Official name Pickens 200 | ||
Date July 30, 1963; 53 years ago (1963-07-30) Course Permanent racing facility0.500 mi (0.804 km) Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (160 km) Weather Warm with temperatures approaching 80.1 °F (26.7 °C); wind speeds up to 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h) |
The 1963 Pickens 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) event that was held on June 30, 1963, at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina.
Contents
The transition to purposely-built racers 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; most of the cars were trailered to events or hauled in by trucks.
Summary
Three lead changes ended up circulating amongst three different race leaders.
Two cautions were initiated by NASCAR with the average speed of the competitors being 62.456 miles per hour (100.513 km/h). Pole position winner Ned Jarrett would earn the post with a speed of 65.526 miles per hour (105.454 km/h) on his 1963 Ford Galaxie before losing to Richard Petty driving his 1963 Plymouth Belvedere in the actual race. J. D. McDuffie would crash into the wall on his first lap in his 1961 Ford Galaxie vehicle; causing him to become the last-place finisher of the race. Frank Warren would make his NASCAR debut racing against Buck Baker, Neil Castles, Joe Weatherly, Wendell Scott (NASCAR's first African-American competitor), and Cale Yarborough.
This racing event took place on a dirt track oval with 200 laps being the pre-determined number of laps according to the NASCAR officials who sanctioned the event.
Timeline
Top ten finishers
- Richard Petty (No. 41)
- Ned Jarrett (No. 11)
- Buck Baker (No. 87), 1 lap behind
- Fred Harb (No. 2), 5 laps behind
- Bobby Isaac (No. 99), 5 laps behind
- David Pearson (No. 6), 5 laps behind
- Tiny Lund (No. 32), 8 laps behind
- Joe Weatherly (No.05), 9 laps behind
- Frank Warren (No. X), 10 laps behind
- Wendell Scott (No. 34), 10 laps behind