1973 Atlanta 500


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.

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.

Race report

No time trials were conducted due to weather. The average speed of the race was. There were only five traditional single-car owners at this race.
Souvenir programs were sold at this event for $2 USD.
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.
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 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.
The winner received $16,625 in race winnings while the last place finisher received $900. The total prize purse was $103,485.
Notable crew chiefs included Tim Brewer, Jake Elder, Travis Carter, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Tom Vandiver, and Bud Moore.

Starting grid

Failed to qualify: Eddie Bond, Tony Bettenhausen Jr., John Utsman

Finishing order

Section reference:
  1. David Pearson
  2. Bobby Isaac
  3. Benny Parsons
  4. Buddy Baker
  5. Cale Yarborough
  6. Coo Coo Marlin
  7. Dick Brooks
  8. Cecil Gordon
  9. Clarence Lovell
  10. Jim Vandiver
  11. Gordon Johncock
  12. Dave Marcis
  13. Richard Childress
  14. Walter Ballard
  15. Buddy Arrington
  16. Frank Warren
  17. Raymond Williams
  18. Charles Barrett
  19. Johnny Barnes
  20. Larry Smith
  21. James Hylton
  22. Earle Canavan
  23. Dean Dalton*
  24. Ed Negre
  25. Charlie Roberts
  26. Elmo Langley
  27. A. J. Foyt*
  28. Joe Frasson*
  29. Bill Champion*
  30. Mark Donohue*
  31. Ron Keselowski*
  32. Roy Mayne*
  33. Darrell Waltrip*
  34. Richard Petty*
  35. Bobby Allison*
  36. John Sears*
  37. Bobby Mausgrover*
  38. Tiny Lund*
  39. Pete Hamilton*
  40. Tony Bettenhausen Jr.*
''* Driver failed to finish race''