1955 Wilkes County 160

1955 Wilkes County 160

Race details[1]
Race 8 of 45 in the 1955 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date	April 3, 1955
Official name	Wilkes County 160
Location	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Course	Permanent racing facility 0.625 mi (1.00 km)
Distance	160 laps, 100 mi (160 km)
Weather	Mild with temperatures approaching 75 °F (24 °C); wind speeds up to 18.1 miles per hour (29.1 km/h)
Average speed	73.126 miles per hour (117.685 km/h)
Attendance	10,000[2]
Pole position
Driver	Dink Widenhouse	Dink Widenhouse
Most laps led
Driver	Buck Baker	Bob Griffin
Laps	160
Winner
No. 87	Buck Baker	Bob Griffin
Television in the United States
Network	untelevised
Announcers	none

The 1955 Wilkes County 160 was a NASCAR Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series) event that was held on April 3, 1955 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Summary

One hundred and sixty laps were done on a dirt track spanning .625 miles (1.006 km).^[2] The total duration of the race was one hour, twenty-two minutes, and three seconds with no cautions.^[2] Buck Baker defeated Dick Rathmann by three feet.^[2] Ten thousand people came out to see this race.^[3]

The pole speed that was accomplished by Dink Widenhouse was 77.720 miles per hour (125.078 km/h) while the average speed was 73.126 miles per hour (117.685 km/h).^[2] Other notable drivers who participated included Lee Petty, Herb Thomas, Dink Widenhouse, Fonty Flock, and Junior Johnson.^[2] All twenty-two drivers who qualified were American-born.^[2] Twelve drivers failed to finish the race due to axle, spindle, coil, wheel, frame, vapor lock, tire, gasket, and bearing problems.^[2]

The total winnings of the race was $3,800 USD ($33,567.45 when considering inflation). Race car drivers still had to commute to the races using the same stock cars that competed in a typical weekend's race through a policy of homologation (and under their own power). This policy was in effect until roughly 1975. By 1980, NASCAR had completely stopped tracking the year model of all the vehicles and most teams did not take stock cars to the track under their own power anymore.

Finishing order

1. Buck Baker†
2. Dick Rathmann†
3. Curtis Turner†
4. Lee Petty†
5. Eddie Skinner
6. Dave Terrell
7. Jimmie Lewallen†
8. Gene Simpson
9. Joel Million
10. Blackie Pitt†
11. Tommy Ringstaff*
12. John Dodd, Sr.*
13. Tim Flock*†
14. Herb Thomas*†
15. Jimmy Thompson*
16. Jim Paschal*†
17. John Dodd, Jr.*
18. Junior Johnson*
19. Dink Widenhouse*
20. Fonty Flock*†
21. Ralph Liguori*
22. Boyce Hildreth*

* denotes that the driver failed to finish the race
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased

References

1. "1955 Wilkes County 160 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
2. "1955 Wilkes County 160 information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
3. "1955 Wilkes County 160 attendance information". Save the Speedway. Retrieved 2011-02-22.