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An Interview With Cotton Owens - The Cotton Owens Story

An Exclusive Interview With Pontiac's First Nascar Winner
From the February, 2008 issue of High Performance Pontiac
By Christopher R. Phillip
Photography by Christopher R. Phillip, Courtesy Of Cotton Owens, Motorsports Images and Archives, GM Media Archives Copyrightt 2007, Courtesy Of Nichels Engineering Archives, T. Taylor Warren, C.V. Haschel
The Cotton Owens Story Next To His 1956 Pontiac
Cotton Owens smiles next to... 
   
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The Cotton Owens Story Next To His 1956 Pontiac
Cotton Owens smiles next to the '56 Pontiac ordered by Pontiac General Manager, Bunkie Knudsen, to race the Daytona Beach and Road Course in 1956. Owens held a tight second place behind Tim Flock until a broken fan belt forced him out of the race. The next year, Owens came back again, and won the race.
The Cotton Owens Story Demonstrating His Mechanic Skills
Cotton Owens was more than... 
   
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The Cotton Owens Story Demonstrating His Mechanic Skills
Cotton Owens was more than a top-rank NASCAR driver. He was a highly-respected mechanic, too. Here, during the USAC Inspection process, part of the Nichels Engineering 24 Hour Speed and Endurance Runs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Owens digs into one of the two '62 Catalinas supplied by Pontiac for the event.
The Cotton Owens Story Coming Around The Corner
Cotton Owens holds the lead... 
   
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The Cotton Owens Story Coming Around The Corner
Cotton Owens holds the lead position in front of Chevrolet at the 1957 Daytona Beach and Road Course in a '57 Pontiac Chieftain supplied by Pontiac General Manager Bunkie Knudsen.
The Cotton Owens Story Pontiac Add
Pontiac's publicity campaign... 
   
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The Cotton Owens Story Pontiac Add
Pontiac's publicity campaign gave Cotton Owens his first national recognition with Pontiac race car fans, and provided the division's opportunity to announce their win at Daytona to the world.
The Cotton Owens Story Speed Sport News
National Speed Sport News... 
   
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The Cotton Owens Story Speed Sport News
National Speed Sport News quickly went to press on February 20, 1957 with the headline that Cotton set a new Daytona record in a '57 Pontiac. He still holds the course record at 101.541 mph. The following year, Paul Goldsmith won the race, but did it at a slower pace. In 1959, NASCAR Daytona racing was moved to the Daytona International Speedway.

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