1973 Atlanta 500

The 1973 Atlanta 500 was the sixth race in the NASCAR 1973 Winston Cup Series, held on April 1, 1973, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. The race took three hours and thirty-four minutes.

1973 Atlanta 500

Race details[1][2][3]
Race 6 of 28 in the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to 1996
Date	April 1, 1973 (1973-04-01)
Official name	Atlanta 500
Location	Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton, Georgia
Course length	1.522 miles (2.449 km)
Distance	328 laps, 499.2 mi (803.3 km)
Weather	Temperatures reaching of 72 °F (22 °C); wind speeds of 24.1 miles per hour (38.8 km/h)
Average speed	139.351 miles per hour (224.264 km/h)
Attendance	46,000[4]
Pole position
Driver	Gordon Johncock	Ellington Racing
Most laps led
Driver	David Pearson	Wood Brothers Racing
Laps	155
Winner
No. 21	David Pearson	Wood Brothers Racing
Television in the United States
Network	ABC
Announcers	Keith Jackson Chris Economaki

Attendance to this event has varying estimates. Many racing statistic archives list it at 46,000 people; the Associated Press reported a figure of 72,000 the day after the race.^[4][3][5]

Car flip world record

At this event, daredevil Dusty Russell flipped a stock car in the air and landed 157 feet after a five foot ramp, in what was then a world record. He suffered a broken nose.^[6]

Race report

No time trials were conducted due to weather. The average speed of the race was 139.351 miles per hour (224.264 km/h).^[4][2][3] There were only five traditional single-car owners at this race.^[7]

Souvenir programs were sold at this event for $2 USD ($14.17 when adjusted for inflation).

David Pearson defeated Bobby Isaac in his 1971 Mercury Cyclone by two laps; Four cautions slowed the race for 31 laps.^[4][2][3] This would be David Pearson's second win in 1973 when he won 11 races of the 18 he entered.^[8]

Tony Bettenhausen Jr. was the last-place finisher due to an oil leak on lap 9 out of 328.^[4][2][3] After Darrell Waltrip's car was eliminated from the race (he charged to fifth place but was involved in a crash with Richard Petty and Buddy Baker), he substituted for A.J. Foyt.^[4][2][3] Pete Hamilton and Mark Donohue would retire from NASCAR after this race while Charles Barrett and Bettenhausen Jr. would make their introductions to the Cup Series.^[9]

The winner received $16,625 in race winnings ($117,758 when adjusted for inflation) while the last place finisher received $900 ($6,375 when adjusted for inflation).^[3][10] The total prize purse was $103,485 ($733,006 when adjusted for inflation).^[11]

Notable crew chiefs included Tim Brewer, Jake Elder, Travis Carter, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Tom Vandiver, and Bud Moore.^[12]

Starting grid

Grid[4]	No.	Driver	Manufacturer	Owner
1	28	Gordon Johncock	'72 Chevrolet	Hoss Ellington
2	15	Bobby Isaac	'72 Ford	Bud Moore
3	31	Jim Vandiver	'72 Dodge	O.L. Nixon
4	11	Cale Yarborough	'73 Chevrolet	Richard Howard
5	72	Benny Parsons	'72 Chevrolet	L.G. DeWitt
6	12	Bobby Allison	'73 Chevrolet	Bobby Allison
7	18	Joe Frasson	'73 Dodge	Joe Frasson
8	71	Buddy Baker	'73 Dodge	Nord Krauskopf
9	21	David Pearson	'71 Mercury	Wood Brothers
10	22	Pete Hamilton	'72 Plymouth	Crawford Brothers

Failed to qualify: Eddie Bond (#0), Tony Bettenhausen Jr. (#38), John Utsman (#49)^[13]

Finishing order

Section reference:^[4]

1. David Pearson (No. 21)
2. Bobby Isaac (No. 15)
3. Benny Parsons (No. 72)
4. Buddy Baker (No. 71)
5. Cale Yarborough (No. 11)
6. Coo Coo Marlin (No. 14)
7. Dick Brooks (No. 90)
8. Cecil Gordon (No. 24)
9. Clarence Lovell (No. 61)
10. Jim Vandiver (No. 31)
11. Gordon Johncock (No. 28)
12. Dave Marcis (No. 2)
13. Richard Childress (No. 96)
14. Walter Ballard (No. 30)
15. Buddy Arrington (No. 67)
16. Frank Warren (No. 79)
17. Raymond Williams (No. 47)
18. Charles Barrett (No. 09)
19. Johnny Barnes (No. 89)
20. Larry Smith (No.92)
21. James Hylton (No. 48)
22. Earle Canavan (No. 01)
23. Dean Dalton* (No. 7)
24. Ed Negre (No. 8)
25. Charlie Roberts (No. 77)
26. Elmo Langley (No. 64)
27. A. J. Foyt* (No. 50)
28. Joe Frasson* (No. 18)
29. Bill Champion* (No. 10)
30. Mark Donohue* (No. 16)
31. Ron Keselowski* (No. 88)
32. Roy Mayne* (No. 25)
33. Darrell Waltrip* (No. 95)
34. Richard Petty* (No. 43)
35. Bobby Allison* (No. 12)
36. John Sears* (No. 4)
37. Bobby Mausgrover* (No. 07)
38. Tiny Lund* (No. 55)
39. Pete Hamilton* (No. 22)
40. Tony Bettenhausen Jr.* (No. 84)

* Driver failed to finish race