The 1973 Alamo 500, held on June 10 at the two-mile Texas World Speedway in College Station before 27,000 fans, featured a 38-car field as the 14th race of the NASCAR Winston Cup season. Buddy Baker claimed the pole with a speed of 169.248 mph and dominated much of the event by leading a race-high 168 laps, but Richard Petty in the No. 43 Dodge started second, led 77 laps, and pulled away after Baker suffered late mechanical trouble (a broken battery cable) to win by two full laps.
Darrell Waltrip finished second for his first career Cup podium, followed by Joe Frasson (also scoring his only career podium), Cale Yarborough, and Cecil Gordon. Petty earned $17,820, averaged 142.114 mph in a race slowed by five cautions for 38 laps, and notched his 152nd Grand National victory—his third of the 1973 season. This was the last NASCAR Grand National event at the track until 1979.
