1966 Rebel 400

Darlington Raceway- Darlington, SC
April 30, 1966

[@LCM2248]

I still have this on video when it originally aired. The first "old race" I ever saw. Back in the early 90's there was no internet to get You Tube or order DVDs of old races. Back then you just got lucky to see old clips during races, and read books

[@BSNFabricating]

Richard won this race again in '67, which was his 55th win, passing his dad's record of 54 wins to become the all-time winningest driver in NASCAR. He also won the Southern 500 in '67, and that was his last win at Darlington.

[@Slinger43]

Even with winning 3 time's there, Darlington was very cruel to Richard, he coulda, woulda, shoulda won another 5-6-7 race's there, with just a little better luck 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@HODIUSDUDE]

Just over 12,000 people in the stands for this event. The race was originally scheduled for Sunday May 1st. South Carolina had "blue laws" that prevented certain activities on Sunday. The track attempted to get a bill passed to allow the race to be run on a Sunday for the 1st time. Political backlash on Gov. Robert McNair resulted in the bill getting recalled just 2 months before the race was to be run. With the date moved back to Saturday, they were forced to cancel the Confederate 250 sportsman race. Additionally, in early April Ford pulled their factory backed cars out of NASCAR after they were told they needed to add 427 lbs of ballast to the car if they wanted to use the overhead cam engine. Ford had won 4 of the previous 5 Rebel 400's. Ahh yes... The good old days!

[@DiegoRuiz1991]

Don't forget about a race won by 3 laps, which amounts to at least 1'50". 5th place finished around 5 minutes behind. 10th was like 12 minutes behind. Also, no real crashes (just brushes) but still only 17 cars were running at any pace.

[@CudaRebelsAutoModeling426]

this footage is fantastic, I havent come across many '66 and '67 Nascar races when Richard Petty and David Pearson's Mopar's were in the spotlight. this was truly a treat, thanks.

[@chrisswin8976]

Been watching KZbin a long time. Never thought I'd feel this way. 7 year old video I'm just now able to get to. What kind of good old boys club is KZbin playing.

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Why in the world would they edit out out the accident at the onset. Damn editors. What a difference 5 years made. THANKS FOR THE POST WHAT ELSE YA GOT!!??

[@scarbourgeoisie]

Darlington had such a weird layout in the 60's. One end was two lanes wide, and the other end was only one lane wide. So bizarre.

[@tombakerfx]

They edited out the original start of the race. As they came down for the green flag there was a multi car wreck where most of those involved never made it to the start/finish line. My good friend (driver) Frank Warren was one of those. He always called that the wreck that "knocked out all the Chevrolets".

[@Danny-ur4bf]

i was wondering where they all went,

[@sillygoose2508]

around 1500 to 2000 for an engine wow those were the days

[@kos2318]

You got to love those rebel battle flags those were the days

[@rafaelallenblock]

yesiree, those were the days when being an openly racist piece of shit was acceptable all over the south. YEEHAH

[@kennethhorne1119]

famous last words.."not let a corperation run the sport.." Now all it is a bad joke

[@dntn9634]

Great one, enjoyed it much. Thanks

[@Slinger43]

Oh man do I miss Wind Tunnel 😭

[@Slimjim260]

Love Johnny Reb, and his flag!

[@onesecureone]

Them 383 mopars were and still are my favorite engines a big block that thinks its a high winding small block

[@georgewaters8592]

Hey, anyone know if Wendell Scott was racing NASCAR at this point ?? I always try to see if I can find any of the races he was in... This race was great, thanks for posting - as I'd otherwise never have the chance to watch these old races.

[@mtpocketswoodenickle2637]

George Waters. I was looking for Wendall as well. I'm sure he was racing in 66 but didn't see a 34 car during the segment?

[@tcjohnson3437]

Yes he was in this race. Finished 26 , had to retire early due to overheating

[@georgewaters8592]

Ok, thanks for the info !!

[@sludge4125]

Wendell ran both Darlington races. In the first race, he completed about half the laps before retiring due to engine overheating. In the second race, he completed 317 of 364 laps, and was running at the finish.

[@artisticgizmo8654]

Richard Petty's 43rd Career NASCAR Grand National Victory

[@Slinger43]

Yep! Just think, by the end of the next season he'd have over 70 Career Victory's! 💪

[@davidmandziuk8493]

D Despain "Empty seats in the grandstands, you don't see that in current days NASCAR..!! WOW

[@DiegoRuiz1991]

Ooof!

[@johnschnellbach986]

I could see why. No factory sponsorship from GM or Ford. Basically a MOPAR show. Tough to put butts in the seats with only MOPARs with any chance of winning

[@StanlyRunner]

I was 9 years old sitting at the start finish line and remember the crash at the start. Disappointed because a chevrolet Chevelle wrecked and that was the model car my dad had at the time.

[@cheezy6576]

i sat there too i had so much fun i was 5

[@lancehurley9743]

Bill France Sr. is rolling over in his grave...

[@70stunes71]

That's right he absolutely hated Chryslers. But I don't LMBO

[@JAMplusPAW]

It is a corporation sport.

[@artisticgizmo8654]

Richard Petty's 43rd Career win

[@lonnylundquist9818]

I was there to

[@alexandersupertramp7353]

When racin was racin. Real shit!

[@DiegoRuiz1991]

Yeah, when a 3-hour race was won by 3 laps (around 2 full minutes!)

[@thepunditspundit1776]

I am starting to believe that the rebel flag is not a draw. I’ve never ever seen that many empty seats for a NASCAR event

[@6Alpha-yankie_novemberdy2n]

Independant driver/owner like Wendell Scott, right Buck?

[@paulmatthews463]

Made the mistake of reading the comments before watching the race. Ending spoiled.

[@jacasoasheland6815]

11:23 "Dickmobile" lmao

[@tamtam21801]

Petty crashes here back in 1970,almost killing him

[@bloqk16]

I still can't figure how he survived that crash. Also remarkable that he won a stock car race on the Riverside circuit in California less than two months later.

[@invisiblepuppet3437]

8:10

[@theophilhist6455]

Spoiler alert for those easily offended ....Confederate flag at 1:30 !!...and in Victory Lane. 21:20 ..wow times have changed !

[@YungMoney420]

Theres nothing more badass than Richard Petty winning and a rebel flag waving in the background

[@70stunes71]

@@YungMoney420 absolutely and even this Yankee agrees LMBO

[@rafaelallenblock]

Yeah, being an openly racist piece of shit is bad manners nowadays. LOL

[@radioguy1620]

Ill take that high riser 427 ford at 7.00 for 1500 $

[@lolbr-tn6kq]

That's right. Joe Average couldn't buy a Hemi from a dealer or the factory. Or a Cammer from FORD. Chevrolet was the only motor co. that would sell their best engine, the 427.

[@perrydavis3612]

You most certainly could order a factory hemi on any vehicle that would allow it- my father had a 354 hemi put in a 1957 dodge station wagon of all things straight from the factory- where do you get your information?

[@jacasoasheland6815]

uhm. how the fuk you supposed to pass on a one lane track?

[@clayhopewell4409]

Front strait had the passing lane

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Typical NASCAR back then. Petty or Pearson blowing away the field. I'm thinking that this was the reason for all of the empty seats

[@Slinger43]

Yeah, I'm sure you're right, nobody liked those guys, especially in the Carolinas 🙄

[@robtans5042]

@@Slinger43 Them 2 both were from the carolinas. Both petty and pearson were the best ever. Petty was my favorite. Man I wish I could go back. Never be the good days ever again 3 channels on tv gunsmoke john wayne robert mitchum even lefty kirk douglas was good.Beats the hell out of what we got now bubba smollet nooses

[@rosemarieacipperley280]

MR. DAVE DISPAIN UD BETTER WAKE UP TO REALITY BECOUSE THE STANDS TODAY ARE JUST AS EMPTY TODAY IF NOT EMPTYER THEN YESTERDAYS NASCAR BECOUSE TODAYS NASCAR IS SO FREAKIN BORING IT ACTUALLY SUCKS.

[@ragingbull154]

This video was made 20 plus years ago when Nascar was a sellout everywhere. This isn't new.

[@joett84]

@@ragingbull154 Yeah this video was obviously made back in the 1990s during the Nascar boom. How could anyone think it's a recent video, given that Dave Despain looks relatively young, and that the old ESPN racing music is playing? He's 76 years old now lol.

[@70stunes71]

Petty #1