Vintage Daytona 500 picture

[Husky35]

Did anyone see the AP photo that was run in the newspaper yesterday with Johnny Beauchamp in his 59 tbird battling it out with Lee Petty in the innaguaral Daytona 500? I have requested the photo from the AP and plan to frame it. Unfortuneatly Lee Petty won in his Olds. I know, you all don't get the Seatte Times, but I suspect it was run nationally. If the Associate Press sends me a link, I'll pass it on.

[GTE427]

I found these when I goggled Johnny Beauchamp, Right clip, copy and paste.

[drclarkra]

Daytona

Yes, It was in the Everett Herald too. (from Mukilteo, WA.)

[Alan H. Tast, AIA]

Beauchamp '59 Daytona Pics

While looking for period photos for "Thunderbird 50 Years" I found out about the photo archives at Daytona International Speedway - that's probably where the photos came from. The licensing fees they wanted for one-time use of photos was exhorbitant. I didn't pursue the matter further, and instead went with a photo of a replica of the car driven by the Burdick family from Omaha.

But, the real reason I wanted to chime in is to relate a story I was told while researching "Thunderbird 1955-1966" in the mid-'90s by one of Beauchamp's chief mechanics. I didn't include his comments in my books is that I could not verify the details, and fear that the Petty and France families would sic their attack dogs on me for getting the story in wide circulation. And hopefully by posting it here this won't get me in trouble.

Beauchamp was an Iowa boy and ran short tracks in Des Moines, Omaha, etc. during the '50s The story he told is that Beauchamp was actually one lap ahead of Petty at the end of the race, hence the checkered flag for him and the pretty girl in Victory Lane. He then noted - and I haven't confirmed this - that the person responsible for officially keeping track of laps was Lee Petty's wife. Supposedly the retraction of the win to Beauchamp and giving the win to Petty was not much more than "good ol' boys" looking out for each other.

Can the story be verified independently of the France and Petty dynasties? Was it the musings of a midwestern friend of Beauchamp who wanted to put a positive spin on Beauchamp's efforts? It would be interesting to hear if anyone else has heard a similar description of events.

[byersmtrco]

I wouldn't doubt it.

[dgs]

I saw the photo in the Columbus Dispatch too, but the online story doesn't have it.