We're closing in on another weekend of racing! Before we get into this weekend's excitement, here is a look back at some racing memories from May 12 over the years.
1953 - Bud Wamsley wins a 25-lap dash at Richmond Speedway (VA) on the old Fairgrounds layout. Johnny Roberts came home second and Eddie Course was third in this short event. Wamsley won four times on the record at Richmond in Modified action. Wamsley would later own cars for Lennie Pond in the NASCAR ranks.
1960 - Ralph Earnhardt pockets a win in the NASCAR Limited Sportsman division at Columbia Speedway (SC). Bobby Isaac was second in the 35-lap contest. Earnhardt won over 30 times in the series including several times twice in a weekend.
1972 - Iron Man Jack Ingram wins a 50-lap show at New Asheville Speedway (NC) on this date in 1972. Junior Couch was second followed by Roy Trantham and Ben Kerley. Ingram won four times that season at Asheville. The track would close in 1999, but Ingram ran races a dozen years after that in 2010.
1984 - A pair of ARTGO events were held on this date in 1984 at Baer Field Speedway (IN). Bob Senneker won the first 50-lap race over Rich Bickle, Tom Reffner and Mark Martin. In race two, Tom Reffner won over Mel Walen, Al Schill, Sr. and again Mark Martin. ARTGO ran seven races at Baer Field and had seven different winners.
THE THIRD TURN: 1984 ARTGO Indiana Challenge Race #1 | Race #2
1985 - At Thunder Road Speedbowl (VT) Randy LaJoie charged from 15th to win the 100-lap event for what was then known as the NASCAR Coors Tour. The victory was the first of the year for LaJoie who won five times on the way to the series championship. Robbie Crouch beat out Joey Kourafus was third while all there coming 13th or deeper.
THE THIRD TURN: 1985 Thunder 100 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl
2001 - Bobby Hamilton picks up the win in the first-ever NASCAR Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway. Unfortunately, the race was shortened by 12 laps due to rain, with Hamilton finishing ahead of Ken Schrader and Scott Riggs when weather arrived. Hamilton competed in five Truck Series events in 2001 while competing full-time in the Cup Series that year, but would later go on to win the Truck Series championship in 2004.
THE THIRD TURN: 2001 Darlington 200 at Darlington Raceway
-Photo credit: Sherryl Creekmore/NASCAR