On January 21, 1968, a huge crowd of 73,000 fans flocked to the 2.62-mile Riverside International Raceway in California for the Motor Trend 500. The 44-car Grand National field tackled the demanding road course for 186 laps in this early-season NASCAR classic.
Dan Gurney continued his mastery of Riverside by capturing the pole position with a lap speed of 110.971 mph. Gurney, driving the #121 Wood Brothers Ford, put on a commanding performance, leading 124 of the 186 laps.
The race featured strong competition, highlighted by an intense early battle between Gurney and Parnelli Jones. Gurney eventually pulled away and cruised to victory, winning by 36 seconds over David Pearson. Parnelli Jones finished third, followed by Bobby Allison in fourth and Cale Yarborough in fifth. The winner’s average speed for the race was 100.598 mph.
Gurney earned $21,250 for the win. This marked his fifth Motor Trend 500 victory at Riverside and, notably, his final NASCAR Grand National win.
