On Saturday night, August 28, Mike Littlejohn of Inman, SC will travel to Auburndale Speedway in Winter Haven, FL to race with the South East Champ Kart Series, for the first time. Although the Littlejohn name may be unfamiliar to some, Mike will bring one of the legendary names in NASCAR’s history to the track.
In 1949, a new racing series was formed, the National Association for Stock Car Racing–or NASCAR, as it would come to be widely known. In that first season, eight races were scheduled.
The second race was held on July 10, 1949, at the Daytona Beach Road Course. The course started at the north turn on the pavement of highway A1A (at 4511 South Atlantic Avenue where a restaurant now stands). It went south two miles on A1A (parallel to the ocean) to the end of the road, where the drivers accessed the beach at the Beach Street approach (the south turn), went two miles north on the sandy beach surface, and turned away from the beach at the north turn. The lap length was 4.2 miles in this race. Twenty-eight cars entered the race, and 5,000 spectators lined the beach and roads.
Making the trip from Spartanburg, SC was Joe Littlejohn, an accomplished racer and track promoter in the Carolina area. Joe qualified solidly in the fourth position. When the green flag flew for the 40-lap race, Joe paced himself, eventually finishing fourth, and winning an impressive $300 for his efforts.
On February 5, 1950, Joe returned for the Daytona Beach race. This time, he captured the pole position, besting a field of 41 cars! Additionally, Joe earned the distinction of becoming the first Cup driver in Nascar history to win a pole position with a car that carried the Number 3. During the race, Joe suffered mechanical issues, ending his chances at a victory.
Although the 1950 Beach race would mark Joe’s last entry as a Cup driver, he spent the next 30 years supporting and crewing many of Nascar’s leading drivers, including fellow Spartanburg native, David Pearson.
However, it was his accomplishments as a race promoter that Joe was best known for. A charter NASCAR member, Littlejohn promoted races throughout the Carolinas, including 30 years at the half-mile Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, the site of the first race in South Carolina in 1939. He was also instrumental in establishing Darlington Raceway.
In 1975, Joe Littlejohn was inducted into the prestigious National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, in Darlington, SC. In addition, The Joe Littlejohn Award was established and named in his honor. It is presented annually to an individual for outstanding service to the NMPA and motorsports. Unlike many racing awards which honor a driver or high-profile public figure, the Joe Littlejohn Award recognizes the accomplishments of a person who is often unheralded, whose promotional efforts made it possible for race fans and drivers to enjoy the sport of auto racing.
Mike Littlejohn’s grandfather was a first cousin of Joe Littlejohn. Even today, over twenty years after Joe’s death, Mike is still stopped at race tracks in the Carolina area by people who want to share a story about Joe, and express their appreciation for his contributions to the sport of auto racing.
#55 Champ Kart of Mike "Spike" Littlejohn
Race promotion runs deep in the Littlejohn blood, as Mike is traveling to Auburndale Speedway to race with, and observe, the South East Champ Kart Series, in hopes of starting a similar series in the Carolinas. Already, Mike has received inquiries from several stock car tracks, who have expressed interest in scheduling a date.
Pit Gates open at 2:00pm
Main grandstand opens at 5:00pm
Qualifying starts at 6:30pm (for car divisions)
Racing starts at 7:00pm
Track Website: www.AuburndaleRacing.com Series Website: www.SECKSRacing.com
Also on the racing card for August 28 are the:
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED, STREET STOCKS, LEGENDS, BANDOLEROS, MINI STOCKS, MODIFIED MINI STOCKS, V-8 BOMBERS, SCRAMBLERS AND SOUTHEAST CHAMP KARTS
2010 SECKS Series Sponsor – VEGA Tires 
Impact Racing Products – 2010 SECKS Series Sponsor 2010 SECKS Series Sponsors:
VEGA Tires from http://www.TSRacing.com, and
IMPACT Racing Apparel and Products, at http://www.impactraceproducts.com/
J. Hite Exterminating at http://www.hiteexterminating.com,
PBS Sales and Service of Tampa at http://www.pbssalesandservice.com,
TOP DECK Concrete, Inc. of Riverview
National Semi-Trailer at http://www.nationalsemi.com/
MCKINNEY Powder Coating, at http://www.mckinneyracingproducts.com/powder.htm
BS POWERHOUSE Racing Engines at WEBSITE
ALLEY CAT Grafix
Series Website: http://www.SecksRacing.com or
http://www.SouthEastChampKartSeries.com
SECKS FaceBook ‘Become A Fan’ – CLICK HERE
SECKS Online Racing Store (Shirts, Hats, Gifts) – CLICK HERE
