1973 Daytona 500
Race details[1] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 2 of 28 in the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||||
Date | February 18, 1973 | ||||
Location |
Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||
Course |
Permanent racing facility 2.5 mi (4.023 km) | ||||
Distance | 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km) | ||||
Weather | Cold with temperatures of 54.9 °F (12.7 °C); wind speeds of 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) | ||||
Average speed | 157.205 miles per hour (252.997 km/h) | ||||
Attendance | 103,000[2] | ||||
Pole position | |||||
Driver |
K&K Insurance Racing | ||||
Qualifying race winners | |||||
Duel 1 Winner | Buddy Baker | Nord Krauskopf | |||
Duel 2 Winner | Coo Coo Marlin | H.B. Cunningham | |||
Most laps led | |||||
Driver | Buddy Baker | K&K Insurance Racing | |||
Laps | 156 | ||||
Winner | |||||
No. 43 | Richard Petty |
Network |
ABC's Wide World of Sports | ||
Announcers |
Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki |
The 1973 Daytona 500, the 15th running of the
Four cautions slowed the race for 28 laps.[2] A crowd of over one hundred thousand came to see a field of 38 American and two Canadians (Earl Ross and Vic Parsons).[2] The average speed for the race was 157.205 miles per hour (252.997 km/h) while Buddy Baker achieved the pole position with a speed of 185.662 miles per hour (298.794 km/h).[2] Bobby Isaac would finish second to Richard Petty by more than two laps.[2]
Both Hollar and Jett participated in qualifying and were supposed to start in the 125s (Hollar was supposed to start 38th in race 1 and Jett was supposed to start 26th in race 2), but for whatever reason neither driver ended up participating.[2]
Background
Daytona International Speedway is a
The track was built by NASCAR founder
The Daytona 500 is regarded as the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar.
Speedweeks
32-year-old Buddy Baker believed it was finally his year. He had won the pole (see above), and in the first
Another Tennessee driver stole the spotlight that day, Coo Coo Marlin, a 41-year-old journeyman whose best finish in four previous 500s was 18th, shocked the crowd by passing David Pearson with 6 laps to go to win the second twin 125. Richard Petty finished fourth in the first Twin 125 and was not happy with his Dodge until his crew made major suspension changes the day before the race.
Race Summary
Race morning dawned gray and rainy. Similar to the 1979 race, the race was started under caution and began with 13 laps under yellow to have the cars help dry the track. Once under green Baker led the first 33 laps as Yarborough, Petty, Issac, and Pearson clung tenaciously to him. Petty lead for the first time on lap 37. But as the race continued, Baker took over. He took the lead from Issac on lap 40 and led 17 circuits. Then he led laps 71 through 102 before Yarborough squeezed past. But Baker took over again on lap 109.
By this time, Petty was out of sequence with the field. he cut a right rear tire on lap 88 and was forced to the pits. he lost a lap. He would make up the lap when the leaders pitted, but lose it when he pitted again.
With 50 laps to go, Baker was in front. He had dominated, leading 119 of the first 150 circuits, even as Yarborough stubbornly hung with him. As usual, engine problems took their toll. Pete Hamilton the 1970 winner who had qualified second, was first out on lap 33. David Pearson's engine expired after 63 laps. Bobby Allison and Coo Coo Marlin's engines also blew.
On lap 155, John Utsman's engine blew and he spun just past the finish line. Petty was back on the lead lap with Baker, but about to head for the pits. Petty just missed the spinning car. The yellow flag gave Petty another break. It allowed him to pit with Baker and remain on the lead lap. Meanwhile, Yarborough's engine quit during the caution period. He was out of the race. Yarborough had led six times for 25 laps and his spirited challenge of Baker had kept the fans entertained all afternoon.
Now it was down to Petty and Baker. They were the only drivers still on the lead lap. Baker led laps 165 through 184, but both drivers needed one more quick stop for fuel. Petty came in first. He waited until the last moment before diving off turn four on lap 189 and screamed into his pit. Petty's car spewed tire smoke as he slid to a perfect stop. Five gallons and 8.4 seconds later, Petty was on his way.
Baker came in the next lap. He did not enter the pits as quickly. His stop took 9.9 seconds. When both cars reached full speed, Petty had a 4.4-second lead. Baker immediately began closing the gap. With six laps remaining, he was only 2.5 seconds behind. Suddenly, Baker's engine blew. It was over.
Petty won his fourth Daytona 500, he would win three more. Waltrip finished his first 500 in 12th. His first and only Daytona 500 win didn't come until 1989.
First Daytona 500 starts for Hershel McGriff, Darrell Waltrip, Ed Negre, John Utsman, Marty Robbins, and Earl Ross.[2] Only Daytona 500 starts for Vic Parsons and Larry Smith.[2] Last Daytona 500 starts for Jabe Thomas, Ray Elder, Ron Keselowski, Maynard Troyer, John Sears, Red Farmer, Tiny Lund, Neil Castles, Gordon Johncock, and Pete Hamilton.[2]
Top 10 finishers
Pos[2] | Grid | No. | Driver | Manufacturer | Laps | Laps led | Time/Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7 | 43 | Richard Petty | Dodge | 200 | 17 | 3:10:50 |
2 | 10 | 15 | Bobby Isaac | Ford | 198 | 1 | +2 laps |
3 | 9 | 6 | Dick Brooks | Dodge | 197 | 0 | +3 laps |
4 | 8 | 50 | A. J. Foyt | Chevrolet | 196 | 0 | +4 laps |
5 | 6 | 04 | Hershel McGriff | Plymouth | 195 | 0 | +5 laps |
6 | 1 | 71 | Buddy Baker | Dodge | 194 | 156 | Engine failure |
7 | 12 | 48 | James Hylton | Mercury | 194 | 0 | +6 laps |
8 | 16 | 90 | Ramo Stott | Mercury | 193 | 0 | +7 laps |
9 | 36 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 192 | 0 | +8 laps |
10 | 27 | 45 | Vic Parsons | Mercury | 190 | 0 | +10 laps |
References
- ^ "Weather of the 1973 Daytona 500". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Archived from the original on 2013-07-01. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "1973 Daytona 500". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- ^ "Race Tracks". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "Track facts". DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com. Daytona International Speedway. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "The History of ISC". InternationalSpeedwayCorporation.com. International Speedway Corporation. June 14, 2015. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "Daytona Announces Facility Renovation Plans, No Track Alterations". Roadracing World. Lake Elsinore, California: Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. March 24, 2004. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "Daytona International Speedway set to repave following the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola". DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com. Daytona Beach, Florida: Daytona International Speedway. April 24, 2010. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ^ What Makes Daytona Special. Daytona International Speedway. May 10, 2012. 2:51 minutes in. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20.
- ^ "World's most watched TV sports events: 2006 Rank & Trends report". Initiative. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2015.