1973 Southern 500
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 22 of 28 in the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
Layout of Darlington Raceway
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| Date | September 3, 1973 | ||
| Official name | Southern 500 | ||
| Location | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina | ||
| Course | 1.375 mi (2.212 km) | ||
| Distance | 367 laps, 500.5 mi (805.4 km) | ||
| Weather |
Race start time: 88 °F (31 °C) (heat index 95 °F (35 °C)) |
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| Average speed | 134.033 miles per hour (215.705 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 70,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Wood Brothers Racing | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Cale Yarborough | Howard & Egerton Racing | |
| Laps | 277 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 11 | Cale Yarborough | Howard & Egerton Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ABC | ||
| Announcers |
Bill Flemming Chris Economaki |
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| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Darlington Universal Racing Network (URN) | ||
| Booth Announcers | Dave "Silver Throat" Rogers, Hal Hamrick | ||
| Turn Announcers | Charlie Bailey, Paul Sexton, Earl Kelley, Dick Jones | ||
Race start time: 88 °F (31 °C) (heat index 95 °F (35 °C))
Race end time: 93 °F (34 °C) (heat index 100 °F (38 °C))
The 1973 Southern 500, the 24th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event held on September 3, 1973, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. This race would highlight the relative lack of safety involved when an engine-related oil spill caused four cars to spin out on the track before a caution flag settled things back down to normal.
Bud Moore would ultimately leave the NASCAR Cup Series as a driver after the conclusion of this event. Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.
Jackie Cooper was named honorary race marshal for the 1973 Southern 500.
Jim Vandiver, who was dealing with a child custody case with his first wife, was to appear in a Greenville, South Carolina court on Friday, August 31 for a hearing. He was assured by his lawyer that appearing would not be necessary because he was expected in Darlington. The judge at the hearing did not consider this grounds for absence, and found Vandiver in contempt of court. An arrest warrant was issued.
Pole position for the Southern 500 was taken by David Pearson, of Wood Brothers Racing.
Neil Castles, who qualified 38th in a Dodge, withdrew before the race. First alternate Mel Larson took his place, 40th on the grid.
Two Greenville County sheriff's deputies arrived at Darlington on race day. In Darlington Raceway president Barney Wallace's office, they informed him of their intent to arrest Vandiver on the contempt charge. Wallace convinced them to make their arrest after the race. Neil Castles had been in Wallace's office at the time, overheard this conversation, and informed Vandiver before the race.
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