On October 6, 1957, the NASCAR Grand National Series contested the Sweepstakes 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia—a 500-lap, 250-mile event open to both hardtop and convertible cars—drawing an estimated attendance of 5,000 and a starting field of 40. Eddie Pagan won the pole with a qualifying speed of 65.837 mph.
Bob Welborn, driving a Chevrolet convertible for his own team, took the lead for good and paced the final 252 laps en route to the victory, his first in Grand National competition, earning $3,100. Welborn was relieved by Lewis “Possum” Jones a little past the halfway mark, but under NASCAR rules the starting driver was credited with the win; the pair completed the distance at an average speed of 63.025 mph in a race slowed by four cautions for 14 laps. There were six lead changes among four drivers. Jimmy Massey finished second, 14 seconds behind, also in a convertible, followed by Lee Petty, Rex White, and Joe Weatherly.
