If you were a NASCAR driver in the early 1960s, you wouldn’t have wanted to see a driver from the “Pontiac Pack” in your rearview mirror. Led by the iconic Fireball Roberts, the pack was a dominant congregation of Pontiac drivers including David Pearson, Joe Weatherly, and others. But in the 1962 World 600, this pack faced humiliation at the hands of a driver whose nickname was ‘Grandpa’.
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Nelson Stacy, or Grandpa Stacy, as he was fondly called, was a latecomer to NASCAR. He served as a tank driver under General Patton during World War 2 and later got into racing cars. He is remembered today for his expertise on the Darlington Raceway, but the biggest of his achievements came in 1962 when he won against Roberts and his comrades.
Stacy wasn’t the most popular or loved driver in those days. He came nowhere close to matching the frenzy that his competitors rose in the stands.
So, when the World 600 came down at Charlotte that year, a group of boy scouts at the track had wanted to meet Roberts or one of the more well-known drivers on the field and get their autograph. But who they got to meet instead was Stacy.
Stacy had not made the headlines at any point that year and the kids weren’t completely thrilled about meeting a driver who was old and looked nothing like the regular hotshot glamorous racing star. However, they rained questions on him when he did come to see them. A conversation with one particular young scout went by interestingly and ended with a promise.
Stacy makes a promise that ends up creating history
“Have you ever passed Fireball Roberts?” the boy asked. Stacy replied, “Once I think. But he was in the pits.” The follow-up question came after some deep thought, “What about this week? You think you could pass Fireball just one time for us?” The driver promised with a smile, “I don’t know. He is awfully fast but I will surely try.” It is easy to guess what turn the story took.
The Pontiacs started the race as they usually do. They dominated the field and led most of the way. But as fate would have it, they began falling out of contention one by one. Driving Fords, Stacy and Fred Lorenzen moved to the front of the pack. Even when the race’s halfway point was crossed, fans were just waiting for one of the Pontiacs to regain momentum and win the day.
But that moment never came. Stacy shot forward like a rocket out of nowhere and took the lead. The Boy Scouts must have been somewhere in the stands cheering the 41-year-old who was keeping his word.
He ultimately won the reputed race by beating not only Fireball Roberts but the entire field. As expected, the noise in victory lane was superseded by the screams of a young pack of Boy Scouts.
Stacy’s short career in NASCAR is helmed by this prestigious victory. He won three other races and called it quits in 1965. He passed away nearly 20 years later in 1986, spending his final days running a car dealership in Florida. The No. 29 Holman-Moody Ford that he drove is a vehicle of the legends and ought to be remembered alongside him.
