Auto race held at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1970
Motor car race
The 1970 American 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on November 15, 1970, at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. Jim Paschal qualified the #40 vehicle for Pete Hamilton.
Race report
Twenty thousand people watched Cale Yarborough win the race which lasted 4 hours, 14 minutes, and 24 seconds.[2] The average speed was 117.811 miles per hour (189.598 km/h) while the pole speed was 136.496 miles per hour (219.669 km/h).[2] There were seven cautions that lasted for forty-six laps and the margin of victory was four seconds.[2] As the penultimate race in NASCAR's Grand National era, this race was crucial for people wanting to win the 1970 NASCAR Grand National Championship. Bobby Isaac finished the race in 7th place, good enough for him to clinch the championship.[3]
492 laps were completed on the paved oval track spanning 1.017 miles (1.637 km).[2] The winner's purse was $20,445[2] ($160,407 when adjusted for inflation) while last place (40th) paid $540[2] ($3,923 when adjusted for inflation). Drivers who were eliminated from the race had to deal with engine problems, crashes, transmission problems, and problems with their fan pulley (in addition to their rear end).[2] Pete Hamilton would drive in his final race for Petty Enterprises here while Cale Yarborough would complete his final race for the Wood Brothers. Future winning team owner Hoss Ellington would retire from driving after this race.[4] Cale Yarborough would eventually transfer himself to the USAC Indy Car Series in 1971.[5]
Notable crew chiefs in this race included Herb Nab, Junie Donlavey, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Maurice Petty, Tom Vandiver and Banjo Matthews.[6]
Qualifying
Failed to qualify: Dick Poling (#65), Roy Mayne (#46)[7]
Finishing order
Section reference: [2]
* Driver failed to finish race
