October 3, 1976
“Wilkes 400”
Top 5 finishers.....
Cale Yarborough swept both races at North Wilkesboro in 1976. It was the ninth time a driver swept both races at NWS. Yarborough started 4th in his Holly Farms sponsored Chevrolet. He took over the lead on lap 109 and never looked back. At the end of the day, he had lapped the field. It was Yarborough’s ninth win of the season as he completed a string of four straight wins in the 1976 season. He went on to win the first of his 3 career championships.
Benny Parsons picked up a new sponsor just a few weeks earlier and it remained with him thru the end of the ’78 season. The 1st National City Travelers Checks Chevrolet started from the third spot, led 63 laps in the race and finished 2nd one lap behind Yarborough.
The STP Dodge driven by Richard Petty started 7th and finished 3rd one lap down. Richard Petty finished in the top five at NWS an impressive 33 times. This race was just one of seven finishes in the top 5 at the track that Petty wasn’t able to lead any laps. Richard Petty went on to finish 2nd in points in 1976.
Buddy Baker finished 4th in his Bud Moore owned #15 Norris Industries Ford. He started the race from the outside pole and led 29 laps in the race. Baker was the third car to finish one lap off the pace. In 1976, Baker experienced a year much like Junior Johnson did in the past. He had 16 top fives—the only times he was running at the finish, and 14 DNF’s with finishes of 21st or worse. It was very high or very low—no in betweens. Baker finished 7th in the season points championship.
Finishing 5th, five laps down was Lennie Pond in the #54 Pepsi Cola Chevrolet owned by Ronnie Elder. His 5th place finish matched his best Winston Cup finish at the track. It was the fourth time he finished in that position. Pond finished the season in fifth place in the points battle.
It took Cale Yarborough 2 hours, 35 minutes, 38 seconds to complete the 400 lap race. The race was slowed two times for caution, totaling nine laps. 23 of the 30 cars entered were running at the finish. The driver moving up the most positions was Terry Bivins—19 (28th to 9th). Darrell Waltrip took the pole with a qualifying lap of 20.940sec/107.449mph. Waltrip lost an engine after lap 347 and finished 24th. The lap leaders were—Waltrip 1, Baker 2-30, Parsons 31, Dick Brooks 32-46, Parsons 47-108, Yarborough 109-400.
New drivers to a Winston Cup race at NWS included Sonny Easley, two time runner up in the Winston West Series (’73 and ’75). Easley had a promising future, but was killed in a Modified Sportsman practice crash at Riverside in January of 1978. Gary Myers, son of the great Billy Myers made his Winston Cup debut along with Jimmy Means and a fellow named Neil Bonnett.
More memories.......
While in one of the frontstretch suites, Mr. Enoch Staley shares friendly conversation with one of the representatives of Winston.
What the.....????? I know this guy isn’t starting from the outside pole. And it sure isn’t the pace car!
Cale Yarborough using the low groove to make passes as he goes by Bobby Allison first, then Richard Petty.
Racing thru 3 and 4. The 2nd picture has Bobby Allison (2), Buddy Arrington (67) and Skip Manning (64) running the inside line.
A look from atop the frontstretch. Take a good look at the safety fence. That will be changing in the middle of next year.
The crowd stands and gives support to Yarborough as he takes the white flag. That’s Cecil Gordon in the 24 car. In a little more
than 20 seconds, Yarborough will be the first to take the checkered flag.
Cale Yarborough celebrates a season sweep at North Wilkesboro. It is Yarborough’s 3rd career win at the historic track. With him
are his wife, Betty Jo and the Governor of North Carolina, Jim Holshouser.