J. T. Putney
Born: October 5, 1928      Died: April 11, 2001
Home: Arden, NC

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Putney Dies At Age 72 SCENE - APRIL 23, 2001 - BY DEB WILLIAMS J.T. Putney, who competed on NASCAR's premier circuit from 1964-67, died April 11, 2001 in a Gainesville, Fla., hospital after a lengthy battle with heart problems. He was 72. Putney's survivors include his wife, Joyce L. Putney of Alachua, Fla.; two daughters, Debbie Buckley of Powhatan, Va., and Dede Wasielewski of Loxahatchee, Fla.; two sons, Taylor Putney of Macon, Ga., and Lloyd "Sport" Putney of Blountville, Tenn.; a sister, Nell Casteen of Farmville, Va.; two brothers, W.W. Putney of Woodland Hills, Calif., and Blake Putney of Charleston, S.C.; five grandchildren and his surrogate grandchild, Tucker Smith. Born in Farmville, Va., Putney competed in 125 NASCAR Grand National (now Winston Cup) races while living in Arden, N.C., and working as a corporate pilot for American Enka Corp. Although he never scored a victory, Putney finished second twice, produced 16 top-five and 49-top 10 finishes, and placed in the top 10 in the point standings twice with his best year being 1965 when he was seventh. Putney continued to fly after he retired from racing, and eventually moved from Arden to Bristol, Tenn., where he flew for Kingsport Press as well as other companies. He also acquired a Budget Rental Car Agency franchise and operated it for 11 years. A heart attack in 1979 ended his flying career and that's when he decided to sell all of his businesses. In addition to the rental car agency, he also owned six Mason-Dixon tractor-trailers. In 1981 when the air traffic controllers went on strike, Putney joined the FAA and became an air traffic controller for nine years, first in Memphis, Tenn., and later in Tampa, Fla. When he retired from that position in 1990, Putney, who had now survived four heart attacks, and his wife moved to Alachua, where they resided until his death.

JT Putney Fast Facts:

• Sad News: Former Grand National driver J.T. Putney, who loved to go fast -- on the ground or in the air -- passed away Wednesday in Gainesville, FL. Actively competing from 1964-1967, the Arden, NC, native entered 125 races and garnered 16 top-fives and 49 top-10s. He finished a career best of second twice in his career. Julian Taylor Putney is survived by his wife, Joyce. (4-11-2001)

• J.T. Putney drove for Harold Beam in 1965, finishing second at Valdosta and seventh in the final standings. The next year, Putney was runner-up at Asheville, his best finish in 36 starts, and wound up eighth in the points. He would run seven more races in 1967.

• Rookie of the Year Contenders for 1964: Doug Cooper J.T. Putney, Buddy Arrington
   

• 1967 ARCA 250 Daytona Results
  
  Fin. pos / Car # / Driver / Car Model / Laps Completed
  
  1. - #29 - Ralph Latham - '66 Plymouth - 100 laps
  2. - #30 - Iggy Katona - '65 Dodge - 100 laps
  3. - #41 - Dorus Wisecarver - '66 Ford - 100 laps
  4. - #68 - Andy Hampton - '66 Ford - 100 laps
  5. - #69 - Bill Kimmel - '66 Plymouth - 99 laps
  6. - #12 - Gil Hearne - '64 Ford - 99 laps
  7. - #19 - J.T. Putney - '66 Chevrolet - 98 laps
  8. - #04 - Coo Coo Marlin - '65 Chevrolet - 98 laps
  9. - #4 - Shad Wheeler - '66 Ford - 98 laps
  10. - #38 - Rene Charland - '64 Dodge - 95 laps
   

A JT Car Owner Story Herman "The Turtle" Beam   Born: 11 / 12 / 1929    Died: 27 / 8 / 1980 Herman Beam was a University of North Carolina graduate. Herman was a heavy set man who wore large horned rim glasses which made him look like a college professor. And true to his nickname 'The Turtle', Herman and his Ford Galaxy were slow, very slow. Herman had figured out that you could make a good living by building a decent car and then simply driving it around track at a safe pace on a line that no one else was using, to then collect a share of the purse after the race. At the time there were a number of independents racing without factory support. Money was tight and the attrition rate was high, about 40% in most races. Since most races paid $100 or more for a top twenty finish, Herman realised that if he did not break down or have an accident he could make a pretty good living working on Sunday afternoons. Thus Herman drove around the apron of the track avoiding accidents for three or four hours and then collected his winnings. He was so successful in his commercial strategy that during one five race stretch in 1961, he earned more money than Fireball Roberts. In 1958, Beam ran 20 races, with a best of tenth at Weaverville. The following year, Beam was fourth in the final standings, with 12 top-10s in 30 events. Beam dropped to 12th in the points in 1960, with a fourth at Hillsboro in 26 races. Beam was fourth at Spartanburg in 1961, then won the pole at Richmond in 1962 when rain forced drivers to draw for grid positions. On the pace lap, he pulled into the pits and waited for the pack to pass in order to avoid any risk of an accident when the green flag came out! In 1963, his last season, Beam ran 25 races, including the Daytona 500. Between 1957 and 1963 Herman Beam started 194 races and earned $42,161. He had 3 top five finishes, due to higher than normal attrition, and 57 top ten.He never won and he was never famous, but everyone in the sport respected him, he never got in anyone's way, and never caused an accident. He holds the record for the most consecutive races without a DNF with a tally of 84. He was also the first person every to be black flagged at Daytona. That was in 1960 in the qualifying races. Somehow Herman forgot to put on his helmet! It took 8 laps before the officials noticed and flagged him into the pits. Herman tired of driving and during the 1963 season and put a young Cale Yarborough in the car for 14 races. Yarborough was 17th in the Southern 500 and posted three top-five finishes. Yarborough returned in 1964 to run 17 races for Beam but he left and Tiny Lund and Larry Thomas completed the season. Thomas was seventh in the Southern 500 and second at Hickory in 10 starts. But he was killed in an automobile accident in January of 1965. J.T. Putney drove for Beam in 1965, finishing second at Valdosta and seventh in the final standings. He then sold up and retired.

JT's two passions: Race cars and Airplanes

66 Chevy

66 Chevy

In the Pits

 

"The 10 Stupidest Moments In NASCAR History"    By Steve Nash The greatest events in NASCAR history can usually find their way onto columns fast. They are moments of greatness, superiority, luck, and above all talent. They define the sport; they make up the foundation for the competition that the sport is built on. Unfortunately, the other moments never make it onto columns and lists. No, these aren't the good, the great, or the awesome moments. Yes, they are the dumbest moments. The total lack of judgment, and the stupidity that certain situations have produced. The brainless and above all wacky moments that most drivers tend to forget fast. And to celebrate NASCAR's growing success, I've come up with a list entitled: The Ten Stupidest Moments in Winston Cup History. Now, before you start reading, keep in mind these are all driver-only events. NASCAR's decision to start this year's The Winston in the rain, or their tearing down Rusty Wallace's engine and placing it piece by piece in a little area for other competitors to take a look-see after his pole winning run at Sears Point last year won't make it. What will make it? Well, just take a look down below. 6. Graveyard Shift-J.T. Putney, Tiny Lund-Fonda Speedway, 1966- Putney had started second, and quickly jumped to the front, leading the first 31 laps. However, on lap 32 he spun off of turn two. The tiny 1/2-mile dirt track didn't have an outside retaining wall on the turns, so he spun over the banking. Putney regathered his car into control on a service road that led from the Erie Canal to the backstretch. Oddly enough, the road went through a graveyard, which is where Putney drove through before returning to the track. But by returning to the track, he drove straight in the path of Tiny Lund, who t-boned Putney, and also took out Bobby Allison and Lyle Stetler. Putney not only took out four cars in his bonehead maneuver, but he was KO'd by a punch from Lund. Lund had approached Putney following the incident in the garage area, and knocked Putney unconscious with a right-cut to Putney's jaw. NASCAR officials fined Lund $100.

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