<< Back to Index

The Way it Was!

...at Darlington Raceway from 1957–1962 when the track’s spring race, then known as the Rebel 300, was strictly for NASCAR’s convertible race cars. Fireball Roberts, driving a Ford, led all but 39 laps to win the inaugural Rebel 300 on May 12, 1957. It was the 29-year-old driver’s first convertible victory and his first superspeedway win. Second was Tim Flock, two laps down. Rounding out the top five were Bobby Myers, Bob Welborn and Lee Petty. The 1958 Rebel 300 was won by Curtis Turner with Roberts taking the 1959 version. NASCAR folded its conversion division after the 1959 season, but Darlington President Bob Golvin had an affection for the “Ragtops”. He also wanted the track’s spring event to have some type of distinction from Labor Day’s Southern 500. Therefore, he continued the spring event, now known as the TranSouth Financial 400, as a convertible race through 1962. Joe Weatherly won the race in ‘60, Fred Lorenzen in ‘61 and Nelson Stacy in ‘62. NASCAR then urged Colvin to drop the special convertible event and conduct it as a regular Grand National (now Winston Cup) race. (March 19, 1998 “NASCAR Winston Cup Scene”)

<< Back to Top
<< Back to Index

Ready to Join? Click here to register and become a member today!