Historical Motorsports Stories writes:

"The Time A Fan Burned Down The Grandstand"

Posted by nascarman on March 26, 2019

Viewed 1437 times Tweet Stunned teams stood in the pits and looked across the track at the amazing sight they witnessed. Billowing clouds of dark black smoke rose hundreds of feet into the air as the Wilson Speedway grandstands burned to the ground. Shortly before the NASCAR race was to begin, the track was ablaze.







On March 29, 1959, the Grand National series was competing at the Wilson Fairgrounds in eastern North Carolina. Held just one month after the first Daytona 500, the race at the half-mile dirt track was the seventh of the year. After his win at Daytona, Lee Petty entered the race at Wilson leading the points standings.



The Wilson race was a one-day event held on Easter Sunday, with practice in the morning and the race held around two o'clock. The day was marked by cool temperatures in the low 50s and cloudy skies.



The grandstand on the frontstretch was an old wooden structure built in 1920. Underneath it was an exhibit hall for the fairgrounds. Sometime around 1:30 p.m., both structures caught fire. Local fire chief, T.R. Bissette, believed the blaze started when someone dropped a lit cigarette from the grandstands onto the roof of the building below.



As soon as the fire was noticed, track announcer Ray Melton quickly and calmly came over the PA system and ordered the 3,000 spectators to leave the wooden grandstand. It was reported that most fans didn't realize there was a fire until the entire grandstand was evacuated. The displaced fans were rushed across the track, into the infield and into the backstretch stands.



The local fire department answered the call at 1:45 p.m. By that point, the blaze grew and engulfed the grandstands and exhibit hall underneath. Roofing paper stored in the building added to the fire and produced dark black smoke that filled the overcast sky.



Chief Bissette said the stands and exhibit hall could've been saved if the fire department had been called right away. Instead, he claimed fans were "monkeying with the fire for 20 minutes before reporting it." By the time the massive fire was under control, the entire grandstand and building had been incinerated into a pile of charcoal.



The fairgrounds track was owned by the Wilson County Fair Association and the local American Legion post. The post's secretary estimated there was $200,000 in damage. A quick qualifying session was canceled by the fire and starting spots were drawn at random.



Amazingly, the race started as soon as the fire department got the flames under control. When the race began, Joe Weatherly led the first four laps. On lap four, Marvin Panch spun into a drainage ditch. Bob Welborn led six laps but retired when his car overheated on lap 82. Curtis Turner dominated the race and led 166 laps. On lap 177, Junior Johnson passed Turner and held the top spot for the rest of the event. Johnson won by three seconds and scored the 12th win of his Cup career.



Driving a 1957 Oldsmobile, Richard Petty finished 3rd. It was the first top-5 finish of his career and the first time that he beat his father in a race. Lee Petty finished 4th.



Fans who didn't go to the infield or backstretch lined up along the fence on the frontstretch and watched the race in front of the ashes. It's unclear if fans got refunds after their seats were reduced to charcoal.



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