The Rebel 300 NASCAR Grand National Series race was held at the iconic Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, on May 14, 1960 (with the event starting on May 7 but postponed due to rain after 58 laps). As part of the 1960 season’s schedule (race 16 of 44), it featured 32 entries competing over 219 laps on the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. Joe Weatherly, driving a 1960 Ford for Holman Moody, emerged victorious after leading 107 laps, securing his win with an average speed of 102.64 mph in a race marked by 7 lead changes and 4 cautions.
The race was marred by controversy when NASCAR president Bill France ruled that five laps would be run under caution upon resumption. This negated the strategic fuel advantage gained by Joe Weatherly and Lee Petty during the initial rain delay, leading Weatherly to race under formal protest. The controversy and resulting press accounts “grew” the crowd from 25,000 on May 7th to 37,000 on May 14th. A dramatic moment occurred in this race when driver Johnny Allen flipped over the guardrail into a scoring grandstand. Young Richard Petty finished a strong second in a 1960 Plymouth, followed by Rex White, Lee Petty, and Buck Baker. The race highlighted the competitive era of early stock car racing at “The Lady in Black,” with Weatherly’s triumph marking a breakthrough for the popular driver nicknamed “Little Joe.”
