1970 Georgia 500

The 1970 Georgia 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on November 8, 1970, at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia.

1970 Georgia 500
Race details[1][2]
Race 46 of 48 in the 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date November 8, 1970 (1970-11-08)
Official name Georgia 250
Location Middle Georgia Raceway, Byron, Georgia
Course Permanent racing facility
0.548 mi (0.882 km)
Distance 500 laps, 227 mi (441 km)
Weather Temperatures reaching of 73.9 °F (23.3 °C); wind speeds of 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h)
Average speed 83.284 miles per hour (134.033 km/h)
Attendance 6,500[3]
Pole position
Driver
Petty Enterprises
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Isaac K&K Insurance Racing
Laps 226
Winner
No. 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
Television in the United States
Network untelevised
Announcers none

NASCAR officials would record four engine-related incidents, one major fire, two issues related to the vehicle's suspension and an oil leak.[3]

Race report

The race car drivers still had to commute to the races using the same stock cars that competed in a typical weekend's race through a policy of homologation (and under their own power). This policy was in effect until roughly 1975. By 1980, NASCAR had completely stopped tracking the year model of all the vehicles and most teams did not take stock cars to the track under their own power anymore.

Five hundred laps took place on a paved oval track spanning .548 miles (0.882 km) for a grand total of 274.0 miles (441.0 km).[2][3] The race took three hours, thirteen minutes, and thirty-three seconds to reach its conclusion; Richard Petty (racing for Petty Enterprises) defeated Bobby Isaac in fourteen seconds.[2][3] The pole position speed was 94.064 miles per hour (151.381 km/h); accomplished by Richard Petty.[2][3] Total winnings for this race were $20,000 ($131,671 when considering inflation) with the winner receiving most of $3,275 ($21,561 when considering inflation). This event would be the first of two career starts for Jimmy Watson.[2][3] Notable crew chiefs for this race included Harry Hyde, Dale Inman and Lee Gordon.[4]

Petty's wins in 1970 came at 18 different tracks. He didn't have any sweeps.[5]

This would be the final career start for Lee Roy Carrigg; whose NASCAR Winston Cup Series race spanned nine races and 1002 laps of racing action.[6]

Earlier that year, the second annual Atlanta International Pop Festival was held in the same venue as this racing event. Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers Band performed in front of 300,000 concertgoers; the town had a population of about 2,000.[7]

In comparison to this summer musical festival that took place from July 3–5, this autumn racing event only attracted 6500 people in order to see stock car vehicles travel at speeds averaging 83.284 miles per hour or 134.033 kilometres per hour throughout the entire event.[2][3]

Qualifying
Grid[3] No. Driver Manufacturer Owner
1 43Richard Petty'70 PlymouthPetty Enterprises
2 22Bobby Allison'69 DodgeBobby Allison
3 72Benny Parsons'69 FordL.G. DeWitt
4 32Dick Brooks'69 PlymouthDick Brooks
5 71Bobby Isaac'70 DodgeNord Krauskopf
6 06Neil Castles'69 DodgeNeil Castles
7 4John Sears'69 DodgeJohn Sears
8 48James Hylton'70 FordJames Hylton
9 64Elmo Langley'69 FordElmo Langley
10 26Dave Marcis'69 FordEarl Brooks
11 25Jabe Thomas'69 PlymouthDon Robertson
12 79Frank Warren'69 PlymouthFrank Warren
13 10Bill Champion'69 FordBill Champion
14 8Joe Frasson'69 FordEd Negre
15 67Dick May'69 FordRon Ronacher
16 24Cecil Gordon'68 FordCecil Gordon
17 54Bill Dennis'69 ChevroletBill Dennis
18 68Larry Baumel'69 FordAllan Schulauer
19 93Morgan Shepherd'69 ChevroletBill Flowers
20 02E.J. Trivette'69 ChevroletCrawford Brothers
21 76Ben Arnold'69 FordBen Arnold
22 34Wendell Scott'69 FordWendell Scott
23 77Roy Mayne'69 FordBob Freeman
24 19Henley Gray'69 FordHenley Gray
25 58Jim Vandiver'70 ChevroletBub Strickler
26 89Rod Eulenfield'69 FordMorris Davis
27 16Jimmy Watson'70 ChevroletKen Spires
28 74Bill Shirey'69 PlymouthBill Shirey
29 39Friday Hassler'69 ChevroletJames Hanley
30 87Lee Roy Carrigg'68 FordJohn Pemberton

Finishing order

Section reference: [3]

  1. Richard Petty (No. 43)
  2. Bobby Isaac† (No. 71)
  3. Dick Brooks† (No. 32)
  4. Bobby Allison (No. 22)
  5. John Sears† (No. 4)
  6. James Hylton† (No. 48)
  7. Benny Parsons† (No. 72)
  8. Elmo Langley† (No. 64)
  9. Jabe Thomas (No. 25)
  10. Cecil Gordon† (No. 24)
  11. Neil Castles (No. 06)
  12. Ben Arnold (No. 76)
  13. Bill Champion† (No. 10)
  14. Jimmy Watson (No. 16)
  15. Friday Hassler† (No. 39)
  16. Henley Gray (No. 19)
  17. Bill Shirey (No. 74)
  18. Roy Mayne*† (No. 77)
  19. Jim Vandiver* (No. 58)
  20. Morgan Shepherd* (No. 93)
  21. Wendell Scott*† (No. 34)
  22. Joe Frasson*† (No. 8)
  23. Lee Roy Carrigg* (No. 87)
  24. Dave Marcis* (No. 26)
  25. Bill Dennis* (No. 54)
  26. Rod Eulenfield* (No. 89)
  27. Frank Warren* (No. 79)
  28. E.J. Trivette* (No. 02)
  29. Dick May*† (No. 67)
  30. Larry Baumel* (No. 68)

* Driver failed to finish race
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased

Timeline

Section reference: [3]

  • Start: Richard Petty was leading the starting grid as the green flag was waved.
  • Lap 4: Larry Baumel's vehicle developed engine problems.
  • Lap 37: Dick Brooks took over the lead from Richard Petty.
  • Lap 54: Dick May's vehicle developed problems with its suspension.
  • Lap 68: E.J. Trivette managed to lose the rear end of his vehicle.
  • Lap 78: Frank Warren's vehicle developed problems with its suspension.
  • Lap 80: Rod Eulenfeld's vehicle caught on fire due to the high speeds.
  • Lap 85: Richard Petty took over the lead from Dick Brooks.
  • Lap 86: Dick Brooks took over the lead from Richard Petty.
  • Lap 105: Bill Dennis' vehicle developed problems with its ignition.
  • Lap 131: Dave Marcis' vehicle developed engine problems.
  • Lap 139: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from Dick Brooks.
  • Lap 141: Dick Brooks took over the lead from Bobby Isaac.
  • Lap 173: Bobby Allison took over the lead from Dick Brooks.
  • Lap 181: Lee Roy Carrig's vehicle developed engine problems.
  • Lap 201: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from Bobby Allison.
  • Lap 223: Oil started leaking out of Joe Frasson's vehicle; knocking him out the race.
  • Lap 265: Wendell Scott's vehicle developed engine problems.
  • Lap 285: Jim Vandiver managed to lose the rear end of his vehicle.
  • Lap 404: Richard Petty took over the lead from Bobby Isaac.
  • Lap 405: Roy Mayne's vehicle developed engine problems.
  • Lap 411: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from Richard Petty.
  • Lap 413: Richard Petty took over the lead from Bobby Isaac.
  • Lap 426: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from Richard Petty.
  • Lap 445: Richard Petty took over the lead from Bobby Isaac.
  • Finish: Richard Petty was officially declared the winner of the race.

References
  1. "1970 Georgia 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  2. "1970 Georgia 500 information (third reference)". Race Database. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  3. "1970 Georgia 500 information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  4. "1970 Georgia 500 crew chief information". Racing Reference. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  5. [https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/pettyri01/1970/W Richard Petty 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results] at Racing Reference
  6. "Lee Roy Carrigg career information". Racing Reference. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  7. Morris, Linda S. (16 July 2011). "Byron raceway roars back to life in car ads". Macon.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
Preceded by
1970 Old Dominion 500		 NASCAR Grand National Races
1970		 Succeeded by
1970 American 500
Preceded by
1970 Old Dominion 500		 Richard Petty's Career Wins
1960-1984		 Succeeded by
1971 Daytona 500
Preceded by
November 1969		 Georgia 500 races
1970		 Succeeded by
1971
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