AI tools
Loading AI tools

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.

Benny Parsons was crowned Winston Cup champion at the end of the season finishing 67 points ahead of Cale Yarborough. Lennie Pond was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year, succeeding Larry Smith, who was fatally injured in the year's Talladega 500. David Pearson dominated the season winning 11 of the 18 races he entered.[1] Of those wins, using modern NASCAR circuit classifications established in 2013 for age eligibility in tertiary series and engine and aerodynamic packages, five wins were on short tracks (two Rockingham, two Dover, and one Martinsville) , four were on intermediate circuits (Darlington, Michigan, and two Atlanta wins) , and two were on superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega).

Pre-season changes

Rule changes

As part of the previously announced phasing out of the seven-litre formula to the 5833cc formula that will be completed at the end of this season, NASCAR after the end of the 1972 season announced adjusted maximum carburetor sleeve sizes depending upon the type of engine and manufacturer of a given car. As NASCAR President Bill France Jr. explained, the goal of the adjustments was to differentiate between engines manufactured specifically for racing, and "volume production" engines that came off a consumer assembly line. This was done "...so the events next year can continue to be representative of the type of the extremely close competition that has been typical of NASCAR racing."[2]

In 1973, the NASCAR points system was changed. In 1972, only the number of laps completed in a race (regardless of position) counted toward the accumulation of points. In 1973, points were awarded both for the number of laps in a race completed, and for a finish in the top 50 in a race, a higher placing receiving more points. Additionally, the first-place finisher received a 25-point bonus.[3]

Team changes

Bobby Allison left Richard Howard's racing team, and would drive his own Chevrolet in 1973. Bobby Allison's team would also furnish a car for his brother, Donnie Allison and the new DiGard Racing team. Taking Bobby's place on the Howard racing team would be Cale Yarborough, returning from the USAC Stock Car division.[4]

Richard Petty, driver and owner of Petty Enterprises, expected to be racing exclusively in Dodge automobiles in 1973 (rather than the mix of Dodge and Plymouth the team had been).[4]

Buddy Baker, who took over at Krauskopf Racing after Bobby Isaac left that team after the 1972 Southern 500, now signed up with Krauskopf for the full 1973 season, driving Dodges.[5]

Retirements

Fred Lorenzen, a NASCAR notable, ended his career with the end of the 1972 season.

Schedule

31 Winston Cup races were scheduled for the 1973 season.[6][7] In the end it had 28 races, as well as a non-championship qualifying race. The schedule also includes two 125 Mile Qualifying Races, which are the qualifying races for the Daytona 500.

Key changes from 1972 include:

  • Bristol and Atlanta swap their March/April race dates.
  • The spring race at North Wilkesboro moved to the seventh race of the season.
  • North Wilkesboro and Martinsville swap their September race dates.
  • A second race at Fairgrounds Speedway returned to the Cup Series after a seven year absence, The race was held before the World 600 at Charlotte.
  • The race at Texas World Speedway moved to round fourteen of the season.
  • Riverside and Michigan swap their June race dates.
  • Texas World Speedway's Texas 500 was removed after a single year.
  • The Miller High Life 500 was set for March 4. Was not held because of financial difficulties (and an ownership change completed January 4, 1973) at Ontario Motor Speedway.
  • The Northern 300 was Rained out on race day, then postponed until August 5 and finally cancelled at the request of the promoter on July 27 (insufficient time to promote the race).[8][9]
  • The Yankee 400 was cancelled on June 7 by track owner Roger Penske, citing the tight schedule of races the track had to accommodate in Summer 1973.[10]
More information No., Race title ...
No. Race title Track Date
1 Winston Western 500 Riverside International Raceway, Riverside January 21
125 Mile Qualifying Races Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach February 15
2 Daytona 500 February 18
3 Richmond 500 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond February 25
4 Southeastern 500 Bristol International Speedway, Bristol March 11-25
5 Carolina 500 North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham March 18
6 Atlanta 500 Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton April 1
7 Gwyn Staley 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro April 8
8 Rebel 500 Darlington Raceway, Darlington April 15
9 Virginia 500 Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway April 29
10 Winston 500 Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega May 6
11 Music City USA 420 Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville May 12
12 World 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord May 27
13 Mason-Dixon 500 Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover June 3
14 Alamo 500 Texas World Speedway, College Station June 10
15 Tuborg 400 Riverside International Raceway, Riverside June 17
16 Motor State 400 Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn June 24
17 Firecracker 400 Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach July 4
18 Volunteer 500 Bristol International Speedway, Bristol July 8
19 Dixie 500 Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton July 22
20 Talladega 500 Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega August 12
21 Nashville 420 Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville August 25
22 Southern 500 Darlington Raceway, Darlington September 3
23 Capital City 500 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond September 9
24 Delaware 500 Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover September 16
25 Wilkes 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro September 23
26 Old Dominion 500 Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway September 30
27 National 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord October 6
28 American 500 North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham October 20
Source:[11]
Close

Race recaps

Winston Western 500 - Indycar and road racing star Mark Donohue drove an AMC Matador with a set of disc brakes - new for racing at the time - and led 138 laps en route to the win. David Pearson won the pole but never led and fell out with clutch failure, while Richard Petty started fifth and led 39 laps before his engine failed while leading on Lap 95. Bobby Allison finished second driving a self-fielded Chevrolet following a surprise divorce from the Richard Howard team. Cale Yarborough, new driver for Howard's team with the cars renumbered to #11, fell out with transmission failure.

  1. 16 - Mark Donohue
  2. 12 - Bobby Allison
  3. 96 - Ray Elder
  4. 41 - Bobby Unser
  5. 38 - Jimmy Insolo
  6. 7 - Jack McCoy
  7. 64 - Elmo Langley
  8. 24 - Richard White
  9. 84 - J.C. Danielsen
  10. 19 - Henley Gray


Daytona 500 - Buddy Baker won the 500 pole in the Harry Hyde Dodge formerly driven by Bobby Isaac. Baker led 156 laps but was closely pursued by Cale Yarborough until his engine failure with 45 laps to go. Richard Petty, sporting a mustache called his Fu Manchu look, took up pursuit and grabbed the lead on a fast late pitstop; Baker blew his engine with six laps to go and finished a distant sixth as Petty grabbed his fourth 500 win.

  1. 43 - Richard Petty
  2. 15 - Bobby Isaac
  3. 6 - Dick Brooks
  4. 50 - A.J. Foyt
  5. 04 - Hershel McGriff
  6. 71 - Buddy Baker
  7. 48 - James Hylton
  8. 90 - Ramo Stott
  9. 67 - Buddy Arrington
  10. 45 - Vic Parsons


Richmond 500 - Petty and Yarborough combined to lead 378 laps at the Richmond Fairgrounds. Bobby Allison won the pole and led 66 laps but finished 49 laps down. Petty lost time when he ran into a backmarker's car under yellow and needed bumper repairs; he nonetheless rallied past Baker for the win.

  1. 43 - Richard Petty
  2. 71 - Buddy Baker
  3. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  4. 15 - Bobby Isaac
  5. 2 - Dave Marcis
  6. 17 - Bill Dennis
  7. 54 - Lennie Pond
  8. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  9. 48 - James Hylton
  10. 72 - Benny Parsons


Miller High Life 500 - Ownership changes at Ontario Motor Speedway led to cancellation of NASCAR's annual race in 1973, leading to an open date for March 4.

Southeastern 500 - Cale Yarborough won the pole and then led all 52 laps before rain scuttled the race on March 11. Inclement weather continued to plague the event, and after two more days of rain, the remaining 448 laps were rescheduled for the next open date, which was the week after the next race.

Carolina 500 - After two dismal races (he was not entered at Richmond, as the Wood Brothers only participated in races at circuits longer than one mile except for Martinsville) David Pearson began his record-setting assault on the 1973 season, leading 491 of 492 laps to easily win the Carolina 500.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  3. 71 - Buddy Baker
  4. 12 - Bobby Allison
  5. 90 - Ramo Stott
  6. 95 - Darrell Waltrip
  7. 31 - Jim Vandiver
  8. 18 - Joe Frasson
  9. 96 - Richard Childress
  10. 17 - Bill Dennis


Southeastern 500 (continued) - The off-week for March 18 led to a continuation of the race that started on March 4. Cale Yarborough, who led all 52 laps before the race was scuttled, led all 448 laps of the second part for a two-lap win. Numerous crashes, notably a bad wreck to Buddy Baker's Dodge, thinned the field.

  1. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  2. 43 - Richard Petty
  3. 12 - Bobby Allison
  4. 2 - Dave Marcis
  5. 72 - Benny Parsons
  6. 54 - Lennie Pond
  7. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  8. 48 - James Hylton
  9. 45 - Vic Parsons
  10. 49 - John Utsman


Atlanta 500 - David Pearson and Cale Yarborough combined to lead 309 laps in a close battle before Pearson broke away for a two-lap win over Bobby Isaac. Cale finished seven laps down. It was the first time a pass for the lead occurred (excluding pit stops) since Richmond.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 15 - Bobby Isaac
  3. 72 - Benny Parsons
  4. 71 - Buddy Baker
  5. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  6. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  7. 90 - Ramo Stott
  8. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  9. 61 - Clarence Lovell
  10. 31 - Jim Vandiver


Gwyn Staley 400 - Bobby Allison and Richard Petty returned to the scene of their famed slugfest from the previous October, but this time Petty put the race away early, leading 387 laps and finishing at least four laps ahead of the field.

  1. 43 - Richard Petty
  2. 72 - Benny Parsons
  3. 71 - Buddy Baker
  4. 12 - Bobby Allison
  5. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  6. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  7. 54 - Lennie Pond
  8. 48 - James Hylton
  9. 59 - Donnie Allison
  10. 90 - Yvon DuHamel


Rebel 500 - Darlington Raceway's spring 400-miler was lengthened to 500 miles and David Pearson led the last 176 laps and grabbed his fourth career win in the event. Crashes permeated the race to where only twelve of forty entries finished. Second-place Benny Parsons was thirteen laps down, third-place Bobby Allison spent the last eighteen laps on pit road with engine failure, and seventh-place Richard Petty crashed out in a big melee in Turn One with 27 laps to go.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 72 - Benny Parsons
  3. 12 - Bobby Allison
  4. 96 - Richard Childress
  5. 70 - J.D. McDuffie
  6. 7 - Dean Dalton
  7. 43 - Richard Petty
  8. 71 - Buddy Baker
  9. 25 - Roy Mayne
  10. 47 - Raymond Williams


Virginia 500 - The Wood Brothers once again were entered in the only short track on their schedule, as it was closest to their Stuart shops. David Pearson made up a lap with just over 100 laps to go when a yellow flew for an infield spectator needing transport to a local hospital; with no tunnel the track needed the yellow for an ambulance to leave. Cale Yarborough had led 311 laps but Pearson would lead almost the entire final 106 laps after the yellow; the yellow angered team manager Junior Johnson.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  3. 15 - Bobby Isaac
  4. 71 - Buddy Baker
  5. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  6. 72 - Benny Parsons
  7. 90 - Jimmy Hensley
  8. 30 - Walter Ballard
  9. 45 - Vic Parsons
  10. 48 - James Hylton


Winston 500 - The starting field of 50 was expanded to 60 by track management, and it proved controversial in the subsequent 500, as early in the race Ramo Stott blew his engine on the backstretch and two separate packs of cars hit the oil and crashed; Wendell Scott's car was blasted by several other cars and Scott suffered serious injuries; Buddy Baker and Cale Yarborough were eliminated;, and when they got out of their cars they had to dodge additional crashing cars. Bobby Allison ripped the track for the enormity of the field - "They (filled the field) all right, all over the backstretch." David Pearson lost the lead draft (Baker saying Pearson fouled out the spark plugs on his Mercury and got them replaced under the lengthy yellow), and with all legitimate challengers eliminated he led 111 laps to an easy win, his fifth of the season and fifth in his consecutive starts.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 08 - Donnie Allison
  3. 72 - Benny Parsons
  4. 61 - Clarence Lovell
  5. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  6. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  7. 5 - Dick Simon
  8. 31 - Jim Vandiver
  9. 45 - Vic Parsons
  10. 09 - Charles Barrett


Music City USA 420 - After the 1972 summer race was delayed by pavement issues and serious incidents during weekly racing, the Nashville Fairgrounds, which had been lengthened from a half mile to .596 miles and banking raised to 35 degrees in 1969, the banking was reduced to 18 degrees, where it continues today. Cale Yarborough 416 of the 420 laps to an easy win, only his second of the season.

  1. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  2. 72 - Benny Parsons
  3. 71 - Buddy Baker
  4. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  5. 12 - Bobby Allison
  6. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  7. 15 - Bobby Isaac
  8. 05 - David Sisco
  9. 70 - J.D. McDuffie
  10. 45 - Vic Parsons


World 600 - Buddy Baker and Richard Petty combined to lead 354 laps. Petty slid into the wall in Three and finished a distant 13th. Baker led the final sixteen laps and beat Pearson for the win, his first of the season.

  1. 71 - Buddy Baker
  2. 21 - David Pearson
  3. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  4. 15 - Bobby Isaac
  5. 72 - Benny Parsons
  6. 31 - Jim Vandiver
  7. 95 - Darrell Waltrip
  8. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  9. 90 - Dick Brooks
  10. 05 - David Sisco


Mason-Dixon 500 - Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough led 175 laps between them but could do nothing about Pearson as he led all but three of the last 241 laps to yet another win.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  3. 12 - Bobby Allison
  4. 43 - Richard Petty
  5. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  6. 72 - Benny Parsons
  7. 71 - Buddy Baker
  8. 2 - Dave Marcis
  9. 7 - Dean Dalton
  10. 05 - David Sisco


Alamo 500 - The financially troubled Texas World Speedway hosted another Petty-Baker showdown as Buddy led 168 laps; the lead changed back and forth between the two before Baker lost power in the final 30 laps and finished a distant sixth behind Petty, who posted only his third superspeedway win in the last two seasons. Rookie Darrell Waltrip and independent driver Joe Frasson completed the podium, both of which scored their first career Cup Series podium finish. It was Frasson's only podium, while Waltrip had the first of 197 career podium finishes (84 of then wins) in a Hall of Fame career. The track was unable to host its annual November 500-miler later that season.

  1. 43 - Richard Petty
  2. 95 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. 18 - Joe Frasson
  4. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  5. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  6. 71 - Buddy Baker
  7. 72 - Benny Parsons
  8. 9 - Ramo Stott
  9. 05 - David Sisco
  10. 70 - J.D. McDuffie


Tuborg 400 - Bobby Allison ended his season-long winless streak when Richard Petty hit a barrier at the Riverside road course and Cale Yarborough blew his engine. Allison led 85 laps to Petty's 57 and Cale's eleven for his first win since the 1972 American 500. Finishing third was Benny Parsons, and largely unnoticed was that Parsons was clawing into contention for the season championship.

  1. 12 - Bobby Allison
  2. 43 - Richard Petty
  3. 72 - Benny Parsons
  4. 38 - Jimmy Insolo
  5. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  6. 42 - Richard White
  7. 04 - Hershel McGriff
  8. 48 - James Hylton
  9. 07 - Jack McCoy
  10. 03 - Chuck Bown


Motor State 400 - Once again Buddy Baker grabbed the lead at will, leading 119 laps, and once again it would not be enough as David Pearson led the last 23 laps for the fifth win for the Wood Brothers team (and Pearson's fourth, third with the #21) at Michigan International Speedway; but it was the combination's first Michigan win since Roger Penske took control of the speedway after the final collapse of Larry LoPatin's raceway empire. Finishing fifth was Ron Keselowski, part of a racing family that included his brother Bob and later Bob's sons Brian and Brad, the last of became a NASCAR Cup Series champion and later team principal.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 71 - Buddy Baker
  3. 43 - Richard Petty
  4. 12 - Bobby Allison
  5. 99 - Ron Keselowski
  6. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  7. 88 - Donnie Allison
  8. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  9. 72 - Benny Parsons
  10. 70 - J.D. McDuffie


Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 - In 1971, NASCAR began a transitional formula change from the 427 cubic inches (7,000 cc) engine to the smaller 358 cubic inches (5,870 cc) engine. The phase out of the larger engine will be complete at the end of the season. NASCAR changed from carburetor sleeves to restrictor plates for the larger engines being phased out. Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough swept the front row in their Chevrolets and battled for the lead in the first 65 laps before Cale crashed out, but from there David Pearson and February's 500 champ Petty took over; Allison fell out with engine failure and Pearson beat Petty for his second straight Firecracker win and eighth win of the season, his highest win total since 1969.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 43 - Richard Petty
  3. 71 - Buddy Baker
  4. 28 - Gordon Johncock
  5. 72 - Benny Parsons
  6. 2 - Dave Marcis
  7. 45 - Vic Parsons
  8. 42 - Marty Robbins
  9. 90 - Dick Brooks
  10. 18 - Joe Frasson


Volunteer 500 - Lost amid the season's other drama was that Benny Parsons was in the thick of the points race despite not winning a race. That part of his ledger was checked off at Bristol amid brutal heat and humidity; John A. Utsman had to drive relief for Parsons as the combination led 320 laps. Early contenders Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed out while battling for the lead at Lap 331, leaving the #72 of Parsons and Utsman alone; runner-up L.D. Ottinger finished seven laps down.

  1. 72 - Benny Parsons
  2. 45 - L.D. Ottinger
  3. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  4. 54 - Lennie Pond
  5. 70 - J.D. McDuffie
  6. 8 - Ed Negre
  7. 47 - Raymond Williams
  8. 48 - James Hylton
  9. 64 - Elmo Langley
  10. 19 - Henley Gray


Northern 300 - Bobby Allison qualified on pole. The Sunday race at Trenton Speedway was rained out, first postponed to August 5, and later cancelled entirely, as the race promoter did not believe they had time to properly promote the race.

Dixie 500 - David Pearson's domination of intermediate tracks continued as he broke out of a tight duel with Cale Yarborough and led the final 165 laps for the win at Atlanta. Richard Petty won the pole but blew his engine and hit the guardrail after 72 laps, while Bobby Isaac led 29 laps but crashed himself after 52 laps. Also falling out was Buddy Baker with a broken axle, his sixth failure to finish a race so far in 1973.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  3. 88 - Donnie Allison
  4. 18 - Joe Frasson
  5. 90 - Jody Ridley
  6. 54 - Lennie Pond
  7. 70 - J.D. McDuffie
  8. 49 - G.C. Spencer
  9. 25 - Jabe Thomas
  10. 92 - Larry Smith


Talladega 500 - Tragedy blackened the fifth running of Talladega's summer 500-miler. Early in the race, the previous season's Rookie of the Year Larry Smith hit the wall in Turn One and did not survive what appeared to be a harmless crash. The race, held amid heavy Alabama heat, was a ferocious affair; the lead changed 64 times, a motorsports record for the time, among fourteen drivers. Bobby Allison won the pole while Donnie Allison for almost the first time all year had a strong run in the DiGard Racing Chevrolet. Both crashed on Lap 156 when Donnie's engine failed, and the resulting debris led to a crash that swept up Bobby. Buddy Baker roared from 21st to the lead but even more dramatic was that Dick Brooks, driving the Crawford Brothers' Plymouth in a last-minute deal and starting 24th, roared through the field; he stormed to the lead when Baker broke a steering line and Pearson slowed, stealing what would be his only career win. A bigger story developed as well; Bobby Isaac parked Bud Moore's Ford and said he was quitting racing (Coo Coo Marlin got into the #15 and finished the race).

  1. 22 - Dick Brooks
  2. 71 - Buddy Baker
  3. 21 - David Pearson
  4. 48 - James Hylton
  5. 05 - David Sisco
  6. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  7. 95 - Darrell Waltrip
  8. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  9. 30 - Walter Ballard
  10. 02 - L.D. Ottinger


Nashville 420 - Buddy Baker ended months of frustration at Nashville's Fairgrounds speedway. He took the lead from pole-sitter Cale Yarborough with 160 laps to go and beating Richard Petty by four laps. Cale faltered and finished 23 laps down in 14th. Bobby Allison finished 22nd after another engine failure.

  1. 71 - Buddy Baker
  2. 43 - Richard Petty
  3. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  4. 05 - David Sisco
  5. 8 - Ed Negre
  6. 48 - James Hylton
  7. 30 - Walter Ballard
  8. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  9. 68 - Alton Jones
  10. 10 - Bill Champion


Southern 500 - What was expected to be another David Pearson intermediate triumph after he won the pole instead became a runaway by Cale Yarborough as Cale led 277 laps for a runaway win. Finishing fifth was Benny Parsons, quietly surging to the points lead, while finishing eighth was rookie Darrell Waltrip, now driving the Bud Moore Ford.

  1. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  2. 21 - David Pearson
  3. 71 - Buddy Baker
  4. 43 - Richard Petty
  5. 72 - Benny Parsons
  6. 12 - Bobby Allison
  7. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  8. 15 - Darrell Waltrip
  9. 61 - Dick Brooks
  10. 70 - J.D. McDuffie


Capital City 500 - Richard Petty lead 429 laps to his first win since June, beating Cale Yarborough by two laps and pole-sitter Bobby Allison by three. Benny Parsons finished fourth, his eleventh top-five finish of the season to go with the mid-summer Bristol win; the consistency kept boosting him in the points race.

  1. 43 - Richard Petty
  2. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  3. 12 - Bobby Allison
  4. 72 - Benny Parsons
  5. 67 - Buddy Arrington
  6. 30 - Walter Ballard
  7. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  8. 48 - James Hylton
  9. 19 - Henley Gray
  10. 47 - Raymond Williams


Delaware 500 - Parsons grabbed another top five (finishing fourth after leading seven laps; they were his first laps led since winning at Bristol in July) while David Pearson grabbed another win, his tenth of the season. Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker led 134 laps between them and completed the podium, which were the only cars on the lead lap.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 12 - Bobby Allison
  3. 71 - Buddy Baker
  4. 72 - Benny Parsons
  5. 70 - J.D. McDuffie
  6. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
  7. 43 - Richard Petty
  8. 64 - Elmo Langley
  9. 54 - Lennie Pond
  10. 90 - Eddie Pettyjohn


Wilkes 400 - A year after their vicious showdown in the same race, Bobby Allison got a measure of revenge on Richard Petty and he swept to the win on the final lap, only his second of the season. The two led 383 laps between them. Cale Yarborough led eight laps and finished third at team manager Junior Johnson's home track.

  1. 12 - Bobby Allison
  2. 43 - Richard Petty
  3. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  4. 71 - Buddy Baker
  5. 72 - Benny Parsons
  6. 54 - Lennie Pond
  7. 2 - Dave Marcis
  8. 90 - Dick Brooks
  9. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  10. 70 - J.D. McDuffie


Old Dominion 500 - A late yellow allowed Richard Petty to close up on Cale Yarborough and grab the win in the final 48 laps. Cale had led 366 laps to Petty's 108. Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker endured another frustrating day as they finished over 24 laps down but still together in the top four.

  1. 43 - Richard Petty
  2. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  3. 12 - Bobby Allison
  4. 71 - Buddy Baker
  5. 07 - Jack McCoy
  6. 72 - Benny Parsons
  7. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  8. 48 - James Hylton
  9. 67 - Buddy Arrington
  10. 70 - J.D. McDuffie


National 500 - Mounting frustration in several quarters spilled into an ugly weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Charlie Glotzbach appeared to win the pole in Hoss Ellington's Chevrolet but NASCAR ruled the car, which used the larger engine being phased out at the end of the season, featured an illegal sliding restrictor plate and Glotzbach had to start 34th; he later crashed with David Pearson 46 laps into the race and the two drivers nearly came to blows exiting their cars. Harry Hyde clashed with inspectors the entire week and finally parked Buddy Baker's Dodge 228 laps in and was officially disqualified. Cale Yarborough led 257 laps and Richard Petty led 52 as the track paid $100 per lap led; with Cale the winner third-place Bobby Allison filed a protest demanding a re-inspection of the top two finishers. The inspection process on Cale's Chevrolet - owned by track president Richard Howard and wrenched by Junior Johnson - lasted an unusually long number of hours and NASCAR finally issued a statement that the results of the inspection of Cale's car would be sent to NASCAR headquarters for additional study. A furious Allison promptly filed a lawsuit against NASCAR but the suit was withdrawn after a closed-door meeting between Allison and Bill France Jr. of NASCAR, and the inspection process was changed at the next race. Robert Yates, the head engine builder for Junior Johnson's team at the time, noted in an interview with author Tom Jensen for the 2002 book Cheating: An Inside Look At The Bad Things Good NASCAR Winston Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of Speed that the engine was indeed illegal. Petty stated at the time that only three of his engine's eight cylinders were checked, and that they were of varying sizes that averaged out to the NASCAR-mandated limit of 431 CID.

  1. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  2. 43 - Richard Petty
  3. 12 - Bobby Allison
  4. 72 - Benny Parsons
  5. 1 - Dick Trickle
  6. 54 - Lennie Pond
  7. 67 - Buddy Arrington
  8. 64 - Elmo Langley
  9. 24 - Cecil Gordon
  10. 19 - Henley Gray


American 500 - Amid the controversy, Benny Parsons led the points race despite only one win. Pre-race inspections all weekend were noticeably tougher than usual with this race being the final race of the 427 cubic inch formula; Cale Yarborough had to requalify on the second day of qualifying and ran faster than on pole day; he started 18th. None of it could stop David Pearson from leading 396 laps to Cale's 85. Parsons crashed hard into the lapped car of Johnny Barnes and the crash ripped out the right side of his Chevrolet; he felt his title hopes were over but his crew and other crews worked to rebuild the car to run enough laps to win the title; Parsons 28th, some 182 laps down, and won the title after Richard Petty broke a camshaft and finished 35th, Petty's eighth engine-related failure of the 1973 season.

  1. 21 - David Pearson
  2. 71 - Buddy Baker
  3. 11 - Cale Yarborough
  4. 12 - Bobby Allison
  5. 2 - Dave Marcis
  6. 88 - Donnie Allison
  7. 32 - Dick Brooks
  8. 90 - Charlie Glotzbach
  9. 54 - Lennie Pond
  10. 14 - Coo Coo Marlin

Season recap

More information No., Race ...
No.Race Pole position Most laps ledWinning driver Manufacturer Report
1 Winston Western 500 David Pearson Mark Donohue Mark Donohue AMC Report
2 Daytona 500 Buddy Baker Buddy Baker Richard Petty Dodge Report
3 Richmond 500 Bobby Allison Richard PettyRichard Petty Dodge Report
4 Carolina 500 David Pearson David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
5 Southeastern 500 Cale Yarborough Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough Chevrolet Report
6 Atlanta 500 Gordon Johncock David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
7 Gwyn Staley 400 Bobby Allison Richard PettyRichard Petty Dodge Report
8 Rebel 500 David Pearson David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
9 Virginia 500 David Pearson Cale Yarborough David Pearson Mercury Report
10 Winston 500 Buddy Baker David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
11 Music City USA 420 Cale Yarborough Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough Chevrolet Report
12 World 600 Buddy Baker Buddy BakerBuddy Baker Dodge Report
13 Mason-Dixon 500 David Pearson David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
14 Alamo 500 Buddy Baker Buddy Baker Richard Petty Dodge Report
15 Tuborg 400 Richard Petty Bobby AllisonBobby Allison Chevrolet Report
16 Motor State 400 Buddy Baker Buddy Baker David Pearson Mercury Report
17 Firecracker 400 Bobby Allison David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
18 Volunteer 500 Cale Yarborough Benny ParsonsBenny Parsons Chevrolet Report
Northern 300 Bobby Allison Race not held
19 Dixie 500 Richard Petty David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
20 Talladega 500 Bobby Allison David Pearson Dick Brooks Plymouth Report
21 Nashville 420 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Buddy Baker Dodge Report
22 Southern 500 David Pearson Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough Chevrolet Report
23 Capital City 500 Bobby Allison Richard PettyRichard Petty Dodge Report
24 Delaware 500 David Pearson David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
25 Wilkes 400 Bobby Allison Richard Petty Bobby Allison Chevrolet Report
26 Old Dominion 500 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Richard Petty Dodge Report
27 National 500 David Pearson Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Chevrolet Report
28 American 500 Richard Petty David PearsonDavid Pearson Mercury Report
Source:[12]
Close

1973 Winston Cup Championship

Further information: List of NASCAR points scoring systems

(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led. ** - All laps led.

More information Pos., Driver ...
Pos. Driver RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR Pts
1 Benny Parsons 14 30 10 31 5 3 2 2 6 3 2 5 6 7 3 9 5 1* 25 38 19 5 4 4 5 6 4 28 7173.8
2 Cale Yarborough 24 22 3 2 1** 5 6 19 2* 41 1* 3 2 4 24 6 36 19 2 6 14* 1* 2 25 3 2* 1* 3 7106.65
3 Cecil Gordon 20 21 8 22 29 8 5 21 5 5 4 8 5 5 5 8 13 3 24 8 8 11 7 27 9 7 9 11 7046.8
4 James Hylton 12 7 9 11 8 21 8 23 10 45 12 12 12 15 8 15 12 8 21 4 6 12 8 19 12 8 13 19 6972.75
5 Richard Petty 21 1 1* 23 2 34 1* 7 21 35 13 13 4 1 2 3 2 21 33 14 2 4 1* 7 2* 1 2 35 6877.95
6 Buddy Baker 35 6* 2 3 25 4 3 8 4 40 3 1* 7 6* 38 2* 3 34 2 1 3 17 3 4 4 41 2 6327.6
7 Bobby Allison 2 25 15 4 3 35 4 3 32 42 5 3 26 1* 4 30 20 27 29 22 6 3 2 1 3 3 4 6272.3
8 Walter Ballard 19 19 11 39 17 14 18 25 8 48 22 18 28 16 15 30 26 14 15 9 7 17 6 17 13 18 23 22 5955.7
9 Elmo Langley 7 DNQ 12 21 12 26 13 35 11 19 17 14 17 27 19 19 16 9 38 21 21 31 15 8 14 13 8 12 5826.85
10 J. D. McDuffie 32 26 29 29 21 23 5 13 18 9 21 19 10 12 10 40 5 7 11 18 10 29 5 10 10 29 20 5743.9
11 Jabe Thomas 15 13 13 22 29 16 30 15 18 31 11 12 24 31 13 9 16 26 13 18 14 16 16 25 18 5637
12 Buddy Arrington 9 17 12 14 15 25 13 18 49 14 32 21 17 16 18 30 11 27 12 14 5 40 25 9 7 24 5483.9
13 David Pearson 22 33 1* 1* 1* 1 1* 2 1* 1 1* 1* 3* 2 1* 31 36 1* 5382.8
14 Henley Gray 10 DNQ 16 18 19 24 14 34 25 13 19 27 34 23 10 13 28 13 20 9 21 15 14 10 17 5215.5
15 Richard Childress DNQ 9 20 13 16 4 24 22 23 11 18 35 17 14 27 25 23 31 20 40 12 16 17 25 18 14 5169.5
16 Frank Warren 16 22 15 26 16 21 32 16 24 20 23 24 13 22 19 15 14 15 15 24 14 37 21 15 35 43 4992.14
17 David Sisco 11 28 24 11 25 36 8 10 10 9 17 11 11 26 5 4 28 16 29 27 28 21 15 4986.45
18 Ed Negre 17 16 24 19 20 22 11 27 19 33 37 18 29 6 18 25 5 26 21 11 22 26 27 21 4942.55
19 Dean Dalton DNQ 27 26 27 23 17 6 29 16 15 30 9 22 40 23 17 23 22 17 27 19 31 34 19 20 30 23 4712.3
20 Charlie Roberts 11 DNQ 18 17 18 25 27 26 20 53 21 Wth 14 18 27 17 19 42 17 16 11 22 26 22 14 34 4695.39
21 Bill Champion 16 DNQ 14 32 23 29 14 39 34 37 16 31 14 11 29 24 18 17 22 10 22 30 39 29 36 26 30 4447.85
22 Coo Coo Marlin 29 14 7 6 6 6 33 35 28 11 38 27 30 40 3 7 6 11 23 19 10 4233.89
23 Lennie Pond (R) ✝ 7 20 6 7 36 19 46 38 20 24 37 20 4 6 47 23 37 28 9 6 30 6 9 4013.85
24 Dave Marcis 40 27 5 37 4 12 20 40 26 17 11 28 8 33 36 6 28 32 12 7 33 24 5 3973.9
25 Raymond Williams DNQ 35 28 17 26 10 31 28 17 25 25 39 22 7 20 46 30 25 10 23 18 29 33 3708.25
26 Bobby Isaac 27 2 4 30 15 2 28 33 3 26 7 4 29 32 33 39 22 35 13 3352.4
27 Dick Brooks 3 5 7 11 23 9 9 1 32 9 27 8 34 7 3200.7
28 Darrell Waltrip (R) 12 6 30 33 24 31 24 7 2 25 31 7 24 8 26 20 30 38 27 2968.2
29 Joe Frasson 13 8 28 34 43 25 3 35 10 4 43 23 22 40 2952.2
30 Vic Parsons (R) 10 30 34 9 12 28 9 9 10 26 30 20 7 29 29 34 32 36 2929.25
31 Jim Vandiver 28 7 10 8 6 32 35 27 17 32 2508.85
32 John Sears 31 19 13 36 11 22 28 20 22 38 33 36 20 31 28 12 33 2465.25
33 Larry Smith 14 19 20 37 58 15 13 13 21 10 49 2367.85
34 Rick Newsom DNQ 30 12 16 39 34 28 12 12 11 13 15 32 1931
35 Donnie Allison DNQ 25 24 9 27 2 38 7 28 3 26 12 34 32 6 1755.75
36 D. K. Ulrich 33 27 31 26 24 39 18 25 35 23 21 1543.9
37 G. C. Spencer 15 29 26 14 29 8 39 30 39 41 1503.15
38 Mel Larson 29 32 36 44 31 21 19 13 20 17 1182.05
39 Johnny Barnes (R) DNQ DNQ 19 18 27 30 35 28 15 42 1174.2
40 Eddie Bond DNQ 28 12 31 23 20 29 1163.5
41 Earle Canavan DNQ 22 12 34 12 24 1144.7
42 Earl Brooks 15 38 15 56 16 22 33 24 19 1075.75
43 Charlie Glotzbach 31 24 30 37 8 903.35
44 Randy Tissot 16 20 15 887.85
45 Ron Keselowski 20 31 50 5 Wth 32 879.75
46 Jimmy Crawford 41 16 30 26 16 846
47 Richard D. Brown 20 16 33 60 39 36 40 26 DNQ Wth 25 38 33 35 39 827.75
48 Clarence Lovell DNQ 38 9 30 4 813.5
49 Bill Dennis 35 6 10 17 809.75
50 Jack McCoy 6 9 5 793.25
51 Hershel McGriff 23 5 7
52 Ramo Stott 8 44 8 45
53 Ed Sczech 20 34 28 33
54 Tony Bettenhausen Jr. (R) 40 30 23 32 16
55 Neil Castles 37 24 36 22 34 37 Wth 31 38
56 L. D. Ottinger 2 10 28
57 Tommy Gale DNQ 13 25 37 48 36
58 Ray Elder 3 18 36
59 Jody Ridley 5 37 31
60 Bobby Mausgrover 37 54 24 18
61 Wendell Scott 14 55 12
62 Jimmy Insolo 5 4
63 Richard White 8 6
64 John Utsman 24 33 10 DNQ
65 Charles Barrett 18 10 27 40
66 Ronnie Daniel 23 57 16 23 24
67 Paul Tyler DNQ 27 25 35 23 50 37
68 Earl Ross 39 14 33
69 Carl Adams 13 22
70 Richie Panch 17 38 33 36
71 Dick May 21 28 32 24 DNQ
72 Red Farmer 32 32 32
73 Chuck Bown 29 10
74 Alton Jones 39 26 40 19 9
75 Dick Bown 17 32
76 Eddie Pettyjohn 40 10
77 H. B. Bailey DNQ 11 39
78 Pee Wee Wentz 27 26
79 Glenn Francis 31 18
80 Johnny Anderson 28 21
81 Dick Trickle 5
82 Charlie Blanton 20
83 Marty Robbins 34 29 8 36
84 Billy Scott 22
85 Harry Gant 11
86 Jim Danielson 9
87 Bill Ward 51 18
88 Ray Hendrick 26 11
89 Bill Hollar 15 DNQ
90 Sonny Easley 25 29
91 Gerald Thompson 15 DNQ
92 Bob Whitlow 21
93 Roy Mayne 32 9 15
94 Tiny Lund 36 23 40 38 36
95 Jim Whitt 18 37
96 Leon Fox 14
97 Johnny Benson Sr. 21
98 Maynard Troyer 23
99 John Soares Jr. 26 31
100 George Belhman 16
101 Buck Baker 27
102 Markey James 20
103 Jimmy Hensley 7
104 Don Noel 23
105 Hugh Pearson 36 28
106 Robert Brown 19 33
107 Dick Kranzler 25
108 Jack Simpson 26
109 Yvon DuHamel 10
110 Bud Moore 29
111 Bob Davis DNQ 34
112 Sonny Hutchins 21
113 Ron Hornaday 30
114 Pete Hamilton 40 39
115 John Hren 30
116 Carl Joiner Jr. 33
117 Harry Jefferson 34
118 Romie Alderman 34
119 Nels Miller 35
120 Peter Gregg 37
121 Toby Tobias 38
122 Baxter Price 34
123 Chuck Wahl 39
124 Clem Proctor 38
125 Wayne Andrews 40
126 Slick Gardner DNQ 47
127 Ben Arnold DNQ 52
128 Eddie Yarboro 59
Ineligible for Winston Cup driver points
Pos. Driver RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR Pts
Gordon Johncock 38 25 11 38 4 25
A. J. Foyt 4 27 37
Mark Donohue 1* 30
Dick Simon 7 35
Bobby Unser 4
Johnny Rutherford 13
Bobby Poole 28
David Ray Boggs DNQ 29 DNQ
Bob Kauf 37
Jerry Grant 39
Phil Finney DNQ DNQ 41
Pos. Driver RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR Pts
Source:[13]
✝ Named NASCAR's 1973 Rookie of the Year
Close
More information Color, Result ...
Key
ColorResult
GoldWinner
SilverFinished 2nd–5th
BronzeFinished 6th–10th
GreenFinished 11th–15th
Light BlueFinished 16th–20th
BlueFinished 21st or worse
PurpleDid not finish (DNF)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
TanWithdrew From Race (Wth)
White Qualified for another driver (QL)
Qualified but replaced due to injury or incident (INQ)
Relieved another driver (RL)
Blank Did not participate (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Close
Results key

Manufacturers' Championship

Manufacturers would receive points for the highest placing driver with each manufacturer, from 9 points for a win, down to 1 point for a 6th-place finish.[1] Points would be reduced if the highest placing driver placed lower than the corresponding manufacturer placing, or could be reduced by a penalty sanction.

More information Pos., Manufacturer ...
Pos. Manufacturer Pts Wins
1 Chevrolet 163 7
2 Dodge 153 8
3 Mercury 125 11
4 Ford 28 0
5 Plymouth 11 1
6 AMC 11 1
Source:[14]
Close

References

Wikiwand in your browser!

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.

Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.

Chrome
Wikiwand for Chrome
Edge
Wikiwand for Edge
Firefox
Wikiwand for Firefox