1976 American 500

Last updated
1976 American 500
Race details [1]
Race 28 of 30 in the 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Rockingham Speedway.svg
Layout of Rockingham Speedway
Date October 24, 1976 (1976-October-24)
Official name American 500
Location North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.017 mi (1.636 km)
Distance 492 laps, 500 mi (804 km)
Weather Mild with temperatures of 72 °F (22 °C); wind speeds of 4.9 miles per hour (7.9 km/h)
Average speed 117.718 miles per hour (189.449 km/h)
Attendance 32,500 [2]
Pole position
Driver
 Wood Brothers
Most laps led
Driver Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
Laps 193
Winner
No. 43Richard PettyPetty Enterprises
Television in the United States
Network untelevised
Announcers none

The 1976 American 500 was the 28th official race (out of 30) in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. [2]

Contents

Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.

Race report

This racing event took place on October 24, 1976, at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. [2] In order to resolve itself, the race took four hours, fifteen minutes, and one second. [2] Six cautions slowed the race for a duration of 35 laps. [2] [3]

As a result, Richard Petty would end up lapping the field as he scores the season sweep at Rockingham. [2] [4] Thirty-two thousand and five hundred live spectators attended this event. [2] David Pearson gained the pole position qualifying at a speed of 139.117 miles per hour (223.887 km/h) but eventually finished in sixth place. [2] Henley Gray was officially recorded as the last-place finisher due to an engine issue on the first lap. [2]

Notable crew chiefs to actively participate in the race were Junie Donlavey, Jake Elder, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Bud Moore, Tim Brewer among others. [5]

Richard Petty's teenage son Kyle would attend his father's victory celebrations; getting ready for his NASCAR career. [6] The average speed of the race was 117.718 miles per hour (189.449 km/h). [2] Jack Donohue was the only Canadian competitor out of the 36-car grid. [2]

Qualifying

Grid [2] No.DriverManufacturer
121David PearsonMercury
271Dave MarcisDodge
315Buddy BakerFord
443Richard PettyDodge
51Donnie AllisonChevrolet
667Buddy ArringtonChevrolet
72Bobby AllisonMercury
888Darrell WaltripChevrolet
911Cale YarboroughChevrolet
1040D.K. UlrichChevrolet
1154Lennie PondChevrolet
1290Dick BrooksFord
1360Jackie RogersChevrolet
1436Bobby WawakChevrolet
1592Skip ManningChevrolet
163Richard ChildressChevrolet
1767Buddy ArringtonDodge
1855Sonny EasleyFord
1949Henley GrayDodge
205James HyltonDodge
2141Grant AdcoxChevrolet
2214Coo Coo MarlinChevrolet
2324Cecil GordonChevrolet
2405David SiscoChevrolet
2530Terry BivinsChevrolet

Finishing order

Section reference: [2]

  1. Richard Petty
  2. Lennie Pond
  3. Darrell Waltrip
  4. Bobby Allison
  5. Cale Yarborough
  6. David Pearson
  7. Donnie Allison
  8. Dick Brooks
  9. Skip Manning
  10. Coo Coo Marlin
  11. Sonny Easley
  12. Grant Adcox
  13. Ed Negre
  14. D.K. Ulrich
  15. Cecil Gordon
  16. Buddy Arrington
  17. Terry Bivins
  18. Rick Newsom
  19. Jackie Rogers
  20. David Sisco
  21. Jack Donohue
  22. Frank Warren
  23. Jimmy Means
  24. Tommy Gale
  25. Dave Marcis
  26. J.D. McDuffie
  27. Richard Childress
  28. Buddy Baker
  29. James Hylton
  30. Dick May
  31. Benny Parsons
  32. Travis Tiller
  33. Bobby Wawak
  34. Gary Myers
  35. Bruce Hill
  36. Henley Gray

Timeline

Section reference: [2]

Standings after the race

PosDriverPoints [2] Differential
1 1rightarrow.png Cale Yarborough 43800
2 1rightarrow.png Richard Petty 4283-97
3 1rightarrow.png Benny Parsons 3984-396
4 1rightarrow.png Bobby Allison 3948-432
5 Increase2.svg Lennie Pond 3669-711
6 Decrease2.svg Dave Marcis 3599-781
7 1rightarrow.png Buddy Baker 3539-841
8 Increase2.svg Darrell Waltrip 3316-1064
9 Decrease2.svg Richard Childress 3285-1095
10 1rightarrow.png Dick Brooks 3211-1169

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References

  1. ↑ "1976 American 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "1976 American 500 information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
  3. ↑ "1976 American 500 drivers' sponsor information". Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
  4. ↑ "1976 American 500 information (second reference)". Driver Averages. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  5. ↑ "1976 American 500 crew chiefs information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  6. ↑ Houston, Rick; Hallman, Bryan (2013). Kyle Petty at the 1976 American 500. ISBN   9780738599496 . Retrieved 2014-08-19.
Preceded by
1976 National 500 		NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season
1976		Succeeded by
1976 Dixie 500
Preceded by
1975 		American 500 races
1976		Succeeded by
1977
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