Turbo's Racing Photos - Vintage Stock Cars

David Pearson

Photography by Mike Smith

CLICK THE PHOTOS TO SEE AN ENLARGEMENT

Riverside Raceway 1966

Cotton Owens Dodge

HERE'S A COUPLE OF CLOSE-UP SHOTS AND ONE OF DAVID CHASING DAN GURNEY THROUGH THE ESSES AT RIVERSIDE RACEWAY IN JANUARY 1966 AT THE MOTOR TREND 500. THE CAR WAS PREPARED BY COTTON OWENS.

DAVID QUALIFIED AT 106 MPH AND TOOK THE THE POLE. HE FINISHED 2ND TO RACE WINNER DAN GURNEY WHO LED 147 OF THE 185 LAPS. DAVID HAD A HEATED BATTLE WITH CURTIS TURNER WHICH INCLUDED A FEW OFF TRACK EXCURSIONS.

DAVID WON THE GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1966 WINNING 15 RACES. IN 1966 THE TITLE PAID $58,205!

STOCK CAR? CHECK OUT THOSE DOOR HANDLES!


06AGRR66 - 8x12		06BGRR66 - 8x12		6121RR66 - 8x10

Riverside Raceway 1970

Ford Torino

HERE'S ONE OF DAVID ENTERING TURN 8 AT RIVERSIDE RACEWAY IN 1970.

A.J FOYT WON THE RACE.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS WON BY BOBBY ISAAC WITH DAVID GETTING 23RD, JUST STARTING 19 OUT OF THE 47 RACES AND GETTING ONE WIN.

THE 1970 SEASON SAW MANY RULE CHANGES AND THE EVENTUAL WITHDRAWAL OF FACTORY SUPPORT DURING THE SEASON. AT THE MICHIGAN RACE THE DREADED "RESTRICTOR PLATE", KNOWN THEN AS A CARBURETOR PLATE, WAS MANDATED THAT CUT THE THROTTLE PLATE OPENING FROM 1-11/16" TO 1-1/4". THE TIRES AT THE ATLANTA RACE WERE ONLY LASTING A FEW LAPS ON SOME OF THE CARS AND THEY HAD TO SLOW THE CARS DOWN. ENGINE SIZES WERE REDUCED JUST BEFORE THE DAYTONA FIRECRACKER 400 FROM 430 C.I. TO 366 C.I.. CHRYSLER DESTROKED THE HEMI TO MEET THE NEW RULE REQUIREMENTS.

17AGRR70 - 8x10

Riverside Raceway 1972

Ford Torino

I DON'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION ON THIS PHOTO OTHER THAN IT WAS DAVID PEARSON IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN UNSPONSORED FORD TORINO. DAVID FINISHED 26TH IN THE RACE.

RICHARD PETTY WON THE RACE, HIS FIRST RACE FOR HIS NEW SPONSORSHIP STP, AND HIS 4TH CHAMPIONSHIP.

DAVID FINISHED THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 20TH PLACE, JUST STARTING 17 RACES AND GETTING 6 WINS.


15AWRR72 - 8x12		15BWRR72 - 8x12

Riverside Raceway 1978

Wood Brothers Purolator Mercury

HERE'S A NICE SERIES OF DAVID PEARSON PUSHING IT THROUGH THE ESSES AND TURN 8 AT RIVERSIDE RACEWAY. THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT THE NAPA RIVERSIDE 400 IN JUNE 1978. DAVID PUT THE WOODS BROS. MERCURY ON THE POLE BUT FINISHED 27TH DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING, DROPPING OUT AT LAP 66. BENNY PARSONS PLAYED IT COOL AND WON THE RACE BY 29 SECONDS OVER RICHARD PETTY.

DAVID WON 4 RACES INCLUDING HIS 100TH IN 1978. THE 78 CHAMPIONSHIP WAS WON BY CALE YARBOROUGH, HIS 3RD STRAIGHT. 1978 WAS HIS LAST FULL SEASON, AS HE RETIRED IN 1979 AFTER WINNING THE SOUTHERN 500.


21AWRR78- 8x10		21BWRR78 - 8x12		21CWRR78 - 8x12


21DWRR78 - 8x12		21EWRR78 - 8x10
		DAVID BATTLING WITH WALTRIP



21FWRR78 - 8x10		2188RR78 - 8x12
		DAVID BATTLING WITH WALTRIP

TO SEE DAVID'S IROC PAGE CLICK HERE.