Daily NASCAR

Joe Weatherley pits at the Southeastern 500 in 1962.

Denny Hamlin is the first driver from Virginia since the late Joe Weatherly, in 1961, to win at Richmond and Martinsville in the same season. A North Carolinian, Richard Petty, pulled off the sweep six times: in 1967, ‘68, ‘70, ‘71, ‘72 and ‘73. Weatherly, the Cup (then Grand National) campion in 1962-63, was from Norfolk, Va. Hamlin is from Chesterfield.

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Billy Wade’s four Grand National (now Sprint Cup) victories occurred in consecutive races. Two were on short tracks, and two were on road courses. In the summer of 1964, Wade, who was from Houston, Texas, won at Old Bridge (N.J.) Stadium, Bridgehampton (N.Y.) Raceway (a 2.85-mile road course), Islip (N.Y.) Speedway and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, then listed as a 2.3-mile road course. On Jan. 5, 1965, Wade was killed in a tire test at Daytona International Speedway.

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