Sunday 15th February 1953

Bill Blair, gaining the lead after race long leader Fonty Flock ran out of gas, won the 160 mile NASCAR GN race on the Daytona Beach and road course. Flock held a 65 second lead when the gas tank ran dry in his Olds 88. Teammate Slick Smith pushed Flock’s disabled car back to the pits, where he took on fuel and peeled out to finish 26 seconds behind Blair’s Olds. Chicago’s Bob Pronger won the pole at 115.77 mph, but went sailing and rolling off the North turn on lap 1 while trying to beat Flock into the turn. He continued 4 more laps before retiring. Lee Petty missed the race due to illness and two-time defending race winner Marshall Teague had left for the AAA circuit.