The 1968 Dixie 500, held on Sunday, August 4 at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia, was the 33rd race of the NASCAR Grand National Series season.
A crowd of 51,300 watched the 40-car field tackle the 1.5-mile oval for 334 laps. Buddy Baker grabbed the pole in the #3 Ray Fox Dodge with a qualifying speed of 153.361 mph, but it was LeeRoy Yarbrough who stole the show. Driving the #98 Junior Johnson & Associates Mercury, Yarbrough started fifth, led a race-high 168 laps, and took the lead for good on lap 295. He held off a hard-charging Bobby Isaac to win by 10 seconds in a thrilling finish.
Yarbrough’s victory came at an average speed of 127.068 mph in a race lasting 3 hours and 56 minutes. He earned $17,260 for his sixth career win and second on a superspeedway. The event featured intense competition with 29 lead changes among nine drivers, including strong runs from David Pearson (65 laps led) and others. Bobby Isaac finished second, followed by Donnie Allison in third, David Pearson in fourth, and Richard Petty in fifth.
The race was slowed by 11 cautions for 67 laps amid significant mechanical attrition—blown engines, tire failures, and other issues claimed many contenders early, including pole-sitter Buddy Baker after just 25 laps.
Following the Dixie 500, Bobby Isaac took over the points lead by a single point over David Pearson, tightening the championship battle.
