The 1968 Volunteer 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 21, 1968, at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s.
There were 36 drivers on the racing grid as the green flag waved and the race was underway. It took three hours and sixteen minutes for David Pearson to defeat Cale Yarborough by one and a half laps in front of a live audience of twenty thousand racing fans; about the size of a small city. There were eight lead changes recorded in the NASCAR summary and 13 caution flags were waved for a grueling distance of 92 laps. There were 500 laps in this racing event; speeds of 76.31mph were recorded during the race while solo qualifying runs would see LeeRoy Yarbrough earn the pole position by driving up to 87.421mph.[1] Tiny Lund drove a red and silver 1967 Mercury Cyclone #16 vehicle to a respectable 13th-place finish.[1]
Bob Burcham and Ervin Pruitt would make their respective introductions to NASCAR-style racing during this event.[2] Richard Brickhouse ended up being the last-place finisher due to an engine malfunction on the eighth lap. Ford vehicles made up the majority of the racing grid. On lap 187, Dick Johnson would quit the reason for reasons unknown;[1] his final race would be at the 1969 North State 200. Twelve notable crew chiefs participated in the race; including Junior Johnson, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Banjo Matthews, Glen Wood and Bud Moore.[3]
Five years later, Swede Savage would be killed in a racing accident at the 1973 Indianapolis 500. The winner of this event received $5,175 in total winnings ($ when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher went home with only $250 in total earnings ($ when adjusted for inflation). The total prize purse for this race was $24,140 ($ when adjusted for inflation).[4]
Considered to be the hottest temperatures for Tennessee during the late-1960s, people were passing out all over the place.
| Grid | Driver | Manufacturer | Owner | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | '68 Ford | Junior Johnson | |
| 2 | 6 | Charlie Glotzbach | '68 Dodge | Cotton Owens | |
| 3 | 29 | Swede Savage | '68 Ford | Bondy Long | |
| 4 | 21 | Cale Yarborough | '68 Mercury | Wood Brothers | |
| 5 | 27 | Donnie Allison | '68 Ford | Banjo Matthews | |
| 6 | 17 | David Pearson | '68 Ford | Holman-Moody Racing | |
| 7 | 99 | Paul Goldsmith | '68 Dodge | Ray Nichels | |
| 8 | 43 | Richard Petty | '68 Plymouth | Petty Enterprises | |
| 9 | 71 | Bobby Isaac | '67 Dodge | Nord Krauskopf | |
| 10 | 3 | Buddy Baker | '68 Dodge | Ray Fox | |
| 11 | 22 | Darel Dieringer | '68 Plymouth | Mario Rossi | |
| 12 | 16 | Tiny Lund | '68 Mercury | Bud Moore | |
| 13 | 5 | Pete Hamilton | '68 Ford | Rocky Hinton | |
| 14 | 48 | James Hylton | '67 Dodge | James Hylton | |
| 15 | 4 | John Sears | '67 Ford | L.G. DeWitt | |
| 16 | 2 | Bobby Allison | '66 Chevrolet | Donald Brackins | |
| 17 | 49 | G.C. Spencer | '67 Plymouth | G.C. Spencer | |
| 18 | 39 | Friday Hassler | '66 Chevrolet | Red Sharp | |
| 19 | 08 | Bob Burcham | '66 Chevrolet | E.C. Reid | |
| 20 | 64 | Elmo Langley | '66 Ford | Elmo Langley / Henry Woodfield | |
| 21 | 20 | Clyde Lynn | '66 Ford | Clyde Lynn | |
| 22 | 28 | Earl Brooks | '66 Ford | Earl Brooks | |
| 23 | 25 | Jabe Thomas | '67 Ford | Don Robertson | |
| 24 | 06 | Neil Castles | '67 Plymouth | Neil Castles | |
| 25 | 51 | Stan Meserve | '67 Dodge | Margo Hamm |
| Pos | Grid | Driver | Manufacturer | Winnings | Time/Status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 17 | 500 | $5,175 | 257 | 3:16:34 | |||
| 2 | 4 | 21 | Mercury | 499 | $2,650 | 1 | +1.5 laps | ||
| 3 | 3 | 29 | 498 | $1,700 | 0 | +2 laps | |||
| 4 | 9 | 71 | Dodge | 497 | $900 | 0 | +3 laps | ||
| 5 | 18 | 39 | 488 | $800 | 0 | +11 laps | |||
| 6 | 10 | 3 | Dodge | 481 | $700 | 0 | Engine failure | ||
| 7 | 24 | 06 | Plymouth | 467 | $650 | 0 | +33 laps | ||
| 8 | 12 | 16 | Mercury | 465 | $625 | 0 | Engine failure | ||
| 9 | 32 | 45 | 464 | $600 | 0 | +36 laps | |||
| 10 | 29 | 70 | Buick | 463 | $525 | 0 | +37 laps |
Section reference:[1]