1953 Season Recap

Following his 1951 NASCAR Grand National (now the NASCAR Winston Cup Series) championship and tremendous runner-up performance in 1952, Herb Thomas rode his momentum to another championship in 1953. Along the way, Thomas earned the distinction of being the first champion in NASCAR Winston Cup Series history to win two championships in his career. Thomas also trumped the magnificent performances of the two previous seasons, winning 12 times and pocketing $28,909.59 in prize money.

Herb Thomas consistently turned in dominating performances during the 1952 season and wrapped up the title in a similar fashion.

FIVE RACES TO GO: Bloomsburg, PA - Coming to the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds with an 874-point lead over Dick Rathmann, Herb Thomas had all but mathematically clinched the 1953 NASCAR Grand National championship. Rathmann slid even further behind Thomas after finishing second in Bloomsburg, simply because Thomas won the race, his 11th of the season. Contenders Buck Baker, Lee Petty and Fonty Flock maintained their positions in the standings with third, sixth and 15th place finishes, respectively.

FOUR RACES TO GO: Wilson, NC - Herb Thomas clinched his second NASCAR Grand National title with four races remaining in the 1953 season by leading every lap and winning the race at Wilson Speedway. Thomas' 12th win of the season ended the title hopes for his closest challengers, but they were still jockeying for position. Lee Petty, who finished fourth, still trailed Dick Rathmann, who finished sixth. Fonty Flock came home third.

THREE RACES TO GO: North Wilkesboro, NC - With the title sewn up, Herb Thomas' 15th place finish at North Wilkesboro Speedway was of no concern to the champion. Dick Rathmann, gunning for second place in the final standings, had a bad day and finished 24th in the field of 31. Lee Petty closed the gap on Rathmann with his fifth place finish. Fonty Flock was challenging Buck Baker fourth in the point standings. Baker won the pole and finished sixth, while Flock gained a little ground with his runner-up finish.

TWO RACES TO GO: Martinsville, VA - Although Dick Rathmann was in danger of losing his second place position in points, he was not entered in the race at Martinsville Speedway. With a runner-up finish in the 200-lap race, Lee Petty closed the gap on Rathmann and could overtake him in the finale. Fonty Flock took the pole at Martinsville in an effort to nab fourth in the point standings from Buck Baker, but Baker showed an early dominance. After leading the first 127 laps of the race, Baker's car failed him and he wound up in 20th place. Flock finished fourth, but it was not enough to capture fourth in the standings. Champion Herb Thomas came in last in the 26-car field.

FINAL RACE: Atlanta, GA - Lee Petty was right on his tail for second place in the final point standings, yet Dick Rathmann was not entered in the season finale at Lakewood Speedway. Fonty Flock finished the race in second place, and as Petty tried to take the position on Turn 4 of the final lap, he spun but still managed to finish third. His finish moved him into second place in the point standings. Buck Baker won the season finale but did not have enough points to catch the absent Rathmann, who finished the season in third place. Fonty Flock and his brother Tim finished the season in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Two-time champion Herb Thomas' lackluster recent performances concluded with a 14th place finish at Martinsville, but he won the title by an impressive 646 points.