The 1969 Wilkes 400 took place on October 5 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. The 0.625-mile short track hosted the 400-lap (250-mile) NASCAR Grand National event with a 30-car field and an attendance of 11,000.
Bobby Isaac captured the pole in his #71 K&K Insurance Dodge with a qualifying speed of 106.032 mph. David Pearson started strong in the #17 Holman-Moody Ford, while Richard Petty was competitive in his Plymouth. The race saw three cautions for 23 laps and finished with an average speed of 93.429 mph.
Petty dominated much of the afternoon, leading 270 of the 400 laps. With just a few laps remaining, a fan threw a beer bottle onto the track, triggering a caution. On the restart, Pearson seized the opportunity and edged ahead.
Pearson held on to win by a single car length over Petty in one of the closest and most dramatic finishes at the track. He earned $5,750 for the victory—his 11th win of the season. Bobby Isaac finished third, LeeRoy Yarbrough fourth, and Buddy Baker fifth.
