This is why David Pearson is the greatest NASCAR driver of all time. When Dale Earnhardt broke his collarbone at Pocono, David took over the next 4 races while he healed. In those 4 races, David Pearson WON 2 races(this and Bristol)and put the car on the pole for Michigan. The man was a masterclass driver, the Silver Fox and I'm proud to be able to say I saw him race and win at Ontario in 1976 in his most iconic car, the #21 Wood Brother's Puralator Mercury.
Awesome upload! The picture quality is excellent. Bobby Allison had em covered until H.B. Bailey tapped him. I remember That B.A. suffered from inhalation of fumes after the Bailey incident.
It's so amazing to be able to watch and see how NASCAR began and how much it changed from decade to decade. From the beach in Daytona to today. Truly awesome!
@@RealJohnWayne - This is like the 3rd major generation when it comes to cars. They had already gone from unmodified production cars to modified ones to production bodies attached to a cage. If we're talking about the schedule and points it's like the 4th-5th generation. 31 races, most/all places are visited twice, 180pts to win with 5pts for any lap leader and 5pts more for the one with the most laps led.
David Pearson driving a Chevy?! Bobby Allison a Ford?! Was this race some sort of 'alternate universe" of NASCAR? I had previously followed NASCAR from the 1960s to around mid-70s; then drifted away from the sport until the 1990s when I got cable TV with ESPN. So, in that timespan, any NASCAR race, now on YT, is new video material for me.
Early in 1979, David Pearson left the Wood Brothers' Mercury, which gave Neil Bonnet quite a boost. This is 1 of 4 races where Pearson replaced a young injured Dale Earnhardt to keep the owner points rolling. The biggest change happened 13-14 months before this: halfway through 1978, Richard Petty got tired of Dodge's awful Magnum and changed to General Motors. Oddly enough, his teenage son Kyle was still racing them in 1979.
@@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT4 races in which David won 2. Here and at Bristol. He also put the car on the pole at Michigan showing the world again why he's the GOAT.
Saw Bobby win the Ontario 500 in 1978 driving for the great WWII hero Bud Moore. All my race cars always wore #15 in honor of him and tge great Parnelli Jones who both used the number throughout their careers. May they both rest in peace
What people need to remember is, these cars didnt have power steering. Power steering didnt come around till 1981. So these guys were slinging these big, heavy cars around at these speed with no cool suits, no power steering, in the summer heat, no gloves. These guys were total badasses.
Came to watch this after hearing about all the drivers falling out of the seat on “Becoming Earnhardt” on the Dale Jr. Download. Pretty crazy that so many had to jump out while Pearson finished the race off even though he probably was nowhere near as race fit as everyone. He hadn’t been driving much that year after leaving the Wood Bros.
*POINT STANDINGS and WINS before the 1979 SOUTHERN 500 (23 of 31):* · Darrell Waltrip (3532 points with 7 wins, Chevrolet) · Richard Petty (-160 with 3 wins, Oldsmobile) · Cale Yarborough (-314 with 3 wins, Oldsmobile) · Bobby Allison (-339 with 4 wins, Ford) · Benny Parsons (-535, Oldsmobile) · Joe Millikan (-663, Chevrolet) · Richard Childress (-878, Chevrolet) · JD McDuffie (-937, Chevrolet) · Dale Earnhardt dropped to 10th after missing 4 races due to injury (David Pearson drove his car with moderate success). Buddy Baker (15th with 2 wins, Chevrolet), Dick Brooks (Oldsmobile), Dave Marcis (Chevrolet) and Lennie Pond all had to scale down to a partial schedule. Meanwhile, Neil Bonnett got 2 wins with the Wood Brothers’ Mercury after David Pearson left the team. Drivers listed are the season's current top8, last season's top8 plus whatever race winner that doesn't fit any of those 2 descriptions plus I’m using the unsponsored names of the races. In Darlington's case, the Spring race was the Rebel race while the Labour day one was the Southern.
Moderate Success!!!. Wow! In 4 races he wins 2 of them and puts the car on the pole for a third. A .500 winning percentage is unheard of in motorsports and this was by far not the only time he achieved that accomplishment. In 1973, in the 18 races David and the Wood Bros entered(they never ran a full schedule costing David multiple championships)he won 11. Dale became the winner he did because of this man showing him what it takes to do it. Moderate Success!?!! They couldn't have picked a better man to replace Dale with.
@@DanArnets1492again. One of the greatest caretakers of cars on a track. Never wrecked anybody I ever saw on purpose. Not once! Leonard Wood said he was the smoothest fastest driver they ever had and growing up watching his entire career, I believe him. He'd always lay back and let everyone run their cars into the ground then kick their ass at the end. You gotta be an Earnhardt fan to discount what DP did in those four races for Rod Osterlund. You also sound Egyptian too, cause you are certainly in de Nile.
@@DanArnets1492it is, cementing David Pearson as the GOAT. Nobody could've done what he did in those 4 races(winning 2 and sitting on the pole at Michigan) including DE at that time
This is why David Pearson is the greatest NASCAR driver of all time. When Dale Earnhardt broke his collarbone at Pocono, David took over the next 4 races while he healed. In those 4 races, David Pearson WON 2 races(this and Bristol)and put the car on the pole for Michigan. The man was a masterclass driver, the Silver Fox and I'm proud to be able to say I saw him race and win at Ontario in 1976 in his most iconic car, the #21 Wood Brother's Puralator Mercury.
He did not win Bristol. He came in seventh.
@@bruceclark1226 ya you're correct. Always thought he won two races in those 4 he did for Osterlund.
Came close at Talledega though finishing second.
Awesome upload! The picture quality is excellent. Bobby Allison had em covered until H.B. Bailey tapped him. I remember That B.A. suffered from inhalation of fumes after the Bailey incident.
10:42 "If it wasn't hot here, it wouldn't be Darlington" -David Pearson
It's so amazing to be able to watch and see how NASCAR began and how much it changed from decade to decade. From the beach in Daytona to today. Truly awesome!
It began long before this.
@@RealJohnWayne - This is like the 3rd major generation when it comes to cars. They had already gone from unmodified production cars to modified ones to production bodies attached to a cage.
If we're talking about the schedule and points it's like the 4th-5th generation. 31 races, most/all places are visited twice, 180pts to win with 5pts for any lap leader and 5pts more for the one with the most laps led.
Great footage for this vintage race, really enjoyed!!! 🏁🏁
18:01 look at Rudds face...😐 man thats terrifying. Hes in bad shape. What a brutal race.
I believe David Pearson would light up cigarettes during caution laps!!... That's old school!!
Buddy Baker claimed he lit a cigarette while passing him for the lead once at Daytona.😂
The true GOAT in NASCAR!
David Pearson driving a Chevy?! Bobby Allison a Ford?! Was this race some sort of 'alternate universe" of NASCAR?
I had previously followed NASCAR from the 1960s to around mid-70s; then drifted away from the sport until the 1990s when I got cable TV with ESPN. So, in that timespan, any NASCAR race, now on YT, is new video material for me.
yep, David Pearson replaced Dale Earnhardt for a few races after he left Wood Brothers earlier in that season
Early in 1979, David Pearson left the Wood Brothers' Mercury, which gave Neil Bonnet quite a boost. This is 1 of 4 races where Pearson replaced a young injured Dale Earnhardt to keep the owner points rolling.
The biggest change happened 13-14 months before this: halfway through 1978, Richard Petty got tired of Dodge's awful Magnum and changed to General Motors. Oddly enough, his teenage son Kyle was still racing them in 1979.
@@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT4 races in which David won 2. Here and at Bristol. He also put the car on the pole at Michigan showing the world again why he's the GOAT.
17:06 Maurice Petty keeping people back with a broom lol
Donnie driving for Hoss Ellington and Bobby driving for Bud Moore.
Saw Bobby win the Ontario 500 in 1978 driving for the great WWII hero Bud Moore.
All my race cars always wore #15 in honor of him and tge great Parnelli Jones who both used the number throughout their careers.
May they both rest in peace
Was Jake Elder the crew chief for the 2 car?
Yes
Yes
What people need to remember is, these cars didnt have power steering. Power steering didnt come around till 1981. So these guys were slinging these big, heavy cars around at these speed with no cool suits, no power steering, in the summer heat, no gloves.
These guys were total badasses.
Certainly was a mans game then. Now its daddys money game
I like the film recreation.
The biggest stuff to learn is Elliott not in the 9 car DW mistakes. I think this was a Confidence builder for bill Elliott
Came to watch this after hearing about all the drivers falling out of the seat on “Becoming Earnhardt” on the Dale Jr. Download. Pretty crazy that so many had to jump out while Pearson finished the race off even though he probably was nowhere near as race fit as everyone. He hadn’t been driving much that year after leaving the Wood Bros.
*POINT STANDINGS and WINS before the 1979 SOUTHERN 500 (23 of 31):*
· Darrell Waltrip (3532 points with 7 wins, Chevrolet)
· Richard Petty (-160 with 3 wins, Oldsmobile)
· Cale Yarborough (-314 with 3 wins, Oldsmobile)
· Bobby Allison (-339 with 4 wins, Ford)
· Benny Parsons (-535, Oldsmobile)
· Joe Millikan (-663, Chevrolet)
· Richard Childress (-878, Chevrolet)
· JD McDuffie (-937, Chevrolet)
· Dale Earnhardt dropped to 10th after missing 4 races due to injury (David Pearson drove his car with moderate success). Buddy Baker (15th with 2 wins, Chevrolet), Dick Brooks (Oldsmobile), Dave Marcis (Chevrolet) and Lennie Pond all had to scale down to a partial schedule. Meanwhile, Neil Bonnett got 2 wins with the Wood Brothers’ Mercury after David Pearson left the team.
Drivers listed are the season's current top8, last season's top8 plus whatever race winner that doesn't fit any of those 2 descriptions plus I’m using the unsponsored names of the races. In Darlington's case, the Spring race was the Rebel race while the Labour day one was the Southern.
Moderate Success!!!. Wow!
In 4 races he wins 2 of them and puts the car on the pole for a third. A .500 winning percentage is unheard of in motorsports and this was by far not the only time he achieved that accomplishment. In 1973, in the 18 races David and the Wood Bros entered(they never ran a full schedule costing David multiple championships)he won 11.
Dale became the winner he did because of this man showing him what it takes to do it.
Moderate Success!?!! They couldn't have picked a better man to replace Dale with.
@@Malibu1515 - It was very up and down, meaning he was just willing to destroy the car, which in turn means he wasn't at his best
@@DanArnets1492again. One of the greatest caretakers of cars on a track. Never wrecked anybody I ever saw on purpose. Not once! Leonard Wood said he was the smoothest fastest driver they ever had and growing up watching his entire career, I believe him. He'd always lay back and let everyone run their cars into the ground then kick their ass at the end.
You gotta be an Earnhardt fan to discount what DP did in those four races for Rod Osterlund.
You also sound Egyptian too, cause you are certainly in de Nile.
Gus Roberts.
ah, this was one of the races that Earnhardt missed due to a broken collarbone.
It was 4 of them if Racing Reference is correct
@@DanArnets1492it is, cementing David Pearson as the GOAT. Nobody could've done what he did in those 4 races(winning 2 and sitting on the pole at Michigan) including DE at that time
The driver that David Pearson replaced in this race would eventually match his 9 wins at Darlington.
Cause David showed him how😉