1976

DAYTONA 500

"1976 Daytona Speed Week"
Plus:
"Collision Course"

“Daytona Speed Week” and “Collision Course” are two vintage films on the 1976 Daytona 500 and both are included in COLOR on a new DVD from Rare Sportsfilms! “Daytona Speed Weeks” by Car & Track Productions and narrated by NASCAR radio voice Ken Squier, touches on all the big on-track events of the week leading up to and including the famed Daytona 500. “Collision Course”, by Allend’or Productions, narrated by Larry Burrell and sponsored by STP, concentrates solely on the 500, telling the story of the historic race by showing completely different scenes.

“Daytona Speed Week” opens at Daytona Beach showing early bird fans enjoying the town and its attractions even as rival crewmen Leonard Wood (David Pearson’s #21 Purolator Mercury) and Maurice Petty (Richard Petty’s #43 STP Dodge) are seen in the garage area preparing their cars during the week. First event shown is the Automobile Club of America’s ARCA 200 in which Lennie Pond’s blue #54 Chevrolet eventually passes top ARCA qualifier Ferrell Harris and his #82 Dodge for the win, a good omen for Pond in the week ahead. A popular event of the week is the IROC race of 8 matched Camaros driven by the greatest drivers from across different types of racing. After flat out racing and 24 lead changes, Benny Parsons wins, while A.J. Foyt captured the series championship for the season. On Friday the Unlimited 500 HP Modifieds take to the infield road course to put on their show and Bobby Allison emerges victorious. As fans keep pouring into Daytona on Saturday, none want to miss the annual Permatex 300 race for late model Sportsman cars, just a step down from their big brothers in tomorrow’s 500. The most spectacular crash of the race shows a spinning Larry Chiles (car #7, blown engine) getting T-boned by Jimmy Walker. The action is re-shown from another angle after Chiles’ car is towed away. Young Joe Millikan of Randleman, N.C. (a five-day-a-week engine room worker at Petty Enterprises) wins the 300 in his Hayes Jewelers red #04 and is shown beaming in Victory Lane.

At this point, coverage of the Daytona 500 begins and scenes from within both films, including “Collision Course” show more preparation and action from the race. Cars you’ll see in the garage area or on pit road before the race are those of Dick May, Dave Marcus, D.K. Ulrich, David Sisco, Johnny Ray, Frank Warren and #28 A.J. Foyt. Drivers Richard Petty, David Pearson, Buddy Baker, last year’s winner Benny Parsons, and Darrell Waltrip are seen pre-race. On the pole is #83 Ramo Stott in the Norris Reed Chevrolet with Terry Ryan in the #81 WAM Racing Chevy alongside to start the race. Big names Baker and Petty overwhelm pole-sitter Stott right from the start but Pearson, Ryan, Terry Bivins and Foyt all lead at least one lap out of the first 40. Tom Williams blows his engine on lap 41, leading to his early exit. Other drivers with blown engines are Cale Yarborough, Baker, Tighe Scott, Earl Ross and Dick Brooks. Oil on the main straightaway causes Indy driver Salt Walther to go for a wild ride thru the infield grass, ending up at the pit lane exit! The incident is shown differently in each film and after the caution for cleanup, Walther goes on to finish 12th! After 113 laps, pole-sitter Ramo Stott blows his engine and then hits the wall, triggering the most serious wreck of the race. Skip Manning and Johnny Ray are also involved. Ray is later taken to the hospital with a punctured lung, broken neck and several broken ribs! At this point, a round of pit stops begin and you’ll see A.J. Foyt, Pearson, Petty, Buddy Arrington and Benny Parsons, all in for fast service. Near the end, the second film is better at explaining the pit stop strategy of Petty and Pearson. When Terry Bivins spins on lap 171 bringing out the final caution, Petty ducks in for his last stop. Pearson follows him in and then both leave the pits for their final showdown! Petty leads laps 188 thru 199, but Pearson catches him on the back stretch and as they battle side by side out of the final turn, both cars touch, triggering one of the most spectacular finishes in NASCAR history! Ken Squier’s famous call is heard on the second film, which also includes both Pearson and Petty’s comments after the historic race!

Get your own COLOR DVD of both films, now available on one 27-minute DVD, for only $29.95 plus $4.20 shipping & handlng (Illinois residents must add $2.30 state sales tax).