Bob Flock Triumphs in Thrilling 1949 Wilkes 200, NASCAR’s First Named Race – Speedway Digest

Editors Note: This is a multi-part series looking back on historical events at North Wilkesboro Speedway as the 2025 NASCAR All Star Race approaches

NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – In a historic moment for motorsport, Bob Flock claimed victory at the Wilkes 200, the final race of the inaugural 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Series season, held at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The event, attended by 10,000 enthusiastic fans, marked NASCAR’s first race with an established name and capped a season of grit, speed, and emerging legends.

The 200-lap race unfolded on a 0.5-mile dirt oval under clear skies, with weather data recorded at nearby Hickory Regional Airport. Kenneth Wagner set the pace early, securing pole position with a blistering 57.563 mph lap (31.27 seconds). However, it was Bill Blair who dominated much of the race, leading 180 of the 200 laps before mechanical woes dashed his hopes.

Flock, driving a 1949 Oldsmobile for Frank Christian’s Bob Flock Garage, seized the lead on lap 181 and never looked back, crossing the finish line a commanding 100 yards ahead of Lee Petty’s 1949 Plymouth. Flock’s victory earned him $1,500—equivalent to $19,823 in 2025 dollars—while Petty took home $750 for second. Fonty Flock, Clyde Minter, and Herb Thomas rounded out the top five, with Thomas finishing two laps down.

The race wasn’t without drama. Frank Mundy’s early exit on lap 38 marked the first retirement, followed by championship contender Red Byron, who withdrew on lap 155 for unknown reasons and reportedly went unpaid. Sara Christian, one of NASCAR’s pioneering female drivers, finished 12th, 12 laps behind Thomas, cementing her place in history. Bill Blair’s engine failure on lap 191 ended his dominant run, while Roy Hall’s result remains uncertain due to incomplete NASCAR records.

Red Byron, despite his mid-race exit, clinched the 1949 NASCAR championship, a remarkable feat for the World War II veteran who nearly lost his leg after being shot down as a B-24 Liberator tail gunner. His recovery and rise to NASCAR’s first champion underscored the resilience of the era’s drivers. Lee Petty and Bill Blair also shone as the season’s most consistent performers.

The Wilkes 200, completed in 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 16 seconds at an average speed of 53.364 mph, featured two lead changes and no recorded cautions or red flags. Notable crew chiefs, including Buddy Elliott, Julian Petty, and Red Vogt, played key roles in the race’s success.

As North Wilkesboro Speedway roared to life, the Wilkes 200 not only crowned a champion but also set the stage for NASCAR’s meteoric rise. Bob Flock’s triumph, paired with the emergence of talents like Petty, Byron, and Christian, signaled the dawn of a new era in American racing.