June 12-13, 1965 - USAC Stock Cars
USAC Stockers in action at Greenwood. On the pole was the No. 6 Dodge of David Pearson. Along side him was the No. 36 Plymouth of Paul Goldsmith. Also seen here are the No. 9 Plymouth of Herb Shannon, and the No. 2 Plymouth of eventual winner Norm Nelson. Many of Mopar's NASCAR regulars switched to USAC for the 1965 season in an organized boycott of NASCAR's rules which banned the Hemi engine from NASCAR competition. Greenwood was one of the stops on the USAC tour for '65. The heavy stockers tore up chunks of asphalt from the thin racing surface. Photo courtesy Larry Latham.
June 12-13, 1965 Greenwood USAC spectator program. From the author's collection.
- From the June 4, 1965 Des Moines Register
Stars Practice At Greenwood
Indianola, Ia. - Two drivers who will compete in the United States Auto Club's 200-mile stock car race at Greenwood Roadway June 13 got their first look at the twisting 3-mile race course here Thursday.
They were Paul Goldsmith of Munster, Ind., former U.S.A.C. champion (1961 and 1962) and Bobby Isaac of Catawba, N.C., who drove last year in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing competition.
"It's dangerous," commented Goldsmith after he and Isaac took turns in practice laps over the asphalt layout in a 1965 Plymouth.
Goldsmith, under U.S.A.C. suspension last year, claimed the Memorial Day 150-miler at Indianapolis Raceway last Sunday in his first victory of the season. Isaac won a 50-miler recently at Sherryville, Ind.
Both will continue practice at Greenwood today.
- From the June 10, 1965 Indianola Record-Herald
$12,000 Stock Car Races At Greenwood Saturday And Sunday
One of the biggest weekends of racing yet to be held at Greenwood Roadway will be this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13. It will be called the "Greenwood 200" and will feature the popular late model stock car competition. Total purse is $12,000.
Greenwood officials report entries from some of the top stock car drivers in the country. Greenwood, with its long straightaways and 14 turns, is expected to pose a rugged and interesting test for these high performance drivers.
Comeback Driver
One of the entrants, Jim Hurtubise, called the 1965 "comeback driver of the year", and who competed in the Indianapolis 500 for the sixth time this year, has this to say: "Road racing is hard - you've got to know what you're doing all the time. It's a lot more difficult than the steady "left hand turn" driving you find on the half-mile and mile tracks, and on top of this you are up-shifting and down-shifting all the time. It's challenging, but it's also fun. I'm looking forward to Greenwood."
Another entry is Paul Goldsmith, a two-time national stock car champion and definitely a "name" driver. Goldsmith, who boasts a 3rd place finish in the Indianapolis 500, won the United States Auto Club's (USAC) National Championship stock car title in 1961, when he raced to 10 straight victories, and again in 1962. The "Greenwood 200" will be run under USAC sanction.
25-Year Veteran
Norm Nelson, 43, who is celebrating his 25th year in auto racing has sent his advance entry to Greenwood officials. Nelson is from Racine, Wisc., and can look back on more achievements than any driver currently racing late model stocks.
Nelson has competed in more United States Auto Club stock car events than any other driver, and is the all-time point leader for USAC. In 1960 he won the USAC National Stock Car championship. He finished second in 1961, and again last year, when Parnelli Jones edged him in the final standings, 3040 to 2775. He was third in 1962, and in 1963 won the Stock Car Owner championship.
USAC Sanctioned
Many more top name entries are in the files according to Greenwood officials. The USAC sanctioned racers will be driving all out for $12,000, the largest purse ever offered in the history of stock car racing in Iowa. The winning driver will receive more than $2000.
Greenwood Roadway is located 12 miles southeast of Indianola on highway 65.
David Pearson leads the pack thundering into a corner in his No. 6 Dodge. Photo courtesy Larry Latham.
Paul Goldsmith in his #36 Plymouth. He would go on to finish second. Photo courtesy Larry Latham.