1956 Virginia 500
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| Race details[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 18 of 56 in the 1956 NASCAR Grand National Series season | |||
 1965 Virginia 500 program cover | |||
| Date | April 25, 1956 | ||
| Official name | Virginia 500 | ||
| Location | Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 0.525 miles (0.844 km) | ||
| Distance | 500 laps, 262.5 mi (442.4 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures of 67.7 °F (19.8 °C); wind speeds of 11.16 miles per hour (17.96 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 60.824 miles per hour (97.887 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 20,000[2] | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Carl Kiekhaefer | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Speedy Thompson | Carl Kiekhaefer | |
| Laps | 259 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 502 | Buck Baker | Carl Kiekhaefer | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | untelevised | ||
| Announcers | none | ||
The 1956 Virginia 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 20, 1956, at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia.[2] As the inaugural event for the NASCAR Grand National Series in Martinsville, this race would set a precedent for all other 500-lap races to follow on this newly paved short track.[3]
Martinsville Speedway is one of five short tracks to hold NASCAR races.[4] The standard track at Martinsville Speedway is a four-turn short track oval that is 0.526 miles (0.847 km) long.[5] The track's turns are banked at eleven degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at zero degrees. The back stretch also has a zero degree banking.[5]
Race report
Five hundred laps took place on a paved oval track spanning 0.500 miles (0.805 km) for a grand total of 250 miles (400 km).[2] The time of the race was four hours and three minutes while there were seven cautions for twenty laps.[2] The average speed was 60.824 miles per hour (97.887 km/h) while the pole position speed was 66.103 miles per hour (106.382 km/h).[2][6]
Buck Baker defeated Speedy Thompson by half a lap.[2] Other notable drivers in the race included Arden Mounts, Cotton Owens, Fireball Roberts, Tiny Lund, Paul Goldsmith, and Lee Petty.[2] The winning vehicle was a 1956 Dodge Coronet. Thirty-five American drivers started the race. It would be the first time that a driver with the number 502 would win a race.[2] Joe Bill O'Dell crashed on lap 37 causing his vehicle to have all four wheels off the ground.[2]
A vehicle made by the Packard Motor Car Company qualified for the race; eventually finishing in 34th place due to a tire problem.[7] Years later, the Packard Motor Company would be victimized by the "Big Three" automobile manufacturers and would close due to lack of sales.
Shorty Johns and Carl Kiekhaefer were the two most notable crew chiefs to attend this race.[8]
Twenty thousands fans were on hand to watch the race.[2] The total winnings of the race was $10,275 ($118,835 when considering inflation).[6] Buck Baker received $3,100 for the victory. ($35,853 when considering inflation).[2][6]
