The 1963 Gwyn Staley Memorial at North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 28 drew 13,500 fans for what was scheduled to be a 400-lap Grand National battle on the track’s .625-mile paved oval. A strong 31-car field answered the call, with Fred Lorenzen earning the pole position at 96.15 mph. Lorenzen’s speed set the tone for a competitive afternoon, as many of NASCAR’s biggest stars arrived hoping to tame one of the sport’s most demanding short tracks.
Once the race began, Richard Petty again proved why North Wilkesboro had become one of his best venues. Petty steadily moved to the front and controlled the pace as changing weather threatened the event. Rain finally forced officials to stop the race after 257 laps, making it an official contest well short of the scheduled distance. Petty was declared the winner by a full lap over Lorenzen, continuing a remarkable run of success at the speedway. The victory marked Petty’s third straight win at North Wilkesboro, his 19th career Grand National victory, and already his sixth triumph of the 1963 season.
Lorenzen settled for second after starting from the pole, while Tiny Lund finished third. Jim Paschal came home fourth, followed by Buck Baker in fifth. Though shortened by rain, the race further confirmed Petty’s growing dominance and showed that when the series came to Wilkesboro, he was quickly becoming the driver everyone had to beat.
