The 1963 Old Dominion 500, the 48th race of the NASCAR Grand National Series season, took place on September 22nd at the 0.525-mile Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. A field of 36 drivers competed in the 500-lap event covering 262.5 miles on the short, flat oval track under mild weather conditions. Attendance reached approximately 20,000 spectators.
Junior Johnson earned the pole position in his No. 3 Chevrolet with a qualifying speed of 73.379 mph, but Fred Lorenzen dominated the race after taking the lead on lap 81 in his No. 28 Ford fielded by Holman-Moody. Lorenzen led a commanding 421 laps, with only three total lead changes occurring throughout the afternoon. The race featured five caution periods for 18 laps and saw numerous mechanical failures and crashes, including a pre-race incident and later wrecks that took out contenders like Junior Johnson (who led 79 laps before crashing on lap 296), Rex White, and Reb Wickersham.
Lorenzen cruised to victory, finishing one full lap ahead of second-place Marvin Panch in the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Joe Weatherly (Mercury) took third, followed by David Pearson (Dodge) in fourth and Richard Petty (Plymouth) in fifth. The race averaged 67.486 mph and lasted about three hours and 42 minutes. Lorenzen’s win boosted his season earnings to a new record and highlighted the growing dominance of factory-backed Ford teams during the era’s transition to purpose-built race cars.
Several notable drivers and independents filled the field, with multiple retirements due to engine woes, overheating, brakes, and other failures. The event stood out for having the fewest lead changes (just three) in Martinsville history at the time.
