1968 Islip 300

Last updated
1968 Islip 300
Race details [1]
Race 26 of 49 in the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series season
1968Islip300TicketForm.jpg
Official ticket form for the 1968 Islip 300
Date July 7, 1968;51 years ago (1968-07-07)
Official name Islip 300
Location Islip Speedway, (Islip, New York)
Course Permanent racing facility
0.200 mi (0.322 km)
Distance 250 laps, 60.0 mi (90.0 km)
Weather Temperatures ranging between 59 °F (15 °C) and 70.6 °F (21.4 °C); wind speeds of 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)
Average speed 48.561 miles per hour (78.151 km/h)
Attendance 4,600 [2]
Pole position
Driver
 Ray Fox
Time 13.880
Most laps led
Driver Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
Laps 97
Winner
No. 2 Bobby Allison J.D. Bracken

The 1968 Islip 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) event that was held on July 7, 1968, at Islip Speedway in Islip, New York.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock-car racing. Its three largest or National series are the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Regional series include the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, the Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Pinty's Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, and NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series. NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 48 US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Europe. NASCAR has presented races at the Suzuka and Motegi circuits in Japan, and the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia. NASCAR also ventures into eSports via the PEAK Antifreeze NASCAR iRacing Series and a sanctioned ladder system on that title.

Islip Speedway Sports venue

Islip Speedway was a .2-mile (320-meter) oval race track in Islip, New York which was open from 1947 until 1984. It is the smallest track ever to host NASCAR's Grand National Series, from 1964 to 1971. The first demolition derby took place at Islip Speedway in 1958. The idea was patented by Larry Mendelsohn, who worked at Islip Speedway. The speedway has since been demolished and replaced with Cookies United, a cookie factory.

Contents

The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s.

Background

Islip Speedway was a .2-mile (320-meter) oval race track in Islip, New York which was open from 1947 until 1984. [3] It is the smallest track ever to host NASCAR's Grand National Series (now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series), [4] [5] from 1964 to 1971. [4] The first demolition derby took place at Islip Speedway in 1958. The idea was patented by Larry Mendelson, who worked at Islip Speedway.

Race track Facility built for racing of animals, vehicles, or athletes

A race track is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals. A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Racetracks are also used in the study of animal locomotion. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.

Islip (hamlet), New York Hamlet and census-designated place in New York, United States

Islip is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) that lies within the much larger Town of Islip in Suffolk County, New York. Located on the South Shore of Long Island, the CDP had a population of 18,869 at the time of the 2010 census, a decline of 8% from the 2000 census.

New York (state) American state

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With an estimated 19.54 million residents in 2018, it is the fourth most populous state. In order to distinguish the state from the city with the same name, it is sometimes referred to as New York State.

Race report

The race's advertised distance was 300 laps on a paved track spanning 0.200 miles (0.322 km). [2] It took fifty-five minutes and seventeen seconds in order to complete the entire race. [2] Starting at 8:15 PM, the race was quickly over before 9:15 PM. Speeds were considered to be 48.561 miles per hour (78.151 km/h) for the average and 51.873 miles per hour (83.482 km/h) for the pole. [2] The race was attended by 4,600 spectators and they witnessed one caution for three laps. [2] General admission for this event was only $4 plus sales taxes ($28.82 when adjusted for inflation) while children got in for only $1 with an adult general admission ($7.2 when adjusted for inflation).

The most notable crew chiefs to participate in this event were Ray Hicks, Eddie Allison, Jake Elder, Frankie Scott, Dale Inman and Harry Hyde. [6]

J.C. "Jake" Elder was a NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup crew chief. He was the championship crew chief for two years and for part of a third season. Elder had these successes despite never passing through third grade.

Dale Inman NASCAR crew chief

Dale Inman is a retired NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup crew chief from Level Cross, Randolph County, North Carolina. He is best known for being the crew chief of Richard Petty at Petty Enterprises during three decades. They won 198 races and seven championships together. Inman spent most of his career working for Petty Enterprises. He also was the crew chief for Terry Labonte's 1984 championship. NASCAR.com contributor Rick Houston said that if the best crew chief was "settled on statistics and statistics alone, Dale Inman is the greatest crew chief of all time." He is credited for starting the main duties of the position including preparation, and driver-pit communication. Inman has the most victories as a NASCAR crew chief mainly for Richard Petty.

Harry Hyde NASCAR crew chief

Harry Hyde was a leading crew chief in NASCAR stock car racing in the 1960s through the 1980s, winning 56 races and 88 pole positions. He was the 1970 championship crew chief for Bobby Isaac. He inspired the Harry Hogge character in the movie Days of Thunder.

Bobby Allison managed to defeat David Pearson by six car lengths. [2] The track was shorter than even Martinsville Speedway; giving it the notoriety of being lapped by the leaders during the first ten four laps of a race. Start and park racing was a way to avoid demoralization in those circumstances as opposed to maintaining a profit margin. Most of the drivers drove the latest model of stock car automobiles to this race. Buddy Baker would perform in a 1968 Dodge Charger while Richard Petty raced around the track in a 1968 Plymouth GTX. Three years later, the uncertain economic climate of the early 1970s would necessitate start and park racing in order for lesser teams to remain as viable as possible.

Bobby Allison American racecar driver

Robert Arthur Allison is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers, he was the 1983 Winston Cup champion and won the Daytona 500 three times in 1978, 1982, and 1988. His two sons, Clifford and Davey Allison, followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other.

David Pearson (racing driver) American racecar driver

David Gene Pearson was an American stock car racer from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Pearson began his NASCAR career in 1960 and ended his first season by winning the 1960 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award. He won three championships and every year he was active he ran the full schedule in NASCAR's Grand National Series. NASCAR described his 1974 season as an indication of his "consistent greatness". That season he finished third in the season points having competed in only 19 of 30 races.

Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing short track located in Henry County, Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (847 m) in length, it is the shortest track in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by partners H. Clay Earles, Henry Lawrence and Sam Rice per Virginia House Joint Resolution No. 76 on the death of H. Clay Earles. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns.

Bobby Allison would receive $1,000 ($7,205 when adjusted for inflation) for winning the race while Gene Black would receive $100 ($720 when adjusted for inflation) for finishing in last place. Four different car manufacturers led the race and four different finished in the top four. [2]

Gene Black was an American NASCAR Grand National driver who competed from 1965 to 1968.

The total winnings for this race was $5,255 ($37,861 when adjusted for inflation). John Winger would make his NASCAR debut during this racing event. [7]

Qualifying

GridNo.DriverManufacturerSpeed [8] Qualifying time [8] Owner
13Buddy Baker'68 Dodge 51.87313.880 Ray Fox
217David Pearson'68 Ford 51.83613.890 Holman-Moody
343Richard Petty'68 Plymouth 51.24514.050 Petty Enterprises
448James Hylton'67 Dodge 50.88314.150 Petty Enterprises
52Bobby Allison'66 Chevrolet 50.56214.240 Donald Brackins
644John Winger'67 Ford 50.42014.280 Richard Giachetti
749G.C. Spencer'67 Plymouth 50.31414.310 G.C. Spencer
864Elmo Langley'67 Ford 49.89614.430 Elmo Langley / Henry Woodfield
925Jabe Thomas'67 Ford 49.72414.480Don Robertson
104John Sears'66 Ford 49.45014.560 L.G. DeWitt

Failed to qualify: Bob Cooper (#02), Dick Johnson (#18), Henley Gray (#19), Stan Meserve (#51), Bobby Mausgrover (#88) [8]

Finishing order

Section reference: [2]

  1. Bobby Allison (No. 2)
  2. David Pearson† (No. 17)
  3. Buddy Baker† (No. 3)
  4. Richard Petty (No. 43)
  5. James Hylton (No. 48)
  6. Bobby Isaac† (No. 71)
  7. Elmo Langley† (No. 64)
  8. Clyde Lynn† (No. 20)
  9. John Sears† (No. 4)
  10. Neil Castles (No. 06)
  11. Wendell Scott† (No. 34)
  12. John Winger (No. 44)
  13. Jabe Thomas (No. 25)
  14. Buck Baker† (No. 87)
  15. Ed Negre*† (No. 8)
  16. Bill Vanderhoff* (No. 09)
  17. Earl Brooks*† (No. 28)
  18. Frank Warren* (No. 0)
  19. J.D. McDuffie*† (No. 70)
  20. G.C. Spencer*† (No. 49)
  21. Bill Seifert* (No. 45)
  22. Roy Tyner*† (No. 76)
  23. Paul Dean Holt* (No. 01)
  24. David Mote* (No. 69)
  25. Gene Black*† (No. 75)

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

Timeline

Section reference: [2]

Preceded by
1968 Firecracker 400 		NASCAR Grand National Season
1968		Succeeded by
1968 Maine 300

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References

  1. ↑ "1968 Islip 300 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2014-04-17.Cite web requires |website= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "1968 Islip 300 information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2010-03-22.Cite web requires |website= (help)
  3. ↑ Goldsmith, Paul (2003-08-31). "Gauge Nears 'E' at Riverhead Raceway". The New York Times . Retrieved 2009-05-17.
  4. 1 2 Aumann, Mark (2006-01-31). "Countdown: New York". NASCAR . Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  5. ↑ London, Gary. "NASCAR Has A Long History Racing In The Northeast". National Speed Sport News . Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-18.Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help)
  6. ↑ "1968 Islip 300 crew chief information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2017-07-02.Cite web requires |website= (help)
  7. ↑ "John Winger's debut". Race Database. Retrieved 2012-03-11.Cite web requires |website= (help)
  8. 1 2 3 "1968 Islip 300 qualifying information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2017-03-28.Cite web requires |website= (help)
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