1961: Hand-me-down win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In 1961, everything old was new again for Marvin Panch, who took advantage of Fireball Roberts' misfortunes to win the third annual Daytona 500.

	Marvin Panch

In his continuing efforts to land an elusive Daytona 500 victory, Roberts selected a brand-new Pontiac, then handed his year-old ride over to Panch, a quiet Californian.

For 187 laps, the strategy appeared sound, as Roberts dominated the race, leading 170 laps and building a comfortable margin over first Banjo Mathews, then Panch. But on lap 188, the Daytona jinx bit Fireball once again.

The starter on Roberts' Pontiac came loose, bounced off the track and ricocheted off the car's oil pan. Roberts' dream day instead ended in a nightmare of thick, black smoke spewing from the damaged oil pan.

KNOW YOUR NASCAR  The 1960's served as a stage for some of the biggest names in NASCAR history as they evolved from obscure young drivers to champions and then to superstars.  •  1961 Season Recap  •  NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers: Marvin Panch  •  More NASCAR History    1961 Daytona 500 Top 10  1. Marvin Panch  2. Joe Weatherly  3. Paul Goldsmith  4. Fred Lorenzen  5. Cotton Owens  6. Jack Smith  7. Ned Jarrett  8. Johnny Allen  9. Buck Baker  10. Tom Pistone

"Not once all afternoon did I turn the track all out," said a frustrated Roberts, a reputed leadfoot.

That left Panch with a comfortable 17-second lead over Joe Weatherly, who was unable to gain ground over the final 12 laps. Paul Goldsmith was the only other driver to complete 200 laps as Panch's winning speed of 149.601 mph set a 500-mile race record.

"The car handled beautifully," Panch said, not quiet believing his good fortune. "This was my first race in it, you know, and it responded when I went a little stronger those last 12 laps."

Mathews' bad luck all month continued, as he tangled with Darel Dieringer on lap 180 while running a close second behind Roberts. It was the exact location where he spun during a qualifying race earlier in the weekend, causing a wreck that seriously injured Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp.

While his father recuperated in the hospital, Richard Petty drove in relief of Bob Welborn, finishing 11th, while brother Maurice worked on the team's pit crew.

Bobby Allison finished 31st in his Daytona 500 debut.

After the race, a young boy came up to the dejected Roberts, requesting an autograph.

"Son," Fireball replied, "I'm just too mad to write today."

This is one in a series of articles counting down to the 2003 Daytona 500.