1950 Icebreaker Sweepstakes

1950 Icebreaker Sweepstakes

Race 1 of 10 in the 1950 National Stock Car Series season
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National Stock Car Series Race
Date	19 March 1950
Location	Thompson, Connecticut, United States
Venue	Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
Course	Permanent racing facility
Circuit Length	0.625 mi
Distance	500 Laps, 312.5 mi
Weather	Cold and windy with maximum temperatures at 48°F (8.9°C) with wind speeds approaching 25 mph (40 kmh)
Average Speed	67.813 mph
Pole Position
Driver	Cameron Yost	Ted Hansen
Most Laps Lead
Driver	Cameron Yost	Ted Hansen
Laps	259
Podium
First	Ben Rogers	Clarence Rogers
Second	Will Gordon	Alfred Rose
Third	Scott Duran	Scott Duran

The 1950 Icebreaker Sweepstakes was fifth running of The Icebreaker Sweepstakes, and the first stock car race sanctioned by the National Stock Car Series. Held on March 19, 1950 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, the race comprised 500 laps around a 5/8 mile (1.005 km) paved oval. Cameron Yost won the pole and lead the most laps.

After leading 259 of the 500 laps, mechanical troubles struck Cameron Yost's dominant Studebaker, leaving the race in the hands of Will Gordon and Ben Rogers. After a late race caution, Rogers was able to lead the final 30 laps en route to the win.

Race

Cameron Yost lead the majority of the first half, trading the lead with Will Gordon and Amos Thompson during pit cycles. Jackie Browning lead for a total of 6 laps before her engine expired; in doing so, she became the first woman to lead a professional auto race. When Yost's Studebaker suffered a mechanical issue, Will Gordon assumed the lead, with Alton Walker and Ben Rogers giving chase. In the end, Rogers was able to pass Gordon after a caution and pit cycle, and managed to hold off the hard-charging Buick to win the race, cementing himself in history as the first winner of a professional stock car race.

Results

Position	No.	Driver	Owner	Car	Points
1	140	Ben Rogers	Clarence Rogers	Chevrolet Bel Air	625
2	15	Will Gordon	Alfred Rose	Buick Roadmaster	500
3	72	Scott Duran	Scott Duran	Chevrolet Bel Air	436
4	7	Howard Joyce	Warren Clark	Lincoln Cosmopolitan	374
5	4	Jimmy Stafford	Stafford Brothers Garage	Oldsmobile 88	312
6	33	Donna Buckley	Homer Brennan	Lincoln Cosmopolitan	249
7	0	Alton Walker	Carl Henry	Packard 250	187
8	96	Cameron Yost	Ted Hansen	Studebaker Champion	125
9	13	John Haynes	Bill Haynes	Chevrolet Bel Air	62
10	62	Amos Thompson	Amos Thompson	Plymouth Belvedere	31

Post-Race Standings

	Pos.	Driver	Points	To Lead	To Next
	1	Ben Rogers	625	-	-
	2	Will Gordon	500	125	125
	3	Scott Duran	436	189	64
	4	Howard Joyce	374	251	62
	5	Jimmy Stafford	312	313	62
	6	Donna Buckley	249	376	63
	7	Alton Walker	187	438	62
	8	Cameron Yost	125	500	62
	9	John Haynes	62	563	63
	10	Amos Thompson	31	594	32