1973 Daytona 500

Daytona 500 highlights: amzn.to/2Ho7lmA
Richard Petty takes his 4th Daytona 500 victory in the 1973 running of the Great American race. Buddy Baker was clearly the dominant car during speedweeks, taking the pole and winning his qualifying race. During the race Buddy would lead 156 of the 200 laps, with Richard Petty being his closest competition. Petty is in the lead after a late race pitstop but Baker is charging hard and it looks as if another classic finish is shaping up. With only 6 laps to go, Buddy's car loses an engine and a dejected Baker is forced to coast into the garage. Richard Petty would go on to beat Bobby Isaac by over 2 laps, the largest margin of victory in Daytona 500 history.
Quick facts:
Darrell Waltrip finishes12th in his Daytona 500 debut.

[@texasrockshillcountry6574]

Prior to Dale Earnhardt Sr., I just loved to see that trademark Blue and Red #43 of Richard Petty winning big!

[@rebeccapardue8438]

A journalist sat down with Richard Petty and asked Richard about his 7 victories in the Great American Race, the Daytona 500. Richard, with his wonderful smile said, Well, we lost some that we should have won but, then again, we won some that we should have lost. So it kinda evens out. The journalist smiled at this and said, Well Richard, win or lose, you're still the king. I couldn't agree more. Richard Petty #43 🏁 Mike Pardue

[@Chicken_Wing91]

I remember hearing that quote he definitely still is the king

[@artjones2498]

When i was in grade school i had a ton of those richard petty. 5 time daytona 500 decals STP used to give away he was my hero

[@craigcricket7932]

I had the #71 charger in my model car collection. Those were the days my friend...we thought they'd never end ..we sang and danced for ever and a day....

[@27hfd]

And Baker just "blew the belly out of that Hemi"...great memories.

[@bigcheeezzz7135]

When racing was Awesome!!

[@divisioneight]

As a kid, I was a huge fan of King Richard. Loved that hot rod Dodge he rolled around in then.

[@Blackscorpion1963]

The King believes his '71 Dodge Charger was the BEST car he ever drove. I believe it was a gorgeous looking muscle/race car oozing speed, power, and handling. Nevertheless it takes an exceptional driver to win and in Petty there's none better and that's the reason he deserves his nickname.

[@briangola7502]

Yup! the King in a Mopar that's what I remember!

[@scarbourgeoisie]

Of all of Petty's race cars, the two-tone STP Charger is the one I associate him with the most. He and Evel were my childhood heroes.

[@anthonybarnett6828]

I noticed Marty Robbins crashing . Yep it was the Marty Robbins( I don’t think he was wearing a white sport coat or big iron on his hip)but to qualify at NASCAR was an accomplishment .

[@mica122213]

pettys team knew how to build engines back then, plain and simple. a good engine man wins every race

[@soxfunny98]

Yes i know this is Nascar but.... I had something I would be willing to bet, that no more than 5 people know this about big daddys engines etc. Don Garlits used ALL CHRYSLER ENGINES his whole career. ( electric engine dragster tested after his CAREER) EXCEPT 1 engine only and..... HE BLEW IT UP IN 1 RACE.CALLED CHRYSLER AND THE NEXT DAY CHRYSLER HAD 8 ENGINES FOR PETTY. HE WAS STILL DRIVING BUILT CHRYSLER ENGINES WHEN HE SETN250, 270 AND 315 ( I THINK) MPH RECORDS. ALL CHRYSLER ENGINES STILL AND ALMOST ALL CHRYSLER PARTS OR MOPAR PARTS I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY DONT HAVE MOPAR Hemis out there running high 200s and 300s in NHRA. . Even the HEMIs out there that may not all be full chrysler ARE CHRYSLERS DESIGN. 98% IS WHAT KB figured ALONG WITH VERY FAMOUS ENGINE BUILDERS SAID. KB, barton, arrington, petty and so on 95% ARE MOPARS TO THIS DAY. THEY MAY N0T HAVE THE DODGE NAME ON THEM BUT, THEY WERE DODGE. THE EVOLUTION OF THE CHRYSLER HEMIs WERE NO DOUBT STILL IN ALMOST EVERY SINGLE CAR ON THE DAY WHEN US BUILDERS, CHRYSLER EXECS. ENGINEERS ETC COME FOR THE FUNNY CAR AND TOP FUEL FINALS...... ALMOST ALL OF THE RADIAL CLASS HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY HEMIS AND more than a few of other classes. Chrysler had to take HEMIs out of classes with weight like theirs as well. They dominated so many classes that everyone eventually thought a NOSTALGIC RACE FOR DUSTER AND DART HEMIs Ray Bartons Hemis a great and maybe the best ( Mazzolini gets no credit but is damn good) anyway Barton usually still has the fastest HEMI CARS OUT THERE. A KID, DRIVING AN ORIGINAL HEMI DART IS BECOMING A HEADACHE TO A CERTAIN BARTON DRIVER.

[@70stunes71]

@@soxfunny98 you are absolutely correct and this Mopar fanatic agrees with you. The problem is the rest of the automotive manufacturers are just jealous of the infamous Hemi and the ability it has. People like to claim today that the hemis are not Chryslers blah blah blah but you and I both know that that design is purely Chrysler. Ford and Chevrolet tried to do their own bit with it, but the original hemispherical combustion chamber was actually from a single cylinder design in the early 1900s. The patent for that was around 1906. Later it was used in aviation. Chrysler was just the one that had a great design with it. And everybody else can s@#k it. If you don't have a Mopar you got no car LMFAO. The rest of them can f@٪k off as far as I'm concerned. If they don't like that all they have to do is buy a Mopar and problem solved LOL

[@superfly3990]

You know, and I think that I can speak for everyone, but Petty had a secret ingredient that the others didn't know about. STP !! That stuff really helped. It improves oil viscosity and gave him the Winning Edge !!

[@ralphneal9743]

If FORD HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO RUN THEI 427 Engine that NASCAR WOULDNT ALLOW TO RACE !! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY !!!

[@soonerlegendspodcast]

@@ralphneal9743 if a frog had a machine gun a snake wouldn't mess with him

[@johnharmon4640]

The king wins another Dayton 500👌👑

[@jerrysaunders6105]

It was entertaining to watch the pit stops. They sure don't do it like that today!

[@50dundee]

My first NASCAR race. Thanks for the post.

[@johngates450]

I remember meeting Hershel Mcgriff at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe in 1973 after placing 5 th in the 500 earlier that year! .. I was 11 years old back then what a thrill that was!

[@peanuttization]

Commentators kept saying Yarborough driving a Monte Carlo..It was a Chevelle Laguna....

[@jimrudolph1582]

I thought so myself! Car and driver tv. Usually pretty good back then.

[@JayDogTitan]

I'd like to have a full collection of these cars in diecast.

[@johnnymitz]

I don't give a shit what anyone thinks or says, this was when NASCAR was worth watching. It ain't like that now - I give concern and attention used dryer sheets.

[@HDHTJH2]

I was at that race. Thanks for posting.

[@fargeeks]

You're either old or too old

[@stuartcrigan6105]

the good old boys

[@lonnyshenshew4605]

Real nascar

[@exodia9817]

0:23 Boogity Boogity Boogity! Let's go racing, boys!

[@WildDiamond07]

B U D D Y B A K E R

[@jonsellards4678]

I have two 1973 good shape dodge chargers not restored guy offered me 200 bucs for them lol nah spent 12 grand on one 0 rust now quarters all that I just love that bodystyle

[@antr7493]

Back when car manufacturers cared

[@jimbosc]

Hard luck Buddy Baker.....at least he got his win in 1980

[@topmech71]

Yea...he finally did, he got that win in good fashion too. Nobody could touch him and still the fastest 500 in history.

[@TheaLorraine]

marty robbins

[@condorc72]

These punk drivers nowadays couldn't even drive these cars of the early 70s

[@70stunes71]

Petty 🌠❤👍

[@zcam1969]

petty was the luckiest driver at daytona , he won 3 500s because the leader fell out on the last laps

[@howardrader3416]

He also lost some he clearly was fastest. Like the KING himself said, sometimes it evens out.

[@user-mp9rd4hg8b]

Ah, the good old days. NASCAR is now dead....and they buried it with that stupid rear wing that now _cause_ cars to flip, the stupid single lug nut that won't stay on and the *very* stupid 3-race suspension rule for losing a wheel.

[@lukmanfirdaus8497]

Gordy Johncock also at Daytona? I think at the time he only complete at Talladega (first big one at modern era)

[@cliffordzellner5917]

I wonder what year it was when no one blew up a engine during a race.

[@machineman7806]

They were crazy MFR'S back then

[@jimbosc]

Baker blew the belly out of his Hemi..lol

[@bultacowally]

they weren't using HEMI's anymore by then as they had been banned... they were just 426 wedge head engines

[@sonnypruitt6639]

They where banned in 1965, but I thought it was just for that season.

[@spaceman7832]

Being a huge MOPAR and Petty fan, I wonder when the HEMI returned to NASCAR, or did it ever? Thanks Wally, now you have me thinking. Thinking is a good thing they tell me. I dunno.

[@soxfunny98]

@@bultacowally You want to try something. Ask google if chrysler WAS ALLOWED TO USE THE 426 hemi in 1973. The ford guys are going to read the TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR ONCE. THEY KEEP TALKING SHIT THATS EXACTLY THAT, SHIT!! DODGE AND HEMI NEVER WERE FASTER LMFAO. WHY SO FEW WINS ALL TIME? UMM OUT OF RACING AFTER LEAVING. THEY WERE TIRED OF GETTING F***** EVERYTIME THEY WERE BEATIMG UP ON FORD. THESE LIKEV15 FORD GUYS ARGUED CHRYSLER DID NOT HAVE A GOOD YEAR IN 64 THEY WON 5 RACES, NOT EVEN I THINK 2 FORD DOMINATED SO DODGE QUIT LMMFAO AGAIN DODGE WON 26 -28 RACES ALONE AND FINISHED Q 1234 13456 12. 1245. 123456. 13 12 222 123 123 1246. A FEW FINISHING ORDERS. DODGE WAS SO DOMINANT AGAIN, THAT AFTER FORD COMPLAINED FOR A COUPLE YRS BEFORE AND AGAIN WHEN CHRYSLER CAME BACK. THEY JUST DOMINATED ALOT

[@soxfunny98]

HINT: THEY ARE T00 FAST😢😢😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭