Some information from Stock Car Racers Reunion' "Racing History Minute" by Tim Leeming. 

 

 

NASCAR's first (and only) visit to the local area happened on June 12, 1958, at the "New" Bradford Speedway.  The NASCAR Grand National event marked at the beginning of what would, in later years, become known as "The Northern Tour" where the Grand National (now Cup) drivers would make a swing through some northern states to broaden the appeal of stock car racing.  The NASCAR Grand National event marked the Grand Opening of the Bradford Speedway at its current location--thus the word "New" in the facility's name.  Beginning in 1954, auto races were held at the Bradford Rodeo Grounds just a half-mile away from the current location.

 

Twenty-one cars entered the 150 lap/50 mile event.  Bob Duell in a Ford took the pole with Speedy Thompson's Chevy in second. Third Place starter was Buck Baker and fourth place was Lee Petty. Action started on the first lap when too many cars scrambled into the turn on the green flag and Jim Reed put his Ford into the wall, hard, bringing out the caution immediately.  The sources are unclear as to lap leaders or other caution flags but with an average race winning speed of almost 60 mph, it is unlikely there were additional caution flags.

 

And the race at the "New" Bradford Speedway was not without controversy.  A newspaper wrote a headline indicating "Three Drivers Disqualified."  Reading further, it appears that NASCAR decided to crack down on "cheaters" at the previous race at Columbia Speedway and disqualified one driver out of that event.  At "New" Bradford Speedway, three drivers were deemed "illegal" for reasons not specified, and those three were disqualified and received NO money and NO points.  The three offenders were Dean Layfield, Squirt Jones and Emory Mahan--all driving Chevys.

 

When the checkered flag fell at the end of the event, it was Junior Johnson bringing his Ford home in first place--winning $550.  This was the eighth Grand National win in Junior Johnson's career.  Finally, one interesting sidenote to the event at the "New" Bradford Speedway is the ninth place finisher, Al White, noted as a Buffalo Policeman. There is no record of whether or not he had blue lights on his Ford. Or, as I recall, weren't the lights on police cars red back then?  There is also no indication that he pulled anyone for speeding.