cord ▁Speed way ▁late ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁ ▁Fire ball ▁Roberts , ▁Cot ton ▁O w ens , ▁Jack ▁Smith , ▁and ▁Ralph ▁Mo ody ▁all ▁not ched ▁wins ▁during ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁events ▁before ▁Buck ▁Baker ▁took ▁his ▁first ▁trip ▁to ▁victory ▁l ane ▁at ▁Hills bor o , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 7 ▁Pont iac ▁gathered ▁its ▁first - ever ▁NAS C AR ▁win ▁at ▁Day ton a ▁Beach ▁with ▁Cot ton ▁O w ens ▁at ▁the ▁wheel . ▁ ▁In ▁May , ▁a ▁scheduled ▁ 5 0 0 ▁lap ▁race ▁at ▁Mart ins ville ▁Speed way ▁was ▁halt ed ▁after ▁ 4 4 1 ▁circ uits ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁crash . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 6 ▁all ▁factory ▁supported ▁teams ▁dis band ed ▁as ▁American ▁auto ▁manufact ures ▁with d rew ▁their ▁support ▁from ▁NAS C AR . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Ann ual ▁Southern ▁ 5 0 0 ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 , ▁driver ▁Bobby ▁My ers ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁a ▁crash ▁on ▁lap ▁ 2 8 ▁at ▁Dar ling ton ▁Race way . ▁ ▁Spe edy ▁Thompson ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁that ▁first ▁race ▁to ▁average ▁over ▁ 1 0 0   m ph ▁at ▁the ▁track . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁Fire ball ▁Roberts ▁won ▁a ▁ 1 0 0 - mile ▁race ▁at ▁New berry ▁Speed way ; ▁and ▁the ▁event ▁holds