SOUTHERN STATE FAIRGROUNDS - CHARLOTTE NC
Southern States Fairgrounds was a half mile dirt track in Charlotte NC. that operated from the 1940's until 1961. NASCAR would make it's first visit to the track in 1954. Lee Petty would beat Dick Rathman by two laps. The first eight races saw eight different winners. Among them were: Hershel McGriff, Tim Flock, Jim Paschal, Speedy Thompson, Ralph Moody, Fireball Roberts and Marvin Panch. Lee Petty would break the streak winning in 1957. Petty would become the only three time winner by claiming the checkered flag again in 1959. In 1960 a youngster by the name of Richard Petty would get his first Cup win. The final Cup race was held in 1961. Lee Petty won the pole; the last of his career. He would lead a race high 108 laps; but in the end he couldn't keep up with Joe Weatherly and Rex White. Weatherly would capture the flag with White
finishing on the lead lap. Petty was third, two laps behind. The track also hosted five Convertible series events. Jimmy Massey would count this 1956 race among one of his three wins that season. Ken Rush won in 1958; the only win in his NASCAR career. 1959 saw the final convertible race here. Future Cup champion Ned Jarrett put his name in the record books as the race's final winner. Jarrett only raced the droptops eight times and this was his only win in the series. The NASCAR convertible series came to an end with this race.
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