Joe Thomas won the 150 mile AAA Championship race on the 1 mile banked board Fresno Speedway in Fresno, California. Thomas averaged 100.4 mph in his Duesenberg.
Duane Carter,in the # 98 J.C. Agajnian Special, won the AAA Sprint car race over Bill Schindler and Jimmy Davies at the Arlington Downs Raceway (1.0d), Arlington, TX
Junior Johnson took advantage of Fred Lorenzen's engine woes to win the NASCAR GN 'Virginia 500' Sweepstakes race at Martinsville Speedway Martinsville, Virginia. Johnson was 4 laps behind when leader Lorenzen's Ford made a lengthy pit stop with engine trouble. Despite having a 2 lap lead and being repeatedly given a pit board reading "EZ", Johnson refused to let up. Car owner Rex Lovette threatened Johnson with a sledgehammer during his last pit stop, so Johnson reluctantly eased his pace. Johnson's Pontiac finished 4 laps ahead of Emanuel Zervakis in a convertible Chevy. "Sweepstakes" races were open to Convertibles and 8 started.
Jiggs Peters won the ARDC Midget race at the Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne,PA
Dick Tobias, in the # 6 Regester Chevy, won the Super Modified feature over Johnny Mackison at the Susquehanna Speedway, Newberrytown,PA
A.J. Foyt won the USAC Sprint Car race over Roger McCluskey and Don Branson at the Salem Speedway, Salem,IN
Joe Walter won the 50 lap USAC Midget race at the Olympic Stadium, Kansas City, MO.
Andy Hillenburg... Born ... He won the state quarter midget championships in 1975-1979. Hillenburg won the ARCA Super Car Series Championship in 1995, with 3 time ARCA Champion Bob Dotter as Crew Chief. He won the 1995 and 1997 Daytona ARCA 200, the premiere event in the series. He served as a test driver for the IROC series. He competed in the 2000 Indianapolis 500, finishing 28th, and has sixteen Winston Cup starts nine Busch Series starts and four in the Craftsman Truck Series. On October 2, 2007, Hillenburg purchased North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina for $4.4 million (USD). The track was put up for auction by Speedway Motorsports Inc and chairman Bruton Smith. Rockingham has not hosted a NASCAR event since 2004, but Hillenburg hopes to bring lower-tier NASCAR series back to the track.
Michael Waltrip... Born ... NASCAR driver and owner of Michael Waltrip Racing. He is the younger brother of Darrell Waltrip, a three-time NASCAR champion (now retired). Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 (2001 & 2003), and drives a self-owned #55 NAPA Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series. He is also a part-time commentator for SPEED TV's coverage of the Craftsman Truck Series and is a member of the "expert panel" on SPEED Channel's This Week in NASCAR program.
Richard Petty ran roughshod over the field, driving his Plymouth to a 3 lap victory in the NASCAR GN 'Rebel 500' at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. A great duel for second was settled late in the race when Paul Goldsmith slipped his Plymouth past David Pearson. Only 7,000 fans paid, the Ford boycott apparently hurting the gate. Idled since the Ford boycott began, Curtis Turner switched to Smokey Yunick's Chevrolet.
Richard Petty, took the lead when Bobby Allison spun and collected 2nd place Dick Hutcherson, and won the NASCAR GN 'Richmond 250' on the Virginia State Fairgrounds 1/2 mile dirt oval in Richmond, Virginia. It was Petty's 54th career GN win, tying father Lee atop the career wins list at the time. Allison, making his first start in the Cotton Owens Dodge, was out front when he spun on lap 150, taking 2nd running Hutcherson with him as Petty roared past. Hutcherson's Ford got stuck in a ditch, costing him 3 laps. Petty went on to finish 20 seconds ahead of Allison.
Johnny Grum wins the Super Sprint Car race over Elmer Ruby, Mert Stine, Milford Wales and Gerald Chamberlain at the Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown,MD
Scratch Daniels wins the USAC Sprint Car race over Bruce Walkup, Sammy Sassions, Mickey Shaw and Al Smith at the Winchester Speedway, Winchester,IN
Richard Petty prevailed as little known independents starred in the NASCAR GN 'Columbia 200' on the 1/2 mile dirt Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina. Petty, driving the Don Robertson Plymouth, started 7th, behind surprisingly strong independents. Wisconsin's Larry Baumel was on the pole followed by Johnny Halford, Frank Warren and Cecil Gordon. Halford and Michigan driver Ron Keselowski led before Warren took over on lap 26. Warren led until lap 97 when he lost 3 laps having his brakes worked on during his scheduled pit stop. Petty took over and went on to take the flag a lap ahead of Bobby Allison's Dodge.
Lou Blaney wins the Super Sprint Car race over Chuck Engstrom, Buddy Cochran, Paul Kekich and Dick Swartzlander at the Lernerville Speedway, Sarver,PA
Mitch Smith, in the Gary Wasson # 5, won the Super Sprint Car feature over Jim Sheaffer, Lee Osborne, Lynn Paxton and Gus Linder, at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
Richard Petty took advantage when 2 leaders were sidelined in the last 110 laps, going on to win the NASCAR GN 'Virginia 500' at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Bobby Isaac led a total of 268 laps in the Krauskopf Dodge, leading on lap 391 when the engine blew. David Pearson then led in the Wood Brothers Mercury until the transmission housing broke with 30 laps to go. The Wood Brothers crew made repairs and wanted to re-enter the race, but Pearson was nowhere to be found. Petty's Plymouth was only running on 7 cylinders, but he still crossed the line 7 laps ahead of Bobby Allison's Chevy. Allison had lost 10 laps early in the race changing brake shoes.
Lou Blaney won the Super Sprint Car feature over Ted Wise, Ralph Quarterson, Ed Lynch and Bill Banick, at the Tri-City Speedway, Franklin,PA
Bruce Walkup wins the Tony Hulman Classic USAC Sprint Car race over George Snider, Sammy Sassions, Lee Kunzman and Larry Cannon at the Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute,IN
Jan Opperman, in the Bogar # 99, won the Super Sprint Car feature over Mike Lloyd, Kenny Weld, Rick Schmelyun and Kramer Williamson, at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
Jan Opperman, in the Ed Darrell # 83, won the ARDC Midget feature over Hank Rogers Jr, Bobbie Adamson ( in the Ken Brenn # 24 ), Johnny Hubbard and Johnny Coy, at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
Sheldon Kinser won the USAC Sprint Car race over Bob Frey, Johnny Parsons, Billy Cassella and Bubby Jones at the Queen City Speedway (1/2p), Cincinnati,OH.
Brad Sweet won the 30-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series race at the I-70 Motorsports Park in Odessa, MO. Brian Brown was second followed by David Gravel, Carson Macedo and Kyle Larson. Click to watch the feature highlights video.
Emerson Axsom won the 30-lap Kokomo Grand Prix USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature at the Kokomo Speedway, Kokomo, In. Cannon McIntosh was second followed by Chris Windom, Justin Grant and Buddy Kofoid. Click to watch the feature highlights video.