Family photo album from Bowman Gray Stadium, 1962-63

The parents of NASCAR.com's own Zack Albert recently dug through the family photo albums, finding vintage pictures taken by his father, Eddie, as a teenager with a Kodak snapshot camera at Bowman Gray Stadium, which returns to racing this weekend for its 2021 opening night. These black-and-white photos were taken from the 1962 Easter Monday race for what is now called the NASCAR Cup Series, plus the 1963 Tobacco Bowl feature held on New Year's Day at the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, track.



First, a selection of photos from the Cup Series event, which was won by Hall of Famer Rex White (not pictured). Seen here are Joe Weatherly (8) inside Jack Smith's No. 47 as they sit behind Fred Harb (17) and who we believe to be George Dunn.

The field rumbles by on the backstretch heading to the north turn. Note the old field house, plus the football field's goal posts still in place -- something that doesn't happen in current-day events.

From the backstretch, the cars of Richard Petty (43), Neil "Soapy" Castles (as best we can tell in the No. 55) and Jimmy Pardue sit nose-to-tail on the main straightaway.

Jimmy Pardue's No. 54 entry, sponsored by Bush Oldsmobile-Pontiac in Lenoir, North Carolina, sits on the frontstretch. His car number included a riff off the TV show "Car 54, Where Are You?" that was popular at the time, with lettering that said "Here I am" on the side.

This blurry image of Junior Johnson (27) battling hard out of Turn 2 shows the crude guardrails in place at the time. Johnson led until his left-front tire blew out in the 91st of a scheduled 200 laps. Rex White took command for his fourth consecutive Bowman Gray win. The race was shortened to 108 laps.

Race officials consult with Junior Johnson, who had lapped all but Rex White before his tire troubles knocked him from contention.

The No. 47 Pontiac of Jack Smith collected $450 for second place. Race-winner Rex White pocketed $550.

Larry Thomas seen on the frontstretch in the No. 36, which was the only Dodge in the 19-car field.

Shifting gears, Bowman Gray Stadium hosted its featured Modified Division's Tobacco Bowl for several years around the New Year's holiday. This edition, run on Jan. 1, 1963, was won by Eddie Flemke, who made the trip to the Winston-Salem quarter-mile from Connecticut. This photo and the next half-dozen images that follow show fans dressed for cooler but sunny weather in the backstretch bleachers, plus the Modified coupes and coaches that were the hot rides back then.