1973-1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series (partially found footage of NASCAR races; 1973-1974)

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1974masondixon5001.jpg

Program for the 1974 Mason-Dixon 500.

Status: Partially Found

The 1973 and 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series were respectively the 25th and 26th seasons of NASCAR's top-level stock car series. The 1973 title was won by Benny Parsons, whereas the 1974 title marked Richard Petty's fifth championship, with both champions edging out Cale Yarborough in the process. Of the races televised during this time period, at least four are confirmed missing.

1973 Races

1973 Atlanta 500 (FOUND)

The 1973 Atlanta 500 was the 6th race of the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Occurring on 1st April at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the race would ultimately be won by David Pearson in a 1971 Mercury, following a duel with the 1973 Chevrolet driver Cale Yarborough.

It was the 14th running of the event, with the race traditionally being around 500 miles in length.[1] It was one of two 1973 Winston Cup Series races conducted at Atlanta Motor Speedway,[2] the other being the Dixie 500,[1] which in 1973 occurred on 22nd July and was won by David Pearson.[3] The Atlanta 500 also has ties to the modern Quaker State 400, which resumed the event at a 400 mile length in 2021 after not being held from 2011-2020.[4][5]

Under normal circumstances, qualifying would commence prior to the race. However, rain prevented this, forcing NASCAR officials to draw the starting order from two lots.[6][7] The first lot contained the 17 drivers deemed the quickest, and were the only ones who could line up 1-17.[6] This was subject to significant controversy with drivers in the second lot upset they were not considered for the first.[6] Among those was Darrell Waltrip, who was initially given the 39th starting spot, but believed he should have been within the top 17.[6] NASCAR official Lin Kuckler would later agree with this, but by then it was too late to change the lots.[6] Waltrip would ultimately start 18th however, after exchanging spots with Charles Barrett.[6][8] In contrast, some were upset Jim Vandiver was in the first lot, as he was neither a regular within the Cup Series, nor had a competitive car.[6] Regardless, the draw was made, proclaiming Gordon Johncock in a 1972 Chevrolet would start first, with Bobby Isaac in a 1972 Ford in second, and Vandiver being assigned the third position.[7][8][6]

The Race

With the draw decided. and with good weather on the day, the 1973 Atlanta 500 commenced on 1st April.[8] Yarborough, who started fourth, took the lead immediately, and held onto to it for the first 41 laps.[8][9] Pearson, Isaac, and Richard Petty in a 1973 Dodge would provide challenges to Yarborough, but for the first 100 laps, he was in control.[8] His main rival was Pearson;[9] Petty had hoped to stay behind and capitalise as the duo battled, but The King was forced out on lap 140 following an engine failure.[9][6][8] This caused his Dodge to spin 180 degrees, resulting in his car slamming into the guardrail as other competitors like Waltrip and 1973 Dodge driver Buddy Baker spun to avoid him.[9][6] The vehicle nearly went over the fence during the crash, but Petty escaped unharmed.[9][6]

The race centred between Yarborough and Pearson, with the former seemingly having the upper hand after gaining the lead on lap 230.[6][8][9] However, 44 laps later, his car began to overheat, causing him to drop down the field.[9][6] Pearson took over and held onto the first position for the remaining laps to clinch the victory and claim $16,625 in prize money.[8][9] Isaac finished two laps down in second, with Benny Parsons in a 1972 Chevrolet a further three laps down in third.[9][8][6] Yarborough held on to finish fifth, albeit seven laps down from Pearson.[8][9][6]

1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400

The 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 was the 17th race of the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Occurring on 4th July at the Daytona International Speedway, the race would ultimately be won by David Pearson in a 1971 Mercury. This would be the last Firecracker 400 race to run under the Medal of Honor moniker. It would also continue Pearson's dominant record in that year's Series.

It was the 15th running of the event, with its name a reference to the fact it was held on the United States' Independence Day.[10] The race marked the last instance of Medal of Honor being utilised as part of the Firecracker 400 name, which was used to show respect to those who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor, with the proceeding 1969 and 1971 versions of the race sharing that moniker.[11] It was also the second 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series event to be held at Daytona International Speedway,[2] after the Daytona 500, which in 1973 occurred on 18th February and was won by Richard Petty in a 1973 Dodge.[12] The Firecracker 400 also has ties to the modern Coke Zero Sugar 400 race, having dropped the Firecracker name in 2019.[10]

Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Bobby Allison winning the pole position in a 1973 Chevrolet at a speed of 179.619 mph.[13] Fellow Chevrolet driver Cale Yarborough qualified second, ahead of 1973 Ford driver Bobby Isaac, with Pearson 6th.[13] Allison was aiming to break the Firecracker 400 pole curse, where since 1959, no pole position winner would ultimately go on to win the event.[14] The race itself marked the first instance where regulations demanded new carburettor restrictors and air intake systems be inserted into all cars, with the intent to slow them down.[15]

The Race

With the starting order decided, the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 occurred on 4th July.[13] By lap 14, there were already seven lead changes, with the top three of Allison, Yarborough, and Isaac contending for the first position.[13] But on lap 14, Yarborough was able to hold onto the first position for 21 laps, before resuming a duel with Allison. Yarborough's race would end on lap 65 however, following a crash triggered when a tyre blew, resulting in his car slamming into the first turn's wall.[16][13] He would walk away from the crash, albeit with a bruised forehead. Allison's new rivals were Pearson and Petty, but ultimately on lap 125, he continued the pole winners curse when he retired following an engine failure.[13][16][14]

On lap 141, Pearson overtook Petty for the lead.[13] The latter was still in contention for the last 10 laps of the event however, attempting to overtake the Mercury on multiple occasions.[16] Pearson however remained in control, winning ahead of Petty by sixth lengths and claiming $16,100 in prize money.[13][16] Both him and Petty were four laps ahead of Buddy Baker in a 1973 Dodge, who finished third.[13][16] By winning this race, Pearson, who was running a limited schedule for this Series, had now won eight of the nine races he started.[17][16] Meanwhile, this would be Petty's third consecutive second place finish at the Firecracker 400, with him having never won the event.

1974 Races

1974 Twin 125s

The 1974 Twin 125s are two races at the Daytona National Speedway that served as qualifying events for the 1974 Daytona 500. Both occurred on 14th February, where the first race was won by Bobby Isaac while Cale Yarborough was victorious in the second, with both driving 1974 Chevrolets.

The Twin 125s are unique races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. They consist of two qualifying heats that determine the majority of the 40 competitors for the Daytona 500.[18] It would also allow for the racers to analyse how their vehicles performed during the heats and modify them accordingly for the main event.[19] Prior to the 1974 Twin 125s, two drivers had already qualified. David Pearson won the pole position in a 1973 Mercury after achieving the best performance in the time trials with a recorded speed of 185.017,[20][21] ahead of Richard Petty in a 1974 Dodge.[22]

The Races

In the first Twin 125s race, Isaac was victorious and claimed $1,700 in prize money, ahead of George Follmer in a 1973 Ford and Donnie Allison in a 1974 Chevrolet.[23] In a race with 7 lead changes and three cautions lasting 17 laps, Isaac led precisely half of the 50 laps.[23] Pearson notably retired on lap 35, after experiencing windshield issues.[23] As for race 2, Yarborough led two-fifths of the race on-route to winning the race, claiming the $1,700 ahead of Jim Vandiver in a 1972 Dodge, and Hershel McGriff in a 1974 Dodge.[24] In an event featuring 11 lead changes, 18 of the laps were under caution, including for a crash Grant Adcox experience on lap 24 in a 1974 Chevrolet.[24] Petty meanwhile retired on lap 26 following engine failure.[24]

With the starters and race order decided, the 1974 Daytona 500 commenced on 14th February.[22] It saw Petty ultimately claim victory after overtaking Bobby Allison on lap 190, and remaining in the lead for the final ten laps.[22] Yarborough finished second, ahead of fellow 1974 Chevrolet driver Ramo Stott.[22] Issac finished eighth and two laps down from the leaders, while Pearson retired on lap 61 following a broken exhaust.[22]

1974 Mason-Dixon 500

The 1974 Mason-Dixon 500 was the 19th race of the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Occurring on 19th May at the Dover Downs International Speedway, the race would ultimately be won by Cale Yarborough in a 1974 Chevrolet, capitalising when Richard Petty retired from the lead with fewer than four laps remaining.

It was the 6th running of the event. The annual race typically lasted 500 miles, but a growing energy crisis in the United States led to NASCAR shortening the race to about 450 miles, with 50 laps thus not being scored.[25][26][27] It was one of two 1974 Winston Cup Series races conducted at Dover Downs International Speedway, the other being the Delaware 500,[28] which in 1974 occurred on 15th September and was won by Richard Petty.[29] The race also has ties to the modern DuraMAX Drydene 400, having dropped the Mason-Dixon title from 1984 and being reduced to 400 miles since 1998.[30]

Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with David Pearson winning the pole position with a record speed of 134.403 mph.[31][26][25][27] Directly behind him was Petty, with Yarborough lining up third.[25][26] Yarborough was challenging for the points lead heading into the race, and was aiming to win his fifth event of the Cup Series.[31] Additionally, the estimated 32,000-33,000 in attendance is believed to have broke the record for the largest crowd at a Delaware sports event.[27][31]

The Race

With the starting order decided, the 1974 Mason-Dixon 500 commenced on 19th May.[26] Pearson maintained his lead for the first 18 laps, only for Yarborough to take over on lap 69, leading for 179 laps.[25][26][31] This early dominance was briefly ended by Pearson on lap 248, but Yarborough again controlled the first position for another 11 laps, starting from lap 250.[26][25] Pearson's race would be compromised however, as it turned out that his car was down on horsepower compared to his rivals.[27]

However, Petty also began to emerge as a serious contender, with both him and Yarborough leading considerable numbers of consecutive laps during the mid-point.[31][25][26] But on lap 341, The King again emerged in first, and it seemed that it was going to remain as such.[31][25][27][26] For over 150 laps or almost the remainder of the race,[26] Petty extended his margin ahead of Yarborough and Pearson, despite the latter two's best efforts, causing most in attendance to assume The King was to emerge victorious.[31][25][27] Suddenly, with fewer than four laps remaining, Petty's Dodge suffered an engine failure.[31][25][27] It cruised around until the car finally grinded to a halt with two laps remaining.[31][25][26][27] This enabled Yarborough and Pearson to pass the stricken Dodge.[31][27][25] The former ultimately won his fifth Cup Series race of the season by a 20-second or three-quarter lap margin over the latter, earning $15,500 in prize money.[31][27][25][26] Despite not completing the final two laps, Petty had performed well enough to be classified third.[31][25][26][27] Yarborough gained the points lead as a result of winning the race.[27]

1974 National 500 (FOUND)

Main article: 1974 National 500.

Availability

1973 and 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series television broadcasts have been summarised by NASCAR on TV.[32][33] It claims ABC televised the final 90 minutes of the 1973 Atlanta 500 live.[34] This broadcast was not publicly viewable again until 16th August 2023, when it was uploaded to NASCAR Classics as part of the service's launch.[35] Lasting just over one hour and four minutes, it is believed the removal of advertisements contributed to the reduced runtime.

Additionally, 45 minutes of highlights from the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 were broadcast by ABC on 28th July 1973 as part of its Wide World of Sports alongside boxing championships between the USA and the USSR.[36] However, the broadcast has yet to resurface. As of the present day, a small highlights package lasting over a minute can be accessed on YouTube. A few photos and newspaper clippings also helped to document the race.[17]

Finally, 30 minutes of highlights for the 1974 Twin 125s were broadcast on ABC's World Wide of Sports on 16th February 1974, alongside a few other sports.[37] However, no footage of these races is currently publicly available.

Gallery

Video

Highlights of the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400.

See Also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Racing Circuits documenting the Atlanta 500 and the Dixie 500. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Racing-Reference detailing the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series calendar. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  3. ↑ Racing-Reference detailing the results of the 1973 Dixie 500. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  4. ↑ NASCAR linking the Atlanta 500 with the Quaker State 400. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  5. ↑ Beyond the Flag noting Atlanta 500 being removed from the 2011 schedule. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 Bench-Racing detailing the 1973 Atlanta 500 and its controversial means of deciding the line-up. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The New York Times reporting on a draw being used to assign the starting order for the 1973 Atlanta 500. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 Racing-Reference detailing the results for the 1973 Atlanta 500. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 The New York Times reporting on Pearson winning the 1973 Atlanta 500. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Forbes detailing the origin of the Firecracker 400, and its reporting on its 2019 name change. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  11. ↑ Archived NASCAR explaining the Medal of Honor moniker. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  12. ↑ Racing-Reference detailing results for the 1973 Daytona 500. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 Racing-Reference detailing qualifying and race results for the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Bench-Racing detailing the Firecracker 400 pole winners curse. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  15. ↑ Warren Times Mirror and Observer report of the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 (clipping found on Bench-Racing. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 The New York Times reporting on the race results of the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Bench-Racing detailing the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 and providing numerous photos and clippings. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  18. ↑ Draftkings Nation detailing the Twin 125s. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  19. ↑ The New York Times detailing the the Twin 125s' purpose. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  20. ↑ Archived CNN Sports Illustrated listing Daytona 500 pole winners and their qualifying speeds. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  21. ↑ Archived Racing One listing Daytona 500 pole winners. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Racing-Reference detailing the start order and results of the 1974 Daytona 500. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Racing-Reference detailing results for the first 1974 Twin 125s race. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Racing-Reference detailing results for the second 1974 Twin 125s race. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
  25. ↑ 25.00 25.01 25.02 25.03 25.04 25.05 25.06 25.07 25.08 25.09 25.10 25.11 25.12 Bench-Racing detailing the 1974 Mason-Dixon 500 and the energy crisis that caused the race to be cut by 50 laps. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  26. ↑ 26.00 26.01 26.02 26.03 26.04 26.05 26.06 26.07 26.08 26.09 26.10 26.11 Racing-Reference detailing qualifying and race results for the event. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  27. ↑ 27.00 27.01 27.02 27.03 27.04 27.05 27.06 27.07 27.08 27.09 27.10 27.11 The New York Times reporting on Yarborough winning the 1974 Mason-Dixon 500. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  28. ↑ Racing-Reference detailing the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series calendar. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  29. ↑ Racing-Reference detailing the results of the 1974 Delaware 500. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  30. ↑ The New York Times Stats detailing the history of the Dover Downs International Speedway/Dover International Speedway races. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  31. ↑ 31.00 31.01 31.02 31.03 31.04 31.05 31.06 31.07 31.08 31.09 31.10 31.11 Observer-Reporter reporting on Yarborough winning the 1974 Mason-Dixon 500 (report found on Bench-Racing. Retrieved 3 Apr '22
  32. ↑ NASCAR on TV listing 1973 Winston Cup Series television broadcasts. Retrieved 23 May' 23
  33. ↑ NASCAR on TV listing 1974 Winston Cup Series television broadcasts. Retrieved 23 May' 23
  34. ↑ NASCAR on TV detailing the ABC broadcast of the 1973 Atlanta 500. Retrieved 6 Mar '22
  35. ↑ NASCAR announcing NASCAR Classics. Retrieved 16th Aug '23
  36. ↑ NASCAR on TV detailing the ABC broadcast of the 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400. Retrieved 2 Mar '22
  37. ↑ NASCAR on TV detailing ABC's broadcast of the 1974 Twin 125s. Retrieved 2 Jan '22
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