1973 Gwyn Staley 400
Encyclopedia
The 1973 Gwyn Staley 400 was a NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series racing event that took place at North Wilkesboro Speedway
on April 8, 1973.
community of North Wilkesboro
, North Carolina
. A single caution was given for nine laps. Sixteen thousand people watched Richard Petty
defeat Benny Parsons
by at least four laps. Parsons would briefly lead the race from lap 85 to lap 90 while Petty would dominate laps 11 to 84 (in addition to laps 91 to 400). A little known fact about this race was that Benny Parsons was the president
of a Parent-Teacher Association
(based out of an Ellerbe
, North Carolina elementary school) and a NASCAR champion at the same time. Out of the drivers in the 30-car grid, 28 of them were American-born while two were Canadian
(Vic Parsons
and Yvon Duhamel
- a French Canadian
from Quebec
). Rick Newsom
would end up being the last-place finisher with an engine
problem on lap 2.
Bobby Allison
would qualify for the pole position
with a speed of 106.75 miles per hour (171.8 km/h) while the average race speed was 97.224 miles per hour (156.5 km/h).
* 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...
Sprint Cup Series racing event that took place at North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
on April 8, 1973.
Summary
The race would take two hours and thirty-four minutes to resolve itself on a paved oval track spanning 0.625 miles (1 km) in the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
community of North Wilkesboro
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in...
, 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...
. A single caution was given for nine laps. Sixteen thousand people watched 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...
defeat Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
by at least four laps. Parsons would briefly lead the race from lap 85 to lap 90 while Petty would dominate laps 11 to 84 (in addition to laps 91 to 400). A little known fact about this race was that Benny Parsons was the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of a Parent-Teacher Association
Parent-Teacher Association
In the U.S. a parent-teacher association or Parent-Teacher-Student Association is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a...
(based out of an Ellerbe
Ellerbe, North Carolina
Ellerbe is a town in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census. It is perhaps best known as the one-time home of professional wrestler André the Giant, who operated a nearby ranch/farm in his spare time and retirement. His ashes were scattered on...
, North Carolina elementary school) and a NASCAR champion at the same time. Out of the drivers in the 30-car grid, 28 of them were American-born while two were Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(Vic Parsons
Vic Parsons
Vic Parsons is a retired NASCAR driver from Willowdale, Ontario, Canada . He competed in nineteen Winston Cup Series events in his career with seven top-tens.-Cup career:...
and Yvon Duhamel
Yvon Duhamel
Yvon Duhamel is a French-Canadian professional motorcycle racer and father to current AMA Superbike roadracer Miguel Duhamel. He won the World Championship Snowmobile Derby in 1970...
- a French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
). Rick Newsom
Rick Newsom
Rick Newsom , was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver from Fort Mill, South Carolina.Newsom competed in 82 Winston Cup races from 1972–1986.He was killed in a private plane crash on August 16, 1988.-References:...
would end up being the last-place finisher with 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 on lap 2.
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....
would qualify for 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...
with a speed of 106.75 miles per hour (171.8 km/h) while the average race speed was 97.224 miles per hour (156.5 km/h).
Finishing order
- Richard Petty
- Benny Parsons
- Buddy BakerBuddy BakerElzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
- Bobby AllisonBobby AllisonRobert 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....
- 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....
- Cale YarboroughCale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
- Lennie PondLennie PondLennie Pond is a former NASCAR driver. He won NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1973, and won his only race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1978 for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier....
- 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...
- 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...
* - Yvon Duhamel
- John Sears
- Vic ParsonsVic ParsonsVic Parsons is a retired NASCAR driver from Willowdale, Ontario, Canada . He competed in nineteen Winston Cup Series events in his career with seven top-tens.-Cup career:...
- 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:...
- 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:...
- Earl Brooks
- Richard ChildressRichard ChildressRichard Childress is a former NASCAR driver and the current team owner of Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. As a business entrepreneur, Childress became one of the wealthiest men in North Carolina...
- Dean Dalton
- 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...
- Ed NegreEd NegreEd Negre is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1955 to 1979....
- 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...
- 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...
- Neil CastlesNeil CastlesNeil "Soapy" Castles is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver that participate from 1957 to 1976.-History:...
* - 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...
* - Henley GrayHenley GrayHenley Gray is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1964 to 1977.-Summary:...
* - Buddy ArringtonBuddy ArringtonBuddy Arrington is a retired NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup driver.- Biography :...
* - Raymond Williams*
- Charlie RobertsCharlie RobertsCharles "Charlie" Roberts was an English footballer.-Playing career:Born in Darlington, Roberts started his football career with Bishop Auckland, but soon moved to Grimsby Town....
* - 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...
* - 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...
* - Rick NewsomRick NewsomRick Newsom , was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver from Fort Mill, South Carolina.Newsom competed in 82 Winston Cup races from 1972–1986.He was killed in a private plane crash on August 16, 1988.-References:...
*
* Driver failed to finish race