# 1961 Southern 500

The 1961 Southern 500 was a race that took place at Darlington Raceway on 4 September 1961, in the NASCAR Grand National Series. It was the forty-second race of the 1961 NASCAR Grand National Series.
Nelson Stacy won after 364 laps, after taking the lead from Fireball Roberts late in the race. It was the first of Stacy's four Grand National victories in his career.

## Qualifying

| Pos. | # | Driver | Make | Team/Owner | Avg. Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | '61 Pontiac | Smokey Yunick | 128.680 |
| 2 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | '61 Ford | Holman-Moody | 128.437 |
| 3 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | '61 Ford | Dudley Farrell | 127.020 |
| 4 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | '61 Pontiac | Bud Moore Engineering | 126.890 |
| 5 | 43 | Richard Petty | '61 Plymouth | Petty Enterprises | 125.906 |
| 6 | 6 | Ralph Earnhardt | '61 Pontiac | Owens Racing | 125.906 |
| 7 | 44 | Jim Paschal | '61 Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | 125.866 |
| 8 | 42 | Marvin Panch | '61 Plymouth | Petty Enterprises | 125.158 |
| 9 | 3 | David Pearson | '61 Pontiac | John Masoni | 127.783 |
| 10 | 94 | Banjo Matthews | '61 Ford | Banjo Matthews | 127.012 |
| 11 | 87 | Buck Baker | '61 Chrysler | Buck Baker | 126.339 |
| 12 | 72 | Bobby Johns | '61 Ford | Shorty Johns | 125.938 |
| 13 | 9 | Bunkie Blackburn | '61 Ford | Wildcat Williams | 125.842 |
| 14 | 27 | Junior Johnson | '61 Pontiac | Rex Lovette | 125.364 |
| 15 | 4 | Rex White | '61 Pontiac | Jack Smith | 124.489 |
| 16 | 86 | Buddy Baker | '61 Chrysler | Buddy Baker | 124.410 |
| 17 | 66 | Bill Morgan | '61 Ford | Ratus Walters | 126.372 |
| 18 | 46 | Larry Frank | '61 Pontiac | Jack Smith | 125.994 |
| 19 | 24 | unknown* | Pontiac | | 125.245 |
| 20 | 52 | Cale Yarborough | '61 Ford | Julian Buesink | 125.023 |
| 21 | 85 | Emanuel Zervakis | '61 Chevrolet | Monroe Shook | 124.489 |
| 22 | 2 | Tommy Irwin | '61 Chevrolet | Tom Daniels | 124.387 |
| 23 | 32 | Joe Caspolich | '61 Ford | J. L. Cheatham | 124.169 |
| 24 | 19 | Herman Beam | '60 Ford | Herman Beam | 120.247 |
| 25 | 59 | Tiny Lund | '61 Pontiac | B. G. Holloway | 126.711 |
| 26 | 90 | Dave Mader | '61 Chevrolet | Dave Mader | 125.578 |
| 27 | 14 | Johnny Allen | '61 Chevrolet | Joe Lee Johnson | 124.208 |
| 28 | 80 | Darel Dieringer | '61 Ford | Tubby Gonzales | 124.114 |
| 29 | 82 | Marvin Porter | '61 Ford | Harry Dunbar | 124.029 |
| 30 | 1 | Paul Lewis | '61 Chevrolet | Jess Porter | 123.990 |
| 31 | 5 | Woodie Wilson | '61 Pontiac | Leroy Faucett | 123.172 |
| 32 | 7 | Jim Reed | '61 Chevrolet | Jim Reed | 123.004 |
| 33 | 30 | Elmo Langley | '60 Chevrolet | Fred Clark | 122.517 |
| 34 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | '61 Chevrolet | B. G. Holloway | 122.388 |
| 35 | 10 | T.C. Hunt | '61 Dodge | Fred Wheat | 121.988 |
| 36 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | '60 Chevrolet | Jimmy Pardue | 121.487 |
| 37 | 47 | Bob Burdick** | Pontiac | Jack Smith | 121.264 |
| 38 | 96 | Friday Hassler | '60 Chevrolet | J. L. Cheatham | 120.812 |
| 39 | 68 | Ed Livingston | '61 Ford | Curtis Crider | 120.072 |
| 40 | 62 | Curtis Crider | '61 Mercury | Curtis Crider | 119.854 |
| 41 | 74 | L.D. Austin | '61 Chevrolet | L.D. Austin | 118.060 |
| 42 | 75 | Red Hollingsworth | '60 Chevrolet | J. D. Braswell | 114.902 |
| 43 | 93 | George Green* | Ford | | 114.576 |
| 44 | 99 | George Alsobrook | '61 Ford | Joe Jones | 114.167 |
*Did not compete due to unknown reasons.
**Driver changed to Rex White for the race.

## Results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Make | Team/Owner | Sponsor | Laps | Led | Status | Winnings |
| 1 | 3 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | '61 Ford | Dudley Farrell | Ron's Ford Sales, Holt-Stacy | 364 | 72 | running | $18,430 |
| 2 | 1 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | '61 Pontiac | Smokey Yunick | | 364 | 180 | running | $10,670 |
| 3 | 9 | 3 | David Pearson | '61 Pontiac | John Masoni | Daytona Kennel | 363 | 6 | running | $5,060 |
| 4 | 7 | 44 | Jim Paschal | '61 Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | | 359 | 0 | running | $2,625 |
| 5 | 20 | 85 | Emanuel Zervakis | '61 Chevrolet | Monroe Shook | | 359 | 0 | running | $2,450 |
| 6 | 33 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | '61 Chevrolet | B. G. Holloway | | 354 | 0 | running | $1,500 |
| 7 | 26 | 14 | Johnny Allen | '61 Chevrolet | Joe Lee Johnson | | 348 | 0 | running | $1,195 |
| 8 | 18 | 24 | Roscoe Thompson | '60 Pontiac | James Turner | | 347 | 0 | running | $1,195 |
| 9 | 6 | 6 | Ralph Earnhardt | '61 Pontiac | Owens Racing | | 346 | 0 | engine | $875 |
| 10 | 36 | 47 | Rex White | '61 Pontiac | Jack Smith | | 345 | 0 | running | $925 |
| 11 | 12 | 72 | Bobby Johns | '61 Ford | Shorty Johns | | 344 | 0 | running | $750 |
| 12 | 16 | 66 | Bill Morgan | '61 Ford | Ratus Walters | Cafe Burgundy | 342 | 0 | running | $700 |
| 13 | 32 | 30 | Elmo Langley | '60 Chevrolet | Fred Clark | | 341 | 0 | running | $500 |
| 14 | 14 | 27 | Junior Johnson | '61 Pontiac | Rex Lovette | Holly Famrs | 337 | 0 | running | $450 |
| 15 | 24 | 59 | Tiny Lund | '61 Pontiac | B. G. Holloway | | 323 | 0 | crash | $650 |
| 16 | 40 | 74 | L.D. Austin | '61 Chevrolet | L.D. Austin | | 321 | 0 | running | $350 |
| 17 | 35 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | '60 Chevrolet | Jimmy Pardue | | 316 | 0 | running | $300 |
| 18 | 39 | 62 | Curtis Crider | '61 Mercury | Curtis Crider | Mims Amusement Co. | 312 | 0 | running | $750 |
| 19 | 23 | 19 | Herman Beam | '60 Ford | Herman Beam | | 312 | 0 | running | $250 |
| 20 | 17 | 46 | Larry Frank | '61 Pontiac | Jack Smith | | 273 | 0 | spindle | $480 |
| 21 | 25 | 90 | Dave Mader | '61 Chevrolet | Dave Mader | | 262 | 0 | timing | $280 |
| 22 | 4 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | '61 Pontiac | Bud Moore Engineering | | 229 | 13 | rf hub | $370 |
| 23 | 31 | 7 | Jim Reed | '61 Chevrolet | Jim Reed | | 228 | 0 | brakes | $200 |
| 24 | 15 | 86 | Buddy Baker | '61 Chrysler | Buddy Baker | | 221 | 0 | bearings | $700 |
| 25 | 34 | 10 | T.C. Hunt | '61 Dodge | Fred Wheat | | 206 | 0 | rear end | $700 |
| 26 | 5 | 43 | Richard Petty | '61 Plymouth | Petty Enterprises | | 201 | 41 | engine | $1,110 |
| 27 | 11 | 87 | Buck Baker | '61 Chrysler | Buck Baker | | 190 | 0 | con rod | $220 |
| 28 | 21 | 2 | Tommy Irwin | '61 Chevrolet | Tom Daniels | | 164 | 0 | rocker arm | $200 |
| 29 | 2 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | '61 Ford | Holman-Moody | | 158 | 52 | throttle | $950 |
| 30 | 19 | 52 | Cale Yarborough | '61 Ford | Julian Buesink | | 135 | 0 | engine | $200 |
| 31 | 8 | 42 | Marvin Panch | '61 Plymouth | Petty Enterprises | | 94 | 0 | carburetor | $200 |
| 32 | 28 | 82 | Marvin Porter | '61 Ford | Harry Dunbar | | 85 | 0 | crash | $200 |
| 33 | 29 | 1 | Paul Lewis | '61 Chevrolet | Jess Porter | | 81 | 0 | crash | $200 |
| 34 | 30 | 5 | Woodie Wilson | '61 Pontiac | Leroy Faucett | | 79 | 0 | crash | $200 |
| 35 | 38 | 68 | Ed Livingston | '61 Ford | Curtis Crider | | 79 | 0 | head gasket | $200 |
| 36 | 10 | 94 | Banjo Matthews | '61 Ford | Banjo Matthews | | 65 | 0 | engine | $430 |
| 37 | 22 | 32 | Joe Caspolich | '61 Ford | J. L. Cheatham | | 50 | 0 | rear end | $200 |
| 38 | 27 | 80 | Darel Dieringer | '61 Ford | Tubby Gonzales | | 45 | 0 | rear end | $300 |
| 39 | 13 | 9 | Bunkie Blackburn | '61 Ford | Wildcat Williams | | 34 | 0 | head gasket | $200 |
| 40 | 37 | 96 | Friday Hassler | '60 Chevrolet | J. L. Cheatham | | 22 | 0 | brakes | $200 |
| 41 | 43 | 99 | George Alsobrook | '61 Ford | Joe Jones | | 2 | 0 | handling | $200 |
| 42 | 41 | 75 | Red Hollingsworth | '60 Chevrolet | J. D. Braswell | | 2 | 0 | handling | $200 |
| 43 | 42 | 93 | Lee Reitzel | '60 Ford | Lee Reitzel | | 2 | 0 | handling | $200 |

## Crashes

Among the 43 competitors in the 1961 Southern 500, Marvin Potter, Paul Lewis and Woodie Wilson were involved in a crash, resulting in them coming 32nd, 33rd and 34th respectively. Tiny Lund crashed toward the end of the race, finishing in 15th position.

## Thurmond speech

Prior to the commencement of the race, South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond was present to give a political speech in which he claimed that South Carolina would secede from the United States because of its opposition to civil rights legislation. The American Spectator reported that spectators responded to the speech with enthusiasm, and the infield at Darlington was "so violent and liquor-soaked that the area was fenced off and not even the police would enter for anything less than a shooting".