The Original Cat In The Hat
Thursday, August 30th, 2007 11:01am CDT
By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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Carl Kiekhaefer. The founder of the Mercury Outboard division entered
NASCAR Grand National in 1955. The eccentric Carl Kiekhaefer was only
dominating force for two years in NASCAR (He raced white Chrysler’s and
Dodge’s). Kiekhaefer demanding only excellence from every part of his
team. He took on NASCAR with the passion of a stout business man and
the success that no team owner has been able to duplicate since.
Many of his records as a team owner have been deemed unbeatable even
today. The most prolific of his records is from 1956 when a car from
his stable won an amazing 16 races in a row. From March 25 through June
3, 1956 his team was undefeated.
Four different drivers from his stables won during this streak. Buck
Baker 8 times, Speedy Thompson 4 times, Herb Thomas 3 times, and Tim
Flock 1 time. Six times during the streak his cars lead from green to
checkered. In the Virginia 500 at Martinsville his whit cars led 494
laps of 500. Concord 199 of 200 laps. The 1956 standings showed Carl
Kiekhaefer’s team won 30 of 51 starts. The Champion from 1956 Buck
Baker drove a white Kiekhaefer as did the Champion from 1955 Tim Flock.
Flock’s 1955 run was more impressive than any other run before him and
better then any I can remember (Rusty with 10, Jeff with 13 nothing).
Flock won 18 races and 19 poles (Ryan maybe you should take some
lessons). Flock led from green to checkered in 11 races.
Carl’s record in his two years in NASCAR 90 starts, 52 wins (between 7
drivers). The white Kiekhaefer’s dominance caused a riff between him
and other owners and Bill France. Carl claimed his cars were sabotaged
if his cars didn’t win, and heightened suspicion when they did.
During an odd slide at the end of the 56 season Carl sent out a memo
offer a $500 dollar reward to the employee who found the other employee
who was sabotaging the cars. After that the team closed with 5 wins in
a row.
Carl and his entire crew were treated badly by the media and fans
because of the success (Jeff Gordon fans can relate). It hurt him
deeply and was often heard questioning out loud “What have I done?” or
“I guess they want me to quit”.
Carl’s fate was signed, sealed, and delivered at the end of the 1956
season. With Buck Baker trailing Herb Thomas (Quit Carl’s team mid
season) the final race at Shelby, NC was the deciding factor. Speedy
Thompson hooked Thomas’ rear bumper and sent Thomas into an end over end
spill that critically injured Thomas. Buck Baker cruised to an easy
victory and won the championship.
Carl never showed his face at another NASCAR race. He was quoted as
saying “We just can’t afford to have our name further associated with
racing”, was the reason he gave for not returning to NASCAR. Records
are made to be broken but it is doubtful his will be in my lifetime,
Brady if it happens put the article on your dad’s grave.
Well that is the story of the original “Cat in the Hat”. See you soon
with 1958 year in highlights “The year the boy who would become king
runs his first race”.
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Filed Under: Features, Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, The People Of Nascar
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By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Friday February 16, 2007
1:44am CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
In what was an inspirational day at Daytona for some, it was a heart breaker for others as they loaded their trucks to head for the house. Also, not a day without it’s controversies, and the underdogs coming from the back to live a dream.
First up in the day was Tony Stewart who lead the field to the checkers in the first heat. Strong in the field were several cars, but in the end nothing was in the way of that orange machine and finding victory lane at Daytona for the second time in less than a week.
Kyle Bush had a pretty good run, as did Jeff Burton although his finishing position doesn’t really show what the car could (or was) doing. Ah, the comfort of knowing you’re in the show. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for brother Ward.
This guy here, who’s had probably the worst 5 days in his life recently, maneuvered his way into one of the two available transfer spots in the 500, for a start just ahead of mid-pack. Granted the Red Army is going to be a little hot, when Waltrip spun Junior into the infield. Junior recovered for a top 5 in the heat. It wasn’t deliberate, and all was well between the two at the end of the event. A mistake was made, but all forgiven. Of course, had the outcome been different, who knows.
So now were on to the second heat. Duel #2, if you will.
With a winning dodge of Kurt Bush’s Dodge, who tried to block, Jeff Gordon again lead the field to the checkers at a Daytona event. In a less caution filled event than the first, the “controversies” were less, and although the racing wasn’t exactly boring, the drama was less than in the first. Up until the final few seconds, which saw Mike Wallace come out of almost nowhere to end up sliding into the 500 yet again.
With the factor between zero and hero being less than 3/10ths of a second in both heats, it was a nail biter.
Now we come back to Mr. Gordon, who will be starting the 500 from the 42nd position Sunday.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, you ask? Well if you’ve been under a rock this evening since shortly after the conclusion of the second heat, or perhaps trying to figure out why there’s two characters on your screen when you know darn well you only pushed the button once, you missed the #24 failing post race inspection.
Ah, but it goes further. Before some of you get up on your high horses, let the neutral opinion of Thunder Lounge interject. It wasn’t due to an intentional circumvention of the rules, meaning it wasn’t intentional, says NASCAR Director of Competition Robin Pemberton.
During post race inspection, the 24 came through the height sticks about an inch too low. This obviously called for further analysis, and Robin was even under the car a few times.
Here’s what happened. NASCAR, as we all know, mandates rear shocks and hands them out for installation. Well, the bolt that secures it to the shock mount failed. It wasn’t an illegal bolt, it either got cross threaded or whatever, and started failing. Read that as coming apart.
So the reason, as deemed by NASCAR, for the 24 being too low was part failure. However Robin said that since it was a failure which could have lead to serious safety incidences, that the 24 would be starting from the 42nd spot (tail end of that line) instead of the 4th position behind Ricky Rudd. No further penalties will be handed down, and the matter is closed.
What I don’t get, personally, is why a penalty for a part failure? When someone gets their front end, or rear end for that matter, knocked around and the templates don’t fit in post race, isn’t that a part failure in a sense? I mean, deification occurs, so a penalty for a part failure which wasn’t intentional (which is what they said) makes no sense to me. But, OK. Whatever.
So what this comes down to is that now a team can be penalized for a part failure? This could have an impact somewhere down the road. We’ll just have to wait and see.
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Filed Under: Atlanta, Daytona, Drivers, Evernham Motorsports #19, Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Hendrick Motorsports #24, Jeff Gordon, Joe Gibbs Racing #20, Matt Kenseth, Michael Waltrip, Michael Waltrip Racing #55, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Press Releases, Scott Riggs, Teams, The Chase, Tony Stewart, Tracks
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Monday January 29, 2007
8:04pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:385:l:s=1:l=x]Well usually I give you a rundown of the years biggest headlines but this week need to give a few shout outs. First off all those getting pounded by snow in Denver I’ll see you guys in the spring as I am in Virginia now for a few months. Next staying in a barracks where Sprint runs the phones way to go took them only a month to fix my line. I will be trying to get an Interview with a legendary driver to be announced once I get permission for 20 questions so anyone in Danville see you soon hopefully. Now to the year Pontiac got its first win.
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Filed Under: Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, Nascar History
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Saturday December 23, 2006
9:38pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:387:l] Sorry this is late but we got 3 ft of snow here in Denver so just got done digging out thanks to my fellow Gulf Coasters who sent the storm to us anyways on to Tim Flock. If you look up the school of hard knocks you will find Tim Flock as the most distiguished graduate.
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Filed Under: Features, Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, The People Of Nascar
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Thursday December 21, 2006
8:10pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:385:l:s=1:l=x]In world news, Nikita Khrushchev Denounces Stalin’s Excesses Israel, British, French troops invade Egypt. In national news, Autherine Lucy first black student at the University of Alabama is suspended because of riots and US tests first aerial Hydrogen Bomb. In other sports, NY Yankees win the World Series and Oklahoma repeats as National Champions. In entertainment, Elvis is deamed the worlds first rock star and The Wizard of Oz is first shown on TV. In Science, Felix Wankel Develops the Rotary Internal Combustion Engine and DNA is first photographed. Famous deaths of the year: Tommy Dorsey, Connie Mack, and Jackson Pollock. Now… time for the year that Carl Kiekhaefer becomes the original “Cat in the Hat”.
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Filed Under: Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, Nascar History
Trackback URL for: Blast From the Past: 1956
By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Friday December 15, 2006
11:38pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:387:l] In the begining Bill France only allowed NASCAR to run on oval tracks. Hence Go Fast Turn Left. A nice variety of ovals between 1/2 a mile to 2 miles (Grand National Cars never raced on Daytona Road course though all the Grand National Drivers tried to qualify for it). Grand National circuit tackled it’s first road course on June 13, 1954 when race promoters staged the International 100.
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Filed Under: Features, Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, The People Of Nascar
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Monday December 11, 2006
10:43pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:385:l:s=1:l=x]In world news, Winston Churchill Resigns as Prime Minister or England and the US starts sending money to South Vietnam. In national news, Rosa Parks refuses to sit at the back of the bus in Montgomery, AL and President Eisenhower sufers Cornanary Thrombosis in Denver. In other sports, Brooklyn Dodgers beat NY Yankees in the World Series and Oklahoma wins the National Championship. In entertainment, Gunsmoke debuts on TV and James Dean Dies. In Science, Narinder Kapany develops Fiber optics and Owen Chamberlain discovers antimatter. Famous deaths of the year: Albert Einstein, Alexander Fleming, and Thomas Mann. Now… time for the year that Chevy finally gets a win in NASCAR.
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Wednesday December 6, 2006
10:43pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:387:l] In Early 1953 Hudson owner Ted Chester was shopping for a family member in an Atlanta pet shop. While browsing Chester noticed a Rhesus Monkey. Chester bought the monkey with a strange idea in his head. He thought the monkey would make a good teammate for Tim Flock by driving in the car with him as a fun gimmick for the younger fans that came to the Tracks to watch the race. When Chester approached Tim with the idea Tim thought Chester had drank one to many adult beverages. The more Tim thought about the idea the more he liked the idea of the little monkey riding around the track with him.
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Monday December 4, 2006
2:57am CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:385:l:s=1:l=x]In world news, The Geneva Convention divides Vietnam in hopes to bring peace to the war torn Nation. In national news, The Senate Condemns Sen. McArthy for misconduct and in Brown VS The Board of Education the Supreme Court rules racial Segragation in public schools must end. In other sports, the NY Giants win the World series (4-0) over the Cleveland Indians and Ohio State and UCLA split the National Championship. In entertainment
news, Big year for books as Lord of the Flies and Lord of the Rings are introduced. In science, The USS Nautilus is commisioned as the first nuclear submarine. Famous deaths of the year: Lionel Barrymore and Henri Matesse. Now… time for the year that NASCAR Royal family takes the throne.
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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Tuesday November 28, 2006
8:40pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:387:l] Marshall Pleasent Teague, the most brilliant racing mind of the early days was born in Daytona Beach, FL. His racing career began on December 2, 1945 at Seminole Speedway in Orlando, FL. Marshall was still a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps so his name on the entry list as LT. Marshall Teague. Marshall was one of 22 drivers entered in the event with headliners such as Bill France, Fonty Flock, and Sgt. Red Byron. Teague finished second to France in his first effort.
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