1966 Southeastern 500

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

{{Infobox NASCAR race report | Type = CUST | Description = Race 7 of 49 in the 1966 NASCAR Grand National Series season | Race Name = Southeastern 500 | Details ref = | Fulldate = {{Start date|1966|03|20}} | Year = 1966 | Race_No = 7 | Season_No = 49 | Image = Bristol Motor Speedway map.png | Caption = Layout of Bristol Motor Speedway | Official name = Southeastern 500 | Location = Bristol International Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee | Course_mi = 0.500 | Course_km = 0.800 | Distance_laps = 500 | Distance_mi = 250.0 | Distance_km = 400.0 | Weather = Temperatures of {{convert|69|F|C}}; wind speeds of {{convert|14|mph|km/h}}<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/TN/Bristol/1966-03-20| title = 1966 Southeastern 500 weather information | publisher = The Old Farmers' Almanac | accessdate = 2012-10-20}}</ref> | Avg = {{convert|69.952|mi/h}} | Attendance = 25,000<ref name="1966s500">{{cite web | url = http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1966-07/W| title = 1966 Southeastern 500 racing results | publisher = Racing Reference | accessdate = 2011-01-11}}</ref> | Pole_Driver = David Pearson | Pole_Team = Owens Racing | Pole_Time = 20.870 | Most_Driver = David Pearson | Most_Team = Owens Racing | Most_laps = 330 | Car = 29 | First_Driver = Dick Hutcherson | First_Team = Holman-Moody | Network = untelevised | Announcers = none }}

The '''1966 Southeastern 500''' was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on March 20, 1966, at Bristol International Speedway in the Bristol, Tennessee.

The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s.

==Race report== Five hundred laps were done on a paved oval track spanning {{convert|0.500|mi|km}}.<ref name="1966s500"/> The total time of the race was three hours, twenty-four minutes, and twenty-six seconds.<ref name="1966s500"/> There were seven cautions for 92 laps.<ref name="1966s500"/> Speeds were: {{convert|69.952|mi/h|disp=or}} and {{convert|86.248|mi/h|disp=or}} for the pole position speed (accomplished by David Pearson).<ref name="1966s500"/> Dick Hutcherson defeated Paul Lewis by outlapping him more than four times; resulting in Ford's 200th win.<ref name="1966s500"/> The Ray Nichels team had also used the #9 for Larry Frank's entry at Daytona earlier in the season. They also had Don White run multiple car numbers in the 1966 season, so they weren't always consistent with them.

Richard Petty had an injured finger and could not participate in this race; Jim Paschal had to take over as the relief driver.

Twenty-five thousand fans saw thirty-two drivers start a race that only seven would complete.<ref name="1966s500"/> Attrition levels were worse in this Bristol race than it is in the 2010 NASCAR Cup Series season; a rare instance where lower speeds on a track are more dangerous than faster speeds. By contrast, the 2010 Food City 500 would see an average speed of {{convert|79.618|mi/h|disp=or}} and a pole position speed of {{convert|124.63|mi/h|disp=or}} with only eight drivers not being able to complete the race.<ref name="2010fc500">{{cite web | url = http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2010-05/W| title = 2010 Food City 500 - for comparison study| publisher = Racing Reference | accessdate = 2011-01-11}}</ref>

The total winnings for the race were $21,735 in American dollars (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|21735|1966|r=0}}}} when inflation is taken into effect).<ref name="1966s500"/> Notable crew chiefs for this race were Bud Hartje, Frankie Scott, Jake Elder, Jack Sullivan and Herman Beam.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.racing-reference.info/entrylist/1966-07/W/C| title = 1966 Southeastern 500 crew chief information | publisher = Racing Reference | accessdate = 2018-08-01}}</ref>

===Qualifying=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Grid ! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}} ! Driver ! Manufacturer ! {{Tooltip|Qualifying time|Qualifying time in seconds}}<ref name="getqualify">{{cite web | url = http://www.racing-reference.info/getqualify/1966-07/W| title = 1966 Southeastern 500 qualifying results | publisher = Racing Reference | accessdate = 2017-04-12}}</ref> ! {{Tooltip|Speed|Speed in miles per hour}}<ref name="getqualify"/> ! Owner |- ! 1 | 6 || David Pearson || '66 Dodge || 20.870 || 86.248 || Cotton Owens |- ! 2 | 28 || Fred Lorenzen || '66 Ford || 21.050 || 85.510 || Holman-Moody |- ! 3 | 9 || Paul Goldsmith || '65 Plymouth || 21.060 || 85.470 || Ray Nichels |- ! 4 | 43 || Jim Paschal || '65 Plymouth || 21.090 || 85.348 || Petty Enterprises |- ! 5 | 21 || Marvin Panch || '66 Ford || 21.190 || 84.945 || Wood Brothers |- ! 6 | 29 || Dick Hutcherson || '66 Ford || 21.260 || 84.666 || Holman-Moody |- ! 7 | 98 || Sam McQuagg || '66 Dodge || 21.320 || 84.427 || Ray Nichels |- ! 8 | 27 || Cale Yarborough || '66 Ford || 21.440 || 83.955 || Banjo Matthews |- ! 9 | 49 || G.C. Spencer || '65 Plymouth || 21.520 || 83.643 || G.C. Spencer |- ! 10 | 19 || J.T. Putney || '66 Chevrolet || 21.750 || 82.758 || J.T. Putney |}

==Finishing order== Section reference:<ref name="1966s500"/> {{Div col|colwidth=30em}} # Dick Hutcherson† (No. 29) # Paul Lewis (No. 1) # James Hylton (No. 48) # Elmo Langley† (No. 64) # Sam McQuagg† (No. 98) # Gene Black† (No. 74) # Bill Seifert (No. 45) # Wendell Scott*† (No. 34) # Henley Gray* (No. 97) # G.C. Spencer*† (No. 49) # Clyde Lynn*† (No. 20) # Gene Cline* (No. 95) # Johnny Allen* (No. 0) # Larry Manning*† (No. 63) # David Pearson*† (No. 6) # Walter Wallace* (No. 73) # J. D. McDuffie*† (No. 70) # Marvin Panch* (No. 21) # Ned Jarrett* (No. 11) # Jim Paschal*† (No. 43) # Paul Goldsmith* (No. 9) # Fred Lorenzen* (No. 28) # Bobby Isaac*† (No. 26) # Cale Yarborough* (No. 27) # Johnny Steele* (No. 2) # J.T. Putney*† (No. 19) # Buddy Arrington* (No. 67) # Bobby Allison* (No. 24) # Wayne Smith* (No. 38) # John Sears*† (No. 04) # Sonny Lamphear* (No. 96) # E.J. Trivette* (No. 52) {{div col end}} ''† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased'' ''* Driver failed to finish race''

==Timeline== Section reference:<ref name="1966s500"/> {{Simple Horizontal timeline

|row8=scale |from=1 |to=500 |inc=20

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==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{succession box | before = 1966 Peach Blossom 500 | after = 1966 Atlanta 500| title = NASCAR Grand National Season| years = 1966 | }} {{s-end}}

Southeastern 500 Southeastern 500 Category:NASCAR races at Bristol Motor Speedway