1962 – Frank Awarded Southern 500 after Recheck

Larry Frank

Darlington, S.C. (September 3, 1962) – A recheck of scorecards, prompted by protests from two different drivers, made Larry Frank of Greenville, S.C., the winner of the 13th annual Southern 500 late model stock car race.

Maurice and Dick Petty of Randleman, N.C., complained to race officials after Junior Johnson of Rhonda, N.C., was declared the winner shortly after the race ended in the late afternoon.

Six and one-half hours later, NASCAR’s chief scorer, Joe Epton, said there had been a misjudgment in the number of pit stops for made by the drivers. This led to the erroneous addition of a lap.

Frank, first declared a fourth-place finisher, thus became the winner – more than a lap ahead of Johnson.

Frank, driving a Ford, picked up more than $20,000. He also set a new speed record. The exact speed was not immediately reported by race officials, but it obviously exceeded Johnson’s announced speed of 117.926 miles per hour. Thus, the old mark 117.88 miles per hour set by last year’s winner, Nelson Stacy, was eclipsed. Stacy finished seventh on Monday.

Johnson, driving a Pontiac, came in second under the amended ruling of the scorers, picking up $9,200.

Marvin Panch of Daytona Beach, Fla., driving a Ford, finished third and received $5,200 and David Pearson of Spartanburg, S.C., in a Pontiac, got $3,500. Richard Petty finished fifth in his Plymouth and took home $4,400.

Petty’s cut of the purse was swelled because he led 173 laps. A blown front tire four laps away from the finish cost the victor’s share. Petty earned $25 for each lap led.

The race had only three accidents of consequence and there were no injuries.

Johnny Allen North Wilkesboro, N.C., whose car plunged over the fourth turn guardrail and took down half of the scorer’s stand in the Rebel 300 spring race three years ago, turned his car over on the second turn. His car stayed on it’s top and slid spectacularly down the steeply banked track toward the infield, then burst into flames. It was 20-25 seconds before Allen emerged, unscathed.

Joe Weatherly of Norfolk, Va., and David Pearson collided in the first turn early in the race but kept going. Bunkie Blackburn of Fayetteville, N.C., and Darel Dieringer of Charlotte, N.C., collided halfway through the race, and both cars were knocked out of the running.

The temperature was 96 degrees as a capacity crowd of 70,000 sweltered in the sun. The track temperature was reported to be 145 degrees.


Results –


1. Larry Frank, Greenville, S.C.
2. Junior Johnson, Rhonda, N.C.
3. Marvin Panch, Daytona Beach, Fla.
4. David Pearson, Spartanburg, S.C.
5. Dick Petty, Randleman, N.C.
6. Jim Paschal, High Point, N.C.
7. Nelson Stacy, Daytona Beach, Fla.
8. Ned Jarrett, Conover, N.C.
9. Rex White, Spartanburg, S.C.
10.Buck Baker, Charlotte, N.C.