1973 Dixie 500

1973 Dixie 500
Race details
Race 19 of 28 in the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season

Atlanta International Speedway, until 1996
Date July 22, 1973
Location Atlanta International Raceway (Hampton, Georgia)
Course Permanent racing facility
1.522 mi (2.449 km)
Distance 328 laps, 499.2 mi (803.3 km)
WeatherTemperatures up to 90 °F (32 °C); wind speeds up to 8 miles per hour (13 km/h)[1]
Average speed 130.211 miles per hour (209.554 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
Most laps led
Driver David Pearson Wood Brothers
Laps 178
Winner
No. 21
 David Pearson
 Wood Brothers
Television in the United States
Network untelevised
Announcers none

The 1973 Dixie 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on July 22, 1973, at Atlanta International Raceway in the American community of Hampton, Georgia.[2]

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

Summary

It took three hours and fifty minutes for David Pearson to defeat Cale Yarborough by more than one lap on a paved track spanning 1.522 miles (2.449 km).[2] Competitors were given special permits to enter the motor pits of track; separate from the media and the general public.

Pearson would take home $16,650 in prize money ($88,454.69 when adjusted for inflation) while last-place finisher Charles Barrett would receive only $880 in take-home pay ($4,675.08 when adjusted for inflation).[3] Fourteen lead changes were exchanged amongst six leaders (Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Bobby Isaac, Cale Yarborough, Donnie Allison, and David Pearson).[4] Six cautions were given out for 47 laps and the average speed of the race was 130.211 miles per hour or 209.554 kilometres per hour.[2] Thirty-thousand people would see a racing grid of 39 American drivers and one Canadian driver (Vic Parsons).[2] Richard Petty would gain the pole position with a speed of 157.163 miles per hour or 252.929 kilometres per hour.[2] Barrett would receive the last-place finish due to an engine difficult on lap 3 out of 328.[2]

Only the winner of the race would be on the lead lap by the end of the race.[2]

Finishing order

  1. David Pearson
  2. Cale Yarborough
  3. Donnie Allison
  4. Joe Frasson
  5. Jody Ridley
  6. Lennie Pond
  7. J.D. McDuffie†
  8. G.C. Spencer†
  9. Jabe Thomas
  10. Larry Smith†
  11. Buddy Arrington
  12. Rick Newsom†
  13. Henley Gray
  14. Frank Warren
  15. Walter Ballard
  16. Randy Tissot
  17. Bill Champion†
  18. Ed Negre
  19. Charlie Roberts
  20. Raymond Williams
  21. James Hylton
  22. Dean Dalton
  23. Richard Childress
  24. Cecil Gordon*†
  25. Benny Parsons*†
  26. David Sisco*
  27. Bobby Allison*
  28. Ed Sczech*
  29. Vic Parsons*
  30. Coo Coo Marlin*†
  31. Darrell Waltrip*
  32. Dave Marcis*
  33. Richard Petty*
  34. Buddy Baker*
  35. Bobby Isaac*†
  36. John Sears*†
  37. Tommy Gale*†
  38. Elmo Langley*†
  39. H.B. Bailey*†
  40. Charles Barrett*

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

References

  1. ↑ "1973 Dixie 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "1973 Dixie 500 racing information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  3. ↑ "1973 Dixie 500 racing information". Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  4. ↑ "1973 Dixie 500 racing information". Race Database. Retrieved 2012-03-24.
Preceded by
1973 Volunteer 500		 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season
1973 		Succeeded by
1973 Talladega 500
Preceded by
1972		 Dixie 500 races
1973 		Succeeded by
1974