1976 American 500

1976 American 500

Race details
Race 28 of 30 in the 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Layout of Rockingham Speedway
Date	October 24, 1976 (1976-October-24)
Official name	American 500
Location	North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham, North Carolina
Course	Permanent racing facility 1.017 mi (1.636 km)
Distance	492 laps, 500 mi (804 km)
Weather	Mild with temperatures reaching a maximum of 72 °F (22 °C); wind speeds approaching 4.9 miles per hour (7.9 km/h)
Average speed	117.718 miles per hour (189.449 km/h)
Attendance	32,500
Pole position
Driver	David Pearson	Wood Brothers
Most laps led
Driver	Richard Petty	Petty Enterprises
Laps	193
Winner
No. 43	Richard Petty	Petty Enterprises
Television in the United States
Network	untelevised
Announcers	none

The 1976 American 500 was the 28th official race (out of 30) in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season.

Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.

This racing event took place on October 24, 1976, at North Carolina Motor Speedway at Rockingham, North Carolina. In order to resolve itself, the race took four hours, fifteen minutes, and one second. Six cautions were given out for a duration of 35 laps.

As a result, Richard Petty would eventually defeat Lennie Pond by more than a lap. Thirty-two thousand and five hundred live spectators attended this event.David Pearson gained the pole position qualifying at a speed of 139.117 miles per hour (223.887 km/h) but eventually finished in sixth place.Henley Gray was officially recorded as the last-place finisher due to an engine issue on the first lap. Richard Petty's teenage son Kyle would attend his father's victory celebrations; getting ready for his NASCAR career.

The average speed of the race was 117.718 miles per hour (189.449 km/h).Jack Donohue was the only Canadian competitor out of the 36-car grid.