Benny Parsons, a 32-year-old driver from Wilkes County, North Carolina, claimed the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Series championship at Rockingham Speedway, overcoming a dramatic crash to secure the title in the American 500. Before a crowd of 45,000 at “The Rock,” Parsons outlasted Cale Yarborough by a narrow 67.15-point margin, wrapping up a standout season with a resilient performance on the challenging 1.017-mile oval.
Parsons entered the race with a 194.35-point advantage over Yarborough, starting ninth in his No. 72 Chevrolet, fielded by track owner L.G. DeWitt. The 492-lap, 500-mile event began with David Pearson taking control, leading the first 13 laps from the pole in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury. Parsons worked his way into the top five by lap 50, staying competitive as Pearson, Yarborough, and Bobby Allison exchanged the lead on a track known for its tire-shredding surface.
Trouble hit on lap 149 when rookie Darrell Waltrip lost control in turn four, crashing into Parsons and sending both cars into the wall. Parsons’ Chevrolet sustained heavy damage to its right side and hood, requiring a 13-lap pit stop that dropped him to 31st, 13 laps behind. Yarborough capitalized, leading 92 laps in his No. 11 Chevrolet and narrowing the points gap as he chased both the race win and the championship.
NASCAR Images and Archives Photo
NASCAR Images and Archives Photo
NASCAR Images and Archives Photo
NASCAR Images and Archives Photo
The race turned into a test of endurance, with 11 cautions slowing the action and mechanical breakdowns thinning the field. A major incident on lap 245 eliminated Buddy Baker and Richard Petty, the latter having led 63 laps. Only 14 of the 43 starters finished. Pearson dominated, leading 329 laps to take the victory by nearly two laps over Bobby Isaac, with Allison, Yarborough, and Dave Marcis completing the top five. Parsons battled back, finishing 28th, 13 laps down, in his patched-together car.
That effort sealed the championship. Yarborough’s fourth-place finish earned him 175 points, but Parsons’ 134.8 points for 28th, combined with his season total of 7,173.5, proved sufficient. With one win, 15 top-fives, and 21 top-tens in 28 races, Parsons finished with 7,173.5 points to Yarborough’s 7,106.35—a 67.15-point difference, the closest in NASCAR history at that point.
The championship marked a career-defining moment for Parsons, who had risen from humble beginnings to NASCAR’s top honor. His triumph at Rockingham, a track steeped in regional racing heritage, underscored a season of consistency and determination, delivering the title to a driver from Wilkes County in a finish that thrilled the 45,000 fans who witnessed it.