Historical Motorsports Stories writes:

"The 1956 NASCAR Race at Road America"

Posted by nascarman on August 25, 2017

Viewed 1757 times Tweet Believe it or not, only Martinsville, Darlington, and Richmond are current tracks that appeared on a NASCAR schedule before Road America. On August 12, 1956, the Cup Series raced for the very first time at the four-mile Wisconsin track. After its first event in 1956, it would be another 54 years before a second race was held. That first race was only the third time that Cup cars had turned right in a race, and an important race for NASCAR at the time.





The race program (courtesy of Motor Racing Programme Covers)



When the first NASCAR race was held at Road America, I Love Lucy was the most popular television show in America. Released one month earlier, Elvis Presley's Hound Dog was on its way to the top of the charts and President Eisenhower was on his way to reelection.



Only a week before the Road America event, NASCAR had one of its oddest moments. The prior Saturday night, on a poorly lit, dusty dirt track in Tulsa, OK, Lee Petty stopped his car on the track, ran up to the flag stand and waved the red flag himself. The race was cancelled, a refund was given to fans, and the race never counted in NASCAR record books. The next week was spent in anticipation of a race that had much more importance than most.



While it may be a footnote now, the Road America race was a huge deal for NASCAR at the time. For the first time, a Cup event was listed on the FIA international calendar of events. In addition, the Secretary General of FIA, Hubert Schroeder, flew from Paris to Wisconsin to watch the race. While not officially sanctioned by the organization, it signaled cooperation between the two series and allowed drivers with an FIA license to compete at Road America. Bill France was thrilled that eight years into its existence, NASCAR was recognized by the world leader of motorsports.



"This really is great news as it verifies that all holders of FIA cards in the U.S. are eligible to compete and it is another long stride toward European recognition of NASCAR sanctioned races and speed trials." The 12 Hours of Sebring was the only event sanctioned by the FIA in the United States at the time, and by having the Road America races on the FIA calendar, that was the first step toward NASCAR being affiliated with the FIA. If NASCAR was affiliated with the Paris-based organization, their events would have credibility worldwide and perhaps draw European factory teams like Ferrari and Jaguar to compete in races at the Daytona International Speedway which was under construction at the time.



The race also had special meaning to Carl Kiekhaefer, the Rick Hendrick of the 1950s who fielded cars in 1955 and 1956, won 52 races and two championships in the only two years he was in the sport. As a businessman, Kiekhaefer manufactured outboard motors for boats and was from right down the road in Wisconsin. The Road America crowd was in support of him as well, most of his factory employees were in attendance. Wanting to spoil the party was his former driver, Tim Flock. After winning the 1955 Cup Championship for Kiekhaefer, Flock left the team in April 1956, tired of his owner's overbearing nature. For this event, Flock drove a Mercury for Bill Strope, teammates with Billy and Bobby Myers.



When practice started, the fastest lap times were around three minutes and six seconds. In comparison, last year's pole speed for the Xfinity race was two minutes and twelve seconds. And perhaps most surprisingly, the drivers who were used to racing short dirt tracks in the south loved the Wisconsin road course.



"Boy, this course is just what I've been looking for in racing," Curtis Turner raved to the Daytona News-Journal. But of course, the 1950s stock car technology was a concern for reliability. Most importantly, would the brakes hold under the very heavy cars?



"The way I figure it," Lee Petty said in a Sports Illustrated article, "this race will be won by the driver who can go the fastest the slowest." The Sunday afternoon test of speed and endurance was delayed by 45 minutes due to heavy rain.



Once the race went green on a damp but drying track, Kiekhaefer's driver, Buck Baker, ran off to the lead. On lap 6, Flock passed him for the top spot. Seven laps later, Marvin Panch raced to the lead. On lap 20, trouble struck Baker when he ran out of fuel a mile from the pits. His teammate, Speedy Thompson came to Buck's assistance and pushed him around the track. On lap 22, Curtis Turner lost his brakes in the final corner and embedded himself in a hay bale.



"Get me a pitchfork and let me dig it out!" Turner yelled to a corner worker. Despite his demand, his race was over. On lap 36, Marvin Panch too ran out of gas. Coming to his help was Fireball Roberts who pushed him back to the pits. About a lap later, Panch fell out of the race with a broken differential. Inheriting the lead was Speedy Thompson, Kiekhaefer's last chance for the win. With ten laps to go, the engine in Speedy's Dodge blew up, returning Tim Flock to the lead. Flock, the NASCAR Hall of Famer, took the victory by 17 seconds over his teammate, Billy Myers. The cars driven by the top two finishers had added reliability because of a brake duct system cooling the brakes, something on all racers today.





Flock Takes the Checkered Flag



"This is certainly one of my biggest wins," Flock said. "To come up here in Kiekhaefer's back yard and win this race is special to me. This was one he wanted badly, and I won it." From victory lane, Tim Flock gave his stamp of approval on the day's action.



"This road racing is all right!"



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References:

Daytona News-Journal

40 Years of Stock Car Racing - Greg Fielden

Sports Illustrated - August 20, 1956



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