October 1, 1972
“Wilkes 400”
Top 5 finishers.....
Bitter rivals Richard Petty and Bobby Allison staged the most spectacular slugfest of their careers in the Wilkes 400. In the final five laps, they bashed each other a number of times as they traded the lead. Twice, both cars hit the wall but continued on. Thick smoke poured from Allison's car as the race ended, and he could barely see. Tempers flared after the race. A drunk fan attacked Petty after the race, but Richard’s brother, Maurice, beat him back with his brother's helmet.
Richard Petty was the victor and Bobby Allison finished 2nd. Petty started the race from the third position and led 160 laps. Allison started second and led 239 laps. Each driver led for lengthy periods throughout the better part of the race, but after lap 350 the most laps led consecutively was just 12. Allison led laps 351-362, Petty led 363-364, Allison 365, Petty 366, Allison 367-375, Petty 376, Allison 377-388, Petty 388-397, Allison 398-399, and Petty 400. Allison finished two car lengths behind. If one could turn back time, this would definitely be a race to watch.
Pole-sitter Buddy Baker finished the race in 3rd. Baker’s qualifying lap was 21.242seconds/105.922mph. Baker managed to lead just the first lap before the Petty and Allison took over. Baker finished 4 laps off the pace. Baker's victory at Daytona in 1980 remains the fastest Daytona 500 ever run, with an average speed of 177.602mph. With today’s restrictor plates, it is doubtful that the record will be broken unless the race was to go caution free, but that’s unlikely........because of today’s restrictor plates.
Benny Parsons started sixth and finished 4th in the race. He was 8 laps behind the leader when the checkered flag was waved. Parsons went on to finish 5th in the season points standings. He is also credited for discovering current NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle at a "Gong Show" held in Tucson, Arizona.
Recording his only top five at NWS in NASCAR’s premier series, a 5th place finish, was John Sears. “Big John” as he was referred to, started the race from the eighth spot. Sears was 12 laps down at the finish of the race. Sears had a respectable career. In seven full time seasons on the circuit, Sears finished in the top ten in points five times. His best was fifth, twice. At the request of his mother, John quit racing after his little brother, James, was killed in a race in the early 70’s.
The race lasted 2 hours, 36 minutes, 33 seconds. There were 16 lead changes. Only one time did the caution flag wave, and it was out for 12 laps. Dean Dalton and Jabe Thomas each improved 12 spots in the race—the most of all drivers. 18 of the 30 cars entered were running at the finish. One name new to Cup racing at NWS was Clifton “Coo Coo” Marlin—Sterling’s father. Coo Coo started 11th, but finished a disappointing 30th. “Tiny” Lund made his last appearance in a Cup race at NWS. He also experienced misfortune and finished 26th.