1976 Mason-Dixon 500

Auto race held at Dover Downs International Speedway in 1976 February 2025 CUST Race 12 of 30 in the 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season Mason-Dixon 500 http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/DE/Dover/1976-05-16 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 weather information The Old Farmer's Almanac 2012-06-12 http://www.racing-reference.info/race?id=1976-12&series=W 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 racing results Racing Reference 2011-01-20 http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1976012 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 racing results (fourth references) Driver Averages 2011-01-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20111005053736/http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1976012 2011-10-05 dead 1976 05 16 1976 12 30 Dover Motor Speedway 2024.svg Layout of Dover International Speedway Mason-Dixon 500 Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover, Delaware Temperatures of 78.1 F C; wind speeds of 15 mph km/h 1.000 1.609 500 500.0 804.6 115.436 mph km/h Dave Marcis K&K Insurance Racing Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates 243 73 Benny Parsons DeWitt Racing untelevised none The 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event that took place on May 16, 1976, at Dover Downs International Speedway (now called Dover International Speedway) in Dover, Delaware. Background thumb|left|Dover International Speedway, where the race was held. Dower Downs International Speedway, now called Dover International Speedway, is one of five short tracks to hold NASCAR races; the others are Bristol Motor Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, and Phoenix International Raceway.NASCAR Race Tracks http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/ 23 September 2010 NASCAR Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. https://web.archive.org/web/20100912133620/http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/ 12 September 2010 The NASCAR race makes use of the track's standard configuration, a four-turn short track oval that is 1 mi km long.NASCAR Tracks—The Dover International Speedway http://www.doverspeedway.com/track/records.php Dover International Speedway 23 September 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100921052901/http://doverspeedway.com/track/records.php 21 September 2010 The track's turns are banked at twenty-four degrees, and both the front stretch (the location of the finish line) and the backstretch are banked at nine degrees. Race report The total time of the race was four hours, nineteen minutes, and fifty-three seconds. Six cautions were given for thirty-eight laps while thirty-two thousand and eight hundred fans were in attendance for the race. The average speed in the race was 115.436 mi/h with the pole winning speed being 136.013 mi/h. From lap 115 to lap 227, Cale Yarborough would lead for a duration of 163 laps. He would never regain the lead after losing it to David Pearson on lap 278. Benny Parsons defeated second place driver David Pearson by a time of 25½ seconds. http://www.doverspeedway.com/track/news/article.php?dir=200701&id=861 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 winner information Dover Speedway 2011-03-01 https://web.archive.org/web/20101215093842/http://doverspeedway.com/track/news/article.php?dir=200701&id=861 2010-12-15 dead Other notable racers who competed includes: Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd, and Cale Yarborough (who would lose the points lead after this race). http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Season-Stats/Statistics.aspx?RaceID=42&SubSeriesID=1&YearID=36 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 racing results (third reference) Motor Racing Network 2011-01-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20110714123324/http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Season-Stats/Statistics.aspx?RaceID=42&SubSeriesID=1&YearID=36 2011-07-14 dead Bruce Hill finished in last place due to an engine problem on lap 2. This race would be Neil Castles' final race in his NASCAR Cup Series career. It would also be the last race for Doc Faustina before his retirement. Total winnings for this race would be $108,140 ($ when adjusted for inflation). Qualifying Grid No. Car number Driver Manufacturer Owner 1 71 Dave Marcis Dodge Nord Krauskopf 2 21 David Pearson Mercury Wood Brothers 3 2 Bobby Allison Mercury Roger Penske 4 15 Buddy Baker Ford Bud Moore 5 88 Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet DiGard Racing 6 43 Richard Petty Dodge Petty Enterprises 7 72 Benny Parsons Chevrolet L.G. DeWitt 8 11 Cale Yarborough Chevrolet Junior Johnson 9 28 Donnie Allison Chevrolet Hoss Ellington 10 54 Lennie Pond Chevrolet Ronnie Elder 11 90 Dick Brooks Ford Junie Donlavey 12 36 Bobby Wawak Chevrolet John Gwinn 13 24 Cecil Gordon Chevrolet Cecil Gordon 14 3 Richard Childress Chevrolet Richard Childress 15 47 Bruce Hill Chevrolet Bruce Hill 16 8 Ed Negre Dodge Ed Negre 17 22 Ricky Rudd Chevrolet Al Rudd 18 67 Buddy Arrington Dodge Buddy Arrington 19 50 Darrell Bryant Chevrolet Cliff Stewart 20 40 D.K. Ulrich Chevrolet J.R. DeLotto Top 10 finishers Pos Grid No. Car number Driver Manufacturer Laps Number of laps completed Laps led Number of laps led Points Number of points earned towards championship standings Time/Status 1 7 72 Benny Parsons Chevrolet 500 176 180 4:19:53 2 2 21 David Pearson Mercury 500 75 175 +25.5 seconds 3 1 71 Dave Marcis Dodge 499 4 170 +1 lap 4 3 2 Bobby Allison Mercury 497 2 165 +3 laps 5 4 15 Buddy Baker Ford 495 0 155 +5 laps 6 6 43 Richard Petty Dodge 492 0 150 +7 laps 7 11 93 Dick Brooks Ford 492 0 146 +7 laps 8 10 54 Lennie Pond Chevrolet 491 0 142 +8 laps 9 19 50 Darrell Bryant Chevrolet 478 0 138 +12 laps 10 14 3 Richard Childress Chevrolet 476 0 134 +14 laps Timeline Section reference: Start of race: Bobby Allison had the pole position as the green flag waves into the air. Lap 2: Bruce Hill's engine stopped working properly on this lap. Lap 3: David Pearson took over the lead from Bobby Allison. Lap 16: Cale Yarborough took over the lead from David Pearson. Lap 23: Benny Parsons took over the lead from Cale Yarborough. Lap 34: Cale Yarborough took over the lead from Benny Parsons. Lap 51: Tommy Gale had a terminal crash. Lap 57: Dave Marcis took over the lead from Cale Yarborough. Lap 58: David Pearson took over the lead from Dave Marcis. Lap 59: Benny Parsons took over the lead from David Pearson. Lap 63: Cale Yarborough took over the lead from Benny Parsons. Lap 113: Dave Marcis took over the lead from Cale Yarborough. Lap 115: Cale Yarborough took over the lead from Dave Marcis. Lap 136: Cecil Gordon's vehicle suffered from engine problems. Lap 149: Transmission problems would force Donnie Allison to quit the race prematurely. Lap 218: Engine problems struck Ed Negre in a manner that he could not continue the race. Lap 247: Ricky Rudd had a terminal crash. Lap 250: Ignition problems ended Earl Brooks' chance of winning the race. Lap 271: Engine problems forced Buddy Arrington to step aside. Lap 278: David Pearson took over the lead from Cale Yarborough. Lap 316: Engine problems managed to bring Darrell Waltrip into the garage for the remainder of the race. Lap 320: A faulty swar bar took away Buck Baker's hopes at a respectable race finish. Lap 326: Dave Marcis took over the lead from David Pearson. Lap 327: David Pearson took over the lead from Dave Marcis. Lap 332: Benny Parsons took over the lead from David Pearson. Lap 354: David Pearson took over the lead from Benny Parsons. Lap 362: Benny Parsons took over the lead from David Pearson. Finish: Benny Parsons was officially declared the winner of the event. Standings after the race Pos Driver Points Differential 1 Benny Parsons 1836 0 2 Cale Yarborough 1812 -24 3 10px Richard Petty 1723 -113 4 10px Bobby Allison 1656 -180 5 Dave Marcis 1612 -224 6 Lennie Pond 1588 -248 7 10px Richard Childress 1516 -320 8 Buddy Baker 1429 -407 9 Darrell Waltrip 1384 -452 10 Frank Warren 1371 -465 References 1976 Music City USA 420 1976 World 600 NASCAR Winston Cup Season 1976 Mason-Dixon 500 Mason-Dixon 500 Mason-Dixon 500 Category:NASCAR races at Dover Motor Speedway