1950 Round of Massachusetts

1950 Round of Massachusetts

Race 2 of 10 in the 1950 National Stock Car Series season
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National Stock Car Series Race
Date	9 April 1950
Location	Seekonk, Massachusetts, United States
Venue	Seekonk Speedway
Course	Permanent racing facility
Circuit Length	0.333 mi
Distance	300 Laps, 100 mi
Weather	Cold and windy with maximum temperatures at 49°F (9.4°C) with wind speeds approaching 18 mph (28.9 kmh)
Average Speed	61.257 mph
Pole Position
Driver	Peter Stafford	Stafford Garage
Most Laps Lead
Driver	Cameron Yost	Ted Hansen
Laps	252
Podium
First	Will Gordon	Alfred Rose
Second	Donna Buckley	Homer Brennan
Third	Scott Duran	Scott Duran

The second race of the 1950 National Stock Car Series took place on April 9, 1950 at Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts. The race comprised 300 laps around a 1/3 mile concrete oval. Peter Stafford won the pole with a speed of 67.522 miles per hour. Despite a second dominant performance in as many races by Cameron Yost, the race was won by Will Gordon by a full lap over Donna Buckley, who became the first woman to finish on the podium in professional motorsports history. Ben Rogers, winner of the previous race, finished last.

In 1970, following the series' established race naming guidelines, this race was retroactively named the 1950 Round of Massachusetts.

Race

The race covered three hundred laps around the 1/3 mile concrete oval and took one hour, 37 minutes, and 56 seconds. Around 4,000 people are estimated to have attended.

Will Gordon beat Donna Buckley by over one lap; other notable drivers in this race were Alton Walker, Howard Joyce, Emmett Newton, Cameron Yost, Amos Thompson, and Jimmy and Peter Stafford. Gordon earned $2,200 (equivalent to around $23,500 in 2019); 20th place finisher Peter Stafford earned $27.50 (equivalent to $293) for his efforts. Polesitter Yost finished 12th, while Gordon started in ninth place.

Death of Lee Newman

Lee Newman was involved in a crash after experiencing mechanical trouble on lap 128. His Buick, which had been unstable and required a lengthy repair in the pits, spun coming out of the second corner and was clipped by the car of Jimmy Stafford. The impact spun Newman's car into the path of Doug Sanford, who stuck Newman broadside behind the driver's side door as the Buick slid into his path. Newman's car burst into flames upon impact; Stafford, who had slid to a stop nearby and was trying to refire his car, managed to pull the unconscious Newman from the wreck. Despite surviving the initial wreck, Newman died of liver damage stemming from a blood transfusion on July 12, leaving behind his wife Wendy and twins Sarah and George.

Results

Position	No.	Driver	Owner	Car	Points
1	15	Will Gordon	Alfred Rose	Buick Roadmaster	200
2	33	Donna Buckley	Homer Brennan	Lincoln Cosmopolitan	160
3	72	Scott Duran	Scott Duran	Chevrolet Bel Air	140
4	0	Alton Walker	Carl Henry	Packard 250	120
5	7	Howard Joyce	Warren Clark	Lincoln Cosmopolitan	100
6	12	Roy Stephenson	Roy Stephenson	Ford Victoria	80
7	29	James August	Floyd Logan	Mercury Coupe	60
8	10A	Rodney Sweeney	Rodney Sweeney	Dodge Coronet	40
9	10	Joe Bartlett	Joe Bartlett	Chevrolet Bel Air	20
10	777	Emmett Newton	Lucky Hornick	Oldsmobile 88	10

Post-Race Standings

	Pos.	Driver	Points	To Lead	To Next
1	1	Will Gordon	700	-	-
1	2	Ben Rogers	625	75	75
	3	Scott Duran	576	124	53
	4	Howard Joyce	474	226	102
1	5	Donna Buckley	409	291	65
1	6	Jimmy Stafford	312	388	97
	7	Alton Walker	307	393	5
	8	Cameron Yost	125	575	182
2	9	Roy Stephenson	80	620	45
1	10	John Haynes	62	638	18
5	11	James August	60	640	2
4	12	Rodney Sweeney	40	660	20
3	13	Amos Thompson	31	669	9
2	14	Joe Bartlett	20	680	11
1	15	Emmett Newton	10	690	10