View source for 1956 Old Dominion 400

{{NASCAR race season infobox
| Type           = CUST
| Description    = Race 54 of 56 in the [[1956 in NASCAR|1956 NASCAR Grand National Series]] season
| country        = United States
| Race Name      = Old Dominion 400
| Details ref    = 
| Fulldate       = {{Start date|1956|October|28}}
| Year           = 1956
| Race_No        = 54
| Season_No      = 56
| Image          = Martinsville track map.svg
| image-size     = 200px
| image-alt      = <!-- image alt text -->
| Caption        = A map showing the layout of Martinsville Speedway
| Official name  = Old Dominion 400
| Location       = [[Martinsville Speedway]] <small>([[Martinsville, Virginia|Martinsville]], [[Virginia]])</small>
| Course_mi      = 0.500
| Course_km      = 0.804
| Distance_laps  = 400
| Distance_mi    = 200
| Distance_km    = 321
| Weather        = Temperatures reaching a maximum of approximately {{convert|60.1|F|C}}; winds reaching up to approximately {{convert|8|mph|km/h}}
| Avg            = {{convert|61.136|mi/h}}
| Pole_Driver    = [[Buck Baker]]
| Pole_Team      = [[Carl Kiekhaefer]]
| Pole_Time      = 
| Most_Driver    = Jack Smith
| Most_Team      = [[Carl Kiekhaefer]]
| Most_laps      = 185
| Car            = 402
| First_Driver   = Jack Smith
| First_Team     = Carl Kiekhaefer
| Network        = untelevised
| Announcers     = none
}}

The '''1956 [[Old Dominion 500|Old Dominion 400]]''' was a [[NASCAR]] [[Sprint Cup Series|Grand National Series]] (now '''Sprint Cup Series''') event that was held on October 28, 1956 at [[Martinsville Speedway]] in [[Martinsville, Virginia]].<ref name="1956od400">[http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1956-54/W Racing results] at Racing Reference</ref> As a NASCAR-sanctioned "Sweepstakes" race, sedan vehicles from the Grand National Series and stock convertibles from the NASCAR Convertible division raced side-by-side with other for the same amount of money and championship points.<ref>[http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=4084 Additional information about the 1956 Old Dominion 400] at Ultimate Racing History</ref>

By the 1990s, NASCAR's top-level series became a media circus that only races at facilities that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

==Summary==
Four hundred laps were done on a paved [[oval track racing|oval track]] spanning {{convert|0.500|mi|km}} for a grand total of {{convert|200.0|mi|km}}.<ref name="1956od400"/> The race took three hours, sixteen minutes, and seventeen seconds to complete thanks to four caution flags.<ref name="1956od400"/> During the late 1950s, the admirable traits concerning NASCAR stock car drivers who were successful included broadly-defined shoulders and arms that were relatively large. These drivers generally were tougher competitors in 1956 than they are today due to the lack of technology that was inside the vehicles.<ref>[http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Jack_Smith.htm General characteristics of the race winner and other 1950s NASCAR drivers] at Legends of NASCAR</ref> Forty vehicles would qualify to start this race; an incredible amount for the NASCAR Cup Series in its formative years.<ref>[http://fantasynascarracin.yolasite.com/sdrivers.php Fantasy NASCAR Racing] at Yolasite</ref>

Nine thousand and five hundred stock car racing fans attended the live race to see [[Jack Smith (NASCAR driver)|Jack Smith]] win the race in his 1956 [[Dodge]] vehicle (beating thirty-nine other drivers in the process).<ref name="1956od400"/> A [[Canada|Canadian]] named [[Norman Schihl]] participated in the race and finished in 23rd place.<ref name="1956od400"/> Notable speeds were: {{convert|61.136|mi/h}} for the average speed and {{convert|67.643|mi/h}} for the pole position speed.<ref name="1956od400"/> While some multi-car teams were present in the race, the majority of drivers had an owner that wasn't incorporated into a team.<ref>[http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1956054 NASCAR stats for the 1956 Old Dominion 400] at Driver Averages</ref> Jack Smith officially became the fiftieth different driver to win what is now known as a Sprint Cup Series race.

Total winnings for this race were $11,739 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|11739|1956|r=2}}}} when considering inflation). The winner of the race (Jack Smith) would receive the majority of the winnings with $2,264 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|2264|1956|r=2}}}} when considering inflation) being awarded to him while last place finisher Jimmie Lewallen would walk away with only $100 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|100|1956|r=2}}}} when considering inflation).<ref name="1956od400"/>

[[Larry Frank]], [[Bill Lutz]], [[Larry Odo]], and [[Bill Poor]] would make their NASCAR debut in this racing event.<ref>[http://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=1956&race=54&series_id=2 NASCAR Cup Series debuts at the 1956 Old Dominion 400] at Race-Database</ref>

===Finishers===
{{div col|cols=3}}
# Jack Smith†
# [[Marvin Panch]]
# [[Bill Amick]]†
# [[Speedy Thompson]]†
# [[Fireball Roberts]]†
# [[Joe Weatherly]]†
# [[Buck Baker]]†
# [[Bunk Moore]]
# [[Frank Mundy]]†
# [[Gwyn Staley]]†
# [[Jimmy Massey]]
# [[Paul Goldsmith]]
# [[Billy Myers (racing driver)|Billy Myers]]
# [[Johnny Allen (racing driver)|Johnny Allen]]
# [[Bob Welborn]]†
# [[Don Oldenberg]]
# Bill Poor
# [[Bun Emery]]
# Larry Odo
# [[Tiny Lund]]†
# [[Lee Petty]]†
# [[Bobby Keck]]†
# [[Norman Schihl]]
# [[Art Brinkley]]
# [[Johnny Dodson]]
# [[Billy Rafter]]
# [[Bill Champion (racing driver)|Bill Champion]]†
# [[Curtis Turner]]*†
# [[Bob Duell]]*
# [[Ralph Moody]]*†
# [[Jim Paschal]]*†
# [[Rex White]]*
# [[Glen Wood]]*
# [[Tom Pistone]]*
# [[Joe Eubanks]]*†
# [[Billy Carden]]*†
# [[Mel Carson]]*
# Larry Frank*†
# Bill Lutz*
# [[Jimmie Lewallen]]*†
{{div col end}}
''* Driver failed to finish race''<br>
''† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased''

==Timeline==
* Start of race: Joe Eubanks had the pole position to start the race
* Lap 104: Speedy Thompson took over the lead from Joe Eubanks
* Lap 179: Jack Smith took over the lead from Speedy Thompson
* Lap 189: Fireball Roberts took over the lead from Jack Smith
* Lap 201: Bill Amick took over the lead from Fireball Roberts
* Lap 210: Marvin Panch took over the lead from Bill Amick
* Lap 226: Jack Smith took over the lead from Marvin Panch
* End of race: Jack Smith won the race

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
  before = 1956 untitled race at [[Cleveland County Fairgrounds]] |
  after = [[1956 Buddy Shuman 250]]|
  title = NASCAR Grand National Series Season|
  years = 1956 |
}}
{{s-end}}

[[Category:1956 in NASCAR|Old Dominion 500]]
[[Category:1956 in Virginia|Old Dominion 500]]
[[Category:NASCAR races at Martinsville Speedway]]