The 1959 NASCAR Convertible Division marked the final full championship season for the open-top cars that had raced since 1956. Joe Lee Johnson claimed the title in his self-owned 1957 Chevrolet after a close battle with Larry Frank; a points recount ultimately awarded Johnson the championship by a slim 20-point margin. Johnson scored two consecutive wins early in the year at Champion Speedway and Richmond, helping build his points lead.
The season featured 15 races across the Southeast, with convertibles still mixing alongside hardtops in major events. One of the Daytona 500 qualifying races was reserved for convertibles, a format that later influenced the modern Duels. Notable winners included Shorty Rollins at Daytona, Fireball Roberts at Darlington, and a young Richard Petty, who captured his first career NASCAR victory in a Convertible Division race at Columbia Speedway. The series closed out with Ned Jarrett winning the final official event at Charlotte Fairgrounds in August, ending a colorful chapter of NASCAR history.
May 23, 1959
