The 1974 National 500 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...

 Winston Cup Series (now Sprint Cup Series) racing event that took place on October 6, 1974 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...

 in the American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 community of Concord

Concord, North Carolina

Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...

, 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...

. This race was considered to be the 28th race out of the 30 races completed during that year.

Summary

Three hundred and thirty four laps were done on a paved track spanning 1.5 miles (2.4 km). The race lasted four hours, ten minutes, and forty-one seconds. Nine cautions were given out by NASCAR officials for seventy-nine laps. Notable speeds were: 119.912 mi/h for the average speed and 158.749 mi/h for the pole speed. David Pearson defeated Richard Petty

Richard Petty

Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...

 in this race by almost 1½ seconds. With a live attendance of 56000 people, this race could rival today's sports attendance standings. Forty-one American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 drivers competed with Earl Ross

Earl Ross

Earl Ross is a Canadian race car driver who competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from 1973 to 1976 driving the Carling Red Cap #52...

 (from Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

) being the only non-American competitor.

Other notable names competing in the race were: Darrell Waltrip

Darrell Waltrip

Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...

, Dick Trickle

Dick Trickle

Richard "Dick" Trickle is a retired American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle has competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle has logged...

, Ron Keselowski

Ron Keselowski

Ron Keselowski was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who raced from 1970 to 1974. He is the uncle of current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Brad and Brian Keselowski along with being the brother of retired NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Bob Keselowski.-History:As a driver, Keselowski would...

, J.D. McDuffie

J.D. McDuffie

John Delphus McDuffie was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career...

, Cale Yarborough

Cale Yarborough

William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...

, and Neil Castles

Neil Castles

Neil "Soapy" Castles is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver that participate from 1957 to 1976.-History:...

. Among the major non-automotive

Automotive industry

The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....

 sponors were Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....

, RC Cola, and Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...

. The day before this race, Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt

Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...

 made his first appearance at Charlotte/Lowe's in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race (the predecessor to the Nationwide Series) and finished 13th. This would be the last race for owner Ray Fox

Ray Fox

Raymond Lee Fox, Sr. is a retired American engine builder, NASCAR car owner and NASCAR engine inspector. His cars won fourteen NASCAR Grand National events and sixteen pole positions....

, his #3 Dodge Charger

Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...

 finished 29th after a blown engine with Wally Dallenbach, Sr.

Wally Dallenbach, Sr.

Wally Dallenbach, Sr. is a former long-time open-wheeled race car driver in CART from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator, Wally Dallenbach, Jr.-Biography:Dallenbach nearly...

 as the driver (also making his last NASCAR start). Darrell Waltrip finishes on the lead lap of a Winston Cup race for the first time.

The winner of the race received $22,575 in race winnings ($ in today's money) while the last place finisher received $649 in race winnings ($ in today's money).

Finishing order

1. David Pearson
2. Richard Petty
3. Darrell Waltrip
4. Donnie Allison
   Donnie Allison
   Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
   
    (lowest finishing car on lead lap)
5. Bobby Allison
   Bobby Allison
   Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
   
    (lone Matador entry)
6. Lennie Pond
   Lennie Pond
   Lennie Pond is a former NASCAR driver. He won NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1973, and won his only race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1978 for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier....
   
   
7. Harry Jefferson
   Harry Jefferson
   Harry Jefferson is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series whose career spanned from 1973 to 1977.In addition to his Cup Series career, he also raced in the Winston West Series in a 1973 Mercury Cougar vehicle. That vehicle would eventually be refurbished into a 1979 Ford Granada and driven by NASCAR...
   
   
8. Dick Trickle
9. Bob Burcham
   Bob Burcham
   Robert Wayne "Bob" Burcham, Sr. was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1968 to 1979. His primary ride was the #19 Belden Asphalt-sponsored Chevrolet of Mr. Henley Gray. Jack White was Burcham's other employer in NASCAR.-Summary:His parents were Mr. Robert "Bobby" and Mrs...
   
   
10. Dan Daughtry
11. James Hylton
    James Hylton
    James Harvey Hylton is a part-time race car driver. He is a two-time winner in NASCAR and competes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,finishing 16th in points in 2006. He made headlines while attempting to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 at age 72...
    
    
12. Walter Ballard
    Walter Ballard
    Walter Ballard is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver from Houston, Texas.He made a single Grand National start in 1966 and did not return to the series until 1971 when he ran a nearly full season in a car owned by his father Vic capturing 11 top tens on his way to Rookie of the Year honors and a...
    
    
13. David Sisco
    David Sisco
    David Sisco is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who has led 98 laps out of the 33668 that he raced in his entire career. Sisco also managed to earn $251,359 in his seven-year NASCAR career . His average starting position is 22nd place while he managed to finish in 19th place on average...
    
    
14. Richie Panch
    Richie Panch
    Richard "Richie" Panch was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver from 1973 to 1976. Panch had officially raced a grand total of 9295 laps - the equivalent of of stock car racing. His average start is 18th place while his average finish is 23rd place. Total earnings for Richie Panch were $90,842 USD...
    
    *
15. Cecil Gordon
    Cecil Gordon
    Cecil Gordon was a NASCAR driver. He is not related to Sprint Cup driver Jeff Gordon although the two drivers drove in car number 24....
    
    
16. Ron Keselowski
17. Ed Negre
    Ed Negre
    Ed Negre is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1955 to 1979....
    
    
18. Grant Adcox
    Grant Adcox
    Grant Adcox was a stock car racing driver who died in a single-car accident in the 1989 Atlanta Journal 500 in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.-Career:...
    
    *
19. Ramo Stott
    Ramo Stott
    Ramo Stott is a retired American stock car driver from Keokuk, Iowa. He competed in NASCAR Winston Cup, USAC stock car, and ARCA.-USAC:...
    
    * (crashed on lap 262)
20. Earl Ross* (crashed on lap 232)
21. J.D. McDuffie
    J.D. McDuffie
    John Delphus McDuffie was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career...
    
    *
22. Coo Coo Marlin
    Coo Coo Marlin
    Clifton "Coo Coo" Marlin was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.-Local track history:...
    
    *
23. Cale Yarborough
    Cale Yarborough
    William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
    
    *
24. Johnny Rutherford
    Johnny Rutherford
    For the Major League Baseball pitcher, see Johnny Rutherford . For other people with a similar name, see John RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford III , better known as Johnny Rutherford, and also known as "Lone Star JR" is a former U.S...
    
    *
25. Frank Warren
    Frank Warren (NASCAR driver)
    Frank Warren is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1963 to 1980.Out of 88863 laps finished in his career, Warren had led 72 of them. Warren's total career earnings were $625,886 and while his average finish was 20th place in his entire career. The total amount of miles...
    
    * (crashed on lap 182)
26. A.J. Foyt*
27. Benny Parsons
    Benny Parsons
    Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
    
    *
28. Jackie Rogers
    Jackie Rogers
    Jackie Rogers is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who has led only six out of the 4943 laps that he raced in his entire career. Rogers earned $64,582 and drove for finishing an average of 21st place.-References:...
    
    *
29. Wally Dallenbach, Sr.
    Wally Dallenbach, Sr.
    Wally Dallenbach, Sr. is a former long-time open-wheeled race car driver in CART from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator, Wally Dallenbach, Jr.-Biography:Dallenbach nearly...
    
    *
30. Charlie Glotzbach
    Charlie Glotzbach
    Charles "Charlie: Glotzbach is a former ARCA and was a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. Charlie holds one of the oldest race records in NASCAR. He was also known as "The Chargin' Comet" and "Chargin' Charlie"....
    
    *
31. Dave Marcis
    Dave Marcis
    Dave Marcis is a retired driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final win in 1982...
    
    *
32. Bobby Isaac
    Bobby Isaac
    Bobby Isaac is a former NASCAR Grand National champion.-Early life:Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second youngest of nine children...
    
    *
33. Elmo Langley
    Elmo Langley
    Elmo Langley was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number "64" on his race cars during his NASCAR career.-Racing career:...
    
    *
34. Jerry Schild*
35. Harry Gant
    Harry Gant
    Harry Phil Gant is a retired American racecar driver best known for driving the #33 Skoal Bandit car on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit during the 1980s and 1990s.-Nicknames:...
    
    *
36. Dick Brooks
    Dick Brooks
    Richard "Dick" Brooks was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500...
    
    *
37. Buddy Baker
    Buddy Baker
    Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
    
    *
38. Joe Frasson
    Joe Frasson
    Joseph "Joe" Frasson is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver with four finishes in the top five and nineteen finishes in the top ten under his belt. He has experienced 20284 laps of racing and an overall career windfall of $148,930...
    
    *
39. Jim Vandiver
    Jim Vandiver
    Jim Vandiver is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup driver that raced from 1968 to 1983.-Summary:...
    
    *
40. Neil Castles
    Neil Castles
    Neil "Soapy" Castles is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver that participate from 1957 to 1976.-History:...
    
    *
41. Richard Childress
    Richard Childress
    Richard Childress is a former NASCAR driver and the current team owner of Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. As a business entrepreneur, Childress became one of the wealthiest men in North Carolina...
    
    *
42. Marty Robbins
    Marty Robbins
    Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
    
    * (crashed his car resulting in a series of injuries; including one that required 37 stitches to his face)

* Driver failed to finish race