WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Dozens of the top drivers in the world are competing in this weekend's Daytona 500. The race is NASCAR'S biggest, richest and most prestigious event. A Wilmington man will watch the event from his Landfall home, and remembering back 33 years ago, to the last lap of the race, where a wreck changed his business plans.
After retiring from behind the wheel, Wilmington's Charles Everett "Hoss" Ellington spent several years as a NASCAR race car owner. Some drivers hired by Elllington were top names in the sport.
The Silver Fox, David Pearson, drove for Ellington, so did Cale Yarborough. Even Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt drove a few races for Ellington. But it was a member of the Alabama gang, Donnie Allison, who got the most victories and trophies for Ellington.
The 1979 Daytona 500 was a race that most people will remember. That event was the first start to finish nationally televised race.
On the last lap, with Allison behind the wheel of Ellington's number one Hawaiian Tropic sponsored Oldsmobile, and leading the race, Cale Yarborough tried to make a move around Allison.
The move caused both the top two cars in the race to wreck, and allowed Richard Petty, who was running in third place, to take the victory.
"Well, you have to expect that on the last lap," said Ellington. "I mean Donnie was leading when he came by us, going down the back straightaway, and Cale wanted to win too. I've got no fault in that, I used to race myself, and if I could catch someone on the last lap, and running that close going into three and four, I would have tried too, and I have won races that way. I have lost races that way as well, so that is the way it played out."
The two race cars involved in the last lap
wreck between Allison and Yarborough are on display at the NASCAR Hall
of Fame in Charlotte.
Ellington believes another past Daytona 500 had a major impact on NASCAR, the 2001 accident that took the life of Dale Earnhardt.
"Earnhardt, he was a good driver and when tragedy happened to him, it took a lot out of racing," said Ellington.
Ellington doesn't attend many of the races anymore - going to only four or five to see some friends who are still involved in the sport. He doesn't have a favorite driver, but does keep his eye on the son of the man in black, Dale Junior.
"He has kind of let me down, I mean he is always running about 20th place and people don't watch people win from way back there," Ellington said. "They want to watch them up front, in the top four or five, drafting, passing, all that kind of stuff, and that is what I would like to see him do more of."
Remember, you'll have the best seat in the house, by watching the Daytona 500 Sunday afternoon on our sister station, Fox Wilmington.
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