1976 American 500
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| Race details[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 28 of 30 in the 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | |||
Layout of Rockingham Speedway
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| Date | October 24, 1976 | ||
| Official name | American 500 | ||
| Location | North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham, North Carolina | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility 1.017 mi (1.636 km) |
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| Distance | 492 laps, 500 mi (804 km) | ||
| Weather | Mild with temperatures reaching a maximum of 72 °F (22 °C); wind speeds approaching 4.9 miles per hour (7.9 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 117.718 miles per hour (189.449 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 32,500[2] | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Wood Brothers | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | |
| Laps | 193 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | untelevised | ||
| Announcers | none | ||
The 1976 American 500 was the 28th official race (out of 30) in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season.[2]
Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.
Summary
This racing event took place on October 24, 1976, at North Carolina Motor Speedway at Rockingham, North Carolina.[2] In order to resolve itself, the race took four hours, fifteen minutes, and one second.[2] Six cautions were given out for a duration of 35 laps.[2][3]
As a result, Richard Petty would eventually defeat Lennie Pond by more than a lap.[2][4] Thirty-two thousand and five hundred live spectators attended this event.[2] David Pearson gained the pole position qualifying at a speed of 139.117 miles per hour (223.887 km/h) but eventually finished in sixth place.[2] Henley Gray was officially recorded as the last-place finisher due to an engine issue on the first lap.[2] Richard Petty's teenage son Kyle would attend his father's victory celebrations; getting ready for his NASCAR career.[5]
The average speed of the race was 117.718 miles per hour (189.449 km/h).[2] Jack Donohue was the only Canadian competitor out of the 36-car grid.[2]
Top twenty finishers
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Standings after the race
| Pos | Driver | Points[2] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cale Yarborough | 4380 |
| 2 | Richard Petty | 4283 |
| 3 | Benny Parsons | 3984 |
| 4 | Bobby Allison | 3948 |
| 5 | Lennie Pond | 3669 |
References
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| Preceded by | NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season 1976 |
Succeeded by 1976 Dixie 500 |
| Preceded by | American 500 races 1976 |
Succeeded by 1977 |
