1953 Southern 500

Race 30 of 37

Darlington
364 laps
Time of race: 5:23:19
Average speed of winner: 92.881 mph
Margin of victory: 3 laps
Lead changes: 35 among 4 drivers
Cautions: 4 for 17 laps
Lap leaders: exact lead changes unknown but Baker led 151 laps, H. Thomas led 124, F. Flock led 48, and F. Roberts led 41, and Baker led laps 355-364

Race notes: Debut for Laird Bruner, Matt Gowan, Junior Johnson, Emory Lewis, George Osborne, and Slim Rominger. Finale for Johnny Bridgers, Merritt Brown, Ben Dixon, J.L. Justice, Mike Magill, Dick Meyer, Bill Norton, Dick Passwater, Neil Roberts, Gayle Warren, and Chet Williams. Only start for Lonnie Bragg, Elmer Cooper, Lloyd Hulette, Bob Hunter, Lacy Jackson, Tyre Rakestraw, and Bob Weatherly.

Video links: Highlights

Finish	Start	Driver	Car #	Sponsor	Car	Owner	Crew Chief	Qualifying Speed	Laps	X Led	Laps Led	Status	Money	Points
1	7	Buck Baker	87		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Bob Griffin	Hagler		364	2	151	running	6285	0
2	1	Fonty Flock	14		'53 Hudson	Frank Christian		107.983	361	1	48	running	3040	0
3	10	Curtis Turner	44		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Frank Christian			359	0	0	running	1500	0
4	13	Dick Meyer	49		'53 Dodge	Dick Meyer			355	0	0	running	1000	0
5	4	Herb Thomas	92		'53 Hudson	Herb Thomas	Yunick		354	1	124	engine	1550	0
6	16	Jim Paschal	80		'53 Dodge	Hutchens			354	0	0	running	800	0
7	19	Speedy Thompson	46		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Buckshot Morris			351	0	0	running	750	0
8	5	Donald Thomas	29		'53 Hudson Hornet				350	0	0	running	700	0
9	22	Dick Passwater	00		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Passwater			350	0	0	running	630	0
10	9	Tim Flock	91		'53 Hudson	Chester			349	0	0	running	520	0
11	44	Lee Petty	42		'53 Dodge	Petty	Petty		344	0	0	running	450	0
12	24	Elton Hildreth	67		'53 Nash	Hildreth			343	0	0	running	400	0
13	21	Jimmie Lewallen	6		'53 Oldsmobile 88				340	0	0	running	350	0
14	8	Buddy Shuman	89		'53 Hudson Hornet	Pless			338	0	0	running	345	0
15	32	Neil Roberts	21		'53 Chrysler				335	0	0	running	300	0
16	25	George Osborne	22		'53 Hudson Hornet				331	0	0	running	275	0
17	29	Lloyd Hulette	7		'53 Buick	Hulette			328	0	0	running	250	0
18	30	Gene Comstock	8		'53 Hudson	Comstock			324	0	0	running	225	0
19	33	Fred Dove	71		'51 Ford 6				324	0	0	running	200	0
20	50	Bobby Myers	18		'53 Oldsmobile 88				321	0	0	running	190	0
21	55	Bub King	55		'53 Packard	Bub King			309	0	0	running	175	0
22	34	Tyre Rakestraw	60		'53 Chevrolet				308	0	0	running	160	0
23	47	Gober Sosebee	51	Cherokee Garage	'52 Oldsmobile	Sosebee			301	0	0	running	150	0
24	39	Bob Weatherly	50		'52 Plymouth				289	0	0	running	140	0
25	37	Lacy Jackson	97		'52 Hudson Hornet				288	0	0	accident	130	0
26	48	Johnny Bridgers	30		'51 Ford				279	0	0	running	120	0
27	40	Chet Williams	10		'51 Ford				277	0	0	running	110	0
28	15	Marvin Panch	06		'53 Dodge				275	0	0	heating	110	0
29	50	Elmer Cooper			'53 Nash Rambler				271	0	0	running	110	0
30	22	Arden Mounts	08		'53 Hudson Hornet	Mounts			262	0	0	radiator	110	0
31	12	Jim Reed	9		'53 Hudson Hornet				260	0	0	engine	110	0
32	38	Matt Gowan	99	Gowan's Auto	'53 Plymouth	Matt Gowan			250	0	0	running	110	0
33	45	Bill Blair	2		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Bill Blair			250	0	0	radiator	110	0
34	20	Mike Magill	23		'53 Lincoln				244	0	0	accident	110	0
35	54	Bill Norton	25		'52 Oldsmobile 88				241	0	0	running	110	0
36	14	Otis Martin	47		'53 Plymouth				238	0	0	running	110	0
37	28	Bill Widenhouse	73		'53 Nash Ambassador				234	0	0	running	110	0
38	26	Junior Johnson	75		'53 Oldsmobile Holiday				222	0	0	accident	110	0
39	44	Weldon Adams	16		'51 Ford	Weldon Adams			217	0	0	engine	110	0
40	35	J.L. Justice	74		'52 Ford				217	0	0	heating	110	0
41	56	Bob Hunter			'53 Oldsmobile 88				210	0	0	running	105	0
42	3	Dick Rathman	120		'53 Hudson	Walt Chapman			208	0	0	hub	155	0
43	42	Slick Smith	4		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Frank Christian			200	0	0	gas tank	105	0
44	31	Dick Allwine	77		'53 Chevrolet	Dick Curry			198	0	0	fuel line	105	0
45	6	Fireball Roberts	11		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Saverance			198	1	41	a-frame	340	0
46	19	Emory Lewis	13		'53 Oldsmobile 88	Ernest Woods			195	0	0	engine	105	0
47	53	Clyde Minter	19		'53 Mercury				190	0	0	oil pressure	105	0
48	49	Ben Dixon	45		'52 Hudson Hornet				187	0	0	heating	105	0
49	57	Lonnie Bragg			'52 Oldsmobile 88				149	0	0	engine	105	0
50	36	Laird Bruner	88		'53 Oldsmobile 88				142	0	0	transmission	105	0
51	58	Joe Guide			'52 Hudson	Sally Guide			111	0	0	oil pressure	100	0
52	18	Johnny Patterson	58		'53 Hudson	Akers			98	0	0	accident	120	0
53	51	Slim Rominger	48		'49 Lincoln				69	0	0	fuel pump	100	0
54	11	Ralph Liguori	45		'53 Lincoln	Wheatley			68	0	0	accident	100	0
55	27	Gayle Warren	84		'53 Studebaker				57	0	0	gas line	100	0
56	2	Joe Eubanks	82		'52 Hudson	Oates			40	0	0	spindle	100	0
57	43	Pop McGinnis	33		'52 Hudson	Frye			31	0	0	engine	100	0
58	46	Merritt Brown			'53 Studebaker				20	0	0	transmission	100	0
59	52	Ned Jarrett	79		'50 Oldsmobile 88	Jarrett			8	0	0	oil line	100	0