1956 NASCAR Convertible Series

Race #42

It was a clear day in LeHi, Arkansas as the NASCAR Convertible Series made their 42nd stop of the 1956 season at the Memphis-Arkansas Speedway.

Curtis Turner led the field to the Green Flag for the eleventh time in 1956, but it was his team mate Joe Weatherly who would lead the first lap. The 8,700 fans in attendance at the mile and a half paved track were given a great show as drivers kept calm and respected each other during the event as no cautions would fly during the event. Weatherly would lose the lead on Lap 50 when he made his first pit stop, handing the lead back over to Turner, who like many times before in 1956, once in the lead, Turner was unstoppable, only losing the lead when he himself pitted.

Larry Odo took the lead late, but it took Turner only three laps to work his way around Odo to retake the lead and would drive on uncontested for his third win in a row and 15th in 1956.

Other Noticeables:
Curtis Turner scored his 15th win of the year and third in a row,
Turner led 2 times for 147 laps, including the final 51 laps,
It was the 15th win of his career in the NASCAR Convertible Series and his first since Soldier Field; 1 race ago,
John Fox, who finished 19th, made his NASCAR Convertible Series debut,
Bob Welborn, who finished 5th, kept his points lead, leading Don Oldenberg by 234 points

1.26-Curtis Turner (147 laps led)
2.4-Art Binkley-1 lap
3.41-Billy Rafter-1 lap
4.76-Larry Frank-3 laps
5.49-Bob Welborn-3 laps (1 lap led)
6.71-Dick Joslin-3 laps
7.34-Gwyn Staley-4 laps
8.3-Norman Schihl-4 laps
9.33-Jimmy Massey-5 laps
10.7A-Larry Odo-5 laps (3 laps led)
11.12-Joe Weatherly-5 laps (49 laps led)
12.56-Cannonball Brown-5 laps
13.22-Glen Wood-5 laps
14.45-Bun Emery-6 laps
15.711-Bill Poor-7 laps
16.98-Allen Adkins-7 laps
17.0-Possum Jones-7 laps
18.55-Mel Larson-8 laps
19.54-John Fox-11 laps
20.99-Billy Carden-12 laps
21.5-Tom Pistone-34 laps (Valve)
22.86-Don Oldenberg-52 laps (Ignition)
23.48-Jimmie Lewallen-105 laps (Radiator)

Curtis Turner-Pole
Joe Weatherly-1-49
Curtis Turner-50-145
Bob Welborn-146
Larry Odo-147-149
Curtis Turner-150-200

4 Lead Changes among 4 drivers

Caution Flags: 0 for 0 laps

Margin of Victory: 1 Lap

Time of Race: 2 Hours, 33 Minutes and 49 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 43rd race of the season at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds.

Joe Weatherly won the pole with a time of 22.440 seconds, beating Curtis Turner by 0.007 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Joe Weatherly won his 6th pole of the year,
Weatherly won his 6th career pole in the NASCAR Convertible Series and his first since Soldier Field; 2 races ago,
Bob Welborn, who will be starting 9th, will be trying to improve on his 234 point lead over Don Oldenberg

1.12-Joe Weatherly
2.26-Curtis Turner
3.34-Gwyn Staley
4.2-Bill Lutz
5.711-Bill Poor
6.56-Cannonball Brown
7.99-Billy Carden
8.0-Possum Jones
9.49-Bob Welborn
10.7A-Larry Odo
11.41-Billy Rafter
12.55-Mel Larson
13.48-Jimmie Lewallen
14.22-Glen Wood
15.3-Norman Schihl
16.4-Art Binkley
17.14-Bob Beck
18.45-Bun Emery
19.34A-Richard Riley
20.86-Don Oldenberg
21.33-Jimmy Massey

*Note for this race I used the North Carolina State Fairgrounds as a replacement since Cleveland County Fairgrounds hasn't been made for NR2003.

Race #43

It was a cloudy day in Shelby, North Carolina as the NASCAR Convertible Series made their 43rd stop of the 1956 season at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds.

Joe Weatherly led the field to the Green Flag for the sixth time in 1956 as a cloudy and dark skies would make drivers race each lap like it was their last. Weatherly would lead the first thirty laps before his teammate Curtis Turner would take over the top spot. Much like he had done many times previously in races, once in the lead Turner was unstoppable, building up a lead of nearly fifteen seconds when he made contact with Gwyn Staley and spun out on the Frontstretch, allowing his teammate Weatherly to retake the lead.

Weatherly's stay up front lasted only two laps as Turner's crew gave him a fast stop and reclaimed the lead with thirty laps to go. Turner would then built up a three second lead when with fifteen laps to go the skies finally opened up and the race was declared official and Turner was given the win, his 16th of 1956.

Other Noticeables:
Curtis Turner scored his 16th win of the year and fourth in a row,
Turner led 2 times for 153 laps, including the final 30 laps,
It was the 16th win of his career in the NASCAR Convertible Series and his first since Memphis-Arkansas; 1 race ago,
Richard Riley, who finished 19th, made his NASCAR Convertible Series debut,
Bob Welborn, who finished 3rd, kept his points lead, leading Don Oldenberg by 287 points

1.26-Curtis Turner (153 laps led)
2.12-Joe Weatherly (32 laps led)
3.49-Bob Welborn
4.7A-Larry Odo-1 lap
5.99-Billy Carden-1 lap
6.34-Gwyn Staley-1 lap
7.14-Bob Beck-1 lap
8.41-Billy Rafter-1 lap
9.56-Cannonball Brown-1 lap
10.4-Art Binkley-1 lap
11.3-Norman Schihl-1 lap
12.45-Bun Emery-1 lap
13.48-Jimmie Lewallen-1 lap
14.2-Bill Lutz-1 lap
15.711-Bill Poor-1 lap
16.33-Jimmy Massey-3 laps
17.86-Don Oldenberg-4 laps
18.22-Glen Wood-35 laps (Accident)
19.34A-Richard Riley-35 laps (Accident)
20.55-Mel Larson-184 laps (Camshaft)
21.0-Possum Jones-2 laps (Disqualified)

Joe Weatherly-1-30
Curtis Turner-31-153
Joe Weatherly-154-155
Curtis Turner-156-185

3 Lead Changes among 2 drivers

Caution Flags: 2 for 10 laps
Lap 153 (Cars #26 and 34 Spin Frontstretch),
Lap 168 (Cars #33 and 711 Spin Turn 1)

Margin of Victory: 3.254 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 19 Minutes and 17 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 44th race of the season the Old Dominion 500 at the Martinsville Speedway.

Allen Adkins won the pole with a time of 26.706 seconds, beating Whitey Gerken by 0.148 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Allen Adkins won his 1st pole of the year,
Adkins won his 1st career pole in the NASCAR Convertible Series in his 31st career start,
Bob Welborn, who will be starting 6th, will be trying to improve on his 287 point lead over Don Oldenberg

1.98-Allen Adkins
2.155-Whitey Gerken
3.12-Joe Weatherly
4.86-Don Oldenberg
5.41-Billy Rafter
6.49-Bob Welborn
7.77-Larry Frank
8.48-Jimmie Lewallen
9.711-Bill Poor
10.33-Jimmy Massey
11.14-Bob Beck
12.4-Art Binkley
13.26-Curtis Turner
14.32-Raymond Carter
15.34-Gwyn Staley
16.71-Gordon Snead
17.2-Bill Lutz
18.45-Bun Emery
19.99-Billy Carden
20.82-Joe Eubanks
21.5-Tom Pistone
22.47-Frank Milligan
23.22-Glen Wood
24.55-Mel Larson
25.54-Don Corley
26.7A-Larry Odo
27.3-Norman Schihl
28.0-Jim Donovan
29.56-Cannonball Brown