Flat Rock Speedway

ARCA President Ron Drager received a unique gift on Friday at Daytona International Speedway during the annual pre-race practice.

Drager, who also owns Michigan’s Flat Rock Speedway, was gifted an original trophy from a 1954 NASCAR Short Track Division race that was held at the quarter-mile oval on Aug. 10, 1954.

The NASCAR Short Track Division was a class sanctioned by NASCAR from 1951 to 1959 that held races on short tracks across the United States. Jim Reed won five consecutive championships from 1953 to 1957, with NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty, Marvin Porter, Neil Cole and Pappy Hough also winning championships.

The trophy gifted to Drager was awarded to driver Rex Crofoot following his victory in the Detroit International 250. Crofoot, a local and regional competitor, took the lead on the 128th lap and finished more than two laps ahead of runner-up Ray Duhigg.

Several familiar faces competed in the 250-lap event, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Buck Baker, Herb Thomas, Hershel McGriff and Petty. Other notable names in the race included Dick Rathmann, Bob Welborn and Reed, among others.

Crofoot’s life was tragically cut short six years later when was killed in an automobile accident.

Interestingly, the event was open to late model stocks and foreign late model cars. Baker is credited with driving an Austin Healey during the race and records show both McGriff and Welborn raced Jaguars.