|| *Comments on the 1951 unnamed race (1951-35):* View the most recent comment <#22> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. SK posted: 02.08.2008 - 12:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Marvin Burke: the only man in Grand National/Cup history with a perfect record. A native of the Bay Area, Burke was enticed to compete in the inaugural race at Oakland Stadium, the first Grand National event held in northern California, and in a field comprised largely of local talent (stars like Herb Thomas, Lee Petty and Tim Flock elected not to make the trip out west) Burke claimed victory. It would be his only NASCAR Grand National start. 2. samfan08 posted: 02.25.2008 - 12:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Marvin Panch's first start. 3. Biscuits in a Red Bull posted: 04.07.2011 - 1:53 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) I have heard that Freddie Farmer rolled 3 times from the top to the bottom of the oval. Luckily he got away unhurt, although his budget was hurt! He was able to contest at round 40 (Gardena), but retired from that due to failing brakes). 4. Biscuits in a Red Bull posted: 04.08.2011 - 3:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Just to confirm that, it isn't true, but he crashed out. 5. JoeytheHDK posted: 06.17.2011 - 1:12 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) Part of the reason most of the top stars of NASCAR opted not to race in Oakland on this day was because this was one of three Grand National races being held that day - one of them was held in Pennsylvania, and the other was held at Martinsville. Probably the worst example of early NASCAR scheduling ineptitude. 6. Timberwolf Frenzel posted: 01.03.2013 - 4:45 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Marvin Burke started 4th!!!! And here most of us were thinking that information was lost forever! 7. Dan Jackett posted: 02.11.2013 - 10:05 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) In reply to JoeytheHDK...It was common for NASCAR to schedule races at different tracks on the same day from 1950-61...In 1951, it happened 4 times...The most unusual scheduling happened on Nov. 11 1956 when the 2nd to last race of 1956 was held at Hickory Speedway in NC, and the 1957 season opener was held in Lancaster CA 8. Dan Jackett posted: 02.12.2013 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (3) 9 of the 12 Chase drivers raced in the 3 races on Oct. 14 1951...The 4 that raced at Thompson CT 2 days before split between Shippensville and Martinsville...The 3 that didn't race were Bob Flock, Jim Fiebelkorn and Marshall Teague...Tim Flock won at Shippensville, and Frank Mundy won at Martinsville...Herb Thomas had a 15 point lead going into the day over Fonty Flock...Thomas finished 18th and led at Martinsvlle, while Fonty Flock finished 11th at Oakland, cutting Thomas' lead to 9 points...Tim Flock's win put him into 3rd, 51 behind Thomas, and 42 behind his brother Point Standings using the 2011 system/Chase format, 4 dates and 5 races left (where raced) 1. Herb Thomas (6 wins) 2184 (Martinsville) 2. Fonty Flock (7) 2175 (Oakland) 3. Tim Flock (6) 2133 (Shippensville) 4. Lee Petty (1) 2124 (Martinsville) 5. Lloyd Moore 2108 (Shippensville) 6. Frank Mundy (2) 2093 (Martinsville) 7. Bob Flock (1) 2074 8. Curtis Turner (3) 2056 (Martinsville) 9. Dick Rathman 2042 (Oakland) 10. Lou Figaro (1) 2037 (Oakland) 11. Jim Fiebelkorn 2016 12. Marshall Teague (5) 2015 9. nascarman posted: 07.24.2015 - 8:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Some more info from "40 Years of Stock car racing" Woody Brown drove #88 Bill Norton drove #48 John Soares drove #41 Fuzzy Anderson also raced. He drove the #35 '51 Hudson owned by Bert Letner Danny Weinberg drove #2 Erick Erickson drove #25 according to the book Allen Heath drove a '50 Plymouth Lloyd Porter drove a '51 Henry J The number of starters is unknown 10. nascar_vd / racing-reference.info posted: 08.03.2015 - 12:57 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Note for visitors: we have found some informations missing and/or correction until now on the website (race distance, speed, attendance, lap leaders, car numbersn, all missi drivers, status, owners, sponsors, laps,...). But there are still a lot of missing information. 11. 88&4Fan posted: 01.14.2016 - 9:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) One of the more significant races of the early NASCAR years. Future legend Marvin Panch (RIP) made his career debut, but it was a different Marvin who made all the headlines. Marvin Burke in his only cup series race took the win in a race where seven of the top ten (all except for Woody Brown, Dick Meyer, and Lou Figaro) were in their first career race. 12. Thomas Nester posted: 02.03.2016 - 8:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) There is a recap on the bottom of lap by lap leaders but no total of individual leaders other than Burke's 156. If the bottom totals are accurate then Rathman (30), Figaro (39), Caswell (24) and Soares (1) should have their laps reflected both on the race page and on their individual pages. All but Caswell led other races during their career 13. Spen posted: 04.14.2017 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Does anyone have any clue what Bill Amberg's car is? I'm having zero luck searching for an "Eagle Austin". The main search gives me an oil tanker. Unless Amberg decided to bring a ship to a car race, I doubt that's it. There is a British car company called Austin that was active in the right time period, but they don't seem to have a model designated as the Eagle. And in any event, foreign manufacturers were usually only found on either road courses, or specially scheduled "International" races. I've never seen one in an otherwise normal oval race (pre-Toyota anyway). 14. Scott B posted: 04.15.2017 - 11:51 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Spen, I'm 99% certain that is the British automaker Austin, though I don't know what the Eagle reference would be. Import or compact cars were legal at the time and did show up occasionally on short ovals where light weight and good handling could offset the horsepower they gave up. You'll notice some Henry J's entered in this race, too. 15. Spen posted: 04.15.2017 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Henry J's are unsurprising. Cheap American car, and IIRC they were the sixth most common make for the '51 season. An Austin or any other foreign make usually isn't seen under normal circumstances. Though I suppose the Pacific Coast guys may have had different rules than the Grand National regulars. 16. Eric posted: 06.14.2018 - 3:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Freddie Farmer should be listed as crash. 17. Seibaru posted: 05.29.2019 - 10:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bill Amberg flipped in this race. 18. Eric posted: 05.29.2019 - 10:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) ...and so apparently Amberg also becomes the first driver to flip a foreign car in a NASCAR race as well! 19. Eric posted: 05.29.2019 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bill Amberg becomes the first NASCAR cup driver to field a foreign car in a cup race. The car was likely an Austin A40. 20. Eric posted: 10.01.2019 - 4:39 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Freddie Farmer should be "crash". 21. Eric posted: 04.28.2020 - 11:37 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Apparently it seems like race promoters were using Amberg's British Austin as a "gimmick" for the race. Unfortunately, as I stated in a few comments above, it wasn't meant to be as Amberg would roll the car. 22. BOBO83329521 posted: 05.28.2020 - 12:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) To this day still the best finish for Cup car number 84 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: