Top Drivers Here For Yankee 500 Saturday-This Day in Norwood History-June 17, 1961

$10,000 In Prizes For 500-Lap Arena Classic

The field is set and all preparations have been completed for the $10,000 Yankee 500 late-model stock car race Saturday night at Norwood Arena.

The 500-lap, 125-mile race has attracted the elite of the stock car racing world, including Rex White, Neel Jarrett, Buck Baker, Emanuel Zervakis, and the colorful Fireball Roberts.

Also in the field will be Ernie Gahan of Dover, N. H., who races a modified car on the regular Saturday night programs at Norwood. He’ll be driving a 1959 Chevrolet owned by John Koszela, Jr., of Summit, R I.

The Yankee 500 purse will be distributed throughout the field with the winner receiving §2600 and the last-place finisher getting the minimum $100.

In addition, nearly §1000 has been posted by the various manufacturers for the top finishers who use their equipment.

Post positions for the Yankee 500, which marks the New England debut of late-model (no more than three years old) cars, will be determined the afternoon of the race.

The track will open at noon for practice runs. Time trials over the quarter-mile, paved and high-banked oval will be from 2 to 5 p.m. The big race goes off at 8 p.m.

The price of admission ($5, $4, and $3) will be good the entire day. Tickets for the 13,750-seat arena are being sold on a reserved basis. In the event of rain, the race will be held Monday evening, June 19.

The prize distribution: 1st $2600; 2nd, $1125; 3rd, $875; 4th, $700; 5th, $600; 6th, $500; 7th, $400, 8th, $300; 9th, $275; 10th, $250; 11th, $225, 12th, $175, 14th thru 16th, $150 each, 17th, through 20th, $125 each; 21st through 24th, $100 each.

Time Trials. 1st $75; 2nd, $50; 3rd, $25. Fastest 24 cars start in race.

NORWOOD June 14, F. G.

Probable starters include the following.

Car No. 3, Jim Paschal, ’61 Pontinac, High Point, X C

Car No. 4, Rex White, ’61 Chevrolet, Spartanburg, S.C.

Car Xo. 6, Cotton Owens, ’61 Pontiac, Spartanburg, S. C.

Car Xo. 7, Jim Heed, *61 Chevrolet, Peekskill, X.Y

Car Xo. 8 Joe Weatherly, ’61 Pontiac. Norfolk, Va.

Car Xo. 11, Ned Jarrett, ’61 Chevrolet, Conover, N.C.

Car No. 21, Curtis Turner, ’61 Ford, Abbeville, S.C.

Car No. 21, Glen Wood, ’61 Ford, Stuart, Ya.

Car No. 22, Fireball Roberts, ’61 Pontiac, Daytona Beach, Fla

Car No, 23, Doug Vates, ’59 Plymouth, Chapel Hill, X C.

Car No. 38, Ed Marksteller, ’61 Ford Bunnell, Fla.

Car No. 47, Jack Smith, ’61Pontiac, Spartanburg, S.C.

Car No. 54, Jim Purdue, ’60 Chevrolet, Wilkesboro, N C.

Car No. 55, Ernie Gahan, ’59 Chevrolet, Summit, RI

Car No. 57, Wes Morgan, ’60 Chevrolet, Alexandria, Va

Car No. 59, Tom Pistone, ’61 Pontiac, Norwood Park, Ill.

Car No. 62, Crawfish Crider, ’60 Ford, Florence, S.C

Car No. CG, Dave Pearson, ’61 Pontiac, Spartanburg, S.C.

Car No. CD, Johnny Allen, ’61 Chevrolet, Atlanta, Ga.

Car No. 72, Bobby Jones, ’61 Ford, Miami, Fla.

Car No. 80, Fred Lorenzen, ’61 Ford, Elmhurst, Ill.

Car No. 85, Emanuel Zervakis, ’61 Chevrolet, Richmond, Va.

Car No. 80. Buck Baker, ’61 Chrysler, Spartanburg, S.C.

Car No. 94, Banjo Mathews, ’61 Ford. Ashvale, N.C

Car No. 96, Chuck Latucco, *61 Lark, Charlotte, N C.

Car No. 117, Gary E. Raymond, ’61 Chevrolet, Dover, X.J.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)