The 1969 Pickens 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on June 21, 1969, at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina.

1969 Pickens 200
Race details[1]
Race 26 of 54 in the 1969 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date June 21, 1969; 55 years ago (1969-06-21)
Official name Pickens 200
Location Greenville-Pickens Speedway (Greenville, South Carolina)
Course Permanent racing facility
0.500 mi (0.804 km)
Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (160 km)
Weather Very hot with temperatures of 89.1 °F (31.7 °C); wind speeds of 11.1 miles per hour (17.9 km/h)
Average speed 62.456 mph (100.513 km/h)
Attendance 9,300[2]
Pole position
Driver Nord Krauskopf
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Isaac Nord Krauskopf
Laps 197
Winner
No. 71 Bobby Isaac Nord Krauskopf
Television in the United States
Network untelevised
Announcers none

The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s.

Race report

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25 drivers competed in this 200-lap racing event that took more than one hour and thirty minutes to successfully complete. Paul Dean Holt was credited with the last-place finish due to an engine problem on the first regulation lap of racing. Bobby Isaac would defeat David Pearson by nine seconds. Isaac, Pearson, and Richard Petty would be the only drivers on the lead lap by the end of the event after dominating the entire race.[2]

James Hylton would compete directly against Nord Krauskopf as a NASCAR team owner for supremacy; Krauskopf's 1969 Dodge vehicle would prove to be superior to Hylton's 1967 Plymouth vehicle. The model year of the vehicles varied from 1967 to 1969 in compliance with NASCAR's regulations of that era. Cecil Gordon quit the race on lap 123 due to personal issues. Other notable drivers to appear at this race included: Neil Castles, J.D. McDuffie, Elmo Langley, Wendell Scott, and Bill Champion. Buster Sexton was black flagged during this race and was eventually disqualified on the ninth lap of the race.[2]

Individual winnings for this race varied from a meager $200 ($1,662 when adjusted for inflation) to an incredible $1,000 ($8,309 when adjusted for inflation).[2] The total prize purse for this racing event was $6,795 ($56,456 when adjusted for inflation).[3]

Notable crew chiefs that witnessed the race were John Hill, Dick Hutcherson, Dale Inman and Harry Hyde. These individuals helped provide pit road services for John Sears, David Pearson, Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac.[4]

Qualifying

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Grid[2] No. Driver Manufacturer Owner
1 71 Bobby Isaac '69 Dodge Nord Krauskopf
2 43 Richard Petty '69 Ford Petty Enterprises
3 4 John Sears '68 Ford L.G. DeWitt
4 18 Dick Johnson '68 Ford Dick Johnson
5 06 Neil Castles '67 Plymouth Neil Castles
6 64 Elmo Langley '68 Ford Elmo Langley
7 70 J.D. McDuffie '67 Buick J.D. McDuffie
8 0 Dick Poling '67 Chevrolet Don Tarr
9 10 Bill Champion '68 Ford Bill Champion
10 26 Earl Brooks '67 Ford Earl Brooks
11 08 E.J. Trivette '69 Chevrolet E.C. Reid
12 25 Jabe Thomas '68 Plymouth Don Robertson
13 04 Ken Meisenhelder '67 Oldsmobile Ken Meisenhelder
14 34 Wendell Scott '68 Ford Wendell Scott
15 76 Ben Arnold '68 Ford Don Culpepper
16 47 Cecil Gordon '68 Ford Bill Seifert
17 19 Henley Gray '68 Ford Harry Melton
18 80 Wayne Gillette '67 Chevrolet E.C. Reid
19 12 Pete Hazelwood '67 Ford Pete Hazelwood
20 17 David Pearson '69 Ford Holman-Moody Racing
21 48 James Hylton '68 Dodge James Hylton
22 82 Buster Sexton '67 Chevrolet Mack Sellers
23 45 Bill Seifert '69 Ford Bill Seifert
24 23 Paul Dean Holt '67 Ford Dennis Holt
25 57 Ervin Pruitt '67 Dodge Ervin Pruitt

Top 10 finishers

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Pos[2] Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Laps Winnings Laps led Time/Status
1 1 71 Bobby Isaac Dodge 200 $1,000 197 1:37:04
2 20 17 David Pearson Ford 200 $800 3 +9 seconds
3 2 43 Richard Petty Ford 200 $400 0 Lead lap under green flag
4 21 48 James Hylton Dodge 196 $350 0 +4 laps
5 5 06 Neil Castles Plymouth 195 $325 0 +5 laps
6 7 70 J.D. McDuffie Buick 191 $300 0 +9 laps
7 10 26 Earl Brooks Chevrolet 186 $275 0 +14 laps
8 11 08 E.J. Trivette Ford 183 $270 0 +17 laps
9 6 64 Elmo Langley Ford 183 $265 0 +17 laps
10 25 57 Ervin Pruitt Dodge 181 $260 0 +19 laps

Timeline

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Section reference: [2]

  • Start of race: Bobby Isaac had the pole position to begin the event with.
  • Lap 1: Paul Dean Holt managed to blow his engine after barely competing in the race.
  • Lap 9: Buster Sexton was black-flagged for something that he shouldn't have done and was disqualified.
  • Lap 42: Dick Johnson managed to overheat his vehicle.
  • Lap 45: A messed-up axle on Dick Poling's vehicle forced him to end his day early.
  • Lap 46: Oil line issues made Wayne Gillette forget about winning the race.
  • Lap 49: Problems with the car's steering caused Bill Seifert to end his race day early.
  • Lap 62: John Sears' vehicle suffered from a terminal crash; forcing Sears to exit the race.
  • Lap 67: David Pearson took over the lead from Bobby Isaac.
  • Lap 68: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from David Pearson.
  • Lap 107: David Pearson took over the lead from Bobby Isaac.
  • Lap 109: Bobby Isaac took over the lead from David Pearson.
  • Lap 123: Cecil Gordon apparently quit the race for no apparent reason.
  • Lap 133: Transmission problems knocked Pete Hazelwood out of the race.
  • Lap 145: A faulty axle caused Bill Champion to leave the race early.
  • Lap 150: Jabe Thomas managed to lose the rear end of his vehicle, forcing him to accept 15th-place finish.
  • Finish: Bobby Isaac was officially declared the winner of the event.

References

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  1. ^ Weather information for the 1969 Pickens 200 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 1969 Pickens 200 racing information at Racing Reference
  3. ^ 1969 Pickens 200 racing information at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  4. ^ 1969 Pickens 200 crew chief information at Racing Reference
Preceded by NASCAR Grand National Series Season
1969
Succeeded by