The spring Grand National race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 8, 1956 brought another strong crowd to the famous .625-mile dirt track, where 7,500 fans watched a 29-car field battle for 160 laps on the rough North Carolina oval. Junior Johnson thrilled the home crowd by winning the pole at 78.370 mph, then immediately showed his speed by taking command once the race began. Johnson led the opening stages and looked like the man to beat, but his promising afternoon ended abruptly on lap 17 when engine trouble forced him out while still leading.
With Johnson sidelined, the race turned into a contest of patience and durability on the demanding dirt surface. Speedy Thompson spent time out front before Tim Flock steadily worked his way into position. Driving the powerful No. 300A Carl Kiekhaefer Chrysler, Flock took the lead from Thompson on lap 115 and controlled the closing laps to score the victory. He finished with an average speed of 71.034 mph, another solid pace for the Wilkesboro dirt era.
At the checkered flag, Billy Myers came home second, followed by Jim Paschal in third, Herb Thomas in fourth, and Ralph Moody in fifth. The win carried added significance, as it proved to be Flock’s final triumph with Carl Kiekhaefer’s dominant organization. After winning 21 races in just fourteen months for the team, Flock soon departed, closing one of the most successful partnerships of NASCAR’s early years.
