1968 Columbia 200

Last updated
1968 Columbia 200
Race details [1] [2]
Race 10 of 49 in the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date April 18, 1968;52 years ago (1968-04-18)
Official name Columbia 200
Location Columbia Speedway, Columbia, South Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
0.500 mi (0.804 km)
Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (160 km)
Weather Very hot with temperatures of 84 °F (29 °C); wind speeds of 10.24 miles per hour (16.48 km/h)
Average speed 71.358 miles per hour (114.840 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Petty Enterprises
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Isaac K&K Insurance Racing
Laps 186
Winner
No. 37Bobby IsaacK&K Insurance Racing

The 1968 Columbia 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series stock car race that was held on April 18, 1968, at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina.

Contents

Background

Columbia Speedway was an oval racetrack located in Cayce, a suburb of Columbia, South Carolina. It was the site of auto races for NASCAR's top series from 1951 through 1971. [3] For most of its history, the racing surface was dirt. The races in April and August 1970 were two of the final three Grand National races ever held on a dirt track. [4]

The track was paved before hosting its last two Grand National races in 1971.

While Columbia Speedway was shut down to cars in 1979, noise complaints, it reopened as a velodrome in 2001.

Race report

Two hundred laps took place on a dirt track spanning 0.500 miles (0.805 km) per lap; for a grand total of 100.0 miles (160.9 km). [2] The race lasted one hour and twenty-four minutes with five cautions being handed out by NASCAR officials. [2]

Bobby Isaac would defeat Charlie Glotzbach by less than one lap [5] in front of 6500 live spectators (thus recording Nord Krauskopf's first win as a NASCAR team owner. [2] After this race, no vehicle with the number 37 would even win a NASCAR Grand National Series race ever again.

While the average speed of the race was 71.358 miles per hour (114.840 km/h), Richard Petty would qualify for the race with a pole position speed of 75.282 miles per hour (121.155 km/h). [2] Out of the 23-car field, 22 cars would be driven by American-born drivers while the other vehicle would be driven by Canadian driver Frog Fagan. [2] Bob Cooper would acquire the race's last-place finish due to an alternator issue on lap 42. [2] [5] Until 1972, Daytona 500 qualifiers were valid for the championship, Isaac would get his second win of the season at this race.

Until 1972, Daytona 500 qualifiers were valid for the championship, so Bobby Isaac got his second win of his NASCAR Grand National Cup Series career. [2] Meanwhile, Mopar (Dodge and Plymouth) would have its vehicles finish in the top five. [2] Total prize winnings handed out at the race was $4,490 ($33,011 when adjusted for inflation); with $1,000 being handed out to the winner ($7,352 when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher not winning any money. [6]

Notable crew chiefs at the race were Dale Inman, Harry Hyde, Frankie Scott, and Jake Elder. [7]

Qualifying

Grid [2] No.DriverManufacturerOwner
143Richard Petty'68 PlymouthPetty Enterprises
24John Sears'66 FordL.G. DeWitt
348James Hylton'67 DodgeJames Hylton
417David Pearson'68 FordHolman-Moody Racing
556LeeRoy Yarbrough'66 FordLyle Stelter
637Bobby Isaac'67 DodgeNord Krauskopf
73Buddy Baker'67 DodgeRay Fox
802Bob Cooper'66 ChevroletBob Cooper
906Neil Castles'67 PlymouthNeil Castles
106Charlie Glotzbach'67 DodgeCotton Owens
1188Buck Baker'67 OldsmobileBuck Baker
1245Bill Seifert'66 FordBill Seifert
1364Elmo Langley'66 FordElmo Langley / Henry Woodfield
1425Jabe Thomas'67 FordDon Robertson
1520Clyde Lynn'66 FordClyde Lynn
1634Wendell Scott'66 FordWendell Scott
1719Henley Gray'66 FordHenley Gray
189Roy Tyner'67 PontiacRoy Tyner
198Ed Negre'67 FordEd Negre
2031Paul Dean Holt'66 FordNewman Long
2195Frog Fagan'66 FordHenley Gray
2276Ben Arnold'66 FordDon Culpepper
2309Bill Vanderhoff'66 ChevroletRoy Tyner

Finishing order

Section reference: [2]

  1. Bobby Isaac† (No. 37)
  2. Charlie Glotzbach (No. 6)
  3. James Hylton (No. 48)
  4. Buddy Baker (No. 3)
  5. Richard Petty (No. 43)
  6. John Sears† (No. 4)
  7. David Pearson† (No. 17)
  8. Elmo Langley† (No. 64)
  9. LeeRoy Yarbrough† (No. 56)
  10. Neil Castles (No. 06)
  11. Clyde Lynn† (No. 20)
  12. Buck Baker† (No. 88)
  13. Wendell Scott† (No. 34)
  14. Roy Tyner† (No. 9)
  15. Jabe Thomas (No. 25)
  16. Henley Gray (No. 19)
  17. Bill Vanderhoff* (No. 09)
  18. Bill Seifert* (No. 45)
  19. Frog Fagan*† (No. 95)
  20. Ben Arnold* (No. 76)
  21. Paul Dean Holt* (No. 31)
  22. Ed Negre* (No. 8)
  23. Bob Cooper* (No. 02)

* Driver failed to finish race
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased

Timeline

Section reference: [2]

Related Research Articles

The 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season began on Sunday February 14 and ended on Sunday November 20. Richard Petty was the champion for this Winston Cup season. After 20 years of being named the NASCAR Grand National Series, R. J. Reynolds first became the primary sponsor in a decade where the growing anti-tobacco movement banned its advertisement on television and motorsports was the ideal place to place their advertisements. Through NASCAR, Winston merchandise was unveiled to live viewers of the races. This kind of merchandise would also be given out at stores that sold cigarettes in subsequent years. Race car drivers were encouraged to smoke cigarettes until the mid-2000s brought in strict drug testing policies in addition to a smoking cessation program by Nicorette, a GlaxoSmithKline brand.

The 1971 Islip 250 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that occurred on July 15, 1971, at Islip Speedway in Islip, New York.

1968 Islip 300 Auto race held at Islip Speedway in 1968

The 1968 Islip 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 7, 1968, at Islip Speedway in Islip, New York.

1968 Rebel 400 Auto race run in South Carolina in 1968

The 1968 Rebel 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 11, 1968, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.

1968 Northern 300 Auto race run in New Jersery in 1968

The 1968 Northern 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 14, 1968, at Trenton Speedway in Trenton, New Jersey.

1971 Delaware 500 Auto race run in Delaware in 1971

The 1971 Delaware 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on October 17, 1971, at Dover Downs International Speedway.

The 1968 Hickory 250 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on April 7, 1968, at Hickory Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina.

The 1968 Beltsville 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 17, 1968, at Beltsville Speedway in Beltsville, Maryland.

The 1968 Tidewater 250 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 18, 1968, at Langley Field Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.

1968 Dixie 250 Auto race held at Augusta Speedway in 1968

The 1968 Dixie 250 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 3, 1968, at Augusta Speedway in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1963 Sandlapper 200 was the site of Richard Petty's 25th NASCAR Grand National win for Petty Enterprises.

The 1963 NASCAR Grand National Series was an American stock car racing competition. It was the fourteenth running of what is now called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

The 1970 Greenville 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on June 27, 1970, at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina.

The 1971 Sandlapper 200 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on August 27, 1971, at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina.

1971 Dixie 500 Auto race held at Atlanta International Raceway in 1971

The 1971 Dixie 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on August 1, 1971, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia.

The 1969 Sandlapper 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 18, 1969, at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina.

1971 National 500 Auto race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1971

The 1971 National 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on October 10, 1971, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Most of the vehicles used in the race had a rating of 427 cubic inches.

1977 Wilkes 400 Auto race held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1977

The 1977 Wilkes 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that was held on October 2, 1977, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

1968 American 500 Auto race held at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1968

The 1968 American 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on October 27, 1968, at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina.

1970 Rebel 400 Auto race held at Darlington Raceway in 1970

The 1970 Rebel 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 9, 1970, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. The race is known for a crash involving Richard Petty that inspired NASCAR to implement the window net; a mandatory safety feature in today's NASCAR vehicles.

References

  1. Weather information for the 1968 Columbia 200 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1968 Columbia 200 information at Racing Reference
  3. Columbia Speedway page of Racing-Reference website , retrieved 8 May 2007.
  4. Fielden, Greg, "NASCAR Cleans Up", Speedway Illustrated, September 2004.
  5. 1 2 1968 Columbia 200 Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine information at Everything Stock Car
  6. NASCAR Race Results for the 1968 Columbia 200 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  7. 1968 Columbia 200 crew chiefs information at Racing Reference
Preceded by
1968 Greenville 200
NASCAR Grand National Series Season
1968
Succeeded by
1968 Gwyn Staley 400