1972 World 600
Encyclopedia
The 1972 World 600 was a NASCAR
Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 28, 1972 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
in the American
community of Concord
, North Carolina
.
s were in full force during the era of the race and bull-baiting
was considered to be illegal on a Sunday
along with several other things that were considered to be prohibited. The pace car driver was Robert "Bob" Colvin who nearly got arrested for violating the "blue laws" before he found out that they were for someone else's bad check
s.
It took four hours and thirteen minutes to resolve 400 laps of action spanning 1.5 miles (2.4 km) per lap. Three cautions were handed by NASCAR for 24 laps. More than 80000 live spectators would see Buddy Baker
defeat Bobby Allison
by 23.7 seconds while going at speeds of up to 142.555 miles per hour (229.4 km/h). The pole position
speed would be 158.162 miles per hour (254.5 km/h). Jim Vandiver
would become the last-place finisher due to a transmission
problem on lap 11. James Hylton
became the lowest-finishing driver to finish this race. Even the mighty Richard Petty
would suffer an engine
problem. His first win from the World 600 (now Coca-Cola 600) series of racing events would come in 1975
. Larry Smith, who would go on to become NASCAR's Rookie of the Year
, finished sixth in this race. A Rookie of the Year from 1957, Mr. Ken Rush
, would make his final NASCAR Cup Series appearance in this racing event. He would only make a 29th place finish out of a 31st place start.
Out of the 40-car grid, all except one (Jackie Oliver
) were born in the United States. Oliver was born in Walton-on-Thames
, England
. More notable for his Formula One
appearances, he was like the Juan Pablo Montoya
of the late 1960s and the early 1970s.
* Driver failed to finish race
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 28, 1972 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
community of Concord
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Summary
South Carolina's blue lawBlue law
A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping...
s were in full force during the era of the race and bull-baiting
Bull-baiting
Bull-baiting is a blood sport involving the baiting of bulls.-History:In the time of Queen Anne of Great Britain, bull-baiting was practiced in London at Hockley-in-the-Hole, twice a week – and was reasonably common in the provincial towns...
was considered to be illegal on a Sunday
Sunday
Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. For most Christians, Sunday is observed as a day for worship of God and rest, due to the belief that it is Lord's Day, the day of Christ's resurrection....
along with several other things that were considered to be prohibited. The pace car driver was Robert "Bob" Colvin who nearly got arrested for violating the "blue laws" before he found out that they were for someone else's bad check
Cheque
A cheque is a document/instrument See the negotiable cow—itself a fictional story—for discussions of cheques written on unusual surfaces. that orders a payment of money from a bank account...
s.
It took four hours and thirteen minutes to resolve 400 laps of action spanning 1.5 miles (2.4 km) per lap. Three cautions were handed by NASCAR for 24 laps. More than 80000 live spectators would see Buddy Baker
Buddy Baker
Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
defeat Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
by 23.7 seconds while going at speeds of up to 142.555 miles per hour (229.4 km/h). The pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
speed would be 158.162 miles per hour (254.5 km/h). Jim Vandiver
Jim Vandiver
Jim Vandiver is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup driver that raced from 1968 to 1983.-Summary:...
would become the last-place finisher due to a transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
problem on lap 11. James Hylton
James Hylton
James Harvey Hylton is a part-time race car driver. He is a two-time winner in NASCAR and competes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,finishing 16th in points in 2006. He made headlines while attempting to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 at age 72...
became the lowest-finishing driver to finish this race. Even the mighty Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
would suffer an engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
problem. His first win from the World 600 (now Coca-Cola 600) series of racing events would come in 1975
1975 World 600
The 1975 World 600 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 25, 1975 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, USA.-Summary:...
. Larry Smith, who would go on to become NASCAR's Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
, finished sixth in this race. A Rookie of the Year from 1957, Mr. Ken Rush
Ken Rush
Ken Rush was a NASCAR Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1957 to 1972.-Summary:He would win the 1969 'Bama 400 Grand Touring race on Saturday, September 13, 1969 - arguably the first race held at Talladega Superspeedway sanctioned by any motorsports body - in his Chevrolet Camaro...
, would make his final NASCAR Cup Series appearance in this racing event. He would only make a 29th place finish out of a 31st place start.
Out of the 40-car grid, all except one (Jackie Oliver
Jackie Oliver
Keith Jack Oliver, better known as Jackie Oliver, is a British former Formula One driver and team-owner from England...
) were born in the United States. Oliver was born in Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. More notable for his Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
appearances, he was like the Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
of the late 1960s and the early 1970s.
Finishing order
- Buddy Baker
- Bobby Allison
- Charlie GlotzbachCharlie GlotzbachCharles "Charlie: Glotzbach is a former ARCA and was a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. Charlie holds one of the oldest race records in NASCAR. He was also known as "The Chargin' Comet" and "Chargin' Charlie"....
- Benny ParsonsBenny ParsonsBenjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
- LeeRoy YarbroughLeeRoy YarbroughLonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough was a NASCAR racer. His best season was 1969 when he won seven races, tallied 21 finishes in the top-ten and earned $193,211...
- Larry Smith
- Buddy ArringtonBuddy ArringtonBuddy Arrington is a retired NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup driver.- Biography :...
- Cecil GordonCecil GordonCecil Gordon was a NASCAR driver. He is not related to Sprint Cup driver Jeff Gordon although the two drivers drove in car number 24....
- Frank WarrenFrank Warren (NASCAR driver)Frank Warren is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1963 to 1980.Out of 88863 laps finished in his career, Warren had led 72 of them. Warren's total career earnings were $625,886 and while his average finish was 20th place in his entire career. The total amount of miles...
- Ben Arnold
- Elmo LangleyElmo LangleyElmo Langley was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number "64" on his race cars during his NASCAR career.-Racing career:...
- Ron KeselowskiRon KeselowskiRon Keselowski was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who raced from 1970 to 1974. He is the uncle of current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Brad and Brian Keselowski along with being the brother of retired NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Bob Keselowski.-History:As a driver, Keselowski would...
- Raymond Williams
- Jabe ThomasJabe ThomasCerry Ezra "Jabe" Thomas is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver who competed from the mid 1960s through the late 1970s. His son Ronnie was also a NASCAR Cup Series driver; competing from 1977 to 1989.-Career:Thomas drove 75243 laps of racing and earned $295,497 in total...
- Walter BallardWalter BallardWalter Ballard is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver from Houston, Texas.He made a single Grand National start in 1966 and did not return to the series until 1971 when he ran a nearly full season in a car owned by his father Vic capturing 11 top tens on his way to Rookie of the Year honors and a...
- Jim PaschalJim PaschalJames Roy "Jim" Paschal, Jr. was a NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup driver. He won twenty-five races and twelve poles over his career. Elected to the "Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame" in 1977, he won the World 600 in 1964 and the 1967 Charlotte Motor Speedway...
* - Dean Dalton
- Fred LorenzenFred LorenzenFred Lorenzen , nicknamed The Golden Boy, Fast Freddie, The Elmhurst Express and Flyin Freddy, is a former NASCAR driver active between 1958 and 1972. He won the 1965 Daytona 500. Lorenzen was born in Elmurst, Illinois.-Early career:Lorenzen first caught the car bug young, and had built his first...
* - Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
* - James HyltonJames HyltonJames Harvey Hylton is a part-time race car driver. He is a two-time winner in NASCAR and competes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,finishing 16th in points in 2006. He made headlines while attempting to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 at age 72...
- Joe FrassonJoe FrassonJoseph "Joe" Frasson is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver with four finishes in the top five and nineteen finishes in the top ten under his belt. He has experienced 20284 laps of racing and an overall career windfall of $148,930...
* - Wendell ScottWendell ScottWendell Oliver Scott was an American stock car racing driver from Danville, Virginia. He is the only black driver to win a race in what is now the Sprint Cup Series. According to a 2008 biography of Scott, he broke the color barrier in Southern stock car racing on May 23, 1952, at the Danville...
* - Bobby IsaacBobby IsaacBobby Isaac is a former NASCAR Grand National champion.-Early life:Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second youngest of nine children...
* - John Sears*
- David Pearson*
- Bill ChampionBill ChampionBuford Billy Champion , is a retired American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who played in 202 games in the Major Leagues from -. He would play for the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies.-External links:...
* - Clarence Lovell*
- Coo Coo MarlinCoo Coo MarlinClifton "Coo Coo" Marlin was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.-Local track history:...
* - Ken RushKen RushKen Rush was a NASCAR Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1957 to 1972.-Summary:He would win the 1969 'Bama 400 Grand Touring race on Saturday, September 13, 1969 - arguably the first race held at Talladega Superspeedway sanctioned by any motorsports body - in his Chevrolet Camaro...
* - Richard D. Brown*
- Dave MarcisDave MarcisDave Marcis is a retired driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final win in 1982...
* - Jackie OliverJackie OliverKeith Jack Oliver, better known as Jackie Oliver, is a British former Formula One driver and team-owner from England...
* - J.D. McDuffieJ.D. McDuffieJohn Delphus McDuffie was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career...
* - Donnie AllisonDonnie AllisonDunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
* - Neil CastlesNeil CastlesNeil "Soapy" Castles is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver that participate from 1957 to 1976.-History:...
* - Dick BrooksDick BrooksRichard "Dick" Brooks was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500...
* - Wayne Smith*
- David Ray Boggs*
- G.C. SpencerG.C. SpencerG. C. Spencer July 9, 1925 in Owensboro, Kentucky – September 20, 2007 in Johnson City, Tennessee was a NASCAR driver who competed in 415 Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1977...
* - Jim VandiverJim VandiverJim Vandiver is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup driver that raced from 1968 to 1983.-Summary:...
*
* Driver failed to finish race