Sunday 21st April 1963
Richard Petty took the lead with 40 laps to go and went on to beat Tiny Lund by a lap to win the NASCAR Grand National ‘Virginia 500’ at Martinsville Speedway. Fred Lorenzen appeared on his way to victory when his Holman-Moody Ford broke an axle. His crew made repairs so quickly that Lorenzen only lost 6 laps on the 1/2 mile paved oval. Jim Paschal was overcome by the heat and pitted just short of half way. A roar went up from the crowd when Lee Petty jumped into Paschal’s car a drove the rest of the race, finishing 8th.