The 1965 NASCAR Grand National Series was the seventeenth season of the premier Grand National Series stock car racing championship sanctioned by NASCAR. Due to the no availability of the Hemi, GM "Mystery Motor" and Ford overhead cam 427, NASCAR banned those non-production engines. Chrysler responded by withdrawing their support, and drivers Richard Petty, David Pearson, Paul Goldsmith, Bobby Isaac until the Chrysler HEMI had sold 500 units in production vehicles, meeting NASCAR's homologation standards of 500 units. Driver Ned Jarrett won the Grand National Drivers Championship after winning 13 of the 54 races he competed in, he clinched the title with 3 races remaining in the season after finishing 5th in the National 400 from Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ford won the Manufacturers Championship again.
The newly built Rockingham Speedway opened in 1965, and Curtis Turner returned from his ban to win the inaugural race in his Ford. Turner had been banned from NASCAR in 1961 by Bill France Sr. for trying to organize a drivers' union with the Teamsters.
Schedule No. Race title Track Date1Motor Trend 500Riverside International Raceway, RiversideJanuary 172100-mile qualifying racesDaytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachFebruary 1234Daytona 500February 1451965-05Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, SpartanburgFebruary 276Fireball 200Asheville-Weaverville Speedway, WeavervilleFebruary 287Richmond 250Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds, RichmondMarch 781965-08Orange Speedway, HillsboroughMarch 149Atlanta 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonApril 1110Greenville 200Greenville-Pickens Speedway, GreenvilleApril 1711Gwyn Staley 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroApril 1812Virginia 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayApril 2513Columbia 200Columbia Speedway, ColumbiaApril 2814Southeastern 500Bristol International Speedway, BristolMay 215Rebel 300Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonMay 816Tidewater 250Langley Speedway, HamptonMay 14171965-17Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-SalemMay 1518Hickory 250Hickory Speedway, HickoryMay 1619World 600Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordMay 23201965-20Cleveland County Fairgrounds, ShelbyMay 27211965-21New Asheville Speedway, AshevilleMay 29221965-22Harris Speedway, HarrisMay 3023Music City 200Nashville Speedway, NashvilleJune 324Birmingham 200Fairgrounds Raceway, BirminghamJune 625Dixie 400Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonJune 1326Pickens 200Greenville-Pickens Speedway, GreenvilleJune 19271965-27Rambi Raceway, Myrtle BeachJune 24281965-28Valdosta 75 Speedway, ValdostaJune 2729Firecracker 400Daytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachJuly 4301965-30Old Dominion Speedway, ManassasJuly 831Old Bridge 200Old Bridge Stadium, Old BridgeJuly 9321965-32Islip Speedway, IslipJuly 1433The Glen 151.8Watkins Glen International, Watkins GlenJuly 1834Volunteer 500Bristol International Speedway, BristolJuly 2535Nashville 400Nashville Speedway, NashvilleJuly 31361965-36Cleveland County Fairgrounds, ShelbyAugust 537Western North Carolina 500Asheville-Weaverville Speedway, WeavervilleAugust 8381965-38Smoky Mountain Raceway, MaryvilleAugust 13391965-39Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, SpartanburgAugust 14401965-40Augusta Speedway, AugustaAugust 1541Sandlapper 200Columbia Speedway, ColumbiaAugust 1942Moyock 300Dog Track Speedway, MoyockAugust 24431965-43Beltsville Speedway, BeltsvilleAugust 2544Myers Brothers 250Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-SalemAugust 2845Southern 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonSeptember 646Buddy Shuman 250Hickory Speedway, HickorySeptember 1047Pennsylvania 200Lincoln Speedway, New OxfordSeptember 14481965-48Old Dominion Speedway, ManassasSeptember 1749Capital City 300Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds, RichmondSeptember 1850Old Dominion 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewaySeptember 2651Wilkes 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroOctober 352National 400Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordOctober 17531965-53Orange Speedway, HillsboroughOctober 2454American 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamOctober 3155Tidewater 300Dog Track Speedway, MoyockNovember 7
Expansion Fords had won 34 races before NASCAR adjusted the rules to allow the Chryslers to compete, but it was too late in the 55 event season for them to mount a championship challenge.
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