It would be simple to call this a video from an old Daytona 500 but that’s really not what it is. No, this is a video from the 1957 NASCAR Daytona Beach race which later became the American institution that it is now. Back in 1957, NASCAR racing was coming on hot and heavy down South and Big Bill France had designs into turning it into a national series with all the size and glory of the other sports of the time. Obviously that happened decades later so it is fun to see what these truly formative years of the sport looked like. What makes this film so good is not the race itself but rather what happens before it.
NASCAR Speed Week was far more than just the race on the beach course. It was about flying mile speeds, it was about standing mile acceleration tests, and it was about the manufacturers making sure that they were well represented in speed and performance at these events, lest the public think that they had lost a step. There was one problem though…the companies were having a huge struggle among themselves that would cause them to sign a pact, now known as the AMA Racing Ban in June of 1957. That year the companies all agreed to cancel their factory racing programs and support. None of them fully did but you are seeing what some people believed was the end of an era at this period in time because they companies had not pulled the plug out yet.
Watch a young Paul Goldsmith take a 1957 Chevy down the beach in the speed trials and then take the gold and black Smokey Yunick car down in qualifying. Watch John Zink run 141.2 mph in a Pontiac and hear the genuine excitement in the announcer’s voice. It was the fastest speed ever recorded by an American car on that beach. Awesome.
The scenes from tech, the hotels, and the stuff away from the track are great as well. The race? Well you’ve GOT to watch the race!
Don’t worry NASCAR drivers…this was 1957!!! No one expects you to drive STOCK CARS anymore. You WILL NOT have to give up your COOKIE CUTTER cars that have no more difference than the nose decals. We will give you POTTY BREAKS at specific points in each race AND, you will not have to race against cars that are damaged, on purpose or by pure accident. Meanwhile NASCAR officials will continue to make the bleachers look filled and make certain the race commentary is unbiased and PRO NASCAR. 🙂