1973 NASCAR Grand National East Series

Race #1 - Hickory 276

The NASCAR Grand National East Series made their 1st stop of 1973 at the Hickory Speedway, in Hickory, North Carolina, for the Hickory 276.

Buddy Baker led the field to the green flag in front of a crowd of eleven thousand fans as Baker would jump out into an early lead around the 0.363 mile short track, as Baker would have the dominate car of the race, losing the lead briefly to Harry Gant, Cale Yarborough and even to his father Buck, but during the long runs, Baker's Nord Krauskopf owned Dodge was unstoppable, and when a long run happened at the end of the race, Baker would pull away and lead 231 of the event's 276 laps to score his first career NASCAR Grand National East Series win.

Other Noticeables:
Buddy Baker scored his 1st win of the year,
Baker led 3 times for 231 laps, including the final 117 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the NASCAR Grand National East Series in his 1st start,
Vic Parsons(2nd) and Richie Panch(7th) made their NASCAR Grand National East Series debuts,
Buddy Baker, who finished 1st, is the points leader, leading Vic Parsons by 27 points

1.71-Buddy Baker (231 laps led)
2.45-Vic Parsons
3.90-Harry Gant (26 laps led)
4.11-Cale Yarborough (2 laps led)
5.97-Wayne Andrews
6.57-David Ray Boggs
7.30-Richie Panch-1 lap
8.24-Bobby Allison-1 lap
9.06-Neil Castles-1 lap
10.87-Buck Baker-1 lap (1 lap led)
11.92-Charlie Blanton-1 lap (16 laps led)
12.13-Eddie Yarboro-1 lap
13.2-Dave Marcis-2 laps
14.54-Bobby Fleming-2 laps
15.20-Rick Newsom-2 laps
16.96-Richard Childress-3 laps
17.17-Ernie Shaw-3 laps
18.55-Tiny Lund-4 laps
19.74-Bill Shirey-5 laps
20.16-Max Berrier-9 laps
21.34-Wendell Scott-26 laps (Gearbox)
22.79-Elmo Langley-59 laps (Engine)
23.51-Richard D. Brown-139 laps (Accident)
24.17-Bill Dennis-276 laps (Did Not Start)

Buddy Baker-1-39
Charlie Blanton-40-53
Buddy Baker-54-127
Charlie Blanton-128-129
Buck Baker-130
Harry Gant-131-156
Cale Yarborough-157-158
Buddy Baker-159-276

7 Lead Changes among 5 drivers

Caution Flags: 3 for 15 laps
Lap 128 (Car #34 Spin Backstretch),
Lap 137 (Cars #92 and 51 Accident Turn 3),
Lap 219 (Car #79 Stalled Turn 1)

Margin of Victory: 3.133 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 38 Minutes and 13 Seconds

Buddy Baker leads the field to the Green Flag.



Charlie Blanton passes Buddy Baker for the lead on Lap 40.



Buddy Baker passes Charlie Blanton to retake the lead on Lap 54.



The first caution comes out on Lap 128 when Wendell Scott spins out on the Backstretch after contact from Bobby Allison.



The second caution comes out on Lap 137 when Charlie Blanton and Richard D. Brown wreck in Turn 3.



The third and final caution comes out on Lap 219 when Elmo Langley, who was running in 18th, stalls in Turn 2 due to a blown Engine.



While running in 18th, Wendell Scott's Gearbox breaks.



Buddy Baker takes the Checkered Flag.