1963 NASCAR Cup Series Season Recap

Originally published on Mar. 4, 2020

By Zane Miller

On Sunday, November 3rd, 1963, the 1963 NASCAR Cup Series season concluded with Joe Weatherly defeating Richard Petty by 2,228 points to win the 15th championship in Cup Series history. It was the second (and final) Cup Series championship for Weatherly. These are the top five points finishers for the season.

The 1963 Daytona 500 was won by Tiny Lund, who had 17 laps led in the race, while Fred Lorenzen led the most laps with 77. Lund came into the race as a replacement for 1961 500 winner Marvin Panch, who had been injured in a sports car test crash. Lund pulled Panch out of the burning car, and as a result, Panch chose him as his replacement.

5. #22 Fireball Roberts (-10,756 points)

Roberts earned the fifth spot despite competing in only 20 races, winning four races with 11 top-fives and 14 top-10s for an average finish of 10.2. Roberts led the most laps in two races that season.

4. #11 Ned Jarrett (-6,184)

Jarrett claimed fourth with eight victories, 32 top-fives and 39 top-10s for an average finish of 8.6. Jarrett also led the most laps in 11 races.

3. #28 Fred Lorenzen (-3,714)

Lorenzen grabbed third in points, earning six wins, 21 top-fives and 23 top-10s, taking an average finish of 7.2 while starting only 29 races. Lorenzen also led the most laps eight times.

2. #43 Richard Petty (-2,228)

Petty took the runner-up spot, getting 14 wins, 30 top-fives and 39 top-10s for an average finish of 7.5, while leading the most laps in nine races.

1. #8 Joe Weatherly

Weatherly won back-to-back championships as he claimed three wins, 20 top-fives and 35 top-10s with an average finish of 9.1 while leading the most laps in three races throughout the season.

Race Winners (left) & Lap Leaders (right)

*Denotes driver led every lap

Link to stats database: https://www.racing-reference.info/yeardet/1963/W