Okla-homey
2/11/2008, 06:57 AM
February 11, 1951: Hornet stings Big Three
http://aycu26.webshots.com/image/44225/2005171317476402954_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005171317476402954)
In tbe era before NASCAR exerted control over race outcomes by standardizing engine output and use of the yellow "caution flag," 57 years ago today, Marshall Teague drove a Hudson Hornet to victory on the beach oval of the 160-mile Daytona Grand National at Daytona Beach, Florida, beginning Hudson's extraordinary run on the NASCAR circuit.
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/45202/2005156460715225605_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005156460715225605)
Marshal Teague
In 1948, Hudson introduced the revolutionary "step-down" chassis design that is still used in most cars today. Until Hudson's innovation all car drivers had stepped up into the driver's seats. The "step-down" design gave the Hornet a lower center of gravity and, consequently, better handling.
http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/43073/2005171289853718696_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005171289853718696)
Teague at Daytona.
Fitted with a bigger engine in 1951, the Hudson Hornet became a dominant force on the NASCAR circuit. For the first time a car not manufactured by the Big Three was winning big. Excited by the publicity generated by their success on the track, Hudson executives began directly backing their racing teams, providing the team cars with everything they needed to make their cars faster.
http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/43596/2005113491054792542_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005113491054792542)
This 1953 Hudson Hornet Club Coupe has a 308 cubic inch, six cylinder engine and Twin H (dual carburetor) power. The Hornet was the top of the line Hudson in 1953. Wheel base of the Hornet was 124 inches with a 208.5 inch overall length.
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/43842/2005109316929951765_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005109316929951765)
The Big Three, (Ford, GM and Chrysler) fearing that losses on the track would translate into losses on the salesroom floor, hurried to back their own cars. Thus was born the system of industry-backed racing that has become such a prominent marketing tool today. The Hudson Hornet would contend for nearly every NASCAR race between 1951 and 1955, when rule changes led to an emphasis on horsepower over handling.
Tragically, precisely seven years his first Daytona victory, Marshall Teague died at age 37 after attempting to raise the closed-course speed record at Daytona.
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/45162/2005123279721203438_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005123279721203438)
In 2001, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, born the same year as Teague's first victory at Daytona, died in a crash in Turn 3 at Daytona.http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/43996/2005108445675616393_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005108445675616393)
http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/45346/2005161965732869886_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005161965732869886)
http://aycu26.webshots.com/image/44225/2005171317476402954_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005171317476402954)
In tbe era before NASCAR exerted control over race outcomes by standardizing engine output and use of the yellow "caution flag," 57 years ago today, Marshall Teague drove a Hudson Hornet to victory on the beach oval of the 160-mile Daytona Grand National at Daytona Beach, Florida, beginning Hudson's extraordinary run on the NASCAR circuit.
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/45202/2005156460715225605_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005156460715225605)
Marshal Teague
In 1948, Hudson introduced the revolutionary "step-down" chassis design that is still used in most cars today. Until Hudson's innovation all car drivers had stepped up into the driver's seats. The "step-down" design gave the Hornet a lower center of gravity and, consequently, better handling.
http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/43073/2005171289853718696_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005171289853718696)
Teague at Daytona.
Fitted with a bigger engine in 1951, the Hudson Hornet became a dominant force on the NASCAR circuit. For the first time a car not manufactured by the Big Three was winning big. Excited by the publicity generated by their success on the track, Hudson executives began directly backing their racing teams, providing the team cars with everything they needed to make their cars faster.
http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/43596/2005113491054792542_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005113491054792542)
This 1953 Hudson Hornet Club Coupe has a 308 cubic inch, six cylinder engine and Twin H (dual carburetor) power. The Hornet was the top of the line Hudson in 1953. Wheel base of the Hornet was 124 inches with a 208.5 inch overall length.
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/43842/2005109316929951765_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005109316929951765)
The Big Three, (Ford, GM and Chrysler) fearing that losses on the track would translate into losses on the salesroom floor, hurried to back their own cars. Thus was born the system of industry-backed racing that has become such a prominent marketing tool today. The Hudson Hornet would contend for nearly every NASCAR race between 1951 and 1955, when rule changes led to an emphasis on horsepower over handling.
Tragically, precisely seven years his first Daytona victory, Marshall Teague died at age 37 after attempting to raise the closed-course speed record at Daytona.
http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/45162/2005123279721203438_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005123279721203438)
In 2001, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, born the same year as Teague's first victory at Daytona, died in a crash in Turn 3 at Daytona.http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/43996/2005108445675616393_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005108445675616393)
http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/45346/2005161965732869886_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005161965732869886)