| Race details[1][2][3] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 12 of 31 in the1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | |||
 Layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway | |||
| Date | May 28, 1972 (1972-05-28) | ||
| Location | Charlotte Motor Speedway,Concord, North Carolina | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 1.500 miles (2.410 km) | ||
| Distance | 400 laps, 600 mi (965 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures reaching of 73.9 °F (23.3 °C); wind speeds of 14 miles per hour (23 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 142.255 miles per hour (228.937 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Howard & Egerton Racing | ||
| Time | 34.142 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Bobby Allison | Howard & Egerton Racing | |
| Laps | 239 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 11 | Buddy Baker | Petty Enterprises | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | untelevised | ||
| Announcers | none | ||
The1972 World 600, the 13th running of theevent, was aNASCARWinston Cup Series racing event that was held on May 28, 1972, atCharlotte Motor Speedway inConcord, North Carolina. Wendell Scott was promised a good car, what he actually got was a hunk of junk. In practice, the car was 9 miles per hour off the pace; this led to jeers from his fellow drivers that he just could not drive the best level of equipment that was available at the time. Bobby Allison climbed in the car afterward and went the same speed while Wendell did the best he could with it until the engine grenaded. This resulted in Wendell obtaining a result of 22nd place DNF on lap 283.[2]
South Carolina'sblue laws were in full force during the era of the race.[4] The pace car driver was Robert "Bob" Colvin who was nearly arrested for violating the "blue laws" before he found out that they were for someone else's badchecks.[4]
In addition to watching the event live, NASCAR followers who either lived or visited the Concord, North Carolina region could listen to it on theirtransistor radios.
It took four hours and thirteen minutes to race 400 spanning 1.500 miles (2.414 km) per lap.[2][3] Amateur home video helped capture the most important 49 minutes of this event. Three cautions were waved for 24 laps.[2][3] More than 80,000 spectators would seeBuddy Baker defeatBobby Allison by 24 seconds at speeds averaging 142.555 miles per hour or 229.420 kilometres per hour.[2][3] Thepole position speed would be 158.162 miles per hour or 254.537 kilometres per hour.[2]Jim Vandiver would become the last-place finisher due to atransmission problem on lap 11.[2]
James Hylton became the lowest-finishing driver to finish this race.[2][3]Richard Petty would suffer anengine problem.[2][3] His first win from theWorld 600 (nowCoca-Cola 600) series of racing events would come in1975.Larry Smith, who would go on to becomeNASCAR's Rookie of the Year, finished sixth in this race.[2][3] A Rookie of the Year from 1957,Ken Rush, would make his final NASCAR Cup Series appearance in this event. He would make a 29th-place finish out of a 31st place start.[2] Long-time NASCAR driverJim Paschal would make his final start as well.
Out of the 40-car grid, all except Formula 1 driverJackie Oliver were born in the United States.[2] Oliver was born inWalton-on-Thames,England.[5]
Notable crew chiefs includedHarry Hyde,Dale Inman,Tom Vandiver,Darrell Bryant, andLee Gordon.[6]
| Grid | No. | Driver | Manufacturer | Speed[7] | Qualifying time[7] | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Bobby Allison | '72Chevrolet | 158.162 | 34.142 | Richard Howard |
| 2 | 21 | David Pearson | '71Mercury | 158.051 | 34.166 | Wood Brothers |
| 3 | 71 | Bobby Isaac | '72Dodge | 156.109 | 34.591 | Nord Krauskopf |
| 4 | 31 | Jim Vandiver | '70Dodge | 155.889 | 34.640 | O.L. Nixon |
| 5 | 18 | Joe Frasson | '71Dodge | 155.704 | 34.681 | Joe Frasson |
| 6 | 11 | Buddy Baker | '72Dodge | 155.150 | 34.805 | Petty Enterprises |
| 7 | 14 | Coo Coo Marlin | '72Chevrolet | 155.141 | 34.807 | H.B. Cunningham |
| 8 | 16 | Dave Marcis | '72AMC Matador | 153.396 | 35.203 | Roger Penske |
| 9 | 43 | Richard Petty | '72Dodge | 153.061 | 35.280 | Petty Enterprises |
| 10 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | '72Ford | 152.883 | 35.321 | Hoss Ellington |
Section reference:[2]
* Driver failed to finish race
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased
| Preceded by | NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season 1972 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World 600 races 1972 | Succeeded by |