1973 Daytona 500

NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway
February 18th, 1973

[@scarbourgeoisie]

Man, when I was a kid, nothing excited me more than catching a glimpse of Petty's two-tone Charger, or Evel Knievel, on ABC's World of Sports. I worshiped those two in the 70's.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Pretty’s STP Charger was the only NASCAR car I could recognize and really liked as a kid - I even had a good-sized hollow plastic one I played with. And I worshipped EK until he was arrested for beating the crap out of a journalist. My very first fallen idol. I had built him up so high - actually watching old interviews, he built himself up super high - that it felt like a personal betrayal to learn he was a “bad guy”. His name was mud overnight to all the kids I knew.

[@garyglenn3654]

Me too!!

[@takingcarebusiness3357]

Yeah..the days of real NASCAR racing, when most men were gentlemen, helping each other out but still competitive. Thanks to everyone involved for bringing these back to U-tube. 😊👍

[@joenorris8220]

Still look better than today's "stock" cars.

[@slayer6936]

I loved the AMC Matador!! Inwas 13 and watched this on wide world of sports!!

[@takingcarebusiness3357]

I really appreciate the great commentary. These guys really know their stuff and give us all the facts and no exaggeration. Awesome work! 😁👍

[@peterdoucet7974]

Congrats to Herschel McGriff, a member of NASCAR Hall of Fame's Class of 2023. He deserves it...with a career spanning decades.

[@a.b.317]

Love seeing these old muscle cars running around the track

[@doubledrats235]

Born in 1960, I watched this race on TV with my Dad every year starting in the mid 1960s.

[@gary24fan]

Poor Buddy Baker should have won three or four of these over the years. Seven years later he would be one of several famous drivers who won the "500" very late in their careers (Allison, Earnhardt, Waltrip, etc.).

[@topmech71]

He was one of the best I ever saw at Daytona...and yet only won it one time. He just always seemed to find the worst luck.

[@robtans5042]

Buddy Baker was a good driver very likeable and clean. He was good at the big tracks

[@MrMakemyday3]

bobby won three

[@trevin1691]

This was real racing real race cars real drivers except for the guy from the grand old Opry but you know how he did...Good driver doing all the stunt work in that Buick GS! No need for CGI when you got driving talent and a good car!

[@Raellives]

The matador!!

[@BogattheMoon]

Cale fired off 3 Cup Championships in a row in this era. Impressive feat.

[@stevetroutman7787]

727 landing in the background at 10:40.

[@johnnymitz]

Good eye. I saw it too.

[@cjs83172]

Although Bud Lindemann mentioned Donnie Allison among those drivers that would be taking the green flag in this race, Donnie was, in fact, one of those that failed to qualify for this race in what was to be the debut for DiGard Racing. Despite Donnie's failure to qualify for this race, there were an unusual number of superstar drivers in this race, including five previous Daytona 500 winners, Tiny Lund, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Pete Hamliton, and A.J. Foyt. Gordon Johncock who would win that year's rain and tragedy-marred Indianapolis 500, also qualified for this race. And the way the race played out, there was one more odd quirk about this race. No two cars that finished the race and wound up in the top ten were on any common lap.

[@butchcassidy3373]

This was my first Daytona race. Now I couldn't even tell you who won the championship last year. Stock car racing died years ago when they let the front wheel drive cars on to the track. Haven't watched pascar since. Edit due to spelling and it's probably still wrong.

[@marine4lyfe85]

There aren't any front wheel drive cars in Cup. And never have been.

[@butchcassidy3373]

@@marine4lyfe85 Taurus and Lumina.

[@marine4lyfe85]

@@butchcassidy3373 Yes, the dealership models were front wheel drive. The Cup Series versions were rear wheel drive.

[@butchcassidy3373]

@@marine4lyfe85 yeah and therefore not a stock car

[@ronmccormack9849]

Back when they raced and did not spin someone and they were not looking to be Hollywood stock car drivers

[@hemihead001]

Earnhardt Sr. started that rear ending cars to win crap and since NASCAR kissed GM's ass let him do it .

[@beeemm2578]

Pettys fu-manchu is sick....lol

[@davdhartung9817]

Bud said that the Malibu was a Monte Carlo. Stated that the whole year.

[@stubaker2574]

great race! and the reason i hated(competively speaking) Petty..he won all the time...arrr These were the days but change was coming along with more and more watcher's..i had to listen to radio in early 60's pulled mostly chevy driver's and independents like Bobby Allison and chevy wasn't into racing and indy's had to buy instead of given to as mopar and ford chevy's did alright considering..today great driver's cookie cutter cars and only a couple engine producers and the spirit has flown...fireball Robert's would park it and go home...

[@robtans5042]

stu baker Lol you lived with a lot of hate back the king tore m up

[@robtans5042]

Victory#4 in the 500 for the man from randleman nc the king richard petty

[@stratplayr6997]

6:38 - is that a young Sterling Marlin jumping over the pit wall?

[@Raellives]

The 1st 13 laps were run under Yellow so we could dry off the track AND the laps counted?!?!? cmon man!! I do love that era of cars and drivers though.

[@nikkikarlssonthetalkingtom870]

This was Darrell Waltrip's first NASCAR career this season.

[@durn210]

Wow didn't know that. Huge DW fan

[@durn210]

Of course an older fan lol

[@larrynorsworthy8582]

Looks like the setup then was low front and high rear.

[@42lookc]

So how did that work for the Chevy team? The 427 had been out of production since 1969, if I'm not mistaken. How does that make it a stock car when its engine wasn't even available anymore?

[@adcoxrobert3786]

For that matter, the 426 Hemi and Boss 429s weren't available in 1973 either.

[@since1961]

Destroked from a 454

[@MrMakemyday3]

cale was in a chevelle not a mc

[@dntn9634]

Bud was bringing NASCAR to us when nobody else would & didn't charge us $50 a month to do it. Pay per view & cable ruined NASCAR for the original fans. Back when sponcer's paid for everything not the fan's. I was into it back in the late 50's & 60's when most people said "its stupid, all they do is drive in circles". Now I don't watch it at all. Too many cable channels to keep up with. Haven't seen Pocono in 2 decades at least.

[@mattskustomkreations]

When Cale blows his engine, the announcer says he’s driving a Monte Carlo. Huh? Also how come there are some guys driving at least one-year-old body styles, such as a 72 Torino? I thought that the manufacturers would insist on the newest body style for a race as prominent as the D500.

[@joenorris8220]

I think you're allowed to run the previous body style, in the first year of the new one. I'm not sure, I'm just guessing, as I saw a 72 Plymouth in this footage, along with a 72 Monte Carlo.

[@mattskustomkreations]

@@joenorris8220 I knew they COULD run an older body style. The question is why wouldn’t the manufacturers INSIST on providing, using the newest body styles? Seems really stupid not to push an all-new body style, or if not all-new at least one with readily recognizable grille differences.

[@joenorris8220]

@@mattskustomkreations Okay, I misunderstood your question the first time. I don't have an answer for that. I remember seeing a scale model for Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s 1975 Car. If I'm remembering correctly, it was a 1974 Dodge Charger. The 75 Chargers looked more like the Cordoba bodystyle. 🤷‍♂️

[@mattskustomkreations]

@@joenorris8220 Yep, and later they had the angular Charger in the mid-80s.

[@joenorris8220]

What's funny about that announcer saying Cale's car was a Monte Carlo, to me, it looked a Chevelle Laguna. I'll have to watch that video clip again, I guess.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Was Marty Robbins a legit driver? And/Or was his entry a vanity project? Or maybe a sponsor looking for a famous name? Never knew he drove.

[@adamUDavies]

Curious what HP those cars had back then ?

[@walterharp1773]

425

[@adcoxrobert3786]

@@walterharp1773 Uh... huh? Try 600-650.

[@danaringquist9730]

Dr 4-4-24

[@tonymyers7498]

Who drove #2 ?

[@KevinWindsor1971]

Pete Hamilton blows engine. Crew changes tires anyhow.

[@TheNASCARJeff]

When Montoya broke the track track bar that team did the same thing...

[@invisiblepuppet3437]

1:57

[@Slimjim260]

Look at the hideous front bumper terrible