Johnny Beauchamp

Infobox NASCAR driver


Name = Johhny Beauchamp
Birthdate = birth date|1923|3|23|mf=y
Died = death date and age|1981|4|17|1923|3|23|mf=y
Birthplace = flagicon|USA Harlan, Iowa
Cause of Death =
Best_Cup_Pos = 11th 1960
Cup_Wins = 2
Cup_Top_Tens = 10
Cup_Poles = 0
First_Cup_Race = 1953 Rapid Valley Speedway (Rapid City, South Dakota)
First_Cup_Win = 1959 Lakewood Speedway (Atlanta)
Last_Cup_Win = 1960 Nashville Speedway USA
Last_Cup_Race = 1961 Daytona 500
Awards =
Years_In_Cup = 5
Total_Cup_Races = 23

Johnny Beauchamp (March 23 1923 – April 17 1981) was an American NASCAR racer from Harlan, Iowa. He is best known for finishing second at the 1959 Daytona 500 in a photo finish after being declared the unofficial winner. In 23 NASCAR starts he had ten Top 10 finishes, seven Top 5 finishes, and two victories.

Racing career

Beauchamp raced as a barnstormer in the Midwest's IMCA series racecars. He raced in three NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races in 1953, and he became a NASCAR regular in 1957. He placed second at the 1957 Daytona Beach Road Course race in a Chevrolet. [http://www.americanstock.us/heroes/heroes06.cfm Biography] ; Retrieved October 24 2007]

Beauchamp crossed the finish line at about the same time as Lee Petty at the Daytona 500 in 1959. Beauchamp was declared the unofficial winner of the race, so he drove the Holman Moody owned Ford to victory lane. Petty protested the win. "I had him by two feet," Beauchamp said. "I glanced over to Lee Petty's car as I crossed the finish line and I could see his headlight slightly back of my car. It was so close I didn't know how they would call it, but I thought I won." [http://www.nascar.com/2003/kyn/history/daytona/01/03/daytona_1959/index.html 1959: Petty's photo finish] ; Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive; January 9, 2003; Retrieved October 24 2007] NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. studied photographs and newsreals for three days before declaring Petty the official winner. He competed in seven events that season, recording his first NASCAR victory in Atlanta's Lakewood Speedway.

In 1960 he raced for Holman Moody and Dale Swanson in eleven events. He won his second and final NASCAR race that year at a 400 mile event at Nashville Speedway USA. Beauchamp and Petty were involved in an accident at the 1961 Daytona 500. Leader Banjo Matthews lost control of his car, spinning in front of the field. Petty and Beauchamp's cars sailed out of turn four and landed outside of the racetrack. Petty suffered career ending injuries, though he came back for a few more races. It also was Beauchamp's last NASCAR race, though he only suffered minor head injuries.

References

* [http://www.racing-reference.info/driver?id=beaucjo01 Beauchamp's NASCAR stats]