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1973 Atlanta 500

{{short description|Auto race held at Atlanta International Raceway in 1973}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report

| Year = 1973

| Race_Name = Atlanta 500

| Details_ref = {{cite web | url = http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/GA/Hampton/1973-04-01| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 weather information | publisher = The Old Farmers' Almanac| access-date = 2012-09-18}}{{cite web | url = http://www.databaseracing.com/races/raceinfo.htm?rid=1080| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 race information (second reference) | publisher = Database Racing| access-date = 2011-03-31}}{{cite web | url = http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=9607| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 race information (third reference) | publisher = Ultimate Racing History| access-date = 2011-04-01}}

| Type = NASWINSTON

| Race_No = 6

| Season_No = 28

| Image = Atlanta International Speedway.svg

| image_alt =

| Caption = Layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to 1996

| Fulldate = {{Start date|1973|04|1}}

| Official_name = Atlanta 500

| Location = Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton, Georgia

| Course =

| Course_mi = 1.522

| Course_km = 2.449

| Distance_laps = 328

| Distance_mi = 499.2

| Distance_km = 803.3

| Weather = Temperatures reaching of {{convert|72|F|C}}; wind speeds of {{convert|24.1|mph|km/h}}

| Avg = {{convert|139.351|mi/h}}

| Attendance = 46,000{{cite web | url = http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1973_Atlanta_500/W| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 race information | publisher = Racing Reference| access-date = 2011-03-29}}

| Pole_Driver = Gordon Johncock

| Pole_Driver2 =

| Pole_Team = Ellington Racing

| Pole_Time =

| Grid_from_heats =

| Grid_from_ballot =

| Grid_from_number =

| Most_Driver = David Pearson

| Most_Team = Wood Brothers Racing

| Most_laps = 155

| Car = 21

| First_Driver = David Pearson

| First_Team = Wood Brothers Racing

| Network = ABC

| Announcers = Keith Jackson
Chris Economaki

| Ratings =

| Radio =

| Booth_Ann =

| Turn_Ann =

}}

The 1973 Atlanta 500 was the sixth race in the NASCAR 1973 Winston Cup Series, held on April 1, 1973, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. The race took three hours and thirty-four minutes.

Attendance to this event has varying estimates. Many racing statistic archives list it at 46,000 people; the Associated Press reported a figure of 72,000 the day after the race.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/70734146|title=The Index-Journal, Page 10 - at Newspapers.com|date=1973-04-02|website=72,000 Forget the Weather, Watch Pearson Claim Atlanta 500 Victory|access-date=2016-03-29}}

Car flip world record

At this event, daredevil Dusty Russell flipped a stock car in the air and landed 157 feet after a five foot ramp, in what was then a world record. He suffered a broken nose.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/75335946|title=Kingsport Times Page 4 - at Newspapers.com|date=1973-04-02|website=Russell flips 157 feet|access-date=2016-03-29}}

Race report

No time trials were conducted due to weather. The average speed of the race was {{convert|139.351|mph|km/h}}. There were only five traditional single-car owners at this race.{{cite web| url = http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1973006| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 race information| publisher = Driver Averages| access-date = 2012-09-20| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150621034029/http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1973006| archive-date = 2015-06-21| url-status = dead}}

Souvenir programs were sold at this event for $2 USD (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|2|1973|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation).

David Pearson defeated Bobby Isaac in his 1971 Mercury Cyclone by two laps; Four cautions slowed the race for 31 laps. This would be David Pearson's second win in 1973 when he won 11 races of the 18 he entered.{{cite web | url = https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/pearsda01/1973/W| title = Driver David Pearson's 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series results | publisher = Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet| access-date = 2019-10-06}}

Tony Bettenhausen Jr. was the last-place finisher due to an oil leak on lap 9 out of 328. After Darrell Waltrip's car was eliminated from the race (he charged to fifth place but was involved in a crash with Richard Petty and Buddy Baker), he substituted for A.J. Foyt. Pete Hamilton and Mark Donohue would retire from NASCAR after this race while Charles Barrett and Bettenhausen Jr. would make their introductions to the Cup Series.{{cite web | url = http://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=1973&race=6&series_id=2| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 race information | publisher = Race Database| access-date = 2012-09-19}}

The winner received $16,625 in race winnings (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|16625|1973|r=0}}}} when adjusted for inflation) while the last place finisher received $900 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|900|1973|r=0}}}} when adjusted for inflation).{{cite web | url = http://www.everythingstockcar.com/1987r-1973-atlanta-500-nascar-race.html| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 earnings information | publisher = Everything Stock Car| access-date = 2011-03-31}} The total prize purse was $103,485 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|103485|1973|r=0}}}} when adjusted for inflation).{{cite web | url = http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1973/atlanta-motor-speedway/atlanta-500/1296| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 total prize purse information | publisher = Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet| access-date = 2012-09-19}}

Notable crew chiefs included Tim Brewer, Jake Elder, Travis Carter, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Tom Vandiver, and Bud Moore.{{cite web | url = https://www.racing-reference.info/entrylist/1973-06/W/C| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 crew chiefs information | publisher = Racing Reference| access-date = 2018-08-27}}

=Starting grid=

class="wikitable"
Grid

! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}}

! Driver

! Manufacturer

! Owner

1

| 28 || Gordon Johncock || '72 Chevrolet || Hoss Ellington

2

| 15 || Bobby Isaac || '72 Ford || Bud Moore

3

| 31 || Jim Vandiver || '72 Dodge || O.L. Nixon

4

| 11 || Cale Yarborough || '73 Chevrolet || Richard Howard

5

| 72 || Benny Parsons || '72 Chevrolet || L.G. DeWitt

6

| 12 || Bobby Allison || '73 Chevrolet || Bobby Allison

7

| 18 || Joe Frasson || '73 Dodge || Joe Frasson

8

| 71 || Buddy Baker || '73 Dodge || Nord Krauskopf

9

| 21 || David Pearson || '71 Mercury || Wood Brothers

10

| 22 || Pete Hamilton || '72 Plymouth || Crawford Brothers

Failed to qualify: Eddie Bond (#0), Tony Bettenhausen Jr. (#38), John Utsman (#49){{cite web | url = http://www.racing-reference.info/getqualify/1973-06/W| title = 1973 Atlanta 500 qualifying information | publisher = Racing Reference| access-date = 2018-06-14}}

Finishing order

Section reference:

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

  1. David Pearson (No. 21)
  2. Bobby Isaac (No. 15)
  3. Benny Parsons (No. 72)
  4. Buddy Baker (No. 71)
  5. Cale Yarborough (No. 11)
  6. Coo Coo Marlin (No. 14)
  7. Dick Brooks (No. 90)
  8. Cecil Gordon (No. 24)
  9. Clarence Lovell (No. 61)
  10. Jim Vandiver (No. 31)
  11. Gordon Johncock (No. 28)
  12. Dave Marcis (No. 2)
  13. Richard Childress (No. 96)
  14. Walter Ballard (No. 30)
  15. Buddy Arrington (No. 67)
  16. Frank Warren (No. 79)
  17. Raymond Williams (No. 47)
  18. Charles Barrett (No. 09)
  19. Johnny Barnes (No. 89)
  20. Larry Smith (No.92)
  21. James Hylton (No. 48)
  22. Earle Canavan (No. 01)
  23. Dean Dalton* (No. 7)
  24. Ed Negre (No. 8)
  25. Charlie Roberts (No. 77)
  26. Elmo Langley (No. 64)
  27. A. J. Foyt* (No. 50)
  28. Joe Frasson* (No. 18)
  29. Bill Champion* (No. 10)
  30. Mark Donohue* (No. 16)
  31. Ron Keselowski* (No. 88)
  32. Roy Mayne* (No. 25)
  33. Darrell Waltrip* (No. 95)
  34. Richard Petty* (No. 43)
  35. Bobby Allison* (No. 12)
  36. John Sears* (No. 4)
  37. Bobby Mausgrover* (No. 07)
  38. Tiny Lund* (No. 55)
  39. Pete Hamilton* (No. 22)
  40. Tony Bettenhausen Jr.* (No. 84)

{{div col end}}

* Driver failed to finish race

References

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{succession box |

before = 1973 Southeastern 500|

after = 1973 Gwyn Staley 400|

title = NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season|

years = 1973 |

}}

{{s-end}}

{{1973 NASCAR Winston Cup}}

{{authority control}}

Atlanta 500

Atlanta 500

Category:NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway