The 1962 Gwyn Staley Memorial at North Wilkesboro Speedway was held on April 15 and brought a strong 35-car field to the track’s fast .625-mile paved oval for a 400-lap Grand National showdown. A crowd of 9,228 fans watched hometown star Junior Johnson win the pole position at 94.142 mph, placing a local favorite at the front for one of Wilkesboro’s signature spring races. Johnson remained a contender throughout the afternoon, but the race ultimately became a battle of attrition and timing among several of NASCAR’s biggest names.
The key moment came on lap 318 when Ned Jarrett, who had been leading, lost an engine and dropped out of contention. That handed the top spot to Richard Petty, who seized the opportunity and held off a late charge from Fred Lorenzen. Petty crossed the finish line just four car lengths ahead of Lorenzen, averaging 84.737 mph and collecting $2,725 for the victory. It was another important early-season win for Petty as he continued to rise into NASCAR superstardom.
Lorenzen finished second, followed by Johnson in third, Fireball Roberts in fourth, and Darel Dieringer in fifth. One of the day’s biggest stories was the return of Herb Thomas, who came out of retirement after five years and finished a respectable 14th. After the race, Joe Weatherly continued to lead the season standings, holding a 322-point advantage over Jack Smith.
