writer: Christopher R. Phillip
photographer: Christopher R. Phillip, Courtesy Of Motorsports And Images, Lowes Motor Speedway, AP Images
Friends and colleagues for 40 years, David Pearson and Ray Nichels pose with the Nichels Engineering No. 17 Pontiac GTO at Talladega in 1971. photo courtesy of conversations with a winner-the ray nichels story
David Pearson is described by many historians as one of the greatest drivers in auto racing history. He won 105 Grand National events; the 1966, 1968, and 1969 Winston Cup Championships; and the 1976 Daytona 500. Although most people associate Pearson with the Dodge 426 Hemis he drove for Cotton Owens in the mid-'60s and the Mercurys he drove for the Wood brothers in the '70s, he first reached national attention driving a Pontiac for Florida race-car builder Ray Fox, Sr. in 1961.
Pearson was born on December 22, 1934, in Whitney, South Carolina. He began his racing career in 1952 at a hobby race in Woodruff, South Carolina, where he piloted a '40 Ford to a First Place finish and a $13 prize. He worked at a gas station and hung around the speed shops of Spartanburg, South Carolina's race-car owners, including Bud Moore and Cotton Owens-two names already familiar to High Performance Pontiac readers.
In 1960, thanks to friends and family, Pearson began saving money for his first NASCAR Grand National race car. Shortly thereafter, Pontiac legend and NASCAR racer Jack Smith gave Pearson his first chance at fame and struck a deal with the young man, selling him a 1-year-old '59 No. 67 Chevrolet for $3,000. Pearson raced the Chevy in 22 NASCAR Grand National events during the season, and earned three Top Five wins, and a prize total of $5,030. It wasn't enough to survive, but it was enough to get him recognized as an up-and-coming driver. NASCAR agreed: They awarded Pearson the '60 NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year.
In February 1961, Pearson (accompanied by Spartanburg-based NASCAR promoter Joe Littlejohn) drove to Daytona Beach, and Tony Lavonti (owner of the '60 Daytona 500-winning '60 Chevrolet) offered him the job to drive the No. 66 '61 Pontiac Catalina in the Daytona qualifier on February 24 and the Daytona 500 on February 26. It was Pearson's first time professionally behind the steering wheel of a Pontiac. He placed 17th in the qualifier and 21st in the 500. On March 26, 1961, based on his growing reputation, he piloted a No. 26 Catalina for the Atlanta 500 and finished in 40th place.
Twenty-six-year-old David Pearson crosses the finish line first at the '61 World Charlotte 600 in the Ray Fox-prepared '61 Pontiac Catalina. It features a 368hp, 389ci Pontiac engine, single four-barrel carb, and four-speed trans.
He returned to Spartanburg to his daily job at a local body shop, and continued to frequent Moore's and Owens' race-car garages. In May 1961, Fox, a Daytona engine builder and competitor to Smokey Yunick, brought a '61 Pontiac Catalina No. 3 race car, built by him and sponsored by the Daytona Kennel Club, to Charlotte and asked Moore who would be a good driver. Moore responded, "David Pearson," and history was soon made.
On May 28, 1961, Pearson buckled into the driver seat of the No. 3 Pontiac Catalina at the Charlotte World 600 and took on the giants of NASCAR, including Fireball Roberts (who placed Second in his Yunick-prepared No. 22 '61 Pontiac Catalina), Marvin Panch (in the Yunick-prepared '60 Pontiac Catalina), Jim Paschel, Jack Smith, Bob Welborn, Junior Johnson, Joe Weatherly, Ralph Earnhardt, Tommy Irwin, and Bob Burdick-all in '61 Catalinas. Pearson commanded the race. He led 255 of the 400 1.5-mile laps in the grueling 5-hour, 22-minute, 29-second event in front of 46,538 paid attendees. He was declared the winner. The press was quick to give Pearson a new name, "David the Giant Killer."
The Daytona Firecracker 250, on July 4, 1961, featured Pearson driving the '61 No. 3 Pontiac Catalina again, for the 100-lap, 250-mile race, and he took the lead for the last two laps of the 1-hour, 37-minute, 13-second event. The Daytona Beach Morning Journal gave Pearson its front page headline, "Pearson Smashes 250 Record," and went on to say, "David Pearson, 26, a comparative newcomer in the fast NASCAR circuit, won by a scant car length, and averaged 154.294 mph for the 100 laps. It was a new world record for a 250-mile auto race."