1960 DAYTONA 500
Plus:
1960 SOUTHERN 500

     Richard Petty fans especially, can now enjoy more nostalgic racing from the early days of NASCAR on a new 47-minute DVD from Rare Sportsfilms! The exciting 1960 Daytona 500 plus the historic 1960 Southern 500 at Darlington are now both available on one high-quality, color DVD!

     The story of this second annual Daytona 500 is told through the eyes of the Petty team, shown at work in the modest garage behind father Lee's home in North Carolina. You'll enjoy the beautiful COLOR closeup shots of NASCAR National Champion and defending Daytona 500 winner Lee Petty and his young son Richard as they prepare their new Plymouths for the 1960 race! And besides seeing Daytona International Speedway as it looked over a quarter century ago, you'll see a race filled with spectacular incidents! Fireball Roberts and Jack Smith are the early leaders, but after only six laps, the caution flag waves as four cars, including those of Richard Freeman and Sal Tovella spin down the backstretch. Pole-sitter Cotton Owens brings out the second yellow when he blows a tire in turn four. Before long, George Green provides more thrills as his gas tank catches fire before his car comes to a stop in the tri-oval. The most spectacular crash occurs when Tommy Herbert slams the backstretch guardrail and flips! The collision is so violent that the engine is ripped out of the car and lands beside the track! Pappy Crane is hit by the wreckage and is also involved in the mishap. Throughout the race, you'll see nice shots of the cars and drivers as they enter the pits for service, including Smith, Roberts, both Pettys and Junior Johnson. Leading second place Johnson with only nine laps to go and with Lee and Richard in 3rd and 4th, Bobby Johns hits an air pocket coming out of turn two and suddenly his back window is sucked out of the car, throwing his '59 Pontiac into a skid toward Lake Lloyd! Johns manages to not only keep his car on land, but steers back into the race, finishing second in front of the Pettys. Meanwhile, Junior Johnson, who passed Johns during his mishap, drives his #27 white Daytona Kennel Club '59 Chevy to the finish line to take the checkered flag! Great shots of a young and happy Junior Johnson in Daytona's victory lane!

     The 1960 Southern 500 at Darlington is also an accident-filled and wreck-marred race. In this rare film, you'll see work in the garage area, qualifying (Fireball Roberts, Rex White, Joe Weatherly, Jim Paschal, Buck Baker and Cotton Owens (who sets a new qualifying record of 126.15 MPH). Also shown are scenes of the parade in downtown Darlington and the annual beauty pageant.

     Roberts and Baker trade the lead early as Junior Johnson blows his engine only 17 laps into the event. Throughout the race, you'll see numerous spins, crashes and incidents involving many cars and drivers including: L.D. Austin, Johnny Allen, Reb Wickersham, G.C. Spencer, Paul Lewis, Clem Proctor, Buddy Baker, Herb Tillman, Shorty Rollins, Fred Lorenzen, Lee Petty, David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Wilbur Rakestraw, T.C. Hunt, Joe Weatherly, Jim Whitman and Tiny Lund. Racing action throughout shows both Pettys, Jim Paschal, Rex White, Roberts, Buck Baker, etc. Pit action is covered with shots of Baker, Roberts, Paschal, White, Doug Yates, Paul Lewis, Richard Petty, Tom Pistone and Joe Lee Johnson.

     Two accidents cause injury, the most serious being Bobby Johns' wreck on the backstretch which killed two crewmen and an official. The wreck itself is not caught on film, but the aftermath is shown including the cleanup of Johns' #5 Cotton Owens Pontiac. Earlier in the race, Elmo Langley's T-Bird goes out of control on the front stretch in a spectacular crash which also injured a race mechanic. Caught on camera is the dramatic finish of the race, which is led by Roberts, then Baker, then Rex White. A blowout ends Richard Petty's hopes late in the race. With only a lap to go Baker blows a tire, which seemingly gives the race to White, who gets the checkered flag. However a scoring error has credited White with one lap too many and Baker is shown to be the true winner. Baker's maroon #47 Boomershine Pontiac is shown in victory lane on only three wheels and Buck wins his second Southern 500!      

     Now you can get your own color copy of both of these classic races for only $29.95 plus $4.00 for shipping. (Illinois residents must add $2.00 tax.) You'll get your DVD by FIRST CLASS MAIL within a week!