ruined the sport..

[hotroddonnie]

I was talking to an old hotrodder in a parts store this week, told me he had a few 57 ford customs over the years and used them for stock car racing. He told my brother, I ruined a good car turning it into a gasser, I felt like saying something, but why bother.

[modifieddriver]

More Darlington pics than I've ever seen before.

Junior Johnson in a '57 Ford #11.  Curtis Turner in a '58 Ford #26 built by Holman-Moody.  Eddie Pagan in the #45. 

I think $$$$$$$$$$ had already started to take over the sport.

I was looking at the HP markings, as required then by NASCAR, and the most powerful car was #4 Dodge driven by Cotton Owens at 340HP.

One pic shows the cars in the parking lot.  Can one imagine how many almost new '57 312 powered Fords were sitting there?

[Frankenstein57]

I was talking to an old hotrodder in a parts store this week, told me he had a few 57 ford customs over the years and used them for stock car racing. He told my brother, I ruined a good car turning it into a gasser, I felt like saying something, but why bother.

HRD, I circle tracked custom 57 & 58 's and I never ruined any of them. Most of the bodies were midwest rustbuckets anyways. While I love your build, think you did a fine job on it, I never understood a gasser. Is it strictly drag racing? I bet you can't pour it into a corner at 55, can you? Probably can street cruise good, can you go on the freeway?  Mark

[hotroddonnie]

Mark they were meant to go straight and fast, cornering will be interesting, never drove one in my life. I will drive it on the hiway, and all over. Guys drove them to the track. It is insured and plated. I've got power brakes, a Vega steering box which turns quick, less cranking on the wheel, I think over all it'll be like driving a hay wagon on steroids. 

[Ecode70D]

     Those are great pictures Donnie.  They remind me that back in the day every time I came home with a 58, the first thing that I would do was to remove that cross bar in front of the grill.
Thank you very much. 

[wildhog]

Modified Driver, Money had not taken over the sport in 58, just the opposite, All the factory's had agreed to not promote racing, due to highway safety reasons. This was called the A.M.A. ban. Ford and Chrysler lived up to the agrement .Ford sold all its stuff to John Holman and Ralph Moody. Chevy on the other hand said they would not factory sponser race teams, but just moved the sponsership down to the dealers and the parts went out the back door. Fireball Roberts was a Ford driver in 57, but won the 58 Darlington race in a year old 57 chevy. When is a race ever won by a year old car?

[modifieddriver]

Remember Mercury Marine owner Karl Kiehaufer and his Chrysler 300's ?  You already mentioned Holman-Moody.  You had to have their "stuff" to run up front.  Don't be thinking that Smokey was low buck.  Creative, but not low on $dough$. 

Now, without the factory backing, who was spending all the $money$   It actually got more expensive.

So I guess we might have to define the cost of racing.  It's always been expensive.

Modified Driver, Money had not taken over the sport in 58, just the opposite, All the factory's had agreed to not promote racing, due to highway safety reasons. This was called the A.M.A. ban. Ford and Chrysler lived up to the agrement .Ford sold all its stuff to John Holman and Ralph Moody. Chevy on the other hand said they would not factory sponser race teams, but just moved the sponsership down to the dealers and the parts went out the back door. Fireball Roberts was a Ford driver in 57, but won the 58 Darlington race in a year old 57 chevy. When is a race ever won by a year old car?

[Jeff Norwell]

Man,what great pics.

[jumping jack flash]

Yep. Speed cost....How fast do you want to go?