SPEED SPORT has been reporting on and covering motorsports happenings from all over the world for 85 years, so we thought it would be fun to take a look back in the archives to see what happened 10, 25 and 50 years ago each week.
So check out what SPEED SPORT was covering 10, 25 and 50 years ago this week in Looking Back!
Oct. 7, 2009 (10 Years Ago): Greg Hodnett stomped the World of Outlaws field en route to a $50,000 victory in the Morgan Hughes National Open at Williams Grove Speedway. Hodnett started on the pole for the 40-lap feature and was flawless, leading every lap and holding off Tony Stewart Racing’s Donny Schatz to collect the victory. It was Hodnett’s third World of Outlaws triumph of the season as Schatz continued to lead the series standings.
Other Happenings: Tony Stewart earned his fourth NASCAR Cup Series win of the season at Kansas Speedway; Scott Bloomquist won the sixth running of the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals; The All Star Circuit of Champions were announced for the 2010 edition of the Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park; John Donahue won the 47th running of the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road in Vermont; Sebastian Vettel kept himself in the F-1 title picture with a win in Japan.
Oct. 5, 1994 (25 Years Ago): Geoff Bodine decimated the field at North Carolina’s North Wilkesboro Speedway, leading 335 of 400 laps to win the Tyson Holly Farms 400. Bodine finished a lap ahead of Terry Labonte, becoming the first driver since Harry Gant in 1991 to win a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race by a lap or more. Bodine started 18th, came through the field to take the lead on lap 48 and led most of the remaining distance.
Other Happenings: Steve Kinser won the annual running of the National Open at Williams Grove Speedway, taking home $25,000; Jeremy Dale won the IMSA Exxson World Sports Car finale at Phoenix Int’l Raceway while Wayne Taylor clinched the championship; Paul Tracy tested the Mild Seven Benetton Ford at Portugal’s Estoril circuit; John Capels was named USAC Executive Vice President; Page Jones remained in critical but stable condition after a crash at Eldora Speedway.
Oct. 8, 1969 (50 Years Ago): Jochen Rindt drove the Gold Leaf Trim Lotus Ford from the pole to win the United States Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Rindt earned $53,000 for his first Grand Prix victory after holding off Formula One champion Jackie Stewart before pulling away to a 47-second victory over runner-up Piers Courage. Rindt re-set Stewart’s year-old track record multiple times throughout the race, finally settling on a time of 1:04.84.
Other Happenings: Buzzie Reutimann won the third annual 100-lap All Star Stock Car Racing League Championship race for modifieds at Nazareth National Speedway; A.J. Foyt won a USAC Stock Car race at New Bremen Speedway; Bentley Warren pocketed $10,000 for winning the 150-lap Super Bowl for supermodifieds at Heidelberg Raceway; David Pearson won in NASCAR competition at North Wilkesboro Speedway; Sam Sessions emerged as the winner of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial USAC sprint car race at Salem Speedway.