Historical Motorsports Stories writes:

"The Tale of NASCAR and Good Ol' Governor George Wallace"

Posted by nascarman on March 24, 2016

Viewed 4108 times Tweet Over and over, you hear it said that history repeats itself, and we are in the midst of a similar political association of one NASCAR had over forty years ago. The endorsement of Donald Trump by Brian France has become less of a story in the past few weeks but still remains significant. On several occasions, the media has compared Donald Trump to George Wallace. Both were somewhat political outsiders, hated by their own parties. Both were charismatic populists focusing on the average citizens left out of Washington politics. Both wanted to change the direction America was heading and both received massive protests against heating up the political environment. And both men were openly endorsed by NASCAR.







While most will instantly think of his support of segregation, it's hard to describe George Wallace, he changed so much during his political career. When he first ran for governor of Alabama in 1958, he was a moderate who tried to bring blacks and whites together, even getting endorsed by the NAACP. He wound up getting crushed by a candidate who was endorsed by the KKK. So to get elected, he became the segregationist politician that the people wanted in 1962. His block of the University of Alabama doors in 1963 became a symbol of the Civil Rights era.



When the idea for an even bigger track than Daytona was being floated around, it was possible that the track would be built in South Carolina. But the proposed Spartanburg Raceway was scheduled to be built too close to residential areas and the plan was dropped in 1964. The outspoken governor of Alabama, George Wallace was very eager to have Bill France build his super speedway in Alabama. So the plan was made that NASCAR could have the Talladega airstrip and build their track there. During construction, Wallace got rid of most all of the government red tape so the track could be built quickly and hassle-free. The ease of construction between NASCAR and Alabama went so smoothly that Bill France and George Wallace became quite friendly, friendly in the same regard as Brian France and Donald Trump. Alabama International Motor Speedway opened in Talladega in 1969.



In 1968, George Wallace was in the middle of one the most successful third party candidacies for the presidency in American history. His presidential campaign was aimed at those who felt left out of Washington politics, the blue-collar workers of the country, while also being opposed to federal influence in state's issues. By September, he was polling incredibly well and appeared to an adoring crowd at the Southern 500. One writer remarked, "Damn, the crowd cheered him more than Richard Petty!" He told the 70,000 fans that he hoped to attend the 1969 Southern 500 as the President.



It has been argued that Wallace knew he had no chance to win the 1968 presidential election, but was hoping to keep another candidate from reaching an electoral majority and thus sending the election to the House of Representative where he could have bargaining power. His slim chances however did not keep him from earning endorsements. Before the Southern 500, Bill France told the crowd, "George Washington founded this country, and George Wallace will save it."





Wallace at Darlington



George's presidential campaign unraveled with his pick for vice-president, General Curtis LeMay. LeMay spoke very highly of nuclear weapons at press conferences telling reporters that after a bomb was dropped, rats in the area were bigger and stronger. Wallace's poll numbers shrunk after that, but still won five states in the presidential election while Richard Nixon won the majority and presidency. Wallace came incredibly close to sending the election to the House of Representatives where he could have had the power to give his delegates to whatever party would be most sympathetic to the views he expressed.



George Wallace returned to Alabama and prepared to run again for Governor, knowing if he lost, he would have no chance for national office. During his campaign, he was at Talladega to congratulate Pete Hamilton in victory lane. He was re-elected later that year, despite Richard Nixon funding one-third of his opponent's campaign. The Wallace campaign did anything to win and was one of the most racist in modern history, getting all the votes off white supremacy he could get.







With the governorship in hand, Wallace's wife Cornelia became the first woman to drive the pace car at a NASCAR race, the 1971 Winston 500. At 115 mph, the Pontiac pace car blew a tire in front of the field and Cornelia expertly controlled the car while Bill France grabbed onto anything he could find in the passenger seat.



But Wallace set his sights on the presidency again in 1972, this time as a Democratic Party candidate, and this time using Bill France directly. On January 11, 1972, Big Bill stepped down as president of NASCAR and handed the sanctioning body over to Bill France Jr. On January 13, George Wallace announced he would run for president beginning at the Florida primary in March. Bill France Sr. was not out of a job long; on the 14th, he was appointed as George Wallace's campaign manager in the state of Florida. His departure from NASCAR and acceptance of the political position were not related.







"I've known George Wallace about seven years," France said. "I was in Tallahassee Thursday when Gov. Wallace announced his presidential candidacy. He just said: 'Bill, we want to put an organization together and would like you to be involved with it. Would you mind serving as chairman?'"



"I said yes, if it's within the Democratic organization" France continued. "I'm a registered Democrat and want to remain so. I've never been a campaign manager before so I'll just have to find out what this is all about. I think if we can establish the facts as they are, we will win. We plan to lead the ticket."



In this campaign, Wallace was much more moderate than he had ever been in Alabama. He was no longer in favor of segregation but felt the government's recent forced school busing attempts to desegregate were highly ineffective and should be left to local governments. He hoped to get the votes of the common man and revive the Democratic Party as the party of the average American.



At the 1972 Daytona 500, three days after Friday Hassler was killed in the Twin 125s, Governor Wallace and his wife Cornelia were in attendance campaigning for the Presidency. Cornelia was scheduled to drive the pace car but withdrew because of illness while George watched the race from the stands.







The Florida Democratic primaries were held on March 14th and George Wallace won every single county in the state in a crushing victory. This primary victory was incredibly influential; this outsider candidate was now a serious candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. Less than two days later, President Nixon announced his intent to end school busing as a way to achieve racial balance, just as Wallace advocated. As George gave his victory speech, Bill France was standing three feet to his right, beside Cornelia.



(Short clip on Wallace's Florida campaign. Bill France can be seen during the victory speech at 3:46)



In early May, the Wallaces were campaigning in Indiana. Bill France convinced Tony Hulman to open up Indianapolis Motor Speedway so the Wallaces could take a few laps in the pace car. George finished second in the Indiana primaries. Five days later, Cornelia drove the pace car again at the Winston 500. Bill France introduced her saying, "Let's have a hand for the next first lady of the United States." David Pearson came up and gave the pace car a nudge to welcome the First Lady of Alabama to the racing surface. Bill France was again in the passenger's seat while interestingly enough, Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia was in the backseat with his wife.

That was on May 7, 1972; eight days later, Governor Wallace was shot four times campaigning in Maryland, leaving him permanently paralyzed.



"I am saddened and shocked," Bill France said the day of the shooting. "This horrible act is an insult against our system of government. When Americans cannot run for public office without being subject to physical harm, then we do have a tremendous breakdown in morale and respect for our way of life." Wallace's promising run for the nomination came to a slow end as the short but strong man was left rolling weakly in a wheelchair.





Bill France and George Wallace prior to the 1972 Democratic Convention



The next year, The Wallaces returned to Talladega for the Winston 500, a race known for its massive accident. George was the grand marshal and gave the command from the passenger seat of the pace car while his wife drove.







Wallace was named grand marshal of the 1976 Daytona 500, amid another run for President. He led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and then gave the command to start engines. Bumper stickers were handed out to the fans, "Grand Marshall Today - President in November." This appearance brought backlash from sponsors, just as the Donald Trump endorsement did.



"I wish to remove the name of my company from your mailing list for the Daytona International Raceway promotion material," read a letter to Bill France from Way Brothers Inc. "I greatly resent the use of the Daytona 500 as a captive audience for the political promotion of George Wallace or any other politician. It is a cheap promotional trick and you have used a captive audience for political exploitation."



Bill France was again his Florida campaign manager but this time, the results were worse. He finished second in Florida, four percentage points behind Jimmy Carter. He was the first candidate to openly run for President from a wheelchair and many analysts believe that without his disability, Wallace would have gotten the Democratic nomination instead of Jimmy Carter.



Wallace still showed up at Talladega races often, but after 1976, he no longer sought national office or needed the help of NASCAR to campaign. Prior to the 1986 Talladega 500, Wallace and Bill France took one last lap around Talladega in a limousine as Wallace ended his final term as governor, honoring both men for their contributions to Talladega.



In the late 1970s, Wallace apologized publically for his past racist views. When he was re-elected Governor in 1982, he was the Wallace of 1958, bringing blacks and whites together and begging for forgiveness of his views in the 1960s. He appointed African-Americans to several high-ranking government positions and earned the respect of civil rights activists. At the time of his death, he was viewed favorably by blacks and whites. But he was a symbol of the anti-Civil Rights movement and therefore he is generally simply known today for his racist views of the 1960s. So it is important to realize that his views were much more complicated than that, and Bill France was not a racist for supporting him. Wallace was a politician whose views changed to give the voters what they wanted to hear. And never has NASCAR as an organization supported one candidate in particular as they did George Wallace.



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