1961 Firecracker 250 from Daytona International Speedway | NASCAR Classic Full Race Replay

The race you are about to see appear as originally broadcast and may contain imagery that is offensive and doesn't align with NASCAR's values. NASCAR has since permanently banned the display of the confederate flag at all events.

[@briantaylor9285]

Chris Economaki, absolutely legendary.

[@pinedelgado4743]

I've just Googled for the info. It turns out that the 1961 Firecracker 250 was the very first NASCAR race to be telecast on ABC's WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS back in the Summer of 1961. Remember that WWoS was originally intended as a summer replacement series when it premiered on ABC on April 29. 1961.😉🙂

[@orion848]

These films are brilliant. Thank you, Nascar.

[@frankhoyle9995]

So cool to actually hear Fireball speaking.

[@rayhughes4877]

These are real race car drivers real cars God bless them

[@pineytreez6811]

Ralph Earnhardt is Dale Earnhardt's Daddy. Fireball Roberts was my stepdad's favorite race cat driver when he drove a Ford.

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Unbelievable. This has to be the first of its kind. THANK YOU!

[@tamtam21801]

NASCAR is now showing classic races from the 60s even ones that were showing lost crashes on the fast lane

[@bloqk16]

An ABC-TV [US, not Australia] Wide World of Sports recorded on kinescope. This may have been the first year of WWoS that was aired at 5 PM [local time] on Saturdays.

[@davdhartung9817]

Race was taped that morning then edited for showing on Wide World. Kinescope of broadcast was made because videotape was too costly to not reuse.

[@bloqk16]

@@davdhartung9817 Ah! That makes sense. The kinescope would be kept as a reference, the videotape being reused. You get my _thumbs up_ for pointing that out. It is also nice to know that someone else has an awareness on the resources and expenses it took to televise races.

[@robertstaley5049]

Race might have been edited that morning but the actual race was run on Tuesday July 4 some five days before what would have been the first possible Saturday showing of the race. Have been waiting to see this for years as this was the first of many NASCAR telecasts on ABC. The quality of this broadcast pales horribly next to the broadcast of the 62 Firecracker but that takes little away from the enjoyment that this video brings us old time racing fans.

[@speakfreeley4473]

Today they have the technology to clean up the quality, like getting rid off those vertical lines & graining. With that it would look more or less like what it was when it was first shown.

[@claudemcwhorter]

And if I am correct it was on at 4pm CST at my home in Birmingham AL. through the 70's. thank you.

[@billfeld5883]

60 years later and I'm still hopeful that " Dick" Petty is going to win 😢

[@AdanielH]

I wanted Fireball Roberts to win. Great race

[@alanknizek3877]

Notice it's all 61 pontiacs and 61 fords in the front rows

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Very cool!!!! 🏁🏁

[@randylucas2458]

"Davey"

[@kennethanway7979]

When real cars raced! They're go carts today...all the same.

[@danieljohnson9351]

No stage racing, no silly "playoffs" and best of all no Toyotas!

[@bloqk16]

Notice at the pit stops that the announcers are not name-dropping the brand of tires being replaced; or the brand of gasoline being used; which were _Pure_ gasoline and _Firestone_ tires.

[@thestarlightalchemist7333]

This almost seems fake with how stereotypical this comment is

[@speakfreeley4473]

Indeed! All pure Detroit.

[@pineytreez6811]

Just look at those old Pontiacs, Ford's, and Chevys 😁

[@mitchb2305]

Dude, I agree so much. NEVER has a Toyota Camry been rear-drive, with a V8 engine. I hate how modern NASCAR racers barely represents the actual products they put on the streets, which was the entire point back when the sport began. It makes me sick.

[@kennethanway7979]

Like these, but this nearly unwatchable.