# 1966 Firecracker 400

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1966_Firecracker_400
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1966_Firecracker_400.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Firecracker_400
> Source revision: 1326226271
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Auto race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1966}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report
| Type           = CUST
| Description    = Race 28 of 49 in the [1966 NASCAR Grand National Series](/source/1966_in_NASCAR) season
| Race Name      = Firecracker 400
| Details ref    = <ref name="race weather">{{cite web | url = http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/FL/Daytona%20Beach/1966-07-04| title = 1966 Firecracker 400 weather information | publisher = Old Farmers' Almanac | accessdate = 2012-07-01}}</ref>
| Fulldate       = {{Start date|1966|07|4}}
| Year           = 1966
| Race_No        = 28
| Season_No      = 49
| Image          = 1966_Firecracker_400_program_cover_and_logo.png
| Caption        = 1966 Daytona 500 program cover
| Official name  = Firecracker 400
| Location       = [Daytona International Speedway](/source/Daytona_International_Speedway), [Daytona Beach, Florida](/source/Daytona_Beach%2C_Florida)
| Course_mi      = 2.500
| Course_km      = 4.023
| Distance_laps  = 160
| Distance_mi    = 400
| Distance_km    = 643
| Avg            = {{convert|153.813|mi/h}}
| Weather        = Temperatures of {{convert|93|F|C}}; wind speeds of {{convert|12|mph|km/h}}
| Attendance     = 46,200<ref name="1966f400"/>
| Pole_Driver    = [LeeRoy Yarbrough](/source/LeeRoy_Yarbrough)
| Pole_Team      = [Jon Thorne](/source/Jon_Thorne)
| Pole_Time      =
| Most_Driver    = [Sam McQuagg](/source/Sam_McQuagg)
| Most_Team      = [Ray Nichels](/source/Ray_Nichels)
| Most_laps      = 126
| Car            = 98
| First_Driver   = Sam McQuagg 
| First_Team     = Ray Nichels
}}

The '''1966 Firecracker 400''' was a [NASCAR](/source/NASCAR) [Grand National Series](/source/Grand_National_Series) event that was held on July 4, 1966, at [Daytona International Speedway](/source/Daytona_International_Speedway) in [Daytona Beach, Florida](/source/Daytona_Beach%2C_Florida).<ref name="1966f400">{{cite web | url = http://racing-reference.info/race/1966-28/W| title = 1966 Firecracker 400 racing results | publisher = Racing Reference | accessdate = 2010-11-19}}</ref>

==Race report==
Forty-six Thousand two hundred fans would attended this event.<ref name="1966f400"/> It took two hours and thirty-six minutes to finish.<ref name="1966f400"/> Four cautions slowed the race for 23 laps.<ref name="1966f400"/> The average speed of the race was {{convert|153.813|mi/h}}.<ref name="1966f400"/> [Sam McQuagg](/source/Sam_McQuagg) would beat [Darel Dieringer](/source/Darel_Dieringer) by one minute and six seconds.<ref name="1966f400"/>

This was the first time that a [rear spoiler](/source/rear_spoiler) would be used in any NASCAR Cup Series race.<ref name="1strearspoiler">{{cite web | url = http://www.nascardriveroftheday.com/2010/02/sam-mcquagg.html| title = NASCAR Driver of the Day: Sam McQuagg | publisher = NASCAR Driver of the Day | accessdate = 2011-01-07}}</ref> On the day of the race, the factory engineers at [Dodge](/source/Dodge) would install this new invention on McQuagg's car (which caused him to go several miles per hour faster than his opponents).<ref name="1strearspoiler"/>

Individual winnings for this event ranged from the winner's share of $13,600 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|13600|1966|r=0}}}} when considering inflation) to the last-place finisher's share of $350 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|350|1966|r=0}}}} when considering inflation). A total of $55,105 was handed out to every driver (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|55105|1966|r=0}}}} when considering inflation).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1966/daytona-international-speedway/firecracker-400/989| title = 1966 Firecracker 400 winnings information | publisher = Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet | accessdate = 2012-12-02}}</ref>

===Qualifying===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Grid<ref name="1966f400"/>
! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}}
! Driver
! Manufacturer
! Owner
|-
!  1
| 12 || LeeRoy Yarbrough || '66 [Dodge](/source/Dodge) || [Jon Thorne](/source/Jon_Thorne)
|-
!  2
| 43 || Richard Petty || '64 [Plymouth](/source/Plymouth_(automobile)) || [Petty Enterprises](/source/Petty_Enterprises)
|-
! 3
| 13 || Curtis Turner || '66 [Chevrolet](/source/Chevrolet) || [Smokey Yunick](/source/Smokey_Yunick)
|-
! 4
| 98 || Sam McQuagg || '66 [Dodge](/source/Dodge) || [Ray Nichels](/source/Ray_Nichels)
|-
! 5
| 99 || Paul Goldsmith || '66 [Plymouth](/source/Plymouth_(automobile)) || Ray Nichels
|-
! 6
| 56 || Jim Hurtubise || '66 [Plymouth](/source/Plymouth_(automobile)) || [Norm Nelson](/source/Norm_Nelson)
|-
! 7
| 31 || Don White || '66 [Dodge](/source/Dodge) || Ray Nichels
|-
! 8
| 5 || Mario Andretti || '66 [Dodge](/source/Dodge) || [Cotton Owens](/source/Cotton_Owens)
|-
! 9
| 3 || Buddy Baker || '65 [Dodge](/source/Dodge) || [Ray Fox](/source/Ray_Fox)
|-
! 10
| 71 || Earl Balmer || '65 [Dodge](/source/Dodge) || [Nord Krauskopf](/source/Nord_Krauskopf)
|}

==Finishing order==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
# Sam McQuagg† (No. 98)
# Darel Dieringer† (No. 16)
# [Jim Paschal](/source/Jim_Paschal)† (No. 14)
# [Curtis Turner](/source/Curtis_Turner)† (No. 13)
# [Jim Hurtubise](/source/Jim_Hurtubise)† (No. 56)
# [Don White](/source/Don_White_(racing_driver)) (No. 31)
# [Marvin Panch](/source/Marvin_Panch) (No. 04)
# [Tiny Lund](/source/Tiny_Lund)† (No. 24)
# [James Hylton](/source/James_Hylton) (No. 48)
# [John Sears](/source/John_Sears_(racing_driver))† (No. 4)
# [Buddy Baker](/source/Buddy_Baker)*† (No. 3)
# [Frank Warren](/source/Frank_Warren_(racing_driver)) (No. 79)
# [Elmo Langley](/source/Elmo_Langley)† (No.64)
# [Bobby Allison](/source/Bobby_Allison)†(No. 2)
# [David Pearson](/source/David_Pearson_(racing_driver))† (No. 6)
# [Harold Smith](/source/Harold_Smith_(racing_driver)) (No. 55)
# [Larry Hess](/source/Larry_Hess) (No. 44)
# [Eddie MacDonald](/source/Eddie_MacDonald) (No. 89)
# [Wendell Scott](/source/Wendell_Scott)† (No. 34)
# [Blackie Watt](/source/Blackie_Watt) (No. 93)
# [J.D. McDuffie](/source/J.D._McDuffie)† (No.70)
# [Jack Lawrence](/source/Jack_Lawrence_(racing_driver)) (No. 06)
# [Henley Gray](/source/Henley_Gray) (No. 97)
# [LeeRoy Yarbrough](/source/LeeRoy_Yarbrough)*† (No. 12)
# [Roy Mayne](/source/Roy_Mayne)† (No. 00)
# [Jimmy Helms](/source/Jimmy_Helms_(racing_driver))* (No. 53)
# [Paul Goldsmith](/source/Paul_Goldsmith_(racing_driver))* (No. 99)
# [Doug Cooper](/source/Doug_Cooper_(racing_driver))* (No. 02)
# [Richard Petty](/source/Richard_Petty)* (No. 43)
# [Earl Balmer](/source/Earl_Balmer)* (No. 71)
# [Mario Andretti](/source/Mario_Andretti)* (No. 5)
# [Wayne Smith](/source/Wayne_Smith_(NASCAR_driver))* (No. 38)
# [Buck Baker](/source/Buck_Baker)*† (No. 86)
# [Bunkie Blackburn](/source/Bunkie_Blackburn)*† (No. 39)
# [G.C. Spencer](/source/G.C._Spencer)*† (No. 49)
# [Buddy Arrington](/source/Buddy_Arrington)* (No. 69)
# [J.T. Putney](/source/J.T._Putney)*† (No. 19)
# [Bobby Johns](/source/Bobby_Johns_(racing_driver))* (No. 7)
# [Jabe Thomas](/source/Jabe_Thomas)*† (No. 25)
# [Joel Davis](/source/Joel_Davis_(racing_driver))* (No. 33)
{{div col end}}
''† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased'' <br>
''* Driver failed to finish race''

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
  before = [1966 Pickens 200](/source/1966_Pickens_200) |
  after = [1966](/source/1966_in_NASCAR) untitled race at [Old Dominion Speedway](/source/Old_Dominion_Speedway)|
  title = NASCAR Grand National races|
  years = 1966 |
}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
|before = [1965](/source/1965_Firecracker_400)
|after = [1967](/source/1967_Firecracker_400)
|title = Firecracker 400 races
|years = 1966
}}
{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

Firecracker 400
Firecracker 400
Category:NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1966 Firecracker 400](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Firecracker_400) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Firecracker_400?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.