The 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the second year of the modern era and sponsored by R.J. Reynolds’ Winston brand, featured a shortened schedule of 28 races after dropping many short tracks to focus on bigger venues. It was a topsy-turvy season marked by inconsistency among top drivers.
Benny Parsons captured his only career championship, winning just one race—the Volunteer 500 at Bristol—yet prevailing through remarkable consistency. He edged Cale Yarborough by a slim 67 points in the final standings, with Cecil Gordon finishing third.
David Pearson, driving for the Wood Brothers in a Mercury, dominated part-time, winning an incredible 11 of 18 starts, while Richard Petty took six victories including the Daytona 500 but suffered too many DNFs to contend for the title, finishing fifth in points.
The season also saw tragedy with the fatal injury of driver Larry Smith at Talladega. Lennie Pond, with 23 starts and nine Top 10s, was named Rookie of the Year. Chevrolet claimed the manufacturers’ title despite Mercury scoring the most wins. Overall, it highlighted how reliability and full-season participation could trump raw winning power in the points battle.
April 8, 1973
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