Mercury NASCAR sponsor?

[PRE-Z06]

Didn’t realize they were in 1955 until I saw this photo in Car and Driver magazine...

[rock]

Carl Keikhaefer's Mercury sponsored cars entered 56 races and won 22 of them with Tim Flock and Buck Baker. I don't think anyone else can claim that level of success.

Rock

[Mark75H]

Keikhaefer's NASCAR team was the first highly professional paid team. Mercurys were seen as a regionally marketed outboard and Carl wanted southern market penetration. After some fatal accidents AAA bowed out of sanctioning car racing and NASCAR filled the void. Before Keikhafer's invasion from the mid west, NASCAR was more of a county fair type of race group. Many of the racers resented Kiekhaefer's "big money" outsider team and each year, the rules on sponsored teams and professionally prepaired cars were made stricter. It didn't take long before Carl was fed up and folded the team; but once the idea of a professional team had been planted, it went on from then until now even without the winningest team in early history of the organization.

Kiekhaefer Mercury even benefited from leaving NASCAR. When he pulled out, it was national news. More free publicity.

[bernie]

Keikhaefer's NASCAR team was the first highly professional paid team. Mercurys were seen as a regionally marketed outboard and Carl wanted southern market penetration. After some fatal accidents AAA bowed out of sanctioning car racing and NASCAR filled the void. Before Keikhafer's invasion from the mid west, NASCAR was more of a county fair type of race group. Many of the racers resented Kiekhaefer's "big money" outsider team and each year, the rules on sponsored teams and professionally prepaired cars were made stricter. It didn't take long before Carl was fed up and folded the team; but once the idea of a professional team had been planted, it went on from then until now even without the winningest team in early history of the organization.




Kiekhaefer Mercury even benefited from leaving NASCAR. When he pulled out, it was national news. More free publicity.

Sam - you spelled Kiekhaefer wrong - i before e! I did that one time on a drawing right after I started there as a draftsman - Evelyn Dutcher, the head mamma of engineering, called me up and gave me hell! Never did it again! LOL!

[Lake X Kid]

[Lake X Kid]

The pioneer Carl Kiekhaefer.

[Lake X Kid]

300 B, at a July event in 2018.

[Lake X Kid]

May 8th,1955:
Tim Flock completed a marathon of running in two races in two states on back-to-back days. After finishing second in a 100-mile race at Hickory (N.C.) Speedway,

Flock took the private plane of team owner Carl Kiekhaefer and flew to Arizona. At Fairgrounds Raceway in Phoenix, Flock started second and led all 100 laps on the 1-mile dirt track to claim the win over Marvin Panch.

https://nascar.nbcsports.com/tag/carl-kiekhaefer/

[Lake X Kid]

Tim Flock the man & racer hired by Carl Kiekhaefer.

Jocko Flocko the monkey, that rode in 8 car races with Tim Flock.

Video 12:45 time, Tim's reflects his meeting with Carl.
Tim wins the 1955 Nascar championship, beating Lee Petty, Buck Baker and Fireball Roberts.