On October 1, 1967, the Wilkes 400 unfolded at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. The 0.625-mile short track hosted a 400-lap (250-mile) NASCAR Grand National event before a crowd of 9,800 fans for the 35-car field.
Dick Hutcherson grabbed the pole in his No. 29 Ford with a lap speed of 104.312 mph. Richard Petty started fifth in his No. 43 Plymouth. The race saw three cautions for 20 laps under mild weather, finishing in 2 hours, 38 minutes at an average speed of 94.837 mph.
Hutcherson led early, followed by stints from Jim Paschal and Paul Goldsmith. Bobby Allison also challenged strongly. Petty took the lead on lap 181 from Allison and dominated the rest of the way, leading 256 laps total.
Petty cruised to victory—his 10th straight win and record 27th of the season—earning $4,725. Hutcherson finished second, two full laps back. LeeRoy Yarbrough placed third, Bobby Allison fourth, and Jim Paschal fifth.
The win boosted Petty’s points lead to 3,918 over James Hylton, cementing his dominance in one of NASCAR’s greatest seasons. This hard-fought short-track battle highlighted the era’s attrition and Petty’s mastery on his way to the championship.
