The Tragic Story Of NASCAR's Forgotten Legend

[@MrTRAVELER96]

Tiny was my Buddy. He raced at my Dad's race track(Savannah Speedway) in Savannah Ga. My father was Jim Hardie. After the race he would always come over the Grandstand and sit in the #1 seat in the North stands. I 'd go over to see him and he would say to me "Dale go get me my usual". "Tell Neva (My mom who ran the concession stand) Thanks for saving my sandwiches". His order would consisted of 3 ham and cheese sandwiches, 3 egg salad sandwiches and a 6 pack of Falstaff beer. He was one of the kindest and humble men I ever met. We have experienced the loss of Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly, Marion Cox (Preacher), Leroy Yarborough. Marvin Panch, Tiny Lund and more recently David Pearson Who were family friends. The racing business cultivated deep friendships and when you loose one it hurts deeply. God bless you all and rest in peace. I'm so glad that Ned Jarret, Richard Petty, Len Wood, and many others are still around to remind us of the greatness of our racing Heros.

[@scottusry]

i remember going to that speedway when i was about 3 or 4,the cars were so loud they scared me and all i wanted to do was go play in the dirt

[@timmyrtue7252]

My Father knew Tiny from when they were teenagers. They went hunting and fishing around Harlan, Iowa. My Uncle was really good friends with Tiny’s Dad. Did Tiny ever tell you about his parents went on Vacation and he took the family car to the Shelby County Speedway? lol He came up to Iowa and ran some Dirt Track races at some Iowa Tracks and Omaha. My father was at Playland Park in Omaha for Tiny’s wedding that was done in the infield. It was a little 1/4 mile bull ring. I got to meet Tiny when he was up here racing. Him and my Dad talked about old times they had had when they were young. That was in the 1970’s.

[@reginaldhall6871]

Wasn't this a 1 race comeback for Lund?

[@larrynorsworthy8582]

6 sandwiches? Wow!

[@bradsanders407]

​@BillyToes-st7xq well 6 people so far cared enough to comment including your super edgy doucheness and I.

[@johnvandeventer8668]

RIP Tiny Lund😔

[@mattskustomkreations]

2:36. The Tiny vs. Petty fight article made me truly LOL. It’s worth pausing to read!

[@rapman5791]

At least Mrs. Petty didn’t pull out that .38. Things might have gone south real quick…lol “Lund is having his way with all three” 😂😂😂

[@jimphillips8709]

I think I've read that story. The article stated Tiny hit Lee with a haymaker and knocked him over 3 race cars. Then it said Mrs Petty hit Tiny over the head with her purse and laid Tiny out. Mrs Petty had a brick in her purse.

[@hardhead5700]

HAHAHA That had to hurt.

[@Baked1ne]

Definitely worth pausing to read 😂😂

[@mattskustomkreations]

@ Haha! I hadn’t read this in a while… The last line is the payoff!

[@bdp1823]

I was there the day Tiny was killed, and the wreck happened in front of us. One thing I'll add to this, is, it took the safety crew so long to get to Tiny, that a couple of guys climbed over the fence to help him. They were at the car way before the safety crew got there to try and administer help to Tiny. It was a while before they got Tiny out of the car due to the damaged the car sustained, along with Tinys size. It took 4 to 5 guys to get him out, and you could tell it was bad. Also on that day, Dick Brooks, driving the Junie Donlavey # 90 Tuxmore Ford, got crossed up on the backstretch (also right in front of us) and took off like an airplane, and flew thru the air upside down. When the car hit the ground, it bounced around, and when he came to a stop, he wound up in a mud puddle, and we were told he came close to drowning. Couldn't really see the car by the time it came to rest, but thats what we were told. It definitely was a tragic and strange day at Talladega.

[@toddherrmann7094]

RIP Tiny

[@raymondflowers2167]

I was there at the track the weekend before when the race was supposed to take place. It was rained out, and I had to get back to El Paso that week, and missed the race. Had to give my tickets away. Sucked at the time. They did some pre-race activities, ran a bunch of cars around the track, but would not stop drizzling.

[@DrOlds7298]

As I recall,that was a particularly bad weekend at Talladega. There also was an explosion in Richard Petty's pits involving a pressurized tank that was also fatal. As I recall,the person killed also was Petty's 15-16 y/o Brother in Law,who was also part of his pit crew?

[@robbob5318]

Thanks for sharing this....

[@mw5905]

damn y'all some old mfs

[@johnstark4723]

RIP Tiny, I'll never forget the two times I met you. You were a giant to me the first time as I was a little kid. I thought you crushed my hand shaking it 😅. It was alwaysaa fun seeing you race and you have been missed by many over the years.

[@jennifursun3303]

he was in the old Elvis movie Speedway

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

Great Tribute JJ. I'm old enuf, I remember seeing the Grand American series. I was at North Wilkesboro to see Tiny win a Cup race. He beat Pearson, Petty, Baker, Yarborough- All the Hall of Famers that day. RIP Tiny, I remember you for winning, I was 11 years old & was there with my grandpa.

[@kramnull8962]

Most tend to forget the amount of hardship and poverty many Americans were in between 72-78. Every time you have fuel shortages and high fuel cost, you have an entire nation that struggles to make ends meet.

[@henryturnerjr3857]

I read he picked car #55 for years, because he caught a 55 pound striped bass. It was the SC state record at the time.

[@bigrooster6893]

Most people don’t realize he didn’t legally catch it. He caught it on a trotline, but told everybody he caught it on a rod and reel off his dock which is humanly impossible.

[@henryturnerjr3857]

@@bigrooster6893 Why do you say it's humanly impossible?

[@jasonwiggins]

​@@bigrooster6893There is SO much wrong with your grossly inaccurate personal opinions, and bogus rumors. Tiny never stated he caught it off "his" dock. Tiny didn't have a dock, I guess you could claim the one at his camp. No one knows what you are writing about. The rumor was that he caught it with a cast net. You could see the fish schooling at the surface and use a cast net to catch them. Regardless, it was an official World Record for decades. "Humanly Impossible". You're wrong again. Stripers can school next to shore, you can literally catch them with cane poles. I personally know fishermen who used to catch them off the bank in Lake Moultrie, the same Lake Tiny caught his.

[@jasonwiggins]

​@@henryturnerjr3857Because he has no clue what he is talking about.

[@jasonwiggins]

@BillyToes-st7xq Lol!! What did he lie about. The majority of the original post was never said by Tiny. How could he lie about something he never said? Lol. Sad and pathetic Billy. My family is from Cross SC. Tiny most likely caught it with a cast net. It's common knowledge. What else did he lie about? The fish brought in many anglers from all over the country to a very small town. It was worth it.

[@C-WiL]

That guard was tripping. he must've wanted him to die, props to those fans who tried getting link out

[@HopeyDopey143]

THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH FOR THIS !! Buddy Baker was a dear friend of mine! Buddy absolutely hated the News Media! Tiny Lund was his best friend and Buddy said that the News Media stuck the Mic and the Camera in his face as he was celebrating his win … The camera man told him on camera that Tiny was killed ! Broke Buddy’s heart !!

[@toddfowler4017]

Thank you for that wonderful tribute to Tiny Lund! Through skill, determination, and a love for racing, he became one of the best racers ever!! RIP TINY LUND

[@barry1705]

I remember as a kid seeing Bobby Allison And Tiny Lund at the Trico speedway. The track is now called the Orange County Speedway. He was a mountain of a man. I got his autograph. Super nice guy. Very good video. He ran races on a budget. I wish he had more sponsorship. He could show everyone his talent.

[@1811bruce]

I saw him at Trico too! Must have been the same time.

[@mr.michigan9289]

Tiny is one of the racers who kept NASCAR racing moving forward, "Thank you" Tiny!

[@alb5489]

@BillyToes-st7xqMe thinks you are the nobody.

[@kh40yr]

A horrible tragic death. RIP Tiny. You were just getting started. Smokey Yunick and his sponsored car at about 1:38, with his 56 Chev Nascar. Oh, the treats and secrets under that hood. Rip Smokey, you had "The best damn garage in town".

[@austintaylor6152]

Wow in one 20 second window you mentioned grant adcox tiny lund and jd McDuffie and now I'm sad lol great video tho

[@M1lesJames]

Crazy that NASCAR used to have Talladegas second race scheduled in July and August, when it's generally hot as balls down there

[@wolverine8824]

Unless it’s December through March, it’s always hot as balls down here lol

[@altec19]

I agree I could not understand some of the scheduling back then they would have the Richmond race in February right after Daytona freezing cold weather go figure

[@tagnut1952]

That's why they called it the Die Hard 500. Man, those July races were always brutal.

[@trent3872]

The Winston 500 was in may, the Talladega 500 in August. I was there, as a kid the day Tiny was killed, also I was in the infield hospital when Richard Pettys brother in law was killed. Sad days.

[@brianbooher7318]

That was when men were men an had balls of steel an didn't sqat to piss.thet had to move it to October cause these pussies today could never make it 500 miles on July.

[@richardcranium3579]

Fun fact: Lund held the record for the largest striped bass caught for a long time. 55 lbs if I remember correctly. “For more than 30 years, Tiny Lund held the world record for landing a striped bass from Lake Moultrie. The fish was internationally certified in 1963 at 55 pounds, which was the number Lund chose for his race cars late in his career.”

[@extramile150]

well-done documentary on a well-liked, deserving driver/person.

[@solidgoldsaxguy]

He also came to Waycross Motor Speedway in South GA. On one visit he and another driver had cars that outside of local standards. Tiny and the other driver served up a great match race that was wild. The drivers put on an incredible show.! They ended up tangling on the front stretch and took out the starters stand!

[@mitchhall7459]

My dad (George Hall) was friends with Tiny. He actually raced with him at the old Jacksonville speedway where we lived. I heard numerous stories about Tiny from my dad while i was growing up. He was a great racer and friend! Glad to see this story! Thanks!

[@highway445]

In Jackson International Speedway in 1970 Tiny hot lapped a Camaro that my Dad built for Giambulluca Construction in our backyard. It was the Pepsi 200 and Tiny was sponsored by Pepsi. He told us what needed to be done to the car and also helped us turn wrenches. A fella by the name of Fred Nick was the driver of the Camaro. We ran 3rd behind Larry Phillips and Ed Howe, 2 of the best names in the sport of racing. I honestly believe that Tiny was a key factor in that car doing as well as it did I guarantee. RIP Mr Tiny Lund.

[@theophilhist6455]

Tiny was BIG man with a BIG heart and was what made NASCAR great in the past with its great collection of approachable drivers and their certainly personable personalities.

[@petermoran2832]

To think that just two days after, another racing legend, Mark Donohue, would also die of injuries sustained in a crash in Austria the day before.

[@daviddobson1113]

He was one of the best drivers in Nascar that being said it was very hard to get a ride back then any driver today that wins the 500 and has over 10 top 10 finishes would have a ride. RIP .

[@wolverine8824]

Love the content man. Always learning something new when I watch your stuff. Keep up the good work!

[@jimgomez5396]

I had the chance to meet him at one of the tracks in the northeast, most down to earth person I had come across,

[@brucepowell7986]

He ran at Norwood areana a couple times and at Thompson still have the card he signed , great guy.

[@orionexplorer]

I knew Tiny from TV when they would cover a race, back in the 60's and early 70's if you were a race fan you would watch what you could. I don't remember his death, but I heard about at a later time. I liked Tiny and some the old stars of the day.

[@jimhonycutt9056]

TINY WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AS LONG AS SOME OF US OLD GUYS ARE STILL AROUND .HE WAS ONE HECK OF A GENTLE GIANT MADE FRIENDS EASILY AND NEVER FORGOT THEM .HE REMINDED ME OF BENNY PARSONS MAY THEY BOTH REST IN THE ARMS OF JESUS AMEN .

[@johnbarker5009]

My Dad watched Tiny race in his home town of Harlan, Iowa.

[@TD-ce5ru]

I seen him race at Playland speedway in Council Bluffs. Johnny Beaucamp was there too.

[@johnbarker5009]

@@TD-ce5ru Oh wow, I remember hearing ads as a kid for Playland. Never had a chance to go there, but I did go to Sunset Speedway in west Omaha.

[@TD-ce5ru]

@@johnbarker5009 My Uncle was three time track champion in the late 60's. In a special race there one night. Johnny Bueacamp just drove away from everyone. He and Tiny were kind of rough drivers on that little asphalt track after having battled the big boys.

[@kurt2022]

These old-time drivers were men that had to race their way up from small dirt tracks and deserve and get my upmost respect. Current drivers usually have big money behind them and buy their way in and I have zero respect for any of these rich 'boys'!

[@tagnut1952]

Yeah, and most of today's nascrap youngsters don't know a spark plug from a radiator cap.

[@randallharrellracingrcchan9386]

STILL TO THIS DAY I NEVER STOPPED THANKING ABOUT IT RIP TINY LUND

[@teresagoodwin7458]

Please keep these Precious Priceless Treasured BLESSING'S coming. Tiny Lund along with all the greats that was with Nascar from it's inception raced at our local Dirt Track The Old Columbia Speedway in Cayce South Carolina when I was very young. Tiny won a race at THE OLD COLUMBIA SPEEDWAY ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND WE ALWAYS PARKED IN THE INFIELD WHERE YOU COULD MIX AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE DRIVER'S AND CREW MEMBERS, IT'S WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. As I said I was very young and I was so excited my favorite driver besides Ralph Earnhardt, I went over and gave his wife a dime because it's what I had in my pocket. But I got to meet ALL the driver's racing then and was allowed to climb under the hood or underneath the race cars when they were working on them. Best childhood ever 🙏💞🤗💞🙏🏁🏆🏁

[@benbarrs5500]

I spent a lot of time at that track as a kid. My parents were big race fans and my dads favorite with R. Petty. A lot of the old famous big time drivers raced there. It was exactly as you said, after the race we would walk. through the pits and talk to the drivers and get up close look at the cars. Once time if got rained out and we just sat in the infield for a while and Cale Yarborough came walking though and my parents invited him in for a beer. We had as bus that had been converted into a camper and i was just in WOW......Cale Yarborough was sitting in our bus drinking beer with my parents.

[@Jadonelijah2010]

Tiny Lund gone but not forgotten

[@andyjackson304]

My father worked as a pit crew member for car builder Cotton Owens. He and Tiny became really good friends due to the fact that they both loved racing, loved fishing, and both stood out in the garage because their height. My dad was 6'6" and Tiny was 6'5". Dad said Tiny was as genuine as a person as you could ever meet. He was humble and laid-back and just a joy to be around. When Tiny was killed, my father had left Cotton Owens and was working as a pharmacist, which is what he went to college for. He said in all his years of working for Cotton, he had witnessed or suffered his share of tragedies but even though he wasn't there when Tiny died, it hit him harder than any other. Dad always said he felt like he lost a brother that day.

[@patrickhite3026]

Seen him many times at Nashville fairground speedway which used to be the world's highest banked racetrack & was so fast Petty & a few others refused to race on it again..They had two Wineton cup races in Nashville in that era..Music city 420 & Nashville 420.

[@feliciapulliam753]

My home track. Yes, those high banks were amazing!

[@montecrow1088]

Tiny Lund, J.D. McDuffie, Grant Adcox and Alan Kulwicki.... all cut from the same cloth

[@ramseyfrench]

Watched him race at old jax speedway him and tom pistone Tiny was a very frendly driver alwasy had time for us id go get 2 large pepsis for him in the pits great guy

[@tadroid3858]

Great piece. Thanks!

[@dougscott8161]

Unfortunately, Tiny Lund was just one of a number of well know and loved drivers who suffered tragedy in that Talladega Race. R.I.P. Tiny Lund.

[@gregorygolden1296]

GOD BLESS TINY. He use to come down to the Palm Beach Fairgrounds Speedway. I think mainly to race in the Orange Blossom 100. Tiny, Red Farmer, Donnie Allison and a couple others would try their luck against some of the best drivers to ever put on a helmet.....Crowe,Brack,Tissot, Anderson, Balough, Connors....the list is long. Am quite sure all them boys knew Tiny well.

[@kbradford2270]

This was a great input. I've seen tiny in North Carolina. Very, very big guy, but he was a lot like buddy. Baker, a gentle giant. If you would please can you do a story on Mister fred Lorenzo or Hoss Ellinton or maybe slick Johnson or Sam Ard

[@briantaylor9285]

That security guard though!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬 RIP Tiny 🙏

[@greggpaul4670]

I'm assuming the narrator misspoke about USCA. I'm guessing he meant USAC where Tiny ran several races. I saw him race at the Milwaukee Mile on a few occasions.

[@mwoodley7038]

RIP

[@Tim1963-u6n]

Tiny was huge, l can only imagine seeing him getting in that small window opening

[@tduncan78]

Seeing the Wood Brothers 21 with the English Motors decal takes me back to my hometown, High Point, NC.

[@Vigilant_Guardian]

good job on this video.. keep up the passionate pursuit

[@jamesstafford62]

Tiny ran a Late Model race at Hickory NC the night before he was killed. The Talladega race was rained out the week before and Tiny didn’t make the field but was first alternate. Grant Adcox crew chief had a heart attack so at the last minute withdrew from the Talladega race this gave Tiny the final starting spot. Bobby Allison sent his private plane from Talladega to Hickory NC to get Tiny so he could race the next day. I was at Hickory that Saturday night. I was 11 years old and got a one of Tiny’s postcards of his #55 Pepsi Camaro and he autographed it for me, 50 years later and I still have it!!!

[@savedin87ify]

RIP Tiny

[@JimKuhns]

I was at the Daytona 500 in 63 when Tiny won driving the Wood Brother's 21 in relief for the injured Marvin Panch.

[@ixlr8677]

he is not forgotten by a bunch of us.

[@altec19]

Such a Sad story Went to see that race it got rained out the week before hoping they would have it The next day on Monday drove 1400 miles had to wade back to my car parking lot looked like a lake not a single lap was run

[@chitboxes868]

Legend

[@ronsnow2015]

Tiny was great and so is your video thank you.

[@terraplane49]

I only heard of Tiny when Tom Wolfe mentioned him in an article about Junior Johnson. Thank you for filling in his story in such good detail.

[@jamesbuck3818]

Nice job on your research... I Remember listening to Buddy Baker as an announcer during the races...

[@rogerdighton6708]

Legends live forever

[@HopeyDopey143]

I met Buddy Baker a year after this wreck and he would cry every time he talked about it! So very sad !

[@saltbombcreations8336]

My grandpa (My Mom’s side) also served in the Korean War but saw no combat, not sure if he and Lund ever met. Probably not but possibly, tho my grandpa was in the Army and not the Air Force

[@lonnylundquist9818]

God bless him and Wanda

[@spencergwin9454]

Hard not to believe in curses when you compile all the weird incidents that have happened at Talladega through the seasons

[@billskelton3701]

Remember Tiny from the Greenville Pickens South Carolina dirt track in the 60s. All the track family boys loved Tiny.

[@vhhawk]

I saw Tiny Lund race when I was a kid in Georgia. I think it must have been Lakewood Speedway but not sure. The only thing I remember is being upset because I saw this big guy across the way and asked my dad who it was. "Tiny Lund." I had thought he was a small guy like me. He was one of my dad's favorites. Him and Curtis Turner. Thanks for bringing back that memory.

[@healthyone100]

i'm from n.y. but i worked for a tent revival down south i remember setting up the tent at the Lakewood speedway you could still see the figure of the track and the concrete stands!

[@indyme2]

Awesome video! Thanks.

[@behindthewheel51]

I lived at Tiny Lund's fish camp in Cross SC from 73'-74' great fishing and as far as Tiny, he had a Temper !

[@conniehaverstock3690]

a gentle giant n such a sweet man

[@KR-ti5uz]

Great post rip tiny

[@kattriella1331]

I just learned from my grandfather that my great uncle was part of this man's pit crew at one point. (I don't know if he was there the day he died, though.) I'd never heard of this man prior to that, but now I'm falling down the rabbit hole.

[@tonys1202]

I didn’t remember him until this. RIP.

[@headbrown5629]

Tiny lund....what a guy...Tom Higgins....Hillbilly Shakespeare

[@headbrown5629]

Note ...tiny gets credit for his pony car win....Bobby Allison doesn't

[@gregorygolden1296]

Yea, ain't that a bunch of crap. Burned Bobby on that one.

[@ronjohnson1512]

That’s now been corrected, he gets credit for win at Bowman Gray, luckily before Bobby passed

[@the_lost_navigator]

Respect

[@alsaunders3937]

@bdp1823 In my mind Tiny was the Grandfather of NASCAR. Along with Fireball they paved the way (literally) for people such as Gordon and yes even the Earnhardt's much like Danica and Bubba Wallace. Much love to the relatives of both Tiny and Fireball....."Cat" aged 66.

[@BillyProctor-id4cr]

Tiny Lund is my hero!!!

[@LS-zj7kv]

I watched Tiny race in Augusta's dirt track and He was always apt to win. I wondered how, as big as he was, the race car was able to go so fast...

[@craigdixon4113]

As a kid I remember seeing him in the 1968 Film, “Speedway” with Elvis Presley.

[@jackorders]

I quit being a race fan after a famous driver won a race with an oversize engine, but the win "stood", and his fine was less than the first place prize money he won illegally. This was years ago, when mega-buck sponsors were forcing the small independents out. I started watching again, but saw a driver given a race, because no one was allowed to pass him. He was blocking traffic but apparently the fix was in because no one would pass. The top speeds were off some that race too. The other drivers were lined up in a convoy most of that race. I don't remember the '50's but in the '60's everyone raced balls out. Racing wasn't nearly as competitive after the mega-bucks took over and the multicar teams were formed. I'm done!

[@PhilipCarroll64]

What makes you think Tiny Lund is a forgotten legend? Hes not forgotten at all

[@daverenfroe3645]

Damn right.

[@1KemosabeLarry]

He. Was always my favorite.

[@mcarlkv53]

you had to be super fearless back then to drive a stock car

[@ProjectRescues]

Tiny's shop was located a mile from my house. He was also a distant cousin of mine.

[@BenDecko2023]

Being on NASCARs greatest list doesn't mean much, since Marty Robbins, Lake Speed, Coo Coo Marlin and Buckshot Jones are also considered to be some of the greatest drivers to ever live.

[@herbertfranklin6573]

He actually won his last race here at a track called Summerville Speedway

[@sledgehammerk35]

My grandfather and dad were both at this race. They didn’t know Lund had been killed until they got home the next day.

[@MrMiD.Life.Crisis]

9:17 - im not familiar with USCA, was that a stock car series? great video 👍👍👍👍

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

I think he meant USAC. United States Auto Club racing.

[@loralii]

RIP 😢😢😢😢😢

[@glorybound7599]

I was at the race in Talladega when Tiny Lund was killed.

[@kevinrice7635]

Tough racket Racing... No words deepest sympathy.

[@davideddy2321]

Rest in peace ☮️

[@healthyone100]

sad to here he died on my 25th birthday!

[@whydoyougottahavthis]

Bless tiny

[@dean7118]

Tiny and Neil castles were good friends when in town at Charlotte Tiny would come to soapys truck shop walk around the shop and go to the race shop behind Neil's other shop

[@peterbilt9996]

Harlan Iowa where tiny came from.

[@DrSamwpepper]

1975-Nascar fans help get a driver out of a badly wrecked car 2023-nascar fans throw beer cans at drivers What a downfall.

[@nealking7864]

I was at race I seen the wreck it happened in front of me and my brother

[@ricksadler797]

God bless

[@TheS197King]

Why are Tiny's always big lol? R.I.P Tiny🙏

[@davidtx8777]

you cant revive someone who's already breathing

[@kramnull8962]

But many doctors and hospitals have killed trillions of people that walked in.

[@kevinrice7635]

Tiny not.

[@Blue_ocean66]

🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵