Official name Rebel 400 | ||
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Date May 11, 1968 (1968-May-11) Course Permanent racing facility1.366 mi (2.198 km) Distance 291 laps, 401.3 mi (706.7 km) Weather Temperatures reaching 82.9 °F (28.3 °C); wind speeds up to 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) | ||
The 1968 Rebel 400 was a NASCAR Grand National Series (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) event that was held on May 11, 1968, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.
Contents
The transition to purpose-built racecars 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
Two-hundred and ninety one laps were completed on a paved oval track spanning 1.375 miles (2.213 km) for a grand total of 400.1 miles (643.9 km). The time of the race was three hours and fifty-four seconds with a crowd of 22,500 attending. There were four cautions for twenty-three laps in the race. David Pearson defeated Darel Dieringer in his 1968 Ford vehicle by a time of eighteen seconds. Pearson took advantage of the NASCAR engine and weight rules for 1968 and used a 396 cid engine instead of the normal 427. At that time the car had to be 4,000 pounds with the 427 cid engine but only 3,707 pounds with the 396 cid engine. The lighter weight paid off as Pearson used less fuel and had fewer tire troubles than many of the other teams. Pearson would continue to use the 396 throughout the year.
Canadian racer Frog Fagan participated in the race and finished in 22nd place. The average speed was 132.699 miles per hour (213.558 km/h) while the pole position speed was 148.85 miles per hour (239.55 km/h). Other notable drivers included Wendell Scott, Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, Elmo Langley, and Roy Tyner. Out of the thirty-four drivers, fifteen of them did not finish the race.
Total winnings for the 1968 Rebel 400 were $53,455 ($368,148.93 when adjusted for inflation); first-place finisher Pearson earned $13,700 ($94,353.01 when adjusted for inflation) while last-place finisher Hess walked away with only $460 in race earnings ($3,168.06 when adjusted for inflation).
Lennie Waldo made his NASCAR Grand National Series debut in this event.
Finishers
* Driver failed to finish race