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| {{InfoboxLost
| | #REDIRECT [[1962-1963 NASCAR Grand National Series (partially found footage of NASCAR qualifying sessions and races; 1962-1963)]] |
| |title=<center>1962 Firecracker 250</center>
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| |image=1962firecracker2501.jpg
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| |imagecaption=Fireball Roberts (22) facing off against David Pearson (6).
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| |status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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| }}
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| The '''''1962 Firecracker 250''''' was the 29th race of the 1962 NASCAR Grand National Series. Occurring on 4th July at the Daytona International Speedway, the race would ultimately be won by 1962 Pontiac driver Fireball Roberts. Roberts became the first driver to win the Daytona 500 and Firecracker 250 in the same year.
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| ==Background==
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| The ''1962 Firecracker 250'' was the fourth running of the event, with its name a reference to the fact it was held on the United States' Independence Day.<ref name="firecracker">[https://www.forbes.com/sites/davecaldwell/2019/07/03/farewell-to-a-firecracker-of-a-nascar-tradition/?sh=350c69d875a0 ''Forbes'' detailing the origin of the Firecracker 250, and its reporting on its 2019 name change.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> It was also the fourth 1961 NASCAR Grand National Series event to be held at Daytona International Speedway,<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/1962/W/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1962 NASCAR Grand National Series calendar.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> after the Twin 125s and the Daytona 500, which in 1962 occurred on 26th February and was won by Roberts.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1962_Daytona_500/W/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing results for the 1962 Daytona 500.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> The Firecracker 250 also has ties to the modern Coke Zero Sugar 400 race, having dropped the Firecracker name in 2019.<ref name="firecracker"/>
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| Prior to the race, qualifying occurred, with Banjo Matthews winning the pole position after breaking the two-lap time trial record in his 1962 Pontiac.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1962/07/01/archives/matthews-wins-pole-at-daytona-asheville-driver-sets-mark-in-stock.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Matthews winning the pole position.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref><ref name="results">[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1962-29/W/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the start order and results of the race.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> Bobby Johns and Johnny Allen, also in 1962 Pontiacs, qualified second and third respectively, ahead of Roberts in fourth. Richard Petty, driving a 1962 Plymouth, qualified 11th.<ref name="results"/> Heading into the event, his goal was to win the race for his two-year-old son, Kyle.<ref>[http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/30467/racing-history-minute-1962-daytona-500 ''RacersReunion'' containing a news clip where Petty aimed to win the race for his son.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref>
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| ==The Race==
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| With the starting order decided, the 1962 Firecracker 250 occurred on 4th July. Roberts made a great start, taking the lead on the first lap. However, he would be quickly passed by Matthews, and for the first 73 laps, Matthews and Johns would primarily duel for the lead, contributing to eight of the 14 lead changes. On lap 6, Petty crashed out, bringing out the first caution. On lap 34, the other caution occurred when a multicar crash involving the Pontiacs of Joe Weatherly and LeeRoy Yarbrough, and the Fords of Fred Lorenzen and Nelson Stacy, forcing all out of the race. Matthews was still leading by lap 73, but after holding out 32 consecutive laps, he retired after experiencing an engine failure. From that point, Johns and Roberts duelled, only for the latter to retire on lap 82 following transmission issues.<ref name="results"/>
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| With Johns also out, Roberts' only challenger appeared to be fellow 1962 Pontiac driver Junior Johnson. Ultimately, Roberts held out for the remaining laps to claim victory and $9,850 in prize money.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1962/07/05/archives/roberts-is-victor-in-250mile-race-wins-at-daytona-speedway-in.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Roberts winning the race.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref><ref name="results"/> Johnson was the only other driver on the lead lap, with Marvin Panch in a 1962 Ford finishing third two laps down from the leaders.<ref name="results"/> For Roberts, this would be his second Firecracker victory, later winning the expanded Firecracker 400 in 1963. He was also the first driver to win both the Daytona 500 and Firecracker 250 in the same year.<ref>[https://bleacherreport.com/articles/211364-remembering-fireball-roberts-winner-of-daytonas-first-firecracker-race ''Bleacher Report'' noting Roberts' success at the Firecracker events, and how he became the first driver to win the Daytona 500 and Firecracker 250 in the same year.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref>
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| ==Availability==
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| It has been confirmed that ABC broadcast 45 minutes of highlights for the race on 15th July 1962, as part of a double-header with the British Open Golf Championship.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/nascarracingontv/home/the-races/monster-energy-cup-series/1962-nascar-grand-national-series/1962-firecracker-250 ''NASCAR on TV'' detailing ABC's broadcast of the race.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> But while confirmation has been achieved, no footage of the race is known to be publicly available.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEpOsC5QfSBALt-QOshtw76hxXdtj7wmU Austin LaPlante's YouTube playlist of NASCAR events from 1949-1971, noting no footage of the race is currently accessible.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> Back in the 1960s, tapes of recorded television events were usually wiped and reused due to the immense cost of storing them.<ref>[https://www.oldtimereview.co.uk/wiping-generation-television-radio/ ''Old Time Review'' detailing the practice of wiping.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref> Nevertheless, there is a slim chance that older NASCAR broadcasts might still be available in kinetoscope form.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/showblog?id=2676 ''Racing-Reference'' detailing how a kinetoscope of the CBS 1960 Daytona races may still exist, which might be true of the ABC broadcast of the 1962 Firecracker 250.] Retrieved 4 Jan '22</ref>
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Images===
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| <gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
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| 1962firecracker2502.jpg|Marvin Panch during a pitstop.
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| 1962firecracker2503.jpg|Joe Weatherly walking away from his car following a crash.
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| 1962firecracker2504.jpg|Fireball Roberts celebrating his win.
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| 1962firecracker2505.jpg|Official program for the race.
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| 1962firecracker2506.jpg|Newsclip promoting the race.
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| </gallery>
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| ==See Also==
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| *[[1960 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1960)]]
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| *[[1960 Daytona Races (lost CBS and NBC televised footage of NASCAR prelude events to Daytona 500; 1960)]]
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| *[[1961 Firecracker 250 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1961)]]
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| *[[1962 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1962)]]
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| *[[1963 Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1963)]]
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| *[[1963 Richmond 250 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series qualifying session and race; 1963)]]
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| *[[1964 Atlanta 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1964)]]
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| *[[1964 National 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1964)]]
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| *[[1964 Richmond 250 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series qualifying session; 1964)]]
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| *[[1965 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1965)]]
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| *[[1965 Rebel 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1965)]]
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| *[[1966 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1966)]]
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| *[[1966 Southern 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1966)]]
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| *[[1967 Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1967)]]
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| *[[1967 Rebel 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1967)]]
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| *[[1970 Alabama 500 (found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 National 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Wilkes 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 World 600 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1971 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Myers Brothers 250 (lost footage and official documents of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Rebel 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1971)]]
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| *[[1972 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Bowman-Gray 100 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand American Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Carolina 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Firecracker 400 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 National 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Rebel 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1973 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1973)]]
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| *[[1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1973)]]
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| *[[1974 Mason-Dixon 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1974 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1974 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1974)]]
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| *[[1975 Champion Spark Plug 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Dixie 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Firecracker 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 World 600 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1976 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Champion Spark Plug 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Dixie 500 (lost CBS footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Firecracker 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Rebel 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Riverside 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Talladega 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Winston 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 World 600 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1978 NAPA National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1979 Daytona ARCA 200 (lost footage of ARCA Racing Series race; 1979)]]
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| *[[1979 Dixie 500 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1979)]]
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| *[[1979 Southeastern 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1979)]]
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| *[[1981 Coca-Cola 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1981)]]
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| *[[1981 CRC Chemicals 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1981)]]
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| *[[1982 CRC Chemicals 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1982)]]
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| *[[1982 Eastern 150 (lost footage of NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1982)]]
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| *[[1982 Goody's Sportsman 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1982)]]
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| *[[1982 Twin 125s race 1 (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying race; existence unconfirmed; 1982)]]
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| *[[1982 Winston Western 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1982)]]
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| *[[1983 Goody's Sportsman 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1983)]]
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| *[[1983 Mason-Dixon 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1983)]]
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| *[[1983 Southern 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1983)]]
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| *[[1984 Delaware 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1984)]]
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| *[[1984 Goody's Sportsman 300 (lost footage of NASCAR Busch Grand National Series race; 1984)]]
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| *[[1984 Warner W. Hodgdon Carolina 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1984)]]
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| *[[1985 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; existence unconfirmed; 1985)]]
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| *[[1986 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; existence unconfirmed; 1986)]]
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| *[[1989 Busch Clash (lost footage of pre-season NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1989)]]
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| *[[1992 Atlanta 300 (lost footage of NASCAR Busch Grand National Series race; 1992)]]
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| *[[1996 DeVilbiss SuperFinish 200 (partially found televised footage of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race; 1996)]]
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| *[[Jeff Gordon's 2008 UAW-Dodge 400 crash (lost on-board footage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race crash; 2008)]]
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| *[[NASCAR (partially found uncut footage of stock car races; 1960-present)]]
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Lost_sports_events]]
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| [[Category:Lost TV]]
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| [[Category:Completely lost media]]
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