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.

By mid‑June 1961, anticipation was building around one of the most ambitious and high‑profile racing events ever scheduled at Norwood Arena: the $10,000 Yankee 500, a 500‑lap, 125‑mile late‑model stock car race set for Saturday night. Preparations were complete, the field was finalized, and the event promised to bring together some of the most accomplished and recognizable names in the stock car racing world. The article emphasized that the race had attracted “the elite of the stock car racing world,” underscoring the significance of the lineup and the prestige associated with the event.

Among the top drivers slated to compete were Rex White, Ned Jarrett, Buck Baker, Emanuel Zervakis, and the widely known and colorful Fireball Roberts. Their presence signaled that the Yankee 500 would be a major draw for racing fans across New England. Also included in the field was Ernie Gahan of Dover, New Hampshire, a familiar figure to Norwood Arena regulars. Gahan typically raced a modified car during the track’s regular Saturday night programs, but for this event he would be driving a 1959 Chevrolet owned by John Koszela, Jr. of Summit, Rhode Island.

The purse for the Yankee 500 was substantial, with the winner set to receive $2,600 and the last‑place finisher guaranteed a minimum of $100. In addition to the main purse, nearly $1,000 in bonus money had been posted by various manufacturers for top finishers using their equipment. The article noted that the Yankee 500 would mark the New England debut of late‑model cars, defined as vehicles no more than three years old, adding another layer of significance to the event.

Post positions for the race were scheduled to be determined on the afternoon of the event. The track would open at noon for practice runs, followed by time trials from 2 to 5 p.m. on the quarter‑mile, paved, high‑banked oval. The main event was set to begin at 8 p.m. Admission prices were $5, $4, and $3, and each ticket was valid for the entire day’s activities. Tickets for the 13,750‑seat arena were being sold on a reserved basis. In the event of rain, the race would be postponed to Monday evening, June 19.

The article provided a detailed breakdown of the prize distribution, listing payouts from first place through twenty‑fourth place, as well as awards for the top three finishers in time trials. The fastest 24 cars in time trials would qualify for the race.

A list of probable starters followed, offering a snapshot of the diverse field of drivers and their cars. The lineup included:

• Car No. 3, Jim Paschal, ’61 Pontiac, High Point, N.C.
• Car No. 4, Rex White, ’61 Chevrolet, Spartanburg, S.C.
• Car No. 6, Cotton Owens, ’61 Pontiac, Spartanburg, S.C.
• Car No. 7, Jim Reed, ’61 Chevrolet, Peekskill, N.Y.
• Car No. 8, Joe Weatherly, ’61 Pontiac, Norfolk, Va.
• Car No. 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, Va.
• Car No. 22, Fireball Roberts, ’61 Pontiac, Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Car No. 23, Doug Yates, ’59 Plymouth, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Car No. 38, Ed Marksteller, ’61 Ford, Bunnell, Fla.
• Car No. 47, Jack Smith, ’61 Pontiac, Spartanburg, S.C.
• Car No. 54, Jim Purdue, ’60 Chevrolet, Wilkesboro, N.C.
• Car No. 55, Ernie Gahan, ’59 Chevrolet, Summit, R.I.
• 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. 66, Dave Pearson, ’61 Pontiac, Spartanburg, S.C.
• Car No. 67, 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. 86, Buck Baker, ’61 Chrysler, Spartanburg, S.C.
• Car No. 94, Banjo Matthews, ’61 Ford, Asheville, N.C.
• Car No. 96, Chuck Latucco, ’61 Lark, Charlotte, N.C.
• Car No. 117, Gary E. Raymond, ’61 Chevrolet, Dover, N.J.

The article closed with the dateline NORWOOD, June 14, F.G., marking the report as part of the lead‑up to one of the most anticipated racing events ever held at Norwood Arena.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Norwood Messenger