1968 World 600
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 21 of 54 in the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series season | |||
Layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway
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| Date | May 26, 1968 | ||
| Official name | World 600 | ||
| Location | Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility 1.500 mi (2.414 km) |
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| Distance | 255 laps, 378 mi (442.89 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 400 laps, 600 mi (703 km) | ||
| Weather | Chilly with temperatures up to 68 °F (20 °C); wind speeds up to 13 miles per hour (21 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 104.207 miles per hour (167.705 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 60,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Banjo Matthews | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Buddy Baker | Ray Fox | |
| Laps | 98 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 3 | Buddy Baker | Ray Fox | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | untelevised | ||
| Announcers | none | ||
The 1968 World 600, the ninth running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that took place on May 26, 1968, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s; most of the cars were trailered to events or hauled in by trucks.
Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) quad-oval track located in Concord, North Carolina, was the location for the race. The track's turns were banked at twenty-four degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, was five degrees. The back stretch, opposite of the front, also had a five degree banking. During the 1968 season, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Grand National Series twice, with the other race being the National 500. The track opened for the inaugural World 600 in 1960, and was built by Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner. An estimated 60,000 spectators were in attendance for the race.
This race was shortened to 255 laps due to rain after being able to race for three hours and four minutes in front of a live audience of 60,000 people. Buddy Baker would defeat Donnie Allison under the race's sixth (and final caution flag). Cale Yarborough would become the last-place finisher due to an automobile crash on lap 45. All the competitors (except for Canadian Frog Fagan) was born in the United States of America. Bobby Allison suffered an engine problem on the 229th lap of the race; forcing him to retire in a respectable 28th place.
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