1968 Columbia 200

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1968 Columbia 200
Race details[1][2]
Race 10 of 49 in the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date April 18, 1968; 56 years ago (1968-04-18)
Official name Columbia 200
Location Columbia Speedway, Columbia, South Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
0.500 mi (0.804 km)
Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (160 km)
Weather Warm with temperatures approaching 84 °F (29 °C); wind speeds up to 10.24 miles per hour (16.48 km/h)
Average speed 71.358 miles per hour (114.840 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Petty Enterprises
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Isaac K&K Insurance Racing
Laps 186
Winner
No. 37 Bobby Isaac K&K Insurance Racing

The 1968 Columbia 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series stock car race that was held on April 18, 1968 at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina.

The race car drivers still had to commute to the races using the same stock cars that competed in a typical weekend's race through a policy of homologation (and under their own power). This policy was in effect until roughly 1975. By 1980, NASCAR had completely stopped tracking the year model of all the vehicles and most teams did not take stock cars to the track under their own power any more.

Summary

Two hundred laps took place on a dirt track spanning 0.500 miles (0.805 km) per lap; for a grand total of 100.0 miles (160.9 km).[2] The race lasted one hour and twenty-four minutes with five cautions being handed out by NASCAR officials.[2]

Bobby Isaac would defeat Charlie Glotzbach by less than one lap[3] in front of 6500 live spectators (thus recording Nord Krauskopf's first win as a NASCAR team owner.[2] While the average speed of the race was 71.358 miles per hour (114.840 km/h), Richard Petty would qualify for the race with a pole position speed of 75.282 miles per hour (121.155 km/h).[2] Out of the 23-car field, 22 cars would be driven by American-born drivers while the other vehicle would be driven by Canadian driver Frog Fagan.[2] Bob Cooper would acquire the race's last-place finish due to an alternator issue on lap 42.[2][3] Until 1972, Daytona 500 qualifiers were valid for the championship, Isaac would get his second win of the season at this race.

Bobby Isaac would claim his fifth NASCAR Grand National victory in the race. Meanwhile, Mopar (Dodge and Plymouth) would have its vehicles finish in the top five.[2] Total prize winnings handed out at the race was $4,490 ($30,553.48 when adjusted for inflation); with $1,000 being handed out to the winner ($6,804.78 when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher not winning any money.[4]

Finishing order

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  1. 37-Bobby Isaac†
  2. 6-Charlie Glotzbach
  3. 48-James Hylton
  4. 3-Buddy Baker
  5. 43-Richard Petty
  6. 4-John Sears†
  7. 17-David Pearson
  8. 64-Elmo Langley†
  9. 56-LeeRoy Yarbrough†
  10. 06-Neil Castles
  11. 20-Clyde Lynn†
  12. 88-Buck Baker†
  13. 34-Wendell Scott†
  14. 9-Roy Tyner†
  15. 25-Jabe Thomas
  16. 19-Henley Gray
  17. 09-Bill Vanderhoff*
  18. 45-Bill Seifert*
  19. 95-Frog Fagan*†
  20. 76-Ben Arnold*
  21. 31-Paul Dean Holt*
  22. 8-Ed Negre*
  23. 02-Bob Cooper*

* Driver failed to finish race
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased

Timeline

  • Start of race: Richard Petty started the race with the pole position
  • Lap 15: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from Richard Petty
  • Lap 42: The alternator on Bob Cooper's vehicle became problematic, forcing him out of the race
  • Lap 51: Ed Negre developed problems with his vehicle's rear end, causing him to leave the race
  • Lap 52: Vibrations could be felt on Paul Dean Holt's vehicle, ending his day on the track
  • Lap 56: Ben Arnold's vehicle also had some vibration problems, forcing him to leave the event
  • Lap 62: Frog Fagan would have problems with his vehicle's engine, causing him to exit from the race prematurely
  • Lap 63: Bill Seifert's engine became problematic; making him leave the race without properly finishing it
  • Lap 78: The rear end of Bill Vanderhoff's vehicle gave out, causing him to exit the race early
  • Finish: Bobby Isaac was officially declared the winner of the event

References

  1. ↑ Weather information for the 1968 Columbia 200 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 1968 Columbia 200 information at Racing Reference
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 1968 Columbia 200 information at Everything Stock Car
  4. ↑ NASCAR Race Results for the 1968 Columbia 200 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
Preceded by NASCAR Grand National Series Season
1968		 Succeeded by
1968 Gwyn Staley 400
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