The 1970 Alabama 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on April 12, 1970, at Alabama International Motor Speedway (now Talladega Superspeedway) in Talladega, Alabama. It was the inaugural running of what is now known as the GEICO 500.
Nord Krauskopf's Bobby Isaac won the pole position, and the race was won by Petty Enterprises's Pete Hamilton.
Background Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS), later known as Talladega Superspeedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a Tri-oval and was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line – located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Truck Series. The track is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of , and the track at its peak had a seating capacity of 175,000 spectators.
Qualifying Grid Driver Manufacturer Team/Owner 1 71 Bobby Isaac '69 Dodge K&K Insurance Racing 2 17 David Pearson '69 Ford Holman-Moody 3 99 Charlie Glotzbach '69 Dodge Nichels Engineering 4 22 Bobby Allison '69 Dodge Mario Rossi 5 6 Buddy Baker '69 Dodge Owens Racing 6 40 Pete Hamilton '70 Plymouth Petty Enterprises 7 32 Dick Brooks '70 Plymouth Brooks Racing 8 43 Richard Petty '70 Plymouth Petty Enterprises 9 14 Freddy Fryar '70 Plymouth Bill Ellis 10 79 Frank Warren '69 Plymouth Frank Warren1172Benny Parsons'69 FordDeWitt Racing1259Richard Brickhouse'70 FordTom Pistone1337Don Tarr'69 DodgeDon Tarr1464Elmo Langley'69 FordLangley Racing1545Bill Seifert'69 FordBill Seifert1625Jabe Thomas'69 PlymouthDon Robertson1747Raymond Williams'69 FordBill Seifert1824Cecil Gordon'68 FordGordon Racing1963Jimmy Crawford'69 ChevroletCrawford Racing2051Dub Simpson'69 ChevroletBill Strong2121Cale Yarborough'69 MercuryWood Brothers Racing2248James Hylton'69 FordJames Hylton Motorsports2331Jim Vandiver'69 DodgeJim Vandiver2430Dave Marcis'69 DodgeMarcis Auto Racing2510Bill Champion'69 FordBill Champion2662Ron Keselowski'69 DodgeJohn Keselowski2768Larry Baumel'69 FordAllan Schlauer2881Dave Alonzo'69 DodgeDave Alonzo2986John Sears'69 DodgeDennis Gallion3089Butch Hirst'69 FordMorris Davis3174Bill Shirey'69 PlymouthBill Shirey3234Wendell Scott'69 FordScott Racing3306Neil Castles'69 DodgeNeil Castles3419Henley Gray'69 FordHenley Gray3576Ben Arnold'69 FordBen Arnold3639Friday Hassler'69 ChevroletJames Hanley3784Bobby Mausgrover'69 DodgeBuster Davis3807Coo Coo Marlin'69 ChevroletCunningham-Kelley Racing397Alton Jones'68 FordBen Arnold4096E. J. Trivette'68 FordFailed to qualify57Johnny HalfordDodgeErvin Pruitt67Dick MayFordRon Ronacher70J. D. McDuffieFordMcDuffie RacingWD33Wayne SmithChevroletWayne Smith
Failed to qualify: Dick May (#67), J. D. McDuffie, Johnny Halford (#57), Wayne Smith
Race report The ABC broadcast picked up the action just after halfway at about lap 100. One of the announcers highlighted what had happened during the untelevised part of the race by showing scale models of the cars that started up front and talking about where they were now. However, the race was hard to watch on television as the announcers and apparently even NASCAR officials struggled to figure out who was leading at the end; making for a very poor and unprofessional finish. The TV crew thought Bobby Isaac was the leader and was confused when Hamilton was given the checkered flag. The broadcast crew left the air before the victory lane interview, thinking that Pete Hamilton won the race.
A crowd of 36,000 was present at the race.
32 lead changes occurred between eight drivers: Buddy Baker, Hamilton, Isaac, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Richard Brickhouse, Charlie Glotzbach and Bobby Allison.
Bill Shirey blew his engine on lap 3 while Dale Alonzo inflicted terminal damage on lap 10. Further engine failures on the vehicles of Don Tarr on lap 17, Richard Brickhouse on lap 25, Bobby Mausgrover on the same lap, and E.J. Trivette on lap 73. Henley Gray's steering forced his exit on lap 78. Jim Vandiver overheated his vehicle on lap 93. Two more engine failures as Raymond Williams had to leave the race on lap 107 and Charlie Glotzbach on lap 117. Bill Champion's vehicle developed an oil leak on lap 125 while Bobby Allison lost his engine on lap 126. Elmo Langley could not continue the race due to a faulty engine on lap 149. Water pump issues took Ron Keselowski of the race while Alton Jones had to settle for a 24th-place finish due to engine problems on lap 155. Longtime Alabama independent driver Ben Arnold fielded cars for Alton Jones and himself. Cale Yarborough lost several laps on pit road when his car wouldn't refire, while Richard Petty lost a couple more laps himself when the crew had to go under the hood of the #43 Plymouth.
Notable crew chiefs at this race included Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Maurice Petty, Tom Vandiver, Tom Ingram, Dick Hutcherson and Glen Wood.
Baker's accident Even though Buddy Baker led the most laps with 101 (along with having a nine-second distance between Pete Hamilton by lap 170), pit road problems allowed Hamilton to lap him. Baker began to close in on Hamilton. However, Baker's tire blew heading into the fourth turn on lap 175; fragments of the tire would ultimately damage the engine cooler that resulted in a serious fire for his Dodge. Baker attempted to put out the fire by spinning into the grass.
Baker suffered second-degree burns to the legs and face but was subsequently released from the hospital. When asked about the incident, Baker stated, "it was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. I don't really mind losing this time; I'm just happy to be alive." Baker would finish 12th, as Hamilton led the final 18 laps to give him the victory, with a 44-second lead over second-place finisher Isaac; Pearson, Benny Parsons and Yarborough closed out the top five. The win was Hamilton's second of the season, and Hamilton would eventually win the second Talladega race.
Finishing order Source: FinSt#DriverMakeTeam/OwnerSponsorLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1640Pete Hamilton'70 PlymouthPetty Enterprises7-Up18819running150$26,6502171Bobby Isaac'69 DodgeK&K Insurance RacingK & K Insurance1883running147$12,5003217David Pearson'69 FordHolman-MoodyPurolator1877running144$8,67541172Benny Parsons'69 FordDeWitt RacingL.G. DeWitt1870running141$5,82552121Cale Yarborough'69 MercuryWood Brothers Racing60 Minute Cleaners18312running138$4,4256914Freddy Fryar'70 PlymouthBill EllisBill Ellis1820running135$3,0007843Richard Petty'70 PlymouthPetty Enterprises7-Up1810running132$2,50082248James Hylton'69 FordJames Hylton MotorsportsHylton Engineering1800running129$2,30093306Neil Castles'69 DodgeNeil CastlesHoward Furniture1790running126$2,200103807Coo Coo Marlin'69 ChevroletCunningham-Kelley RacingCunningham-Kelley1770running123$2,000111079Frank Warren'69 PlymouthFrank Warren1760running120$1,8851256Buddy Baker'69 DodgeOwens RacingCotton Owens175101spin/fire117$1,86013732Dick Brooks'70 PlymouthBrooks RacingBestline Products1750running114$1,785143639Friday Hassler'69 ChevroletJames HanleyJames Hanley1750running111$1,760151625Jabe Thomas'69 PlymouthDon RobertsonDon Robertson1740running108$1,710163089Butch Hirst'69 FordMorris DavisMorris Davis1690running105$1,685172430Dave Marcis'69 DodgeMarcis Auto RacingLunda Construction1680running102$1,685181545Bill Seifert'69 FordBill Seifert1670running99$1,635192986John Sears'69 DodgeDennis GallionDennis Gallion1670running96$1,610203234Wendell Scott'69 FordScott Racing1650running93$1,585211824Cecil Gordon'68 FordGordon Racing1640running90$1,560222051Dub Simpson'69 ChevroletBill StrongBill Strong1620running87$1,535233576Ben Arnold'69 FordBen Arnold1600running84$1,51024397Alton Jones'68 FordBen ArnoldBen Arnold1550engine81$1,485252662Ron Keselowski'69 DodgeJohn KeselowskiKaye Engineering1530water pump78$1,460262768Larry Baumel'69 FordAllan SchlauerAuto Lad1500running75$1,435271464Elmo Langley'69 FordLangley Racing1490engine72$1,435281963Jimmy Crawford'69 ChevroletCrawford RacingCrawford Racing1430running69$1,38529422Bobby Allison'69 DodgeMario Rossi Coca-Cola12640engine66$1,410302510Bill Champion'69 FordBill Champion1250oil leak63$1,33531399Charlie Glotzbach'69 DodgeNichels EngineeringDow Chemicals1174engine60$1,385321747Raymond Williams'69 FordBill SeifertBill Seifert1070engine57$1,285332331Jim Vandiver'69 DodgeJim Vandiver930overheating54$1,285343419Henley Gray'69 FordHenley Gray780steering51$1,285354096E.J. Trivette'68 Ford730engine48$1,210363784Bobby Mausgrover'69 DodgeBuster DavisBuster Davis250engine45$1,210371259Richard Brickhouse'70 FordTom PistonePepsi-Cola252engine42$1,210381337Don Tarr'69 DodgeDon TarrCoca-Cola170engine39$1,160392881Dave Alonzo'69 DodgeDave Alonzo100crash36$1,110403174Bill Shirey'69 PlymouthBill Shirey30engine33$1,085
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