On October 18, 1953, the NASCAR Grand National Series contested a 200-lap, 100-mile race on the half-mile dirt track at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, drawing an estimated crowd of 8,500 and a field of 26 cars. Fonty Flock captured the pole in his #14 Frank Christian Hudson with a qualifying speed of 58.958 mph. Buck Baker, starting second in a Griffin Motors Oldsmobile, seized the lead at the drop of the green and dominated the first 127 laps before a burned wheel bearing forced him out of the race.
Jim Paschal then took over in the No. 80 Big Bear Market Dodge owned by George Hutchens and led the final 73 laps to score the victory—his first career Grand National win in his 60th start—earning $1,000 from a total purse of $3,600. Paschal completed the distance in 1 hour, 47 minutes, and 7 seconds at an average speed of 56.013 mph. Lee Petty finished second on the lead lap in the #42 Petty Enterprises Dodge, followed by Bill Blair in an Oldsmobile, pole-sitter Fonty Flock, and Carl Burris. The race featured just two lead changes and marked the next to last race of the 1953 season.
