Jimmy Florian Gives Ford First NASCAR Victory - June 25, 1950

June 25, 1950

Jimmy Florian

(Photo;racing-reference.info)

Jimmy Florian, the 27 year old mechanic from Cleveland, Ohio did what many thought was impossible. He beat Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly, and Lee Petty in the 100-lap NASCAR Grand National event at Dayton Speedway in Daytona, Ohio, giving Ford its first win in the series.

With 35 laps to go, Florian passed Curtis Turner and had established a half-lap advantage by the time the race was over. Turner, Weatherly, and Petty quickly protested. They could not believe that they have been outrun by a flathead Ford. But at 4 A.M., after careful inspection, NASCAR officials declared the Ford was as stock as could be. The win was official.