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1968 Tidewater 250
Race details
Race 17 of 49 in the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series season
Date	May 18, 1968; 56 years ago
Official name	Tidewater 250
Location	Langley Field Speedway, Hampton, Virginia
Course	Permanent racing facility; 0.395 mi (0.836 km)
Distance	250 laps, 118.5 mi (190.3 km)
Weather	Mild with temperatures approaching 77.9 °F (25.5 °C); wind speeds up to 18.1 miles per hour (29.1 km/h)
Average speed	71.457 miles per hour (114.999 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Richard Petty;
Most laps led
Driver	David Pearson
Laps	125
Winner
No. 17	David Pearson
Television in the United States
Network	untelevised
Announcers	none

The 1968 Tidewater 250 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 18, 1968, at Langley Field Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.

The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s.

Background

Langley Speedway is a paved short track measuring 0.395 miles in length, it is one of the flattest tracks in the region with only six degrees of banking in the corners and four degrees on the straights.^[3]

Summary

Two hundred and fifty laps were raced on a paved oval track spanning 0.400 miles (0.644 km) for a grand total of 100.0 miles (160.9 km).^[2] The race took one hour, twenty five minutes, and fifty-eight seconds to reach its conclusion.^[2] David Pearson was the winner of the race in front of ten thousand live audience members.^[2] Notable speeds were: 71.547 miles per hour (115.144 km/h) as the average speed and 80.801 miles per hour (130.037 km/h) as the pole position speed. Canadian driver Frog Fagan participated here; he started in 14th place and ended in 13th place.^[2] Fagan managed to run 212 out of 250 laps before the race ending with him still in the running.^[2]

This would be Tim Pistone's final career start and Pete Hamilton's first finish in the top five.^[2] Total winnings for this race were $4,740 ($41,530.56 when adjusted for inflation) with the winner receiving $1,000 ($8,761.72 when adjusted for inflation).^[2] Twelve drivers used a Ford vehicle to participate in the race in; making up the majority of the grid. Three drivers would use a Dodge while only one driver would use a Chevrolet.^[4]

Both Ed Negre and Paul Dean Holt would quit the race after driving for 76 and 73 laps apiece; no valid reason was ever given to NASCAR officials for their sudden absence from the race. Nevertheless, they were granted a $100 paycheck just for attempting to race ($876.17 when adjusted for inflation).^[5]

Qualifying

Grid	No.	Driver	Manufacturer
1	43	Richard Petty	'68 Plymouth
2	17	David Pearson	'68 Ford
3	71	Bobby Isaac	'67 Dodge
4	3	Buddy Baker	'67 Dodge
5	55	Tom Pistone	'66 Ford
6	4	John Sears	'67 Ford
7	5	Pete Hamilton	'68 Ford
8	48	James Hylton	'67 Dodge
9	20	Clyde Lynn	'67 Mercury
10	10	Elmo Langley	'66 Ford
11	8	Ed Negre	'67 Ford
12	01	Paul Dean Holt	'67 Ford
13	19	Henley Gray	'66 Ford
14	95	Frog Fagan	'66 Ford
15	06	Neil Castles	'67 Plymouth