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| {{InfoboxFound
| | #REDIRECT [[1970 NASCAR Grand National Series (partially found footage of NASCAR races; 1970)]] |
| |title=<center>1970 Alabama 500</center>
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| |image=1970alabama5001.jpg
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| |imagecaption=Program for the race.
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| |status=<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
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| |datefound=23 Apr 2020
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| |foundby=NASCAR
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| }}
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| The '''''1970 Alabama 500''''' was the 10th race of the 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series. Occurring on 12th April at the Alabama International Motor Speedway, the race would ultimately be won by Pete Hamilton in a 1970 Plymouth. This race has television significance, as it was the first points-paying NASCAR race to be televised live.
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| ==Background==
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| The ''1970 Alabama 500'' was the first instance of an annual spring event at Alabama International Motor Speedway (now Talladega Superspeedway), with the race typically lasting 500 miles.<ref name="alabama">[http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/Article/h-1821 ''Encyclopedia of Alabama'' detailing the history of Talladega Superspeedway, including the 1969 Talladega 500 boycott and the ABC broadcast of the 1970 Alabama 500.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="results">[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1970_Alabama_500/W/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the qualifying and race results of the event.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref> It was one of two 1970 Grand National Series races at the speedway, the other being the Talladega 500,<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/1970/W/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series calendar.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref> which occurred on 23rd August and was won by Pete Hamilton.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1970_Talladega_500/W/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the results of the 1970 Talladega 500] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref> The race also has ties to the modern GEICO 500, having dropped the Alabama title from 2018 onwards.<ref>[https://nytimes.stats.com/racing/index.asp?page=track&series=cupseries&track=15 ''The New York Times Stats'' detailing the history of the Alabama International Motor Speedway/Talladega Superspeedway races.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref>
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| On 17th December 1969, NASCAR made a $1,365,000 agreement with ABC Sports where ABC would televise nine races in 1970.<ref name="stock">[https://web.archive.org/web/20180822081559/http://stockcarracinghistory.com/nascar-through-the-years/nascar-grand-national/1960-1970/1970-nascar-grand-national-season Archived ''Stock Car Racing History'' detailing how the ABC broadcast occurred, including the contract and the challenges faced.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref> The contract was significant in that five of these points-paying events would be televised live, with plans for the new Alabama 500 to be ABC's first live presentation.<ref name="stock"/><ref name="nascar">[https://sites.google.com/site/nascarracingontv/home/the-races/monster-energy-cup-series/1970-nascar-grand-national-series/1970-alabama-500 ''NASCAR on TV'' detailing the ABC broadcast of the race and its controversies.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="alabama"/> There were a few challenges that threatened this occasion, however. Firstly, ABC refused to show any races flag-to-flag, aiming instead to condense long events into a 90-minute timeslot.<ref name="how">[https://web.archive.org/web/20130602064802/http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/nascar/season-recaps/1970s/1970-nascar.htm Archived ''How Stuff Works'' summarising the ABC broadcast.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="stock"/><ref name="nascar"/> According to NASCAR President Bill France, ABC would instead record the first half of the 3 hour and 17 minute race and televise about 30 minutes of highlights, with the remaining coverage then becoming live.<ref name="stock"/><ref name="how"/> Another issue exclusive to Alabama was that the first Talladega 500, held on 14th September 1969, was heavily boycotted by the Professional Drivers Association due to conflict surrounding tyre safety.<ref name="alabama"/><ref name="stock"/> Heading into the Alabama 500, ABC added a clause in the contract that essentially guarded itself against boycotts, warning that if fewer than 10 of NASCAR's top 20 drivers in 1969 ultimately competed, its payment would be considerably reduced.<ref name="stock"/> Ultimately, no boycott of the Alabama 500 occurred.<ref name="stock"/><ref name="results"/>
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| Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Bobby Isaac winning the pole position in a 1969 Dodge with a speed of 199.658 mph.<ref name="results"/> Directly behind him was David Pearson in a 1969 Ford, with 1969 Dodge driver Charlie Glotzbach lining up third.<ref name="results"/> Hamilton qualified sixth out of 40 competitors.<ref name="bench">[http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-12-1970-pete-inherits-talladega.html ''Bench-Racing'' detailing the race and providing newspaper clippings of it.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="results"/>
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| ==The Race==
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| With the starting order decided, the 1970 Alabama 500 commenced on 12th April.<ref name="results"/> Buddy Baker, starting fifth in a 1969 Dodge, shot into the lead on the first lap.<ref name="results"/> However, the battle for the lead was an open competition in the race's early stages, with Baker, Pearson, Isaac, Allison, and 1969 Mercury driver Cale Yarborough primarily being the main contenders.<ref name="results"/> Indeed, with the exception of the end stages, there were few instances of a driver holding onto the first position for ten laps or more, contributing towards 32 lead changes in the race.<ref name="results"/> Meanwhile, Hamilton decided to wait until the late stages of the race to make a bid for the win.<ref name="speed">[http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-12-1970-pete-inherits-talladega.html ''National Speed Sport News'' reporting on Hamilton winning the race (report found on ''Bench-Racing'').] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref>
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| By lap 87, Allison was leading, holding it until lap 116 when Baker took over.<ref name="results"/> Allison would drop out of contention ten laps later because of an engine failure.<ref name="speed"/><ref name="results"/> Baker defended his lead until Hamilton began to emerge as his main competition, the latter briefly leading on lap 140 before Baker would lead the next 30.<ref name="results"/> Hamilton achieved what would ultimately be the final lead change on lap 171.<ref name="results"/> Baker was undeterred however, and it seemed likely that a duel would emerge until the chequered flag.<ref name="speed"/><ref name="daytona"/> However, Baker's car caught fire after 175 laps when a tyre blew and ripped off the oil cooler, with him deciding to spin the machine into a 300 yard slide onto the grass to try and put the fire out.<ref name="cotton">[https://web.archive.org/web/20130906230203/http://cottonowens.com/StockCarRacing_article.shtml Archived ''Cotton Owens Garage'' detailing Baker's crash.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="daytona">[http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-12-1970-pete-inherits-talladega.html ''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'' reporting on Hamilton winning the race and his post-race comments.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="bench"/><ref name="speed"/><ref name="results"/> This allowed it to rest on the infield apron.<ref name="speed"/> While Baker escaped the burning craft, he did suffer from burns to his face, hands and right leg, requiring hospital treatment.<ref name="cotton"/><ref name="speed"/> Following the accident, Baker stated "It was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. I don't really mind losing this time; I'm just happy to be alive."<ref name="cotton"/>
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| Hamilton therefore faced no further competition, with second place Isaac being two miles behind.<ref name="speed"/><ref name="daytona"/> He therefore claimed a 44-second margin victory and $26,650 in prize money.<ref name="daytona"/><ref name="speed"/><ref name="results"/> Isaac took second, with Pearson finishing a lap down in third.<ref name="speed"/><ref name="results"/> Yarborough finished fifth following him completing the final 11 laps without a windshield.<ref name="spartan">[http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-12-1970-pete-inherits-talladega.html ''Spartanburg Herald-Journal'' reporting on Yarborough completing the final 11 laps of the race without a windshield (report found on ''Bench-Racing'').] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name="bench"/><ref name="speed"/><ref name="results"/> Post-race, Hamilton stated he coasted to the finish following Baker's retirement, explaining "There was no sense racing with anyone at that point. I just wanted to make sure my car finished and see if I could win the race." His plan was "to run as consistent as I could. I tried to run my own race rather than someone else's."<ref name="daytona"/>
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| ==The ABC Broadcast==
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| While Hamilton's win was decisive, this was not apparent to either ABC, the television audience, and even for a time NASCAR officials.<ref name=nascarman">[https://twitter.com/nascarman_rr/status/1253360202247802881 ''nascarman'' noting the importance of NASCAR uploading the Alabama 500 coverage, and providing an article from ''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'' that critiqued the broadcast.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref> The problems emerged even before the broadcast occurred. The plan was to broadcast the second-half of the event at 5:00pm, with expectations that the broadcast would wrap-up at 6:30pm.<ref name=nascarman"/><ref name="nascar"/> Commentary would be provided by Bill Flemming and Keith Jackson, Bob Montgomery becoming the pit reporter.<ref name="nascar"/><ref name=nascarman"/> However, the race was delayed for 38 minutes because of a rain, forcing ABC to overrun its broadcast by 13 minutes to counteract this, preventing any coverage of Victory Lane.<ref name=nascarman"/><ref name="nascar"/> While Flemming was praised for being calm and for expertise, the coverage itself was panned by critics for its poor audio, over-reliance on close-up shots of the vehicles, and for the sense of speed not being showcased in the broadcast.<ref name=nascarman"/><ref name="nascar"/> The broadcast also missed Baker's crash as it was airing commercials.<ref name="stock"/>
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| The main issue emerged when, after Hamilton overtook Baker for the first position on lap 171, the ABC commentators still assumed Baker was leading because of an apparent scoring error from NASCAR officials.<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/03/archives/explanations-leave-auto-race-telecast-in-mixup.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on the communication mix-up that caused uncertainty over who led during the ABC broadcasts.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name=nascarman"/><ref name="nascar"/> When he retired a few laps later, it was now assumed that Isaac, not Hamilton, had moved up into first.<ref name="nascar"/><ref name=nascarman"/> This was seemingly rectified with eight laps remaining when ABC received confirmation from the scoring that Hamilton was leading.<ref name="nascar"/><ref name=nascarman"/> Just four laps later however, the officials informed ABC that a tape was being studied, as again there was doubt over who was leading.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="nascar"/><ref name=nascarman"/> This was caused because of a communications mix-up that resulted in ABC being misinformed; the scorers were never inaccurate in their reports according to Jim Foster, one of France's assistants.<ref name="nyt"/> ABC were only able to assume Hamilton won when he received the chequered flag, and Isaac the white flag.<ref name="nascar"/><ref name=nascarman"/> But because of the need to transfer over to its planned schedule immediately following the race, ABC could not properly clarify that Hamilton was indeed the winner to the television audience.<ref name=nascarman"/><ref name="nyt"/><ref name="nascar"/>
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| The following day, France apologised to the ABC Vice President in a phone conversation about the mix-up.<ref name="nyt"/> However, in a telephone interview, ABC Sports' Chuck Howard primarily blamed NASCAR's scoring for being inaccurate, claiming "A.B.C. Sports was hooked into the NASCAR official scoring system. I defy anybody to say that NASCAR knew at the time we were broadcasting, during the last few laps of the race, who actually was leading the race. They knew their scoring was not accurate, in the closing laps they just couldn't tell who was leading."<ref name="nyt"/> Despite the criticism surrounding the ABC broadcast, it was nevertheless a big step forward for the televising of NASCAR races.<ref name=nascarman"/> ABC continued to uphold its contact with NASCAR, broadcasting several of the next races in 1970.<ref name="stock"/><ref name="how"/> Progress in televising races from flag-to-flag continued to be throughout the 1970s, including CBS televising the 1979 Daytona 500 in that fashion.<ref>[https://bleacherreport.com/articles/123568-from-cbs-to-fox-30-years-of-television-and-the-daytona-500 ''Bleacher Report'' detailing CBS' coverage of the 1979 Daytona 500.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref>
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| ==Recovery==
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| Despite many other race broadcasts in 1970 publicly resurfacing, the coverage of 1970 Alabama 500 remained inaccessible for many years.<ref name="missing">[http://web.archive.org/web/20210308133848/https://www.racing-reference.info/showblog?id=2676 Archived ''Racing-Reference'' listing the ABC broadcast as of the most notable lost NASCAR broadcasts in 2017.] Retrieved 15 Apr '22</ref><ref name=nascarman"/> It was cited by ''Racing-Reference'' in 2017 as one of the most important lost NASCAR TV broadcasts due to its television significance.<ref name="missing"/> Eventually, on 23rd April 2020, the broadcast was recovered when NASCAR would upload the entirety of the ABC coverage to its YouTube channel.<ref name=nascarman"/>
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Videos===
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| {{Video|perrow =2
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| |service1 =youtube
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| |id1 =uzb7nWyjwBU
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| |description1 =The ABC coverage of the race.
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| |service2 =youtube
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| |id2 =SSWmaYRKTLw
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| |description2 =The MRN broadcast of the race.
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| }}
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| ===Images===
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| <gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
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| 1970alabama5002.jpg|''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'' reporting on the ABC broadcast.
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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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| *[[1962 Firecracker 250 (lost ABC 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 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:Found media]]
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| [[Category:Historic]]
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