This race began a streak of 1856 consecutive NASCAR races where at least one of the drivers in the race was from North Carolina. The streak would come to an end after Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not race in the 2012 Bank of America 500 at Charlotte after getting a concussion after the previous race at Talladega.
Background
Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.4km) quad-oval track located in Concord, North Carolina, was the location for the race.[3] The track's turns were banked at twenty-four degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, was five degrees.[4] The back stretch, opposite of the front, also had a five degree banking.[4] Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Grand National Series twice during the season, with the other race being the National 400. The track opened for the inaugural World 600 one year earlier, and was built by Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner. Around 46,538 spectators attended the race.
Race report
Four hundred laps were raced over a paved oval track spanning 1.500 miles (2.414km) with a time of five hours, twenty-two minutes, and twenty-nine seconds.[2] Seven cautions were waved for fifty-seven laps. David Pearson defeated Fireball Roberts by more than two laps for his first NASCAR Cup series victory.[2] Even though there were 55 cars in the event, only 19 vehicles were allowed to qualify during each pre-race qualifying session.
The average speed was 111.633 miles per hour (179.656km/h) while the pole position speed was 131.611 miles per hour (211.807km/h).[2] The qualifying races only set the front row (which is the opposite of what happens before the Daytona 500). A lot of drivers chose not to participate in qualifying.
Attendance for this race was 46,538 and the top prize was $24,280 ($247,559 when adjusted for inflation).[2] The last place competitor received $200 ($2,039 when adjusted for inflation).[2] Competitors for this race included: Ralph Earnhardt, Ned Jarrett, Tiny Lund, Junior Johnson, Joe Weatherly, Richard Petty, and Roy Tyner. Ralph Earnhardt was competitive early, leading four times and finishing 11th.[2]
A terrible crash occurred to driver Reds Kagle; he would lose a leg in this race when his car penetrated the outside guard rail.[2][5]
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