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“Gentleman” Ned Jarrett, NASCAR’s 1961 Cup Series champion, enjoyed his second championship in 1965 on the strength of 13 wins and 45 top-10 finishes. The native of Conover, North Carolina, excelled on the short tracks.
NASCAR drivers and teams looked to 1965 as a new start in the world of stock car racing, but with NASCAR officials banning Chrysler’s hemi engine the optimism was short-lived.
The Pettys were died-in the-wool Chrysler campaigners, so they decided to go drag racing. Chrysler pulled its financial support of NASCAR, leaving father Lee Petty and sons Richard and Maurice to build a Plymouth Barracuda drag racing car. They labeled it “43 Jr. – Outlawed” and hit the quarter-mile.
From there, Fords were king of NASCAR, but fans didn’t want to just see one manufacturer race against itself. All short tracks and superspeedways on the Cup Series schedule reported low advance ticket sales. Track executives were in dire straits. With few fans coming through their turnstiles, they faced certain financial doom.
After discussions with both NASCAR and USAC, the hemi engine was approved for use in Plymouth Belvederes and Coronets on tracks of one mile or less and road courses.
Track promoters celebrated the progress but needed one more incentive, that being the reinstatement of driver Curtis Turner. Turner had been banned by “Big” Bill France for life after trying to organize a union among NASCAR drivers in 1961. After much persuasion, France finally reinstated Turner.
The Floyd, Virginia, native returned for six races, winning the inaugural event at Rockingham Speedway on Oct. 31, 1965.
Jarrett captured the Cup Series title by 3,034 points over Dick Hutcherson.
PRESIDENT: LYNDON B. JOHNSON
NO. 1 AT THE BOX OFFICE: THE SOUND OF MUSIC
MOVIES TO WATCH: MARY POPPINS AND GOLDFINGER
NO. 1 SONG: “WOOLY BULLY” BY SAM THE SHAM AND THE PHARAOHS
GALLON OF GAS: 31 CENTS
POP CULTURE: THE GEMINI SPACE PROGRAM CONTINUED TO FORM THE FOUNDATION FOR AN EVENTUAL MANNED MISSION TO THE MOON.
Ned Jarett, driving the No. 11 Ford owned by Bondy Long, began the season showing signs of championship form. He won by the fifth race and continued to show strength throughout the season, amassing 13 wins in 54 starts. His tenacity and determination, including a 14-lap lead in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, proved he could win NASCAR’s top prize. Many times he looked to be out of contention but came back to win.
Driving the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Marin Panch outlasted his overheating Galaxie to win the Dixie 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Oakland, California, native fought off thoughts of parking the car “a dozen times,” but was saved by caution periods at the right time to cool the engine. With 60 laps remaining, Panch pushed the throttle as instructed by his team via chalkboard. Panch led Darel Dieringer at the end under caution.
Ned Jarrett drove the top car as Bondy Long’s No. 11 Ford scored 13 wins and 45 top-10 finishes in 54 series starts.
Dick Hutcherson, driver of the No. 29 Holman Moody Ford, notched nine wins with 37 top-10 results in 52 races.
DATE | LOCATION | WINNER
Jan. 17 | Riverside International Raceway | Dan Gurney
Feb. 12 | Daytona International Speedway | Darel Dieringer
Feb. 12 | Daytona International Speedway | Junior Johnson
Feb. 14 | Daytona International Speedway | Fred Lorenzen
Feb. 27 | Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds | Ned Jarrett
Feb. 28 | Asheville-Weaverville Speedway | Ned Jarrett
March 7 | Richmond Raceway | Junior Johnson
March 14 | Orange Speedway | Ned Jarrett
April 11 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Marvin Panch
April 17 | Greenville-Pickens Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
April 18 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Junior Johnson
April 25 | Martinsville Speedway | Fred Lorenzen
April 28 | Columbia Speedway | Tiny Lund
May 2 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Junior Johnson
May 8 | Darlington Raceway | Junior Johnson
May 14 | Langley Field Speedway | Ned Jarrett
May 15 | Bowman Gray Stadium | Junior Johnson
May 16 | Hickory Speedway | Junior Johnson
May 23 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Fred Lorenzen
May 27 | Cleveland County Fairgrounds | Ned Jarrett
May 29 | New Asheville Speedway | Junior Johnson
May 30 | Harris Speedway | Ned Jarrett
June 3 | Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville | Dick Hutcherson
June 6 | Birmingham Int’l Raceway | Ned Jarrett
June 13 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Marvin Panch
June 19 | Greenville-Pickens Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
June 24 | Rambi Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
June 27 | Valdosta 75 Speedway | Cale Yarborough
July 4 | Daytona International Speedway | A.J. Foyt
July 8 | Old Dominion Speedway | Junior Johnson
July 9 | Old Bridge Stadium | Junior Johnson
July 14 | Islip Speedway | Marvin Panch
July 18 | Watkins Glen International | Marvin Panch
July 25 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Ned Jarrett
July 31 | Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville | Richard Petty
Aug. 5 | Cleveland County Speedway | Ned Jarrett
Aug. 8 | Asheville-Weaverville Speedway | Richard Petty
Aug. 13 | Smoky Mountain Raceway | Dick Hutcherson
Aug. 14 | Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds | Ned Jarrett
Aug. 15 | Augusta International Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
Aug. 19 | Columbia Speedway | David Pearson
Aug. 24 | Dog Track Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
Aug. 25 | Baltimore-Washington Speedway | Ned Jarrett
Aug. 28 | Bowman Gray Stadium | Junior Johnson
Sept. 6 | Darlington Raceway | Ned Jarrett
Sept. 10 | Hickory Speedway | Richard Petty
Sept. 14 | Lincoln Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
Sept. 17 | Old Dominion Speedway | Richard Petty
Sept. 18 | Richmond Raceway | David Pearson
Sept. 26 | Martinsville Speedway | Junior Johnson
Oct. 3 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Junior Johnson
Oct. 17 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Fred Lorenzen
Oct. 24 | Orange Speedway | Dick Hutcherson
Oct. 31 | Rockingham Speedway | Curtis Turner
Nov. 7 | Dog Track Speedway | Ned Jarrett
