This board has REALLY gotten DULL!!! So how about we try something new…
Who are some of your favorite old “independent” drivers from NASCAR? The guys who filled up the fields back in the 50s-80s with very little, if any, chance of winning a race… A top 10 was like heaven to them…
I’ll start with one of my all-time favorites: H. B. Bailey of Houston, TX… This guy ran for 27 years in NASCAR Cup racing yet only made 85 starts, no more than 7 in any given year, and only had 5 top ten finishes… He ran Pontiacs back when nobody else did… Also ran some NASCAR Grand American races in a Firebird…
This shot is at Daytona in 1969 with a really cool GTO…
One that many may not remember…Dr. Ed Hessert out of Trenton, N.J. ran in the late 60’s. My father actually worked on the road with him in 68 and 69. The last name might be familiar due to the USAC midget, sprint car and now ARCA drive Tom Hessert III. Tom is the nephew of Dr. Hessert. As a side note… Dr. Hessert’s number was 15, my father used the number 15 as a tribute to him and I now use 15jr in a tribute to both.
Dave. Do you have any pics of Jimmy Lee Capps. His sons Lee and Mike build some of the top karting engines in the country and they are stil doing business out of Jacksonville. Would love to see a picture. Thanks
Dave Marcis. You could walk right in the shop front door as I did in fall 1999. His wife Helen was sitting behind the desk. Talked with Dave and they’d let you look around the small shop at the cars. Back in the 80s though he ran up front quite often, almost always in a car he owned.
I believe Dave Marcus was probably one of the nicest men alive. Theres another one, will someone please help me? Cant remember his name, I don’t think he ever made the 500 but tried yr after yr. He said he didn’t really care as long as he and his 2-3 man crew could drink some beer and have some fun. He tried until I’d say 4-5 yrs ago. Name is on the tip of my tongue, please help!!
TG you are right!! Thank you. I had forgot that quote! He was a character, never met him but always liked reading about him and crew when they were in Daytona. We need more people in racing like him, its all to “serious”, “important” today. JMO Also these old pics, I love em guys. I never knew Daytona EVER was so small. The grandstands, obviously the track is the same.
Always rooted for Jimmy Means.
He got a shot at driving a Hendricks car for a one shot deal when Tim Richmond was sick. qualified well and was running in the top 10 til a wreck took him out. :sport009:
This guy had maybe the shortest-ever NASCAR Cup career… Art Bennett of Battle Creek, MI brought this 1968 Ford to Daytona to try and qualify for the Daytona 500 in 1970… In his qualifying race he broke a driveshaft on lap one and finished dead last… He never attempted to race NASCAR again… A whole ONE LAP CAREER!!! Nice looking car though!
I used to do a good bit of business with Jimmy Capps here in Saint Augustine. He drove a car in the late '70s owned by David Sellers, who I know well, from here in Saint Augustine. I think their best finish was 10th at Talledega.
I thing maybe the thing i like most about this thread , well actually everything. But the old pics of Daytona, never knew the stands were so small! Bet if thy were that small now the’d always have a full house.
Nice to see the mention of Capps sons and Little Earl. I bought three go kart motors from Lee and he was certainly one of the nicest people I have ever dealt with in motorsports, Mike and Earl put on one of the best go kart races I have ever seen. It was at Hyman Myers Speedway in Tallahassee. The track was patterened after Bristol and was banked at least 20 degrees and maybe a little more Mike and Earl would pass each other at least 4 times a lap and stayed that wat the whole race.
RONNIE THOMAS Christiansburg,Va
Ronald “Ronnie” Thomas is a retired NASCAR driver who drove in the Winston Cup series from 1977 to 1989 and the Busch Series in 1982 and 1985. He was the 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, edging out Roger Hamby in a race that went down to the wire at the Los Angeles Times 500. Thomas’s father, Jabe Thomas was also a NASCAR driver. In 1980, his best season he finished 14th in the points in #69 War Eagle Construction car. He led a career total of three laps in Winston Cup competition.
LENNIE POND Ettrick, Va.
Lennie Pond (born August 11, 1940 in Ettrick, Virginia) is a former NASCAR driver. He won NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1973, and won his only race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1978 for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier.
His career totals include 234 career stars, 1 win, 39 top fives, 88 top tens, 5 poles, and a best championship finish of 5th in 1976.
He beat out Darrell Waltrip for rookie of the year honors in 1973.
DAVE MARCIS Wausaw, Wi.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dave Marcis
Born March 1, 1941 (age 70)
Wausau, Wisconsin, United States
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
883 races run over 35 years
Best finish 2nd ? 1975 Winston Cup Series season
First race 1968 Daytona 500 (Daytona International Speedway)
Last race 2002 Daytona 500 (Daytona International Speedway)
First win 1975 Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville Speedway)
Last win 1982 Richmond 400 (Richmond Fairgrounds)
Wins Top tens Poles
5 222 14
Dave Marcis (born March 1, 1941 in Wausau, Wisconsin) is a retired driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup (now known as the NASCAR Sprint Cup) circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final win in 1982. Dave was most famous for two things: racing for his own team and racing while wearing wingtip shoes to absorb the heat in the car. He made the Daytona 500 every year from 1968 until 1999. The 2002 Daytona 500 was the last time Marcis raced in NASCAR.
