As a recent college graduate in 1975 fresh with a degree in Journalism and a Radio-TV-Film major, I took my first job at WESH-TV in Daytona Beach, Fla. This would start a journey that would intertwine with Motor Racing and last a good ten years. Very early on I was introduced to Victory Lane. Now I had heard of and seen Victory Lane celebrations through the televised experience and also viewed one from the stands at Churchill Downs - the 1969 Kentucky Derby. I had never been inside or participated in the actual celebratory moment.
In 1976 I was assigned to cover the Daytona 500 Victory Lane celebration as a cameraman for the TV station. This task called for me to cover turns three and four inside the track during the race and then with thirty or so laps to finish, move and set up tripod and mounted Frzzolini 16mm inside Victory Lane. As it turns out this Daytona 500 became the most exciting finish in its history at the time. The perspective from Victory Lane of the finish was like this: Richard Petty and David Pearson were battling it out on the last lap. The only indication of what was happening that I had from where I stood was watching the crowds in the front stretch stands. They were delirious on their feet as the two cars sped down the backstretch. All of a sudden the screams got louder and fingers were pointing toward turn four. The next thing I know is, I see smoke and dirt flying and two cars spinning down the frontstretch with one in the grass.
David Pearson had the presence of mind to throw his Ford back in gear and cross the finish line before Richard Petty could get his Dodge back rolling. A few minutes later Pearson's crumpled Purolator Ford was pushed into Victory Lane by his elated crew and my camera was rolling!
See video:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=1976+daytona+500&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=CFB3227010E6742EB25CCFB3227010E6742EB25C
To try to adequately describe the actual experience is a tall task. Little did I know at the time that a short two years later I would experience Victory Lane on a whole new level. Stay Tuned.
Bradfor Bosworth
June, 2015
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