1968 World 600

Last updated
1968 World 600
Race details [1]
Race 21 of 54 in the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Lowe's Motor Speedway.svg
Layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date May 26, 1968 (1968-May-26)
Official name World 600
Location Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.500 mi (2.414 km)
Distance 255 laps, 378 mi (442.89 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 600 mi (703 km)
Weather Chilly with temperatures of 68 °F (20 °C); wind speeds of 13 miles per hour (21 km/h)
Average speed 104.207 mph (167.705 km/h)
Attendance 60,000
Pole position
Driver
 Banjo Matthews
Most laps led
Driver Buddy Baker Ray Fox
Laps 98
Winner
No. 3Buddy BakerRay Fox
Television in the United States
Network untelevised
Announcers none

The 1968 World 600, the ninth running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that took place on May 26, 1968, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

Contents

Background

Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) quad-oval track located in Concord, North Carolina, was the location for the race. [2] The track's turns were banked at twenty-four degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, was five degrees. [3] The back stretch, opposite of the front, also had a five degree banking. [3] During the 1968 season, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Grand National Series twice, with the other race being the National 500.

Designed and built by Bruton Smith and partner and driver Curtis Turner in 1959, the first World 600 NASCAR race was held at the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) speedway on June 19, 1960. On December 8, 1961, the speedway filed bankruptcy notice. Judge J.B. Craven of US District Court for Western North Carolina reorganized it under Chapter 10 of the Bankruptcy Act; Judge Craven appointed Robert "Red" Robinson as the track's trustee until March 1962. At that point, a committee of major stockholders in the speedway was assembled, headed by A.C. Goines and furniture store owner Richard Howard. Goines, Howard, and Robinson worked to secure loans and other monies to keep the speedway afloat. [4]

By April 1963 some $750,000 was paid to twenty secured creditors and the track emerged from bankruptcy; Judge Craven appointed Goines as speedway president and Howard as assistant general manager of the speedway, handling its day-to-day operations. By 1964 Howard become the track's general manager, and on June 1, 1967, the speedway's mortgage was paid in full; a public burning of the mortgage was held at the speedway two weeks later. [5]

Smith departed from the speedway in 1962 to pursue other business interests, primarily in banking and auto dealerships from his new home of Rockford, IL. He became quite successful and began buying out shares of stock in the speedway. By 1974 Smith was more heavily involved in the speedway, to where Richard Howard by 1975 stated, "I haven't been running the speedway. It's being run from Illinois." [6] In 1975 Smith had become the majority stockholder, regaining control of its day-to-day operations. Smith hired H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler as general manager in October 1975, and on January 29, 1976, Richard Howard resigned as president and GM of the speedway.

Qualifying

Grid [7] No.DriverManufacturerOwner
127Donnie Allison'68 FordBanjo Matthews
298LeeRoy Yarbrough'68 MercuryJunior Johnson
321Cale Yarborough'68 MercuryWood Brothers
417David Pearson'68 FordHolman-Moody Racing
529Bobby Allison'68 FordBondy Long
643Richard Petty'68 PlymouthPetty Enterprises
716Tiny Lund'68 MercuryBud Moore
814Curtis Turner'68 PlymouthTom Friedkin
922Darel Dieringer'68 PlymouthMario Rossi
106Charlie Glotzbach'68 DodgeCotton Owens
1199Paul Goldsmith'68 DodgeRay Nichels
123Buddy Baker'68 DodgeRay Fox
1315Jerry Grant'68 PlymouthTom Friedkin
1471Bobby Isaac'68 DodgeNord Krauskopf
151Bud Moore'68 DodgeA.J. King
164John Sears'67 FordL.G. DeWitt
1737Sam McQuagg'67 DodgeNord Krauskopf
1849G.C. Spencer'67 PlymouthG.C. Spencer
1990Sonny Hutchins'67 FordJunie Donlavey
2064Elmo Langley'66 FordElmo Langley / Henry Woodfield
2148James Hylton'67 DodgeJames Hylton
222Paul Lewis'67 DodgeBobby Allison
2379Frank Warren'66 ChevroletHarold Rhodes
2439Friday Hassler'66 ChevroletRed Sharp
2508Don Tarr'66 ChevroletE.C. Reid

Race report

This race was shortened to 255 laps due to rain after being able to race for three hours and four minutes in front of 60,000 people. [7] Rain had started to appear much earlier in the race but flagman Johnny Bruner would not wave the caution flag until the conditions got dangerous. [8] Throughout the day, 0.32 inches of rain were reported around Charlotte Motor Speedway. [9]

Buddy Baker would defeat Donnie Allison under the race's sixth and final caution flag. Cale Yarborough would become the last-place finisher due to a crash on lap 45. [7] All the competitors (except for Canadian Frog Fagan) was born in the United States of America. Bobby Allison suffered an engine problem on the 229th lap of the race; forcing him to retire in 28th place. [7] Donnie Allison won the pole position at 159.223 miles per hour or 256.245 kilometres per hour during qualifying runs while actual race speeds would reach 104.207 miles per hour or 167.705 kilometres per hour. [7] Both of Nord Krauskopf's teams would finish in the "top ten" during this race. [7] The top ten finishers included Buddy Baker, Donny Allison, LeeRoy Yarbrough, David Pearson, Bobby Isaac, Charlie Glotzbach, Tiny Lund, James Hylton, Curtis Turner, and Sam McQuagg. [7]

Darel Dieringer would be a part of the race's second crash on lap 212; giving him a 32nd-place finish. [7] Earl Balmer, Paul Lewis, and Phil Wendt would retire from NASCAR after this racing event. [10] Prior to this race, Balmer was known as the winner of the 1966 Daytona 500 qualifying race.

Notable crew chiefs for this race included Junior Johnson, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Banjo Matthews and Bud Moore. [11]

Timeline

Section reference: [7]

Related Research Articles

The 1976 NASCAR Grand National Winston Cup Series was the 28th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 5th modern era NASCAR Cup series. The season began on Sunday, January 18 and ended on Sunday, November 21. Cale Yarborough, driving the #11 Junior Johnson Holly Farms Chevrolet scored his first of three consecutive NASCAR Grand National Series Winston Cup Championships. Skip Manning was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year.

The 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 31st season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 8th modern-era Cup series. It began on Sunday, January 14, and ended on Sunday, November 18. Richard Petty won his seventh and final Winston Cup championship, winning by 11 points over Darrell Waltrip. Dale Earnhardt was crowned NASCAR Rookie of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Daytona 500</span> Auto race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1969

The 1969 Daytona 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series race held on February 23, 1969, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 Rebel 400</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Volunteer 500</span> Auto race held at Bristol International Speedway in 1969

The 1969 Volunteer 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 20, 1969, at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee; which was rebuilt with more banking for this race.

The 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 25th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 2nd modern-era Cup season. The season began on Sunday January 21 and ended on Sunday October 21. 31 races were scheduled in the 1973 season. 28 were held.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series</span> 27th season of NASCAR stock-car racing

The 1975 NASCAR Grand National Winston Cup Series was the 27th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 4th season in the modern era of the NASCAR Cup series. The season began on Sunday, January 19 and ended on Sunday, November 12. Richard Petty, driving the #43 Petty Enterprises STP Dodge scored his sixth NASCAR Grand National Series Winston Cup Championship. Bruce Hill was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year. NASCAR introduced a new points system for 1975, a system designed by statistician Bob Latford. For the first time, each race on the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National schedule carried an equal point value, a system that would be used for 36 seasons, from 1975 to 2010. The original points system ran for the first 29 seasons, from 1975 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 Delaware 500</span> Auto race held at Dover International Speedway in 1978

The 1978 Delaware 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on September 17, 1978, at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1965 Southern 500</span> Auto race held at Darlington Raceway in 1965

The 1965 Southern 500, the 16th running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 6, 1965, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 National 500</span> Auto race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1969

The 1969 National 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series stock car race that was held on October 12, 1969, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. This race is still being held in today's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as the 'Bank of America 500'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 National 500</span> Auto race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1973

The 1973 National 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on October 7, 1973, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1967 National 500</span> American NASCAR auto race in 1967

The 1967 National 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series stock car race that was held on October 15, 1967, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Dixie 500</span> Auto race held at Atlanta International Speedway in 1973

The 1973 Dixie 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on July 22, 1973, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 World 600</span> Auto race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1969

The 1969 World 600, the 10th running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that took place on May 25, 1969, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1967 Atlanta 500</span> American NASCAR auto race in 1967

The 1967 Atlanta 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on April 2, 1967, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1971 National 500</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Dixie 500</span> Auto race held at Atlanta International Raceway in 1969

The 1969 Dixie 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on August 10, 1969, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 Volunteer 500</span> Auto race held at Bristol International Speedway in 1968

The 1968 Volunteer 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 21, 1968, at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 American 500</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Motor State 500</span> Auto race held at Michigan International Speedway in 1969

The 1969 Motor State 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on June 15, 1969, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Highlights from this event were featured on the television show Car and Track; hosted by race commentator Bud Lindemann.

References

  1. ↑ Weather information for the 1968 World 600 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ↑ "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group. Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "NASCAR Tracks—The Charlotte Motor Speedway". Charlotte Motor Speedway. Archived from the original on April 28, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  4. ↑ Charlotte Observer timeline on Charlotte Motor Speedway Archived November 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Benyo, Richard (1977) SUPERSPEEDWAY: The Story Of NASCAR Grand National Racing Mason/Charter ISBN   0-88405-391-1 pp.71-6
  6. ↑ Benyo, SUPERSPEEDWAY, p. 76
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Racing information for the 1968 World 600 at Racing Reference
  8. ↑ Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France at Google Books
  9. ↑ Climate information Archived 2018-09-08 at the Wayback Machine at SERCC
  10. ↑ Retirements from NASCAR at Race Database
  11. ↑ Crew chief information for the 1968 World 600 at Racing Reference
Preceded by NASCAR Grand National Season
1968		Succeeded by
Preceded by World 600 races
1968		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.