1952 Season Recap

One of NASCAR's first superstars, Tim Flock, picked the right season to win his first NASCAR Grand National (now known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series) championship. A number of prominent companies were becoming involved in NASCAR and began putting money into both race contingency programs and the championship point fund. Flock won the 1952 NASCAR Grand National championship behind the strength of 8 wins, 22 top 5's and 25 top 10's in 33 starts, winning $22,890 on the season.

Tim Flock and defending NASCAR Grand National champion Herb Thomas were caught up in a tremendous battle for the 1952 title as the season was coming to a close.

FIVE RACES TO GO: Hillsboro, NC - With five races remaining in the 1952 season, Tim Flock led 1951 champion Herb Thomas by 174 points coming into Occoneechee Speedway. Fonty Flock, who was once again caught in the thick of the points race, won the race in dominating fashion after taking the lead on lap 7 and leading the race of the way. Bill Blair, who started on the pole, finished third and Tim Flock kept Thomas at bay with his fourth place finish. Lee Petty, who was desperately trying to break through and win his first championship, helped his cause by finishing fifth, his fifth consecutive top five finish. Herb Thomas' car broke on lap 23 and his brother Donald gave him his in relief to help Thomas pick up valuable points. Thomas piloted his brother's car to a second place finish, which rewarded him 200 of the 240 points earned for a runner-up finish. However, without the full amount of points allotted for a second place finish, Thomas' deficit grew to 194 points behind Tim Flock.

FOUR RACES TO GO: Martinsville, VA - Points contender Dick Rathmann took the lead at Martinsville Speedway at lap 72 and looked to be too strong to catch when his axle gave out on lap 173, 27 laps from the finish. Herb Thomas was in position to assume the lead and did so, winning the race over Fonty Flock. All the points challengers were strong in the race; Lee Petty came in third, followed by points leader Tim Flock. Bill Blair came home in sixth place and the disappointed Rathmann finished 16th. Thomas' winning finish enabled him to trim Flock's lead to 170 points.

THREE RACES TO GO: North Wilkesboro, NC - Eerily similar to the race a week earlier in Martinsville, the North Wilkesboro Speedway saw Herb Thomas won his second straight race with all of the players in the points race following suit right behind. Thomas took the lead on lap 9 and led the remaining 191 laps for his seventh victory of the season as he pulled to within 146 points of the lead. Fonty Flock again played second fiddle to Thomas, finishing in the runner-up position while his brother Tim again finished fourth. Dick Rathmann recovered nicely from last week's disappointment to place fifth. Lee Petty, who looked to be locked into third place in points, broke a spindle and finished 13th. Despite Fonty Flock's consistency during the year, he simply did not race in as many events as those he trailed in the standings.

TWO RACES TO GO: Atlanta, GA - With two races remaining on the 1952 schedule, Herb Thomas needed to make up a lot of ground at Lakewood Speedway to have a chance at winning the title. Thomas would win the race - sort of. After starting on the outside pole next to brother Donald, Herb jumped to the early lead and was cruising when he lost an axle on lap 86. Instead of going to the pits where he could take over someone's car as a relief driver and earn points, Herb flagged his brother down at the site of his breakdown and took over Donald's ride there, just out of Turn Two. B.B. Blackburn, Tim Flock's chief mechanic, pointed out this violation and Thomas was ordered to take the restart from the back of the field. Lee Petty took over the lead, but Thomas stormed back and won the race. However, he was credited with a 13th place finish due to his mishap as a relief driver and his brother Donald was awarded the win as it was his car that took the checkered flag. Petty finished second, Dick Rathmann finished 14th and Fonty Flock's broken drive shaft relegated him to a 19th place finish. Points leader Tim Flock finished fourth for the fourth consecutive race. All Flock had to do was start the season finale in West Palm Beach, FL and the championship would be his.

FINAL RACE: West Palm Beach, FL - Tim Flock officially clinched the 1952 NASCAR Grand National championship in dramatic fashion. On the 164th lap of the 200-lapper, Flock crashed his car and rolled violently down the frontstretch. The new champion emerged unscathed and promptly declared, "I bet I'm the only driver who has won the championship on his head." Herb Thomas concluded his brilliant season by winning the finale at West Palm Beach Speedway for his eight victory of the year. He finished the season 106 points behind Flock. Lee Petty finished fourth at West Palm Beach and third in the final standings. Fonty Flock again was runner-up to Thomas in the race and scored a fourth place finish in the standings. Dick Rathmann's five wins on the year put him in fifth place in the point standings. Bill Blair only started 19 races, as oppossed to Tim Flock's 33, and finished sixth in points.