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An original 5x3.5" vintage photo (NOT a modern reprint) from the Marty Himes estate.
Provenance: This photograph comes directly from the Marty Himes Racing Museum Collection, assembled over decades by Marty Himes - racer, restorer, and lifelong archivist of American racing. Every piece he preserved tells part of the story of motorsport’s rise from dirt tracks to the spectacle of the Indy 500. We acquired the majority of his photo collection after his passing. Many of his photos are extremely rare or even one of a kind.
Photo Overview
This 5x3.5-inch black-and-white photo captures NASCAR driver Ronnie Thomas and his crew making pit repairs to his No. 25 Harvey Chevrolet of Radford, VA stock car during the 1979 Daytona 500 weekend - specifically during the 125-mile qualifying race (Daytona 125). The shot is taken from above, looking down at the crumpled front end of the Chevrolet, with crew members crouched and working urgently on the damaged nose. The sponsor lettering 'Harvey Chevrolet, Radford, VA' is clearly legible across the hood.
This photo comes directly from the Marty Himes Racing Museum Collection, assembled over decades by Marty Himes - racer, restorer, and lifelong archivist of American racing. It was photographed by Speedway Films Ltd., a noted motorsport photography outfit active during the NASCAR era.
Historical Notes
The 1979 Daytona 500 is one of the most celebrated races in NASCAR history - the first 500-mile race broadcast live flag-to-flag on network television (CBS). The twin 125-mile qualifying races held days before the main event determined starting positions, and they were fiercely contested. Ronnie Thomas, a Virginia-based NASCAR competitor active in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was known as a journeyman driver who ran limited schedules with smaller teams and regional sponsors like Harvey Chevrolet of Radford, VA. Thomas competed in select Cup events through the early 1980s before fading from the top series. The 1979 Daytona 500 itself was won by Richard Petty in dramatic fashion after Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough famously wrecked fighting for the lead on the final lap - one of the defining moments in NASCAR television history.
Browse our complete NASCAR photograph collection.
Text Present
Front of photo - on the car hood: 'HARVEY CHEVROLET / RADFORD, VA.' and car number '25'
Back of photo - handwritten note on card: 'Daytona 500 / Ronnie Thomas / undergoing repairs in / 125 Qual' and '1979' (written in green ink)
Back of photo - stamp/logo: 'Speedway Films Ltd.' with crossed checkered flags and camera graphic
Print analysis
This is a Type 1 original photographic print. The photo was taken in 1979 and bears the Speedway Films Ltd. stamp on the reverse, consistent with contemporary race-day photography distribution. The silver gelatin print surface, period-appropriate paper stock, and original handwritten annotation all support this being a print made at or very close to the time of the event. No evidence of later reproduction or copy print characteristics is present.
Condition
Please see scans of the image we have provided for the most accurate and complete state of the photo. Many of the photos in this collection are very old and have age related wear, chips, creases, curling, etc. Others are remarkably well maintained.
