The 1971 Georgia 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that occurred on November 7, 1971, at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia, United States.
The race car drivers still had to commute to the races using the same stock cars that competed in a typical weekend's race through a policy of homologation (and under their own power). This policy was in effect until roughly 1975. By 1980, NASCAR had completely stopped tracking the year model of all the vehicles and most teams did not take stock cars to the track under their own power anymore.
Race report Friday Hassler, Bobby Allison, Jim Paschal, and Tiny Lund would fight for the first-place position in this race; with Allison leading the most laps. Bobby Allison would go on to defeat Tiny Lund by a margin of one lap after more than three hours and twenty minutes of racing. Bill Dennis's last-place finish would occur on the first lap in this 500-lap regulation event due to problems with his driveshaft. Friday Hassler had a great run, leading 12 laps early on the way to a third-place finish.1971 Georgia 500 race information at Racing Reference
This was a combination race with the Grand American series. Tiny Lund was the best finishing pony car in 2nd, 1 lap down in his Camaro. The other Grand Am drivers were Ernie Shaw, Frank Sessions, Wayne Andrews, Joe Dean Huss, Buck Baker, Randy Hutchinson, H.B. Bailey, Jim Paschal, Bob Williams, & David Ray Boggs.
There were 32 drivers on the grid; all of them were born in the United States of America. Allison would qualify for the pole position with a top speed of and set the pace for the entire event averaging speeds up to to excite the 7,300 live audience members who attended this historic event. NASCAR officials gave out seven caution flags for 44 laps; one of them was related to the Walter Ballard crash on lap 455.
Vic Ballard and Junie Donlavey were the most notable crew chiefs to actively participate in this race.1971 Georgia 500 crew chiefs at Racing Reference
Engine problems would retire some drivers out of the race in addition to clutch problems and troubles with managing the transmission, the suspension, and the alternator. Manufacturers that are hard to find today like the AMC Javelin, the Pontiac Firebird, and the Camaro once competed alongside "plain Jane" Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge vehicles.
Jimmy Watson would never compete in a NASCAR Cup Series race after this event while Bob Williams would make his introduction into professional stock car racing here.1971 Georgia 500 race information at Race Database Individual winnings for this event ranged from a handsome $3,275 ($ when considering inflation) to a meager $350 ($ when considering inflation).Prize winnings information at Driver Averages
Until the Pontiac Excitement 400 in 1989, this marked the last time that Richard Petty failed to make the starting grid of a Cup race.
Qualifying Grid Driver Manufacturer 1 12 Bobby Allison '71 Ford 2 39 Friday Hassler '70 Chevrolet 3 14 Jim Paschal '70 Javelin 4 55 Tiny Lund '70 Camaro 5 32 Dick Brooks '70 Plymouth 6 25 Jabe Thomas '70 Plymouth 7 36 H.B. Bailey '71 Firebird 8 4 John Sears '69 Dodge 9 15 Wayne Andrews '71 Mustang 10 90 Bill Dennis '69 Mercury 11 10 Bill Champion '71 Ford 12 06 Neil Castles '70 Dodge 13 30 Walter Ballard '71 Ford 14 21 Frank Sessoms '68 Camaro 15 79 Frank Warren '69 Plymouth 16 05 David Sisco '71 Chevrolet 17 8 Ed Negre '69 Ford 18 33 Joe Dean Huss '69 Camaro 19 01 Earle Canavan '71 Plymouth 20 22 Randy Hutchinson '69 Camaro 21 70 J.D. McDuffie '71 Chevrolet 22 51 Dub Simpson '69 Chevrolet 23 45 Bill Seifert '69 Ford 24 87 Buck Baker '71 Firebird 25 19 Henley Gray '69 Ford
Finishing order
Bobby Allison Tiny Lund Friday Hassler Neil Castles Bill Champion Earl Brooks J.D. McDuffie Ernie Shaw Frank Sessoms Frank Warren Jabe Thomas Walter Ballard Wayne Andrews Wendell Scott David Sisco Joe Dean Huss John Sears Buck Baker Randy Hutchison Dick Brooks Ed Negre H.B. Bailey G.C. Spencer Jim Paschal Bill Seifert Bob Williams Henley Gray David Ray Boggs Dub Simpson Earle Canavan Jimmy Watson Bill Dennis
References