August 9, 1959- 150 Miles - Purse $11,450

Joe Lee Johnson and his Honey Charley Chevrolet celebrate victory in the 1959 Nashville 300 

 Chattanooga, Tennessee's Joe Lee Johnson won the 1959 Nashville 300  by three laps over Larry Frank.  It was the first NASCAR Grand National victory for Johnson. 

The race was contested between cars of the NASCAR's Grand National Division and Convertible Division.  Cars from NASCAR's convertible class would claim the top-three positions.

Rookie driver Buddy Baker finished in 30th position after experiencing engine problems in his 1958 Chevrolet.  Baker would win the 1973 Nashville 420.

Richard Petty made the first of his 39 Fairgrounds starts in the race. He would capture nine victories at the track during his career.

Rex White captured his third straight pole at the Fairgrounds. 

Johnson was quoted as stating "This track is a little Darlington, you're riding in trouble all the time with no chance to let up."

 

Rex White leads the field to the green flag at the start of the 1959 Nashville 300.		 Joe Lee Johnson is interviewed after his victory

Average Speed:    63.334 mph Time of Race:      2:22:05 Margin:    Three laps
Pole Winner:         Rex White  74.044 mph Attendance:        10,258 Cautions:      n/a
Lap Leaders:         White 1-175, Petty 176-217, Johnson 218-300
 
DriverDDriver Fin Str Car Team / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
Joe Lee Johnson 1 2 77 Honest Charley -
Joe Lee Johnson		 57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 300 2,912 Running 83
Larry Frank 2 4 76 Larry Frank -
Carolina Plating		 57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 297 1,453 Running 0
  Elmo Langley 3 12 10 Ratus Walters 59 Buick
(Convertible)		 297 1,125 Running 0
Lee Petty 4 3 42 Petty Enterprises 59 Plymouth
(Grand Nat'l)		 297 900 Running 42
  Tommy Irwin 5 10 36 Tommy Irwin 59 T-Bird
(Convertible)		 295 750 Running 0
  Cotton Owens 6 16 9 Roy Tyner 57 Chevrolet
(Grand Nat'l)		 290 450 Running 0
Joe Weatherly 7 22 41 Delta Auto Sales  -
Doc White		 59 T-Bird
(Convertible)		 289 500 Running 0
  Gene White 8 14 25 Gene White 57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 286 350 Running 0
  Bob Reuther 9 11 12 Marvin Porter 58 Ford
(Grand Nat'l)		 284 250 Running 0
  Bud Crothers 10 5 16 Bud Crothers 57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 283 225 Running 0
Buck Baker 11 7 87 Lynton Tyson 59 Chevrolet
(Grand Nat'l)		 281 250 Running 0
  G.C. Spencer 12 20 34 G.C. Spencer 57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 278 175 Axle 0
  George Alsobrook 13 26 192 Joe Jones 57 Ford
(Convertible)		 277 150 Running 0
  George Green 14 30 32 Jess Potter
57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)
 273 140 Running 0
  Herman Beam 15 17 19 Herman Beam 57 Chevrolet
(Grant Nat'l)		 262 125 Running 0
  L.D. Austin 16 25 74 L.D. Austin 57 Chevrolet
(Grand Nat'l)		 251 110 Running 0
  Gerald Duke 17 19 92 Gerald Duke 59 T-Bird
(Grand Nat'l)		 249 125 Running 0
  Bob Welborn 18 6 49 Bob Welborn 59 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 234 200 Axle 0
  Harlan Richardson 19 13 22 Harlan Richardson 58 Ford
(Grand Nat'l)		 224 100 Running 0
  Herb Lewis 20 9 189 Herb Lewis 58 Chevrolet
(Grand Nat'l)		 221 100 Ball Joint 0
  Benny Rakestraw 21 29 20 Spook Crawford 57 Mercury
(Convertible)		 213 75 Running 0
  Jim Austin 22 21 97   59 Ford
(Grand Nat'l)		 211 75 Rear End 0
  Jimmy Mairs 23 15 110   57 Ford
(Grand Nat'l)		 202 75 Engine 0
Rex White 24 1 4 Rex White 59 Chevrolet
(Grand Nat'l)		 176 510 Rear End 175
Brownie King 25 24 31 Jess Potter 57 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 84 75 Fan Belt 0
  Andy Hampton 26 23 13 Tommy Thompson 59 Chevrolet
(Grand Nat'l)		 76 50 Bearing 0
Tom Pistone 27 27 59 Rupert Safety Belt
/ Carl Rupert		 59 T-Bird
(Grand Nat'l)		 51 50 Engine 0
  Tiny Lund 28 18 44 Julian Petty 59 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 30 50 Over
Heating		 0
Richard Petty 29 8 43 Petty Enterprises 59 Plymouth
(Convertible)		 12 50 Engine 0
Buddy Baker 30 28 89 Lynton Tyson 58 Chevrolet
(Convertible)		 10 50 Engine 0