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{{short description|Auto race held at Alabama International Motor Speedway in 1974}}
{{NASCAR race season infobox
{{NASCAR race season infobox
| Type = CUST
| Type = CUST
| Description = Race 10 of 30 in the [[1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series]] season
| Description = Race 10 of 30 in the [[1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series]] season
| country = United States
| Race Name = Winston 500
| Race Name = Winston 500
| Details ref = <ref name="race weather">[http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/AL/Talladega/1974-05-05 Weather information for the ''1974 Winston 500''] at The Old Farmers' Almanac</ref>
| Details ref = <ref name="race weather">[http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/AL/Talladega/1974-05-05 Weather information for the ''1974 Winston 500''] at The Old Farmers' Almanac</ref>
Line 11: Line 11:
| Image = Talladega Superspeedway.png
| Image = Talladega Superspeedway.png
| Caption = Layout of Talladega Superspeedway
| Caption = Layout of Talladega Superspeedway
| Weather = Warm with temperatures approaching {{convert|82.9|F|C}}; wind speeds up to {{convert|9.9|mph|km/h}}
| Weather = Very hot with temperatures of {{convert|82.9|F|C}}; wind speeds of {{convert|9.9|mph|km/h}}
| Official name = Winston 500
| Official name = Winston 500
| Location = [[Talladega Superspeedway|Alabama International Motor Speedway]], [[Talladega, Alabama]]
| Location = [[Talladega Superspeedway|Alabama International Motor Speedway]], [[Talladega, Alabama]]
Line 17: Line 17:
| Course_km = 4.280
| Course_km = 4.280
| Distance_laps = 170
| Distance_laps = 170
| Distance_mi = 500.1
| Distance_mi = 452.2
| Distance_km = 804.8
| Distance_km = 727.6
| Avg = {{convert|130.220|mi/h}}
| Avg = {{convert|130.220|mi/h}}
| Pole_Driver = [[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]]
| Pole_Driver = [[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]]
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}}
}}


The '''''1974 Winston 500''''' was a [[NASCAR]] [[Sprint Cup Series|Winston Cup Series]] racing event that was held on May 5, 1974, at [[Talladega Superspeedway|Alabama International Motor Speedway]] in [[Talladega, Alabama|Talladega]], [[Alabama]].
The '''1974 Winston 500''' was a [[NASCAR]] [[NASCAR Cup Series|Winston Cup Series]] racing event that was held on May 5, 1974, at [[Talladega Superspeedway|Alabama International Motor Speedway]] in [[Talladega, Alabama|Talladega]], [[Alabama]].


David Pearson acquired one of his superspeedway victories for the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season at this event.<ref>[http://blog.al.com/bn/2008/10/40_years_of_talladega.html 40 years of Talladega -- Birmingham News special report] at AL.com</ref> Tickets at this event sold at an average price of $10 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|10|1974|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation); with some tickets selling for a higher price. While the green flag was waved at 1:00 PM, the checkered flag was not waved until approximately 4:28 PM, giving fans ample time to find dinner accommodations.
[[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]] acquired one of his superspeedway victories for the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season at this event.<ref>[http://blog.al.com/bn/2008/10/40_years_of_talladega.html 40 years of Talladega -- Birmingham News special report] at AL.com</ref> Tickets at this event sold at an average price of $10 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|10|1974|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation). The green flag was waved at 1:00 PM, the checkered flag was waved at 4:28 PM.


==Background==
==Background==
'''Talladega Superspeedway''', originally known as '''Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS)''', is a [[motorsports]] complex located north of [[Talladega, Alabama]]. It is located on the former [[Anniston Air Force Base]] in the small city of [[Lincoln, Alabama|Lincoln]]. The track is a [[Tri-oval]] and was constructed by [[International Speedway Corporation]], a business controlled by the [[France Family]], in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the [[NASCAR]] series such as the [[Sprint Cup Series]], [[Xfinity Series]], and the [[Camping World Truck Series]]. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest [[NASCAR]] oval with a length of {{convert|2.66|mi|km}}, and the track at its peak had a [[seating capacity]] of 175,000 spectators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/This-Is-Talladega/Track-Facts.aspx|title=Track Facts|publisher=Talladega Superspeedway|date=November 1, 2012|website=talladegasuperspeedway.com|accessdate=April 27, 2015|archiveurl=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20121101080016/http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/This-Is-Talladega/Track-Facts.aspx|archivedate=July 7, 2015}}</ref>
'''Talladega Superspeedway''', originally known as '''Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS)''', is a [[motorsports]] complex located north of [[Talladega, Alabama]]. It is located on the former [[Anniston Air Force Base]] in the small city of [[Lincoln, Alabama|Lincoln]]. The track is a [[Tri-oval]] and was constructed by [[International Speedway Corporation]], a business controlled by the [[France Family]], in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the [[NASCAR]] series such as the [[Sprint Cup Series]], [[Xfinity Series]], and the [[Camping World Truck Series]]. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest [[NASCAR]] oval with a length of {{convert|2.66|mi|km}}, and the track at its peak had a [[seating capacity]] of 175,000 spectators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/This-Is-Talladega/Track-Facts.aspx|title=Track Facts|publisher=Talladega Superspeedway|date=November 1, 2012|website=talladegasuperspeedway.com|accessdate=April 27, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101080016/http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/This-Is-Talladega/Track-Facts.aspx|archivedate=November 1, 2012 }}</ref>


==Summary==
==Race report==
Due to a fuel crisis, the first 18 laps of the event were not scored. Out of the 50 drivers that competed in this year, 49 of them were born in the [[United States|United States of America]] while one was [[Canada|Canadian]]. Engine problems caused most of the drivers not to finish the race.<ref name="1974w500">[http://racing-reference.info/race/1974_Winston_500/W ''1974 Winston 500''] at Racing Reference</ref> [[Jerry Schild]] made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in this event; starting in 37th and finishing in 40th place. [[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]] would end up defeating [[Benny Parsons]] by nearly 0.2 seconds after racing for almost 210 minutes. Sixty of these 170 laps were raced under yellow; half of the yellow flag laps were due to rain. A strong crowd of forty thousand people would see the lead change hands 53 times. [[Chevrolet]] and [[Dodge]] vehicles would dominate the race's grid while Ford products led the most laps.<ref name="1974w500"/> [[Iggy Katona]] would leave the NASCAR Cup Series as a driver after this event.
As was the case for the first half of the 1974 season, races were reduced by 10% because of the energy crisis. As such, the 450-mile race symbolically started on "Lap 19," with the first 18 laps being listed as "not scored". Engine problems caused most of the drivers not to finish the race.<ref name="1974w500">[http://racing-reference.info/race/1974_Winston_500/W ''1974 Winston 500''] at Racing Reference</ref>


[[Jerry Schild]] made his NASCAR Winston Cup Series debut in this event; starting in 37th and finishing 40th. [[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]] defeated [[Benny Parsons]] by 0.2 seconds after racing for 210 minutes.<ref name="1974w500"/> Sixty of these 170 laps were raced under yellow.<ref name="1974w500"/> This race was interrupted by rain approximately three times that day.<ref name="1974w500"/> David Pearson was the best driver on the racing grid during the event, everyone else was just hanging on trying to keep up with him.<ref name="1974w500"/> Bobby Allison had just as good a car and it seemed like he led more than 15 laps.<ref name="1974w500"/> Pearson survived when all of his top competition didn't finish.<ref name="1974w500"/>
[[Grant Adcox]] and his father qualified for the event. With a hundred laps in the books, a caution came out as [[Donnie Allison|Donnie Allison's]] clutch burned out and [[David Sisco]]'s motor went up in smoke. [[Gary Bettenhausen]], who had pitted a lap after the leaders, and was up on jacks as young Adcox came down for service. Adcox's car hit an oil and water patch and slammed straight into the Bettenhausen Matador, crushing catch can man [[Don Miller (Penske Racing)|Don Miller]] between the cars. A young crew member of the [[Nord Krauskopf]] team who was pitted nearby, [[Buddy Parrott]], came rushing down to help, while Penske crewmembers John Woodward and John Watson were also injured. Miller was taken to the hospital and eventually had his right leg amputated. Learning of the extent of Miller's injuries, Adcox went into shock, and his car was withdrawn from the event.


A crowd of forty thousand would see the lead change 53 times.<ref name="1974w500"/> [[Chevrolet]] and [[Dodge]] vehicles would dominate the race's grid while [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]s led the most laps.<ref name="1974w500"/> Gary Bettenhausen was dominating the early portions of the race in an [[AMC Matador]] until he got run into in the pits on lap 105.<ref name="1974w500"/> People who attended this race still remember sitting in the rain, hoping they would get the race in and they finally did. This was [[Iggy Katona]]'s only NASCAR Cup Series race in the 1970s and his only one at Talladega. Katona's previous start had been in 1966.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Iggy_Katona Driver Iggy Katona Career Statistics] at Racing Reference</ref>
The entire prize purse of this race would be $144,280 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|144280|1974|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation); with the winner receiving $20,785 of it (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|20785|1974|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher received a meager $1,175 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1175|1974|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation). A 1973 [[Mercury Montego]] would become the winning vehicle at this race. David Pearson would earn the pole position for this race by driving at speeds up to {{convert|186.086|mph|km/h}} during qualifying.<ref>[http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1974/talladega-superspeedway/winston-500/1328 ''1974 Winston 500''] at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet</ref> Compared to today's pole speeds, it was considered to be the slowest except for [[Jeremy Mayfield]]'s pole run at the [[2000 DieHard 500]].<ref>[http://espn.go.com/auto/nascar/news/2000/0414/482272.html Pole speed comparions: 1974 vs 2000] at ESPN.com</ref> Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.


[[Grant Adcox]] qualified for the event. With a hundred laps in the books, a caution came out as [[Donnie Allison]]'s clutch burned out and [[David Sisco]]'s motor went up in smoke. [[Gary Bettenhausen]], who had pitted a lap after the leaders, and was up on jacks as young Adcox came down for service. Adcox's car hit an oil and water patch and slammed straight into the Bettenhausen Matador, causing catch can man [[Don Miller (Penske Racing)|Don Miller]] to be crushed between the cars. A young crew member of the [[Nord Krauskopf]] team who was pitted nearby, [[Buddy Parrott]], came rushing down to help, while Penske crewmembers John Woodward and Dale Watson were also injured. Miller was taken to the hospital and eventually had his right leg amputated. Learning of the extent of Miller's injuries, an upset Adcox withdrew from the event.
===Top ten finishers===

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
[[Richard Petty]] was slow in qualifying; starting in 24th place.<ref name="1974w500"/> Petty and Yarborough had brought out their big block engines thinking that the reliability would pay off, but Pearson running a 351 Cleveland held on for the win. Both of the Allisons ran the small-block Chevrolets but they didn't hold up as well as the Fords. This was Charlie Roberts' last race as an owner.<ref name="1974w500"/> He owned [[Neil Bonnett]]'s car in this race.<ref name="1974w500"/>

The entire prize purse of this race was $144,280 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|144280|1974|r=0}}}} when adjusted for inflation); with the winner receiving $20,785 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|20785|1974|r=0}}}} when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher received $1,175 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1175|1974|r=0}}}} when adjusted for inflation). A 1973 [[Mercury Montego]] would become the winning vehicle at this race. David Pearson would earn the pole position at {{convert|186.086|mph|km/h}} during qualifying, as it was the first Talladega Cup race after NASCAR's phase out of the seven-litre engines, with all teams using a 358 ci (5833cc) engine formula that as of 2022 is still in use by NASCAR.<ref>[http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1974/talladega-superspeedway/winston-500/1328 ''1974 Winston 500''] at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet</ref> it was the slowest Talladega Cup pole speed until [[Jeremy Mayfield]]'s pole speed at the [[2000 DieHard 500|2000 spring race]].<ref>[https://www.espn.com/auto/nascar/news/2000/0414/482272.html Pole speed comparisons: 1974 vs 2000] at ESPN.com</ref>

===Top 10 finishers===
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
|-
! Pos<ref name="1974w500"/>
! Pos<ref name="1974w500"/>
Line 55: Line 61:
! Manufacturer
! Manufacturer
! {{Tooltip|Laps|Laps completed}}
! {{Tooltip|Laps|Laps completed}}
! {{Tooltip|Laps led|Laps as the lead driver}}
! Time/Status
|-
|-
! 1
! 1
| 1 || 21 || [[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]] || Mercury || 188
| 1 || 21 || [[David Pearson (racing driver)|David Pearson]] || '73 Mercury || 170 || 58 || 3:28:09
|-
|-
! 2
! 2
| 11 || 72 || [[Benny Parsons]] || [[Chevrolet]] || 188
| 11 || 72 || [[Benny Parsons]] || '74 [[Chevrolet]] || 170 || 9 || +0.17 seconds
|-
|-
! 3
! 3
| 24 || 43 || [[Richard Petty]] || Dodge || 188
| 24 || 43 || [[Richard Petty]] || '74 Dodge || 170 || 0 || Lead lap under green flag
|-
|-
! 4
! 4
| 19 || 90 || [[Charlie Glotzbach]] || [[Ford]] || 188
| 19 || 90 || [[Charlie Glotzbach]] || '72 [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] || 170 || 1 || Lead lap under green flag
|-
|-
! 5
! 5
| 26 || 54 || [[Lennie Pond]] || [[Chevrolet]] || 187
| 26 || 54 || [[Lennie Pond]] || '74 [[Chevrolet]] || 169 || 0 || +1 lap
|-
|-
! 6
! 6
| 22 || 2 || [[Dave Marcis]] || Dodge || 187
| 22 || 2 || [[Dave Marcis]] || '73 Dodge || 169 || 0 || +1 lap
|-
|-
! 7
! 7
| 13 || 14 || [[Coo Coo Marlin]] || [[Chevrolet]] || 187
| 13 || 14 || [[Coo Coo Marlin]] || '73 [[Chevrolet]] || 169 || 7 || +1 lap
|-
|-
! 8
! 8
| 9 || 28 || [[Sam McQuagg]] || [[Chevrolet]] || 187
| 9 || 28 || [[Sam McQuagg]] || '74 [[Chevrolet]] || 169 || 1 || +1 lap
|-
|-
! 9
! 9
| 5 || 11 || [[Cale Yarborough]] || [[Chevrolet]] || 187
| 5 || 11 || [[Cale Yarborough]] || '74 [[Chevrolet]] || 169 || 0 || +1 lap
|-
|-
! 10
! 10
| 48 || 57 || [[Bob Burcham]] || [[Chevrolet]] || 187
| 48 || 57 || [[Bob Burcham]] || '74 [[Chevrolet]] || 169 || 0 || +1 lap
|}
|}

===Failed to qualify<ref name="1974w500"/>===
# [[Bill Champion (racing driver)|Bill Champion]] – #10
# [[Jimmy Crawford (racing driver)|Jimmy Crawford]] – #22
# [[Robert Brown (American racing driver)|Robert Brown]] – #58
# [[Ramo Stott]] – #83
# [[Darrell Waltrip]] – #95


==References==
==References==
Line 112: Line 113:
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}


{{authority control}}
[[Category:1974 in Alabama|Winston 500]]

[[Category:1974 in NASCAR|Winston 500]]
[[Category:1974 in sports in Alabama|Winston 500]]
[[Category:1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|Winston 500]]
[[Category:May 1974 sports events in the United States|Winston 500]]
[[Category:NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway]]
[[Category:NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway]]

Latest revision as of 05:00, 15 July 2024

1974 Winston 500
Race details[1]
Race 10 of 30 in the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Layout of Talladega Superspeedway
Layout of Talladega Superspeedway
Date May 5, 1974 (1974-May-05)
Official name Winston 500
Location Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega, Alabama
Course Permanent racing facility
2.660 mi (4.280 km)
Distance 170 laps, 452.2 mi (727.6 km)
Weather Very hot with temperatures of 82.9 °F (28.3 °C); wind speeds of 9.9 miles per hour (15.9 km/h)
Average speed 130.220 miles per hour (209.569 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Wood Brothers Racing
Most laps led
Driver David Pearson Wood Brothers Racing
Laps 58
Winner
No. 21 David Pearson Wood Brothers Racing

The 1974 Winston 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that was held on May 5, 1974, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama.

David Pearson acquired one of his superspeedway victories for the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season at this event.[2] Tickets at this event sold at an average price of $10 ($61.78 when adjusted for inflation). The green flag was waved at 1:00 PM, the checkered flag was waved at 4:28 PM.

Background

[edit]

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a Tri-oval and was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66 miles (4.28 km), and the track at its peak had a seating capacity of 175,000 spectators.[3]

Race report

[edit]

As was the case for the first half of the 1974 season, races were reduced by 10% because of the energy crisis. As such, the 450-mile race symbolically started on "Lap 19," with the first 18 laps being listed as "not scored". Engine problems caused most of the drivers not to finish the race.[4]

Jerry Schild made his NASCAR Winston Cup Series debut in this event; starting in 37th and finishing 40th. David Pearson defeated Benny Parsons by 0.2 seconds after racing for 210 minutes.[4] Sixty of these 170 laps were raced under yellow.[4] This race was interrupted by rain approximately three times that day.[4] David Pearson was the best driver on the racing grid during the event, everyone else was just hanging on trying to keep up with him.[4] Bobby Allison had just as good a car and it seemed like he led more than 15 laps.[4] Pearson survived when all of his top competition didn't finish.[4]

A crowd of forty thousand would see the lead change 53 times.[4] Chevrolet and Dodge vehicles would dominate the race's grid while Fords led the most laps.[4] Gary Bettenhausen was dominating the early portions of the race in an AMC Matador until he got run into in the pits on lap 105.[4] People who attended this race still remember sitting in the rain, hoping they would get the race in and they finally did. This was Iggy Katona's only NASCAR Cup Series race in the 1970s and his only one at Talladega. Katona's previous start had been in 1966.[5]

Grant Adcox qualified for the event. With a hundred laps in the books, a caution came out as Donnie Allison's clutch burned out and David Sisco's motor went up in smoke. Gary Bettenhausen, who had pitted a lap after the leaders, and was up on jacks as young Adcox came down for service. Adcox's car hit an oil and water patch and slammed straight into the Bettenhausen Matador, causing catch can man Don Miller to be crushed between the cars. A young crew member of the Nord Krauskopf team who was pitted nearby, Buddy Parrott, came rushing down to help, while Penske crewmembers John Woodward and Dale Watson were also injured. Miller was taken to the hospital and eventually had his right leg amputated. Learning of the extent of Miller's injuries, an upset Adcox withdrew from the event.

Richard Petty was slow in qualifying; starting in 24th place.[4] Petty and Yarborough had brought out their big block engines thinking that the reliability would pay off, but Pearson running a 351 Cleveland held on for the win. Both of the Allisons ran the small-block Chevrolets but they didn't hold up as well as the Fords. This was Charlie Roberts' last race as an owner.[4] He owned Neil Bonnett's car in this race.[4]

The entire prize purse of this race was $144,280 ($891,382 when adjusted for inflation); with the winner receiving $20,785 ($128,413 when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher received $1,175 ($7,259 when adjusted for inflation). A 1973 Mercury Montego would become the winning vehicle at this race. David Pearson would earn the pole position at 186.086 miles per hour (299.476 km/h) during qualifying, as it was the first Talladega Cup race after NASCAR's phase out of the seven-litre engines, with all teams using a 358 ci (5833cc) engine formula that as of 2022 is still in use by NASCAR.[6] it was the slowest Talladega Cup pole speed until Jeremy Mayfield's pole speed at the 2000 spring race.[7]

Top 10 finishers

[edit]
Pos[4] Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Laps Laps led Time/Status
1 1 21 David Pearson '73 Mercury 170 58 3:28:09
2 11 72 Benny Parsons '74 Chevrolet 170 9 +0.17 seconds
3 24 43 Richard Petty '74 Dodge 170 0 Lead lap under green flag
4 19 90 Charlie Glotzbach '72 Ford 170 1 Lead lap under green flag
5 26 54 Lennie Pond '74 Chevrolet 169 0 +1 lap
6 22 2 Dave Marcis '73 Dodge 169 0 +1 lap
7 13 14 Coo Coo Marlin '73 Chevrolet 169 7 +1 lap
8 9 28 Sam McQuagg '74 Chevrolet 169 1 +1 lap
9 5 11 Cale Yarborough '74 Chevrolet 169 0 +1 lap
10 48 57 Bob Burcham '74 Chevrolet 169 0 +1 lap

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Weather information for the 1974 Winston 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ^ 40 years of Talladega -- Birmingham News special report at AL.com
  3. ^ "Track Facts". talladegasuperspeedway.com. Talladega Superspeedway. November 1, 2012. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 1974 Winston 500 at Racing Reference
  5. ^ Driver Iggy Katona Career Statistics at Racing Reference
  6. ^ 1974 Winston 500 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  7. ^ Pole speed comparisons: 1974 vs 2000 at ESPN.com
Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Season
1974
Succeeded by
Preceded by Talladega spring race
1974
Succeeded by