The 1968 American 500, the 48th race of the NASCAR Grand National season, was held on October 27 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham. A crowd of 32,000 watched a 44-car field take the green flag on the 1.017-mile oval. Cale Yarborough started from the pole with a qualifying speed of 118.717 mph in the #21 Wood Brothers Ford.
Richard Petty drove his #43 Plymouth to victory, winning his 16th race of the season and 91st career win. He crossed the finish line 16 seconds ahead of David Pearson and controlled the late stages of the race. LeeRoy Yarbrough finished third (two laps back), followed by Tiny Lund in fourth and Bobby Allison in fifth. Petty earned $17,075 for the win as the race averaged 105.060 mph over 500 laps (approximately 4 hours and 45 minutes). Six cautions slowed the action for 46 laps.
Petty led 216 laps, taking the lead for good on lap 443 after early contenders like Bobby Isaac and Cale Yarborough fell out with engine issues. Pearson, despite finishing second, clinched the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Championship with his strong performance, wrapping up the title with a single race remaining.
The event showcased the intense rivalry between Petty and Pearson while highlighting the mechanical attrition typical of the era’s superspeedway-style racing on the demanding Rockingham track.
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