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THE DAILY TAR HEEL
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Bobby Isaac makes a move on Henley Gray
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The race is a long 150 miles
Photos by Steve Adams
Text By Wayne Hurder
The fields surrounding the high, tin fenced-in Orange
Speedway were filled with acres of cars, while a big
truck with water tank sprinkled down the roads leading
to the speedway to keep down the dust kicked up by
the hundreds of cars streaming in.
The crowds of people, in their campers, new turcks,
old battered trucks, and hopped-up cars were pouring
into the grassy parking field so they could pay five
dollars a head to watch stock cars top racers compete on
one of the last big dirt-tracks in America.
Entered in the 150 mile NASCAR Grand National
race were big men in racing such as Buck Baker and his
son Buddy Baker, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Curtis
Turner, Bobby Allison, and Bobby Isaac.
They and the other 22 entrees hung around their cars
in the infield section of the race track as mechanics
made last minute adjustments on the engines prior to.
the qualifying event.
Most of the crowd poured into the grandstands, in
this case, just the side of the hill with a fence to keep
the crowd off the track.
They came pouring through the gate lugging coolers
full of beer and chicken.
Those who didn't sit in the grandstands drove down
in the infield. Once there they began to devise elaborate
schemes for seeing the race. Those that had campers
usually produced deck chairs and sat on top the camper.
Others just took the back seat out of their cars and put
on the roof.
The crowd wandered around while the drivers ran
their three qualifying laps to determine pole position
but as soon as the pace car started leading the pack
around the red clay track they quieted down.
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For the first several laps of the 167 lap race the
crowd paid attention. After that they began milling
around, drinking beer, eating french fries, and talking.
About the 75th lap, however, as the race began
turning into a duel between Petty and Pearson, the
crowd began sitting tighter in their seats.
Pearson was running about 30 seconds behind Petty
when Petty had to make a pit stop. Pearson got ahead of
Petty just as Petty pulled out of the pits. For the next
12 laps they ran neck and neck, going around the turns
in tandem. However, about the 90th lap Pearson's 68
Ford began spewing smoke, and he had to slow down. A
little later his engine caught fire and he had to fall out
of the race.
With Petty having the race sewed up the crowd began
to settle down until the last few laps. As Petty, in his
blue, battered 68 Plymouth, began his last lap, the
crowd, particularly the teenagers, began to edge up to
the fence.
As he pulled up to the judges stand at the end of lap
167 the crowd found a hole in the fence and began
pouring out on the field to engulf Petty and his car.
There they edged close, some taking pictures as a local
beauty presented Petty with his trophy.
They then began breaking up and going back to then
cars. Over at Pearson's car, in the meantime, Pearson's
fans edged up to his mechanics and began asking what
happened, what this would do to his NASCAR point
standings, and where the unfortunate hero was.
After grilling the mechanics, who sat quietly with a
look of exasperation in their eyes, the group started
breaking up and the thousands of cars with their Wallace
bumper stickers and their "Put your Heart In Dixie, or
Get The Hell Out" license plates began to leave.
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An enthusiast in the crowd
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Peffv is surrounded by admirers after the race
September 17, 1968
The crowd showed an ambiance far Wallace
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