Glenn Dunaway

Henry Glenn Dunaway[1] (July 6, 1914 – March 8, 1964) was an American auto racer noted for initially winning, and then being disqualified from, what is today recognized as NASCAR's first-ever race.

Glenn Dunaway
Born	Henry Glenn Dunaway July 6, 1914 Kings Mountain, North Carolina
Died	March 8, 1964 (aged 49) Camden, South Carolina
Cause of death	Grade crossing accident
NASCAR Cup Series career
18 races run over 3 years
Best finish	9th (1949)
First race	1949 Race No. 1 (Charlotte)
Last race	1951 Atlanta 100 (Lakewood)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 8 1

NASCAR career

1949

Dunaway competed in NASCAR first Strictly Stock (now NASCAR Cup Series) race on June 19, 1949. He won the race by three laps over Jim Roper after all 33 cars in the race were overheating. Chief NASCAR inspector Al Crisler disqualified Dunaway's car because car owner Hubert Westmoreland had shored up the chassis by spreading the rear springs, a favorite bootlegger trick to improve traction and handling.[2]

When asked about the illegal modifications, Dunaway responded: "Just one of them deals."[3] The night after the race ended, Dunaway went to Bill France's hotel room at the Alamo Plaza, told France that he knew he had won the race and France promptly gave Dunaway his winnings.[4] Westmoreland sued NASCAR for US$10,000,[5] but Greensboro, North Carolina Judge John J. Hayes threw the case out of court, thus setting a legal precedent that recognized NASCAR's power to oversee its own races. Dunaway received no money, and was credited with finishing last in the 33 car field. Roper was credited with the win in NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.[6] In 1998, fellow driver Buck Baker recalled various drivers in that race pooled money together for Dunaway so he would not leave penniless; Baker remarked "he ended up getting more from that than he would have if he'd won the damn race."[7]

Dunaway used his own car to compete in five more events in 1949. He finished last at the next event at the Daytona Beach Road Course. He rebounded and finished third at Occoneechee Speedway, ninth at Hamburg Speedway, and seventh at Martinsville Speedway (then a half-mile dirt track). He finished ninth in the final 1949 points standings.[8]

1950–1951

He competed in seven events in 1950, and had his career high second-place finish at Canfield Speedway. He had 3 Top-10 finishes. He competed in five events in 1951, with 2 Top-10 finishes. He finished 89th in the final points.[8]

Death

Dunaway died at a train crossing near Camden, South Carolina on Sunday morning, March 8, 1964.[9] He and his passenger Margaret Fox were struck by a Seaboard Air Line Railroad train, throwing Dunaway from his car. He was 49 years old.[10]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	NGNC	Pts	Ref
1949	Hubert Westmoreland	33	Ford	CLT 33																																									9th	384	[11]
	Glenn Dunaway	35	Lincoln		DAB 28
		55	Olds			OCC 3	LAN	HAM 9	MAR 7
			Cadillac							HEI 18	NWS
1950		49	Plymouth	DAB	CLT 6	LAN	MAR 4	CAN 2	VER 21	DSP	MON	CLT 12																																	141st	0	[12]
			Olds										OCC 24	DSP	HAM
			Lincoln													DAR 39	LAN	NWS	VER	MAR	WIN	OCC
1951		55	Plymouth	DAB	CLT	NMO	CAR	OCC 10	ARI																																				89th	0	[13]
		155								NWS 8	MAR 15	CAN	CLS	CLB	DSP	CAR	GRS	BAI	HEI	ASW	MCF	ALS	MSF	FOM	MOR	GRP	DAR	CLB	MGR	LAN	CLT	DSP	WIL	OCC	THO	PIG	MAR	OAK
			Nash																																				NWS 17	MAB	JAC
			Plymouth																																							LKW 14	CAR	NMO

References

1. Dutton, Monte (September 8, 2012). "NOTEBOOK: The wire keeps right on crackling". Gaston Gazette. Gastonia, NC. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
2. Profile on motorracing, dailypress.com; accessed December 8, 2014.
3. http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/021598/spo_bianchi.shtml
4. Bill France incident Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, gastongazette.com; accessed December 8, 2014.
5. Westmoreland sues NASCAR, tricklefan.com; accessed December 8, 2014.
6. Reference to Judge Hayes' legal ruling, jcs-group.com; accessed December 8, 2014.
7. McGee, Ryan (June 18, 2019). "Stock car racing turns 70: Richard Petty recalls wild first race in 1949". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
8. Profile, racing-reference.info; accessed December 8, 2014.
9. "Two Gastonians Killed In Train-Car Collision". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, NC. March 9, 1964. p. B1. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
10. "First NASCAR race winner killed". Johnson City Press. AP. March 9, 1964. Retrieved January 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Glenn Dunaway − 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
12. "Glenn Dunaway − 1950 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
13. "Glenn Dunaway − 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved March 1, 2015.

Links

• Story of NASCAR's first race
• Why the Double Standard?
• 'One-win wonders' a colorful crowd

External links

• Glenn Dunaway driver statistics at Racing-Reference