By Rick Houston
By the time the 1959 season rolled around, Ned Jarrett felt he’d done all he could do at the Sportsman level. It was time to make the jump to the big time — NASCAR’s Grand National Series.
There was only one problem, the car he was eyeing cost $2,000 … and he didn’t have that kind of cash. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Jarrett waited until Friday afternoon to write a check he knew was bad. There were two Grand National races that weekend, the first on Saturday night in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and the other Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C.
Both races paid $1,000 to win. Jarrett, with the help of future fellow NASCAR Hall of Famers Joe Weatherly and Junior Johnson and an impromptu trip to a local emergency room, won both events. Come Monday morning, the money went in the bank and the check he’d written was good.
This is Ned Jarrett’s story.
Join hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid each week on The Scene Vault Podcast Presented by Q Ware as they take a look back at the extraordinary people, places and events woven into the rich tapestry that is our sport.
To hear the entire podcast, visit The Scene Vault on iTunes.
To watch the complete interview, visit The Scene Vault YouTube channel.
Fore more on the Scene Vault, check them out on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
You can further support their efforts at Patreon.