The 1951 NASCAR Grand National season was the third season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at the Daytona Beach Road Course on February 5, 1951, the season included forty-one races. The season concluded at New Mobile Speedway on November 25. Herb Thomas won the Drivers' Championship with a 21st-place finish at the final race of the season.
Schedule The schedule more than doubled for the 1951 season, increasing to 41 races. 32 different circuits in 14 different states held races. Race 1951–04 was the first race held west of the Mississippi River; five races were held in California, in addition to one race held in Arizona. The Southern 500 and the Motor City 250 had the largest purses and therefore awarded the highest points.
No.DateRace titleTrackPurse 1 February 5 1951–01 Daytona Beach Road Course, Daytona Beach 160 $6225 2 April 1 1951–02 Charlotte Speedway, Charlotte 113 $3790 3 April 8 1951–03 Lakeview Speedway, Mobile 113 $3550 4 1951–04 Carrell Speedway, Gardena 100 $3450 5 April 15 1951–05 Occoneechee Speedway, Hillsboro 95 $4665 6 April 22 1951–06 Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix 150 $4650 7 April 29 Wilkes County 150 North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 94 $3780 8 May 6 1951–08 Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway 100 $3750 9 May 30 Poor Man's 500 Canfield Speedway, Canfield 100 $3780 10 June 10 1951–10 Columbus Speedway, Columbus 100 $3710 11 June 16 1951–11 Columbia Speedway, Columbia 100 $3740 12 June 24 1951–12 Dayton Speedway, Dayton 100 $3675 13 June 30 1951–13 Carrell Speedway, Gardena 100 $3600 14 July 1 1951–14 Grand River Speedrome, Grand Rapids 100 $3475 15 July 8 1951–15 Bainbridge Speedway, Bainbridge 100 $3740 16 July 15 1951–16 Heidelberg Raceway, Heidelberg 100 $3800 17 July 29 1951–17 Asheville-Weaverville Speedway, Weaverville 100 $3700 18 July 31 1951–18 Monroe County Fairgrounds, Rochester 100 $3525 19 August 1 1951–19 Altamont-Schenectady Fairgrounds, Altamont 100 $3450 20 August 12 Motor City 250 Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway, Detroit 250 $10975 21 August 19 1951–21 Fort Miami Speedway, Toledo 100 $3730 22 August 24 1951–22 Morristown Speedway, Morristown 100 $3840 23 August 25 1951–23 Air Base Speedway, Greenville 100 $3325 24 September 3 Southern 500 Darlington Raceway, Darlington 500 $23740 25 September 7 1951–25 Columbia Speedway, Columbia 100 $3675 26 September 8 1951–26 Central City Speedway, Macon 100 $3500 27 September 15 1951–27 Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne 150 $4800 28 September 23 1951–28 Charlotte Speedway, Charlotte 150 $3600 29 1951–29 Dayton Speedway, Dayton 100 $3710 30 September 30 1951–30 Wilson Speedway, Wilson 100 $3375 31 October 7 1951–31 Occoneechee Speedway, Hillsboro 150 $3550 32 October 12 1951–32 Thompson Speedway, Thompson 100 $3500 33 October 14 1951–33 Pine Grove Speedway, Shippenville 100 $3450 34 1951–34 Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway 100 $3523 35 1951–35 Oakland Stadium, Oakland 156 $6625 36 October 21 Wilkes 200 North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 125 $3600 37 October 28 1951–37 Marchbanks Speedway, Hanford 100 $3550 38 November 4 1951–38 Jacksonville Speedway Park, Jacksonville 100 $3500 39 November 11 1951–39 Lakewood Speedway, Atlanta 100 $3725 40 1951–40 Carrell Speedway, Gardena 100 $3675 41 November 25 1951–41 Lakeview Speedway, Mobile 113 $3550
Race summaries
1951–01 The first race of the 1951 season was run on February 5 at the Daytona Beach Road Course in Daytona Beach, Florida. Tim Flock won the pole position.
Top ten results
6-Marshall Teague 91-Tim Flock 14-Fonty Flock 41.5-Bill Blair 87-Buck Baker 55-Lee Snow 41-Curtis Turner 16-Bill Snowden 98-Johnny Mantz 59-Lloyd Moore
1951–02 The second race of the 1951 season was held on April 1 at the Charlotte Speedway. Fonty Flock won the pole
Top ten results
41-Curtis Turner 42-Lee Petty 6-Marshall Teague 92-Herb Thomas 88-Frank Luptow 72-Weldon Adams 77-Ewell Weddie 11-Fireball Roberts 19-Joe Merola 10-Jim Fiebelkorn
1951–03 The third race of the 1951 season was held on April 8 at the Lakeview Speedway in Mobile, Alabama. Red Harrelson won the pole.
Top ten results
91-Tim Flock 14-Fonty Flock 92-Herb Thomas 9-Bill Osborne 93-Donald Thomas 19-Lamar Crabtree 42-Lee Petty 7-Bob Flock 8-Sonny Black 3-Jimmy Ayers
1951–04 The fourth race of the 1951 season was held on April 8 at the Carrell Speedway in Gardena, California. It was the first NASCAR race ever staged west of the Mississippi River. Andy Pierce won the pole.
Top ten results
6-Marshall Teague 98-Johnny Mantz George Seeger 16-Fred Steinbroner 1-Erick Erickson 9-Dick Meyer Dick Rathman Danny Letner Leo Breithaupt 22-Lloyd Dane
1951–05 The fifth race of the 1951 season was held on April 15 at the Occoneechee Speedway. Fonty Flock won the pole. The race ended after 95 laps due to rain.
Top ten results
14-Fonty Flock 23-Frank Mundy 41.5-Bill Blair 91-Tim Flock 52-Neil Cole 110-Earl Moss 92-Herb Thomas 71-Jim Paschal 42-Lee Petty 55-Glenn Dunaway
1951–06 The sixth race of the 1951 season was held on April 22 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. Fonty Flock won the pole.
Top ten results
6-Marshall Teague 11-Erick Erickson 91-Tim Flock 14-Fonty Flock 9-Dick Meyer 12-Danny Weinberg 1-Walt Sprague Bill Holland 26-Leland Colvin 18-Bill Stammer
Wilkes County 150 The seventh race of the 1951 season was held on April 29 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. Fonty Flock won the pole
Top ten results
14-Fonty Flock 91-Tim Flock 42-Lee Petty 98-Bill Holland 93-Donald Thomas 59-Lloyd Moore 60-Jimmie Lewallen 155-Glenn Dunaway 5-Dale Williams 83-Jimmy Ayers
1951–08 The eight race of the 1951 season was held on May 6 at the Martinsville Speedway. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results
41-Curtis Turner 23-Frank Mundy 91-Tim Flock 92-Herb Thomas 14-Fonty Flock 42-Lee Petty 1-Walt Sprague 2-Bill Blair 26-Leland Colvin 7-Bob Flock
Poor Man's 500 The ninth race of the 1951 season was held on May 30 at the Canfield Speedway. Bill Rexford won the pole.
Top ten results
6-Marshall Teague 91-Tim Flock 14-Fonty Flock 92-Herb Thomas 42-Lee Petty 7-Bob Flock 23-Frank Mundy 77-Mike Klapak 120-Dick Rathmann 6-Don Eggett
1951–10 The tenth race of the 1951 season was held on June 10 at the Columbus Speedway in Columbus, Georgia. Gober Sosebee won the pole. During the first caution, Marshall Teague suffered a leg injury when his car was hit in the side near the back straightaway by Fireball Roberts.
Top ten results
91-Tim Flock 51-Gober Sosebee 92-Herb Thomas 60-Jim Paschal 42-Lee Petty 22-Red Byron 93-Donald Thomas 23-Frank Mundy 83-Jimmy Ayers 4-Ed Massey
1951–11 The eleventh race of the 1951 season was held on June 16 at the Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina. Frank Mundy won the pole.
Top ten results 23-Frank Mundy 98-Bill Blair 6-Marshall Teague 92-Herb Thomas 87-Buck Baker 60-Jim Paschal 91-Tim Flock 16-Bill Snowden 72-Weldon Adams Jim Harris
1951–12 The twelfth race of the 1951 season was held on June 24 at the Dayton Speedway. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 41-Curtis Turner 120-Dick Rathmann 91-Tim Flock 14-Fonty Flock 59-Lloyd Moore 6-Marshall Teague 1-Walt Sprague Bub King 60-Don Eggett Red Harvey
1951–13 The thirteenth race of the 1951 season was held on June 30 at the Carrell Speedway. Lou Figaro won the pole.
Top ten results 33-Lou Figaro 7-Chuck Meekins 22-Lloyd Dane 11-Fred Bince 16-Fred Steinbroner 1-Erick Erickson Hal Cole 98-Freddie Farmer 18-Bill Stammer 27-Jim Byrd
1951–14 The fourteenth race of the 1951 season was held on July 1 at the Grand River Speedrome in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Marshall Teague won the pole.
Top ten results 6-Marshall Teague 120-Dick Rathmann 14-Fonty Flock 91-Tim Flock 59-Lloyd Moore 42-Lee Petty 23-Frank Mundy 27-Jimmy Florian Quinton Daniels Tommy Lane
1951–15 The fifteenth race of the 1951 season was held on July 8 at the Bainbridge Speedway in Bainbridge, Ohio. Fonty Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 14-Fonty Flock 120-Dick Rathmann 23-Frank Mundy 27-Jimmy Florian 22-Oda Greene 42-Lee Petty 10-Jim Fiebelkorn Norm McCarthy Lyle Scott Jim Romine
1951–16 The sixteenth race of the 1951 season was held on July 15 at the Heidelberg Raceway. Fonty Flock won the pole. A six-car crash on the 21st lap took Flock out of the race, and let Herb Thomas inherit the lead. The crash left Wally Campbell hospitalized and Flock with a cut over his eye, though he continued racing. Thomas led the remaining 179 laps and went on to win his first race of the season, over a lap ahead of second-place Firbelkorn.
Top ten results 41½ - Herb Thomas 10 - Jim Fiebelkorn Augie Walackas Bud Farrell Tom Jerris Jack Flynn Bob Dietrich Dick Moffitt Harry Scott Charles Gillman
1951–17 The seventeenth race of the 1951 season was held on July 29 at the Asheville-Weaverville Speedway. Fonty Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 14-Fonty Flock 51-Gober Sosebee 92-Herb Thomas 23-Frank Mundy Speedy Thompson Bub King 217-Bill Miller Billy Myers 16-Bill Snowden 7-Bob Flock
1951–18 The eighteenth race of the 1951 season was held on July 31 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Rochester, New York. Fonty Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 42-Lee Petty Charles Gattalia Ronnie Kohler 54-Don Bailey 81-Pappy Hough 60-Bill Rexford Chuck Stimus 93-Ted Chamberlain Ernie Yorton 25-Dick Linder
1951–19 The nineteenth race of the 1951 season was held on August 1 at the Altamont-Schenectady Fairgrounds. Fonty Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 14-Fonty Flock 92-Herb Thomas 42-Lee Petty 23-Perry Smith 227-Jerry Morese 81-Pappy Hough Dick Moffitt Wimpy Ervin Jim Little 25-Dick Linder
Motor City 250 The twentieth race of the 1951 season was held on August 12 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway. Marshall Teague won the pole. This race had five cautions including nine cars with mechanical problems and a 10-car wreck on lap 130. The race ended with 21 cars on the lead lap. Late in the race leaders Curtis Turner and Tommy Thompson tangled. Thompson went on to win while Turner finished ninth.
Top ten results 40-Tommy Thompson 82-Joe Eubanks 98-Johnny Mantz 83-Red Byron 43-Paul Newkirk 34-Jack Goodwin 59-Lloyd Moore 50-Ewell Weddie 41-Curtis Turner 1-X-Erick Erickson
1951–21 The twenty-first race of the 1951 season was held on August 19 at the newly surfaced Fort Miami Speedway in Toledo, Ohio. Fonty Flock won the pole. This was the first NASCAR Grand National race held at this .500 mile dirt track. The track was removed from the schedule until at least 1952.
Top ten results 91-Tim Flock 88-Dell Pearson 22-Oda Greene 33-Lou Figaro 92-Herb Thomas 40-Tommy Thompson 31-Jesse James Taylor 18-George Seeger 27-Jimmy Florian 3-Jimmy Ayers
1951–22 The twenty-second race of the 1951 season was held on August 24 at the Morristown Speedway. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 91-Tim Flock 42-Lee Petty Ronnie Kohler John DuBoise 21-Jim Delaney 421-Jack Reynolds 22-Oda Greene Dick Eagan 77-Chuck Mahoney Augie Walackas
1951–23 The twenty-third race of the 1951 season was held on August 25 at the Air Base Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 7-Bob Flock 91-Tim Flock 87-Buck Baker 14-Fonty Flock 1-X-Erick Erickson 92-Herb Thomas 42-Lee Petty 31-Jesse James Taylor 120-Dick Rathmann 17-Buddy Shuman
Southern 500
The second running of this race and the twenty-fourth race of the 1951 season was held on September 3 at the Darlington Raceway. Frank Mundy won the pole. The race featured an 82-car field. This was Red Byron's last career start.
Top ten results 92-Herb Thomas 31-Jesse James Taylor 17-Buddy Schuman 77-Hershel McGriff 11-Fireball Roberts 1-Harold Kite 46-Leon Sales 14-Fonty Flock 16-Bill Snowden 24-Pap White
1951–25 The twenty-fifth race of the 1951 season was held on September 7 at the Columbia Speedway. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results 91-Tim Flock 11-Fireball Roberts 0-Jimmie Lewallen 7-Bob Flock