The 1961 season brought changes for the dominating team of Nelson Stacy. He moved to the Holman-Moody Ford team in NASCAR, allowing other drivers the opportunity to enter victory lane. Making the most of Stacy's absence was Harold Smith, who won 15 of the 29 races in 1961. He hit a winning streak in the summer months, winning ten of 11 races in June and July. Smith ultimately won the points championship by 300 points. Dick Freeman was also a first-time winner with a victory at Ohio's Fremont Speedway.
New Places, New Faces
With a schedule of 34 races, Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC) continued to spread to new tracks, branching into 12 states in 1962. NASCAR legend Curtis Turner won his second MARC victory in the series' first race at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, S.C. Another notable win included Dick Hutcherson, co-founder of Hutcherson-Pagan Racing MARC event at Texas' Austin Speedway. Iggy Katona continued to dominate the series, winning seven races, as he claimed his fourth championship.
John Marcum's determination to move the organization forward by expanding and creating new stars made the 1963 season a great start to a successful second decade of racing. The season proved to be one of firsts, with nine drivers recording their first career victories during the 34-race schedule. At the Nashville Fairground event, Marty Robbins, a country music star, participated in his first event. He went on to become a regular weekly racer at the track and would compete in many NASCAR events. Jack Bowsher went on to win the 1963 crown, the last championship under the MARC name. Although he finished second, Katona made history by finishing his eleventh consecutive year among the season's top ten. He would extend the record to 21 seasons, and it is unlikely to ever be topped.
Changes to the Series
To start the 1964 season, John Marcum announced the name change of the series from MARC to ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America). Marcum wanted the name to better reflect the scope of its racing in 17 states. Marcum and Bill France, Sr. also announced the newly-minted ARCA series would run the Daytona 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The event would be the first superspeedway race in division history and became part of the 1964 Winter Speedweeks.
Even as events changed, the front-runners stayed the same. Nelson Stacey went on to win the first-ever ARCA Daytona event, as Bowsher and his team accomplished a single-season record, winning 16 of the season's 35 races. Bowsher, who won the last championship under the MARC name, also won the first championship under the new ARCA name.
Charlotte Motor Speedway welcomed the ARCA series in 1965, with Bowsher winning the pole for the inaugural race. Curtis Turner, who entered the race in Bowsher's second car, went on to win the event. This was Turner's only victory in either NASCAR or ARCA at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the track he co-founded with Bruton Smith in 1960. Bowsher continued to dominate the 1965 season, winning 25 of 37 events, earning his third straight championship. Benny Parsons, a young taxi driver and mechanic from Detroit, earned Rookie of the Year honors.
Katona began to hit a winning streak in the 1966 season, winning 11 of the 32 events to claim his unprecedented fifth championship. As the series moved into its 15th season, Katona continued his streak, winning 11 of 32 races and his sixth championship in 1967. The series continued to expand as it moved north across the border into Canada, where Bill Clemons drove his Ford to victory in Ottawa.
Benny Parson emerged as a front-runner in 1968, claiming 11 victories. His toughest competition for the championship came from nine-time winner Les Snow. Snow ended the season behind Parsons, who claimed his first ARCA points crown.
As 1969 began, the ARCA series would compete for the first time on the new 2.66-mile tri-oval at Talledega. Jim Vandiver won the first 500-mile ARCA event at Talledega. Even after Vandiver's first victory in ARCA, no one would hold off Parsons. He went on to win six races, including Daytona, clinching his second-straight championship.
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