By Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive
January 8, 2004
6:07 PM EST (2307 GMT)
ATLANTA -- Like a dusty box of old clothes in the attic, No. 39 is one of NASCAR's forgotten numbers.
With the exception of Friday Hassler's run in the late '60s, bright spots have been far and few between. The No. 39 has never visited Victory Lane, with a best of second by Hassler at Islip, N.Y., in 1971 and by Scott Pruett in 2003.
Budd Olsen piloted a No. 39 Mercury at Langhorne in 1949, but it was his only start of the season. In fact, he'd only drive in one more NASCAR event -- in 1961.
Danny Letner finished third at Gardena in his only start in 1954, then drove in three races in 1957, with a best of seventh at Portland.
Billy Carden then took over the No. 39 starting in 1958 and posted a seventh at Martinsville in seven starts. The next season, Carden was seventh at Atlanta in one of two races driving that number.
Herb Tillman drove a No. 39 Chevy nine times in 1960, finishing 11th on three occasions.
Then in 1961, Tommy Wells, Marshall Sargent and Hassler all carried No. 39 at different times. Wells' Chevy was fifth at Birmingham, Sargent's Pontiac wound up 18th at Atlanta and Hassler piloted a Chevy at Bristol.
David Pearson, more known for driving the Nos. 6 and 21, ended up in the No. 39 for the 1962 Daytona 500, finishing sixth.
LeeRoy Yarbrough made three starts in the car over the next two years, with a best of 12th at Charlotte.
Neil Castles and Robert Vaughn split time in the No. 39 in 1965, with Castles running fifth at Asheville.
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Then starting in 1966, Hassler began a full-time career in NASCAR's premier series. He was 16th in Nashville that season, then fourth at Maryville in 21 starts the next year.
By 1968, Hassler's No. 39 Chevy finished fourth twice in 20 races, then two sixths were his best in 18 tries during 1969.
Hassler wound up fifth at Maryville as his best showing in 26 races in 1970, then continued to improve in 1971, giving promise of even more success in 1972.
The season got off to a good start, as Hassler was ninth at Riverside in the opener. But tragedy stuck at Daytona when he was killed in a multi-car crash during one of the qualifying races for the Daytona 500.
Since then, the No. 39 has been used sparingly, appearing in 41 races, 25 of those by Blackie Wagerin from 1977-1984.
Only Tighe Scott in 1978 and Pruett in 2003 have cracked the top 10 since then. Pruett's run at Watkins Glen, where he finished behind winner Robby Gordon, nearly erased more than 50 years of futility for the No. 39 .
Other drivers in the last 30 years include Paul Dean Holt, Tom Williams, Vince Giamformaggio, Jim Sauter, Scott Lagasse, Dick Trickle, Chuck Brown and Rich Bickle.
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