Junior Johnson posted a wire-to-wire victory at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in the Western North Carolina 500 (US), an event stopped after 258 of a scheduled 500 laps and punctuated by a post-race riot by angry fans


Sunday 13th August 1961

Junior Johnson posted a wire-to-wire victory at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in the Western North Carolina 500 (US), an event stopped after 258 of a scheduled 500 laps and punctuated by a post-race riot by angry fans. Johnson started second and jumped to a lead he would never relinquish, which left him to survive a track surface that crumbled under the weight of 38 cars in searing summer heat. Despite having his windshield blasted by a piece of loose asphalt, Johnson still finished three laps ahead of runner-up Joe Weatherly. Fans who were upset that the race was called official just past the halfway point held competitors hostage in the infield for hours before order was restored.


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