The 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 26th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 3rd modern-era NASCAR Cup series. The season began on Sunday January 20 and ended on Sunday November 24. The first 15 races were shortened 10 percent due to the 1973 oil crisis. Following criticism of the 1972 and 1973 points systems that placed emphasis on completed miles, NASCAR implemented a new points system, that took basic purse winnings, multiplied by number of starts, and divided by 1,000; it was designed to more directly reward winning races, a response to Benny Parsons' championship the previous year with just one win. Richard Petty was Winston Cup champion at the end of the season finishing 567.45 points ahead of Cale Yarborough, while David Pearson finished a strong third in points despite only nineteen starts. Earl Ross was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year.
This was the last season without Dale Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd, and Bill Elliott until 2002, 2006, and 2013, respectively. It was also the first year that all cars had to run the engine.
Races
Winston Western 500 Begun on January 20, the Western 500 at Riverside International Raceway was stopped by rain and resumed on January 26. Cale Yarborough led 144 laps but was closely contested by Bobby Allison, who led 33 laps. Allison faltered and finished a distant fifth, while Cale took the win with Richard Petty second. David Pearson finished third in the final eligible race for the Wood Brothers 1971 Mercury Cyclone; the car had won 19 times with Pearson and A. J. Foyt the previous two seasons.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 43 - Richard Petty 21 - David Pearson 72 - Benny Parsons 12 - Bobby Allison 88 - Donnie Allison 16 - Gary Bettenhausen 24 - Cecil Gordon 98 - Richie Panch 04 - Hershel McGriff
Daytona 500
Top ten results
43 - Richard Petty 11 - Cale Yarborough 83 - Ramo Stott 14 - Coo Coo Marlin 50 - A. J. Foyt 88 - Donnie Allison 95 - Darrell Waltrip 27 - Bobby Isaac 32 - Dick Brooks 30 - Walter Ballard
Richmond 500 Bobby Allison grabbed the win, his third with his own team since the start of 1973.
Top ten results
12 - Bobby Allison 43 - Richard Petty 11 - Cale Yarborough 54 - Lennie Pond 2 - Dave Marcis 48 - James Hylton 70 - J.D. McDuffie 90 - Bill Dennis 64 - Elmo Langley 67 - Buddy Arrington
Carolina 500 Cale Yarborough led most of the first half but his car's handling deteriorated throughout the race and Richard Petty dominated the second half en route to the win.
Top ten results
43 - Richard Petty 11 - Cale Yarborough 12 - Bobby Allison 28 - Charlie Glotzbach 15 - George Follmer 30 - Walter Ballard 90 - Bill Dennis 2 - Dave Marcis 54 - Lennie Pond 48 - James Hylton
Southeastern 500 Amid periodic snow flurries, a crowd of 18,000 witnessed Cale Yarborough win for the second straight spring Bristol race. Richard Petty was hit in the driver side door in a four-car crash.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 27 - Bobby Isaac 72 - Benny Parsons 12 - Bobby Allison 88 - Donnie Allison 24 - Cecil Gordon 60 - Joe Mihalic 48 - James Hylton 68 - Alton Jones 14 - Coo Coo Marlin
Atlanta 500 NASCAR mandated smaller carburetors for big-block engines. David Pearson led the most laps in a small block but had to pit late for fuel, giving Cale Yarborough the win.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 21 - David Pearson 71 - Buddy Baker 15 - George Follmer 88 - Donnie Allison 43 - Richard Petty 95 - Darrell Waltrip 57 - Bob Burcham 16 - Gary Bettenhausen 54 - Lennie Pond
Rebel 450 Darlington's spring race shaved 10 percent off its race distance as other races did, but did not lop off the opening 36 laps, it simply scheduled the race as a 450-miler. David Pearson took his third straight Rebel race win (and fifth in all). The race was stopped for half an hour when Lennie Pond smashed a guardrail and several posts were pushed off. Cale Yarborough took the point lead.
Top ten results
21 - David Pearson 12 - Bobby Allison 71 - Buddy Baker 88 - Donnie Allison 11 - Cale Yarborough 16 - Dave Marcis 28 - Sam McQuagg 18 - Joe Frasson 95 - Darrell Waltrip 57 - Bob Burcham
Gwyn Staley Memorial Richard Petty debuted a hand-built (by his brother, the team's chief engine builder Maurice) small-block Chrysler engine and won going away. The win put him back into the point lead. Petty stated the small block cost $50,000; “so we're still in the red right now.”
Top ten results
43 - Richard Petty 11 - Cale Yarborough 12 - Bobby Allison 72 - Benny Parsons 54 - Lennie Pond 15 - George Follmer 88 - Donnie Allison 70 - J.D. McDuffie 90 - Harry Gant 2 - Dave Marcis
Virginia 500 Cale Yarborough lead almost wire to wire and the win gave him back the point lead. Richard Petty finished second despite multiple pitstops.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 43 - Richard Petty 12 - Bobby Allison 72 - Benny Parsons 54 - Lennie Pond 90 - Jimmy Hensley 48 - James Hylton 2 - Dave Marcis 70 - J.D. McDuffie 96 - Richard Childress
Winston 500
The lead changed 52 times among 14 drivers as David Pearson edged Benny Parsons. During pitstops at Lap 105 crewman Don Miller lost a leg when he was hit by the spinning car of rookie Grant Adcox.
Top ten results
21 - David Pearson 72 - Benny Parsons 43 - Richard Petty 90 - Charlie Glotzbach 54 - Lennie Pond 2 - Dave Marcis 14 - Coo Coo Marlin 28 - Sam McQuagg 11 - Cale Yarborough 57 - Bob Burcham
Music City 420 Rain pushed the second half of the race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon. Richard Petty took his fourth win of the season and retook the point lead over Yarborough. It was Neil Bonnett's first Winston Cup start.
Top ten results
43 - Richard Petty 88 - Donnie Allison 95 - Darrell Waltrip 57 - Bob Burcham 2 - Dave Marcis 15 - George Follmer 70 - J.D. McDuffie 05 - David Sisco 14 - Coo Coo Marlin 67 - Buddy Arrington
Mason-Dixon 500 Petty, Pearson, and Yarborough were the only leaders in a race interrupted only three times for yellows. Petty, running the small-block Chrysler engine, led 210 laps but fell out with engine failure while leading with three laps to go. Cale took the win having led 220 laps, while Pearson was second with only 20 laps led.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 21 - David Pearson 43 - Richard Petty 72 - Benny Parsons 15 - George Follmer 54 - Lennie Pond 2 - Dave Marcis 93 - Jackie Rogers 83 - Ramo Stott 48 - James Hylton
World 600 David Pearson edged Richard Petty as the lead changed 37 times, the most for the race to that point of its history. Buddy Baker left Harry Hyde's Dodge team to drive Bud Moore's Ford after Moore released driver George Follmer. Baker led 94 laps before falling out with engine failure; he was signed to drive the rest of the season in Moore's Ford.
Top ten results
21 - David Pearson 43 - Richard Petty 12 - Bobby Allison 95 - Darrell Waltrip 52 - Earl Ross 2 - Dave Marcis 81 - Dick Trickle 31 - Jim Vandiver 05 - David Sisco 70 - J.D. McDuffie
Tuborg 400 George Follmer was fired from Bud Moore's team before the 600 and jumped into Roger Penske's AMC Matador; he won the pole but blew his engine after just seven laps. Cale Yarborough edged Bobby Allison for the win, his sixth of the season.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 12 - Bobby Allison 72 - Benny Parsons 24 - Cecil Gordon 79 - Frank Warren 48 - James Hylton 68 - Sonny Easley 37 - Chuck Wahl 56 - Eddie Bradshaw 89 - Don Reynolds
Motor State 400 This was the last race of the season shortened by NASCAR due to the energy crunch. The lead changed 50 times among eight drivers, a new record for the track to that point. Petty edged rookie Earl Ross after Pearson pitted under a late yellow for tires and the green never flew again.
Top ten results
43 - Richard Petty 52 - Earl Ross 21 - David Pearson 16 - Gary Bettenhausen 42 - Marty Robbins 96 - Richard Childress 05 - David Sisco 2 - Dave Marcis 98 - Richie Panch 24 - Cecil Gordon
Firecracker 400 David Pearson, the winner of the previous two 400s, pulled an audacious fake as he slammed his brakes to put Petty into the lead on the final lap, then drafted past at the stripe; Pearson's maneuver was such that an angered Petty confronted Pearson in the pressbox after the race; the ensuing dialogue was transcribed by The Charlotte Observer and published the next day (July 5, 1974, edition). Bobby Allison took over Roger Penske's Matador; he led 50 laps but broke an intake valve late in the race and finished fifth. The lead changed 45 times, a race record that stood until 2010. 1974 Firecracker 400 from YouTube
Top ten results
1. 21 - David Pearson 2. 43 - Richard Petty 3 *DH. 15 - Buddy Baker 3 *DH. 11 - Cale Yarborough 5. 16 - Bobby Allison 6. 28 - Bobby Isaac 7. 54 - Lennie Pond 8. 93 - Jackie Rogers 9. 05 - David Sisco 10. 24 - Cecil Gordon
Cale Yarborough and Buddy Baker crossed the line nose to nose in a dead heat for third. Because electronic timing and scoring didn't exist at the time, no one could determine who finished ahead. As a result, both Yarborough and Baker were credited with third place, and were awarded the same amount of points and prize money.
Volunteer 500 Junior Johnson had purchased his race team from Richard Howard when Carling Breweries joined the #52 of Earl Ross along with Cale Yarborough's #11. In the second race as owner of the team Junior saw Cale dominate but Buddy Baker surged to the lead late. A caution set up a two lap sprint and Cale sideslammed Baker on the final lap for the win. The race saw Neil Bonnett strike the inside pit guardrail, tearing up numerous support posts and requiring a 40-lap caution for repairs.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 15 - Buddy Baker 43 - Richard Petty 90 - Charlie Glotzbach 12 - Bobby Allison 24 - Cecil Gordon 32 - Dick Brooks 67 - Buddy Arrington 2 - Dave Marcis 30 - Walter Ballard
Nashville 420 Controversy marred Nashville's mid-summer event. Following Richard Petty's crash a scoring controversy ensued involving Cale Yarborough and Charlie Glotzbach; Glotzbach was placed a lap down based on scoring, but Cale stayed on the lead lap. Allison finished just behind Yarborough and drove into victory lane ahead of Yarborough, insisting Cale was a lap down. NASCAR later said a scoring mistake had been made but that the Yarborough win would stand.
Top ten results
11 - Cale Yarborough 12 - Bobby Allison 95 - Darrell Waltrip 05 - David Sisco 68 - Alton Jones 90 - Charlie Glotzbach 72 - Benny Parsons 52 - Earl Ross 67 - Buddy Arrington 98 - Richie Panch
Dixie 500 Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, and David Pearson dueled over the first 170 laps. Petty then lost a lap on a cut tire but made it up after Tony Bettenhausen suffered engine failure. At Lap 300 final stops occurred and the Petty Enterprises team put on tires they'd kept after the Atlanta 500 in March, a softer compound for March's much cooler temperatures; the gamble worked as Petty stormed to a 21-second win. It was the eleventh race they'd run a small block Chrysler engine and their fourth win with it.
Purolator 500 Originally published in NASCAR's schedule, the annual 300-miler at Trenton Speedway was cancelled and replaced by Pocono's Purolator 500. Richard Petty won the race as rain shortened the race by eight laps. Buddy Baker won the pole; he'd also won the pole in late April in Pocono's USAC stock car 500-miler. It was the inaugural race for NASCAR at Pocono, which has become part of the annual schedule since then.
Top ten results
43 - Richard Petty 15 - Buddy Baker 11 - Cale Yarborough 21 - David Pearson 72 - Benny Parsons 2 - Dave Marcis 24 - Cecil Gordon 77 - Jan Opperman 93 - Jackie Rogers 30 - Kenny Brightbill
Talladega 500