1975 Los Angeles Times 500
Race details[1] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 30 of 30 in the 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | |||
Date | November 23, 1975 | ||
Official name | Los Angeles Times 500 | ||
Location | Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario, California | ||
Course |
Permanent racing facility 2.500 mi (4.023 km) | ||
Distance | 200 laps, 500 mi (804 km) | ||
Weather | Warm with temperatures approaching 82 °F (28 °C); wind speeds up to 8.9 miles per hour (14.3 km/h) | ||
Average speed | 140.712 miles per hour (226.454 km/h) | ||
Attendance | 50,106[2] | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Bud Moore Engineering | ||
Most laps led | |||
Driver | Buddy Baker | Bud Moore Engineering | |
Laps | 148 | ||
Winner | |||
No. 15 | Buddy Baker | Bud Moore Engineering | |
Television in the United States | |||
Network | untelevised | ||
Announcers | none |
The 1975 Los Angeles Times 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on November 23, 1975, at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California.[2][3]
Summary
Two hundred laps were completed in three hours and thirty-three minutes on a paved track spanning 2.500 miles (4.023 km).[2][3] More than 50,000 live spectators would show up to see Buddy Baker defeat David Pearson by 29.4 seconds in the #15 Norris Industries Ford machine.[2][4] Only one caution was handed out by NASCAR officials for nine laps.[2][3] While Pearson would earn the pole position with a speed of 153.525 miles per hour (247.075 km/h), the average race of the speed would only be 140.712 miles per hour (226.454 km/h).[2][3] The total prize purse that handed out for this race was $140,775 ($797,115.58 when adjusted for inflation); Baker would receive $35,300 of it ($199,880.52 when adjusted for inflation) while Negre would walk away with a meager $1,050 ($5,945.45 when adjusted for inflation).[3]
Out of the 40-driver grid, 39 of them were American-born while Roy Smith was a Canadian. Cecil Gordon had engine problems that put him out of the race on lap 141; which nearly destroyed his vehicle.[2] A tie-rod end had backed out and was just hanging on by just a thread or two.
Ed Negre would be the last-place finisher due to an engine problem on the second lap.[2][3] Notable crew chiefs who participated in this race were Tim Brewer, Travis Carter, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Bud Moore among others.[5]
Carl Adams would retire from NASCAR after this race along with Jim Boyd, Don Hall and John Martin.[6]
Richard Petty would clinch his sixth NASCAR championship; defeating Dave Marcis in the championship standings by more than 700 points.[7]
Qualifying
Grid[2] | No. | Driver | Manufacturer |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 | David Pearson | '73 Mercury |
2 | 15 | Buddy Baker | '75 Ford |
3 | 71 | Dave Marcis | '74 Dodge |
4 | 16 | Bobby Allison | '75 AMC Matador |
5 | 28 | A.J. Foyt | '75 Chevrolet |
6 | 43 | Richard Petty | '74 Dodge |
7 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | '75 Chevrolet |
8 | 38 | Jimmy Insolo | '75 Chevrolet |
9 | 72 | Benny Parsons | '75 Chevrolet |
10 | 90 | Dick Brooks | '73 Ford |
11 | 47 | Bruce Hill | '75 Chevrolet |
12 | 54 | Lennie Pond | '75 Chevrolet |
13 | 98 | Richie Panch | '75 Mercury |
14 | 96W | Ray Elder | '74 Dodge |
15 | 68 | Sonny Easley | '73 Ford |
16 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | '75 Chevrolet |
17 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | '75 Chevrolet |
18 | 29 | Roy Smith | '75 Chevrolet |
19 | 26 | Hershel McGriff | '75 Chevrolet |
20 | 03 | Chuck Bown | '74 Dodge |
Finishing order
Section reference: [2]
- Buddy Baker (No. 15)
- David Pearson (No. 21)
- Dave Marcis (No. 71)
- Cale Yarborough (No. 11)
- Bobby Allison (No. 16)
- Lennie Pond (No. 54)
- Jimmy Insolo (No. 38)
- Dick Brooks† (No. 90)
- James Hylton† (No. 48)
- Richard Childress (No. 96)
- Don Hall (No. 01)
- David Sisco (No. 05)
- D.K. Ulrich (No. 40)
- A. J. Foyt* (No. 28)
- Don Huffman (No. 63)
- Richard Petty* (No. 43)
- Frank Warren* (No. 79)
- Hugh Pearson* (No. 76)
- Cecil Gordon*† (No. 24)
- Walter Ballard* (No. 30)
- J.D. McDuffie*† (No. 70)
- Elmo Langley*† (No. 64)
- Tom Williams* (No. 39)
- John Kieper* (No. 98W)
- Ray Elder*† (No. 96W)
- Bruce Hill* (No. 47)
- Jim Boyd* (No. 31)
- Carl Adams* (No. 65)
- Roy Smith*† (No. 29)
- John Martin* (No. 2)
- Hershel McGriff* (No. 26)
- Jim Thirkettle* (No. 5)
- Bill Schmitt* (No. 73)
- Benny Parsons*† (No. 72)
- Chuch Wahl* (No. 37)
- Richie Panch*† (No. 98)
- Don Puskarich* (No. 10)
- Chuck Bown* (No. 03)
- Sonny Easley*† (No. 68)
- Ed Negre* (No. 8)
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased
* Driver failed to finish race
Standings after the race
Pos | Driver | Points[2] | Differential |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Richard Petty | 4783 | 0 |
2 | Dave Marcis | 4061 | -722 |
3 | James Hylton | 3914 | -869 |
4 | Benny Parsons | 3820 | -963 |
5 | Richard Childress | 3818 | -965 |
6 | Cecil Gordon | 3702 | -1081 |
7 | Darrell Waltrip | 3462 | -1303 |
8 | Elmo Langley | 3399 | -1321 |
9 | Cale Yarborough | 3295 | -1384 |
10 | Dick Brooks | 3182 | -1601 |
References
- ^ Weather information for the 1975 Los Angeles Times 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 1975 Los Angeles Times 500 information at Racing Reference
- ^ a b c d e f 1975 Los Angeles Times 500 racing information at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
- ^ Tracks of Yesterday, Ontario Motor Speedway at Insider Racing News
- ^ 1975 Los Angeles Times 500 crew chiefs at Racing Reference
- ^ Retirement information at Race Database
- ^ Richard Petty's Championship Ride at HowStuffWorks.com