The 1949 Wilkes 200 was a NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 Strickly Stock (now Sprint Cup Series) racing event that took place on October 16, 1949.

Temperatures for this race reached an absolute maximum of 68 °F (20 °C) while wind speeds reached a maximum of 7 miles per hour (11.3 km/h). These weather conditions were recorded at nearby Hickory Regional Airport

Hickory Regional Airport

Hickory Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles west of the central business district of Hickory, a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. It is owned by the City of Hickory.- Facilities and aircraft :...

; a public airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

 located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district

Central business district

A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...

 of nearby Hickory

Hickory, North Carolina

Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...

, North Carolina.

Summary

Ten thousand people would attend this live racing event where Kenneth Wagner qualified for the race with a pole position

Pole position

The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...

 speed of 57.563 miles per hour (92.6 km/h) - the equivalent of 31.27 seconds. The entire race took place on a dirt track spanning 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) per lap.

This would be the final race of the 1949

1949 in NASCAR

The 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock season was the inaugural season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949, the season included eight races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the Wilkes 200 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on...

 NASCAR season and would take place at North Wilkesboro Speedway

North Wilkesboro Speedway

North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...

 in North Wilkesboro

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina

North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in...

, North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. Bob Flock

Bob Flock

Robert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...

 would defeat Lee Petty

Lee Petty

Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...

 by an entire football field - 100 yard - to win NASCAR's first racing event with an established name. Flock would earn a mere $1,500 in prize winnings ($ when inflation is taken into effect). Frank Mundy

Frank Mundy

Frank "Rebel" Mundy was an American stock car racer. He competed in the American Automobile Association stock cars, winning the 1955 national championship, before the series changed to United States Auto Club sanction...

 would receive a last-place finish for only finishing 38 laps out of the mandated 200 laps. Bill Blair would lead the most laps in this race with 180 laps led out of 200.

Sponsors for the drivers included: Bob Flock Garage

Bob Flock

Robert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...

, the Green Leaf Cafe, Parks Novelty, Moyer Co., and LaBelle Motors. The race took one hour and fifty-two minutes to complete resolve itself. Red Byron

Red Byron

Robert "Red" Byron was a NASCAR driver who was successful in the sanctioning body's first years. He was NASCAR's first Modified champion in 1948 and its first Strictly Stock champion in 1949.-Background:Born in Colorado he moved to Anniston, Alabama at an early age, Byron began...

 would go on to win NASCAR's first ever championship while Sara Christian

Sara Christian

Sara Christian was the first woman driver in NASCAR history. Her fifth place finish at Pittsburgh reigned as the highest female finish from 1949 until 2011, when Danica Patrick finished fourth.-1949:...

would become one of its first female drivers.