I grew up an hour from a NASCAR racetrack, however I by no means managed to see a race. Paradoxically, I ended up proudly owning the tempo automobile from that monitor, however the planets merely didn’t align for me to attend a Dover Downs occasion. In reality, I by no means attended a NASCAR race till final 12 months, 3,000 miles away in Arizona. Nonetheless, previous NASCAR footage might be spellbinding — take a look at this video on the 1970 Darlington Southern 500.

For the geographically challenged, Darlington is situated in South Carolina, about an hour away from the capital of Columbia. Darlington Raceway will likely be celebrating its 74^th anniversary later this 12 months. The Southern 500 has been a practice at this monitor for the reason that starting.

This Southern 500 video from 1970 options vivid colour and what’s arguably essentially the most romantic interval of NASCAR: the “Aero Wars” that includes the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Street Runner Superbird versus the Ford Torino Talladega and Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II. The place’s vehicles from Normal Motors? Nonetheless beneath a racing ban instituted in 1963.

Buddy Baker, who’s from close by Florence, gained this occasion in a Charger Daytona. In reality, 5 of the highest six finishers had been driving one in every of Chrysler’s wing vehicles. And the tempo automobile on the monitor? A 1970 Ford Torino GT just like this one.