For the next to last race of the 1972 Winston Cup season, NASCAR's finest raced in the American 500 at North Carolina Motor Speedway - The Rock.
Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers
As was often the case from the early through mid 70s, David Pearson captured the pole in the Wood Brothers #21 Purolator Mercury. Buddy Baker qualified his K&K Dodge beside Pearson. Starting 3rd was King Richard in his final career start in a Plymouth. And timing 4th was former Rookie of the Year and 1970 sensation for Petty Enterprises, Pete Hamilton. Future NASCAR Hall of Famers and rivals Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough made up the third row.
Time at the front of the field was dominated by 4 of the top 5 qualifiers: Pearson, Baker, Petty and Allison. Pete Hamilton was the only one of the top 5 starters who didn't lead a lap; however, he apparently did run a smooth, consistent race and finished 5th.
In the end though, Allison's Richard Howard-owned, Junior Johnson-prepared, Herb Nab-crewed Coke Machine was too much for the field. Bobby led 217 of the race's 492 laps - including the final 176 - and easily won the race by 2 laps over second place Petty in the last hurrah with his STP Plymouth. The first 5 qualifiers ended up being the top finishers of the race albeit in a slightly different order:
1. Allison
2. Petty
3. Baker
4. Pearson
5. Hamilton
Clarence Lovell finished 12th in Don Bierschawale's car - his best finish of a 12-race 1972 season. Sadly, Lovell would be killed in a passenger car accident near Talladega in May 1973.
Marty Robbins started 36th and finished 26th in the only Rockingham start of the 20th Century Drifter's 35-race Cup career. Hmm, 36-26-35. Pretty good sequence of numbers if you ask me. But I digress.
Bobby in Victory Lane - from Ray Lamm collection
Colbert Seagraves sneaking into victory shot with Junior, Flossie, a guy with a Coke, and 2 Winston beauties.
Another from Colbert Seagraves collection (I took liberty of flipping it back the right way).
Checkered flag from the race recently auctioned by Roush Yates on ebay. No, I wasn't the winner or even a bidder. But I did like the historical significance of the image!
Race report from Spartanburg Herald .
In October 1973, Benny Parsons and his crew were calm under fire at Rockingham in repairing his car after a significant wreck to win the Winston Cup championship. His demeanor at Rockingham one year earlier after a wreck with Dave Marcis? Ehh...not quite the same. Source: Spartanburg Herald
Allison noted his chances of catching The King for the championship in the season's final race at Texas World Speedway were between slim and none. He was right. Buddy Baker won the race at Texas, Petty was 3rd, and Bobby finished 4th. As a result, Richard locked up his 2nd consecutive and 4th overall NASCAR Winston Cup championship - surpassing Lee Petty and David Pearson.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Bobby Allison | '72 Chevrolet |
| 2 | Richard Petty | '72 Plymouth |
| 3 | Buddy Baker | '72 Dodge |
| 4 | David Pearson | '71 Mercury |
| 5 | Pete Hamilton | '72 Plymouth |
| 6 | Cale Yarborough | '72 Chevrolet |
| 7 | Dave Marcis | '72 Matador |
| 8 | Larry Smith | '71 Ford |
| 9 | David Sisco | '72 Chevrolet |
| 10 | Buddy Arrington | '70 Dodge |
| 11 | John Sears | '70 Plymouth |
| 12 | Clarence Lovell | '71 Ford |
| 13 | Elmo Langley | '71 Ford |
| 14 | Ben Arnold | '71 Ford |
| 15 | Walter Ballard | '71 Mercury |
| 16 | Dean Dalton | '71 Mercury |
| 17 | Ed Negre | '70 Dodge |
| 18 | Charlie Roberts | '71 Ford |
| 19 | James Hylton | '71 Ford |
| 20 | Cecil Gordon | '71 Mercury |
| 21 | Joe Frasson | '72 Dodge |
| 22 | Raymond Williams | '71 Ford |
| 23 | Jabe Thomas | '70 Plymouth |
| 24 | J.D. McDuffie | '71 Chevrolet |
| 25 | Frank Warren | '70 Dodge |
| 26 | Marty Robbins | '72 Dodge |
| 27 | Coo Coo Marlin | '72 Chevrolet |
| 28 | Bill Champion | '71 Mercury |
| 29 | Roy Mayne | '70 Plymouth |
| 30 | Jim Vandiver | '72 Dodge |
| 31 | Neil Castles | '72 Plymouth |
| 32 | Bill Dennis | '72 Chevrolet |
| 33 | Ron Keselowski | '70 Dodge |
| 34 | Dick Brooks | '72 Ford |
| 35 | Benny Parsons | '71 Mercury |
| 36 | Bobby Isaac | '71 Chevrolet |
| 37 | Henley Gray | '71 Mercury |
| 38 | Tiny Lund | '71 Chevrolet |
| 39 | Tommy Gale | '71 Mercury |
| 40 | Ron Hutcherson | '71 Ford |
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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.
updated by @tmc-chase: 09/06/17 10:24:20AM
