1953 NASCAR Grand National Series


The 1953 NASCAR Grand National Series began on February 1 and ended on November 1. Future NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Herb Thomas, driving his own No. 92 Hudson Hornet, won the championship and became the first repeat champion of the series. It is also the season with the most one-off races. 9 of the 37 races took place on racetracks that only held a cup race in the 1953 season.

Season recap

  • Races marked with * took place exclusively in the 1953 season.
No.DateEventCircuitWinner
1February 1, 19531953–01Palm Beach SpeedwayLee Petty
2February 15, 19531953–02Daytona Beach Road CourseBill Blair
3March 8, 19531953–03Harnett Speedway*Herb Thomas
4March 29, 1953Wilkes County 200North Wilkesboro SpeedwayHerb Thomas
5April 5, 19531953–05Charlotte SpeedwayDick Passwater
6April 19, 1953Richmond 200Atlantic Rural Exposition FairgroundsLee Petty
7April 26, 19531953-07Central City SpeedwayDick Rathmann
8May 3, 19531953–08Langhorne SpeedwayBuck Baker
9May 9, 19531953-09Columbia SpeedwayBuck Baker
10May 16, 19531953–10Hickory SpeedwayTim Flock
11May 17, 19531953–11Martinsville SpeedwayLee Petty
12May 24, 19531953–12Powell Motor Speedway*Herb Thomas
13May 30, 1953Raleigh 300Raleigh SpeedwayFonty Flock
14June 7, 19531953–14Louisiana Fairgrounds*Lee Petty
15June 14, 19531953–15Five Flags Speedway*Herb Thomas
16June 21, 1953International 200Langhorne SpeedwayDick Rathmann
17June 26, 19531953–17Tri-City SpeedwayHerb Thomas
18June 28, 19531953–18Wilson SpeedwayFonty Flock
19July 3, 19531953–19Monroe County FairgroundsHerb Thomas
20July 4, 19531953-20Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds*Lee Petty
21July 10, 19531953–21Morristown SpeedwayDick Rathmann
22July 12, 19531953–22Lakewood SpeedwayHerb Thomas
23July 22, 19531953–23Rapid Valley Speedway*Herb Thomas
24July 26, 19531953–24Lincoln City Fairgrounds*Dick Rathmann
25August 2, 19531953–25Davenport SpeedwayHerb Thomas
26August 9, 19531953–26Occoneechee SpeedwayCurtis Turner
27August 16, 19531953–27Asheville-Weaverville SpeedwayFonty Flock
28August 23, 19531953–28Princess Anne Speedway*Herb Thomas
29August 29, 19531953–29Hickory SpeedwayFonty Flock
30September 7, 1953Southern 500Darlington RacewayBuck Baker
31September 13, 19531953–31Central City SpeedwaySpeedy Thompson
32September 20, 19531953–32Langhorne SpeedwayDick Rathmann
33October 3, 19531953–33Bloomsburg Fairgrounds*Herb Thomas
34October 4, 19531953–34Wilson SpeedwayHerb Thomas
35October 11, 1953Wilkes 160North Wilkesboro SpeedwaySpeedy Thompson
36October 13, 19531953-36Martinsville SpeedwayJim Paschal
37November 1, 19531953–37Lakewood SpeedwayBuck Baker

Race summaries

1953-01

The first race of the 1953 season was run on February 1 at the Palm Beach Speedway in West Palm Beach, Florida. Dick Rathmann won the pole position.
Top ten results
  1. 42- Lee Petty
  2. 41- Jimmie Lewallen
  3. 91- Tim Flock
  4. 1- Herschel Buchanan
  5. 86- Don Oldenberg
  6. 55- Bub King
  7. 60- Dub Livingston
  8. 13- Pop McGinnis
  9. 9- Donald Thomas
  10. 67- Sam DiRusso

    1953-02

The second race of the 1953 season was run on February 15 at the Daytona Beach Road Course in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bob Pronger won the pole. Fonty Flock dominated throughout the race, leading every lap until running of fuel on the last lap. Flock was then pushed across the finish line by teammate Slick Smith. Officials ruled that this move was illegal, and Flock was awarded with second place, while Bill Blair was declared the winner.
Top ten results
  1. 2- Bill Blair
  2. 14- Fonty Flock
  3. 40- Tommy Thompson
  4. 92- Herb Thomas
  5. 91- Tim Flock
  6. 77- Dick Passwater
  7. 41- Curtis Turner
  8. 9- Donald Thomas
  9. 38- Tom Cherry
  10. 4- Slick Smith
•This was the third and final win for Blair.

1953-03

The third race of the 1953 season was run on March 8 at Harnett Speedway in Spring Lake, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 92- Herb Thomas
  2. 120- Dick Rathmann
  3. 42- Lee Petty
  4. 78- Dick Passwater
  5. 1- Herschel Buchanan
  6. 18- Mike Klapak
  7. 91- Tim Flock
  8. 24- Ray Duhigg
  9. ??- Don Oldenberg
  10. 71- Keith Hamner

    Wilkes County 200

The fourth race of the season was run on March 29 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 92- Herb Thomas
  2. 120- Dick Rathmann
  3. 14- Fonty Flock
  4. 42- Lee Petty
  5. 43- Jimmie Lewallen
  6. 87- Buck Baker
  7. 82- Joe Eubanks
  8. 4- Slick Smith
  9. 78- Dick Passwater
  10. 55- Bub King

    1953-05

The fifth race of the season was run on April 5 at Charlotte Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 78- Dick Passwater
  2. 51- Gober Sosebee
  3. 1- Herschel Buchanan
  4. 91- Tim Flock
  5. 13- Pop McGinnis
  6. 100- Otis Martin
  7. 19- Fred Dove
  8. 18- Mike Klapak
  9. 55- Bub King
  10. 3- Coleman Lawrence
This race stands as Passwater’s lone win out of 20 starts from 1952-53.

Richmond 200

The sixth race of the season was run on April 19 at the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds in Richmond, Virginia. Buck Baker won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 42- Lee Petty
  2. 120- Dick Rathmann
  3. 87- Buck Baker
  4. 78- Dick Passwater
  5. 2- Bill Blair
  6. 44- Ray Duhigg
  7. 9- Donald Thomas
  8. 8- Gene Comstock
  9. 19- Fred Dove
  10. 92- Herb Thomas

    1953-07

The seventh race of the season was run on April 26 at Central City Speedway in Macon, Georgia. Dick Rathmann won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 120- Dick Rathmann
  2. 92- Herb Thomas
  3. 43- Jimmie Lewallen
  4. 14- Fonty Flock
  5. 78- Dick Passwater
  6. 91- Tim Flock
  7. 82- Joe Eubanks
  8. 87- Buck Baker
  9. 93- Ted Chamberlain
  10. 66- Virgil Livengood

    1953-08

The eighth race of the season was run on May 3 at Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Tim Flock captured the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 87- Buck Baker
  2. 42- Lee Petty
  3. 14- Fonty Flock
  4. 1- Herschel Buchanan
  5. 91- Tim Flock
  6. 44- Ray Duhigg
  7. 92- Herb Thomas
  8. 18- Bill Adams
  9. 46- Ralph Liguori
  10. 93- Ted Chamberlain

    1953-09

The ninth race of the season was run on May 9 at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 87- Buck Baker
  2. 91- Tim Flock
  3. 43- Jimmie Lewallen
  4. 44- Ray Duhigg
  5. 42- Lee Petty
  6. 51- Gober Sosebee
  7. 2- Bill Blair
  8. 92- Herb Thomas
  9. ??- Bill Jennings
  10. 11- Ralph Dyer

    1953-10

The tenth race of the season was run on May 16 at Hickory Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 91- Tim Flock
  2. 82- Joe Eubanks
  3. 44- Ray Duhigg
  4. 78- Dick Passwater
  5. 120- Dick Rathmann
  6. ??- Bob Welborn
  7. 100- Otis Martin
  8. 1- Herschel Buchanan
  9. 13- Pop McGinnis
  10. 3- Clyde Minter

    1953-11

The eleventh race of the season was run on May 17 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Joe Eubanks won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 42- Lee Petty
  2. 92- Herb Thomas
  3. 120- Dick Rathmann
  4. 44- Ray Duhigg
  5. 46- Ralph Liguori
  6. 78- Dick Passwater
  7. 87- Buck Baker
  8. 45- Bob Welborn
  9. 3- Clyde Minter
  10. 98- Lyle Scott
The twelfth race of the season was run on May 24 at Powell Motor Speedway in Columbus, Ohio. Fonty Flock captured the pole position for the race.
Top ten results
  1. 92- Herb Thomas
  2. 120- Dick Rathmann
  3. 87- Buck Baker
  4. 41- Curtis Turner
  5. 13- Pop McGinnis
  6. 11- Ralph Dyer
  7. ??- Ed Benedict
  8. 42- Lee Petty
  9. 8- Gene Comstock
  10. 55- Bub King

    Raleigh 300

The thirteenth race of the season was run on May 30 at Raleigh Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina. Slick Smith won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 14- Fonty Flock
  2. 12- Speedy Thompson
  3. 91- Tim Flock
  4. 92- Herb Thomas
  5. 78- Dick Passwater
  6. 120- Dick Rathmann
  7. 4- Slick Smith
  8. 42- Lee Petty
  9. 44- Ray Duhigg
  10. 82- Joe Eubanks