The 1953 NASCAR Grand National Series began on February 1 and ended on November 1.[1] Future NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Herb Thomas, driving his own No. 92 Hudson Hornet, won the championship and became the first repeat champion of the series. It is also the season with the most one-off races. 9 of the 37 races took place on racetracks that only held a cup race in the 1953 season.
| No. | Date | Event | Circuit | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 1, 1953 | 1953–01 | Palm Beach Speedway | Lee Petty[2] | |
| 2 | February 15, 1953 | 1953–02 | Bill Blair | ||
| 3 | March 8, 1953 | 1953–03 | Harnett Speedway* | Herb Thomas | |
| 4 | March 29, 1953 | Wilkes County 200 | Herb Thomas | ||
| 5 | April 5, 1953 | 1953–05 | Dick Passwater | ||
| 6 | April 19, 1953 | Richmond 200 | Lee Petty | ||
| 7 | April 26, 1953 | 1953-07 | Central City Speedway | Dick Rathmann | |
| 8 | May 3, 1953 | 1953–08 | Buck Baker | ||
| 9 | May 9, 1953 | 1953-09 | Buck Baker | ||
| 10 | May 16, 1953 | 1953–10 | Tim Flock | ||
| 11 | May 17, 1953 | 1953–11 | Lee Petty | ||
| 12 | May 24, 1953 | 1953–12 | Powell Motor Speedway* | Herb Thomas | |
| 13 | May 30, 1953 | Raleigh 300 | Fonty Flock | ||
| 14 | June 7, 1953 | 1953–14 | Louisiana Fairgrounds* | Lee Petty | |
| 15 | June 14, 1953 | 1953–15 | Five Flags Speedway | Herb Thomas | |
| 16 | June 21, 1953 | International 200 | Dick Rathmann | ||
| 17 | June 26, 1953 | 1953–17 | Herb Thomas | ||
| 18 | June 28, 1953 | 1953–18 | Wilson Speedway | Fonty Flock | |
| 19 | July 3, 1953 | 1953–19 | Monroe County Fairgrounds | Herb Thomas | |
| 20 | July 4, 1953 | 1953-20 | Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds* | Lee Petty | |
| 21 | July 10, 1953 | 1953–21 | Morristown Speedway | Dick Rathmann | |
| 22 | July 12, 1953 | 1953–22 | Herb Thomas | ||
| 23 | July 22, 1953 | 1953–23 | Rapid Valley Speedway | Herb Thomas | |
| 24 | July 26, 1953 | 1953–24 | Lincoln City Fairgrounds* | Dick Rathmann | |
| 25 | August 2, 1953 | 1953–25 | Herb Thomas | ||
| 26 | August 9, 1953 | 1953–26 | Curtis Turner | ||
| 27 | August 16, 1953 | 1953–27 | Fonty Flock | ||
| 28 | August 23, 1953 | 1953–28 | Princess Anne Speedway* | Herb Thomas | |
| 29 | August 29, 1953 | 1953–29 | Fonty Flock | ||
| 30 | September 7, 1953 | Southern 500 | Buck Baker | ||
| 31 | September 13, 1953 | 1953–31 | Central City Speedway | Speedy Thompson | |
| 32 | September 20, 1953 | 1953–32 | Dick Rathmann | ||
| 33 | October 3, 1953 | 1953–33 | Bloomsburg Fairgrounds* | Herb Thomas | |
| 34 | October 4, 1953 | 1953–34 | Wilson Speedway | Herb Thomas | |
| 35 | October 11, 1953 | Wilkes 160 | Speedy Thompson | ||
| 36 | October 13, 1953 | 1953-36 | Jim Paschal | ||
| 37 | November 1, 1953 | 1953–37 | Buck Baker |
The first race of the 1953 season was run on February 1 at the Palm Beach Speedway in West Palm Beach, Florida. Dick Rathmann won the pole position.
Top ten results
The second race of the 1953 season was run on February 15 at the Daytona Beach Road Course in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bob Pronger won the pole. Fonty Flock dominated throughout the race, leading every lap until running of fuel on the last lap. Flock was then pushed across the finish line by teammate Slick Smith. Officials ruled that this move was illegal, and Flock was awarded with second place, while Bill Blair was declared the winner.
Top ten results
•This was the third and final win for Blair.
The third race of the 1953 season was run on March 8 at Harnett Speedway in Spring Lake, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The fourth race of the season was run on March 29 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The fifth race of the season was run on April 5 at Charlotte Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results
This race stands as Passwater’s lone win out of 20 starts from 1952-53.
The sixth race of the season was run on April 19 at the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds in Richmond, Virginia. Buck Baker won the pole.
Top ten results
The seventh race of the season was run on April 26 at Central City Speedway in Macon, Georgia. Dick Rathmann won the pole.
Top ten results
The eighth race of the season was run on May 3 at Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Tim Flock captured the pole.
Top ten results
The ninth race of the season was run on May 9 at Columbia Speedway in Columbia, South Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The tenth race of the season was run on May 16 at Hickory Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The eleventh race of the season was run on May 17 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Joe Eubanks won the pole.
Top ten results
The twelfth race of the season was run on May 24 at Powell Motor Speedway in Columbus, Ohio. Fonty Flock captured the pole position for the race.
Top ten results
The thirteenth race of the season was run on May 30 at Raleigh Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina. Slick Smith won the pole.
Top ten results
The fourteenth race of the season was run on June 7 at the Louisiana Fairgrounds in Shreveport, Louisiana. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The fifteen race of the season was run on June 14 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. Dick Rathmann won the pole.
Top ten results
The sixteenth race of the season was run on June 21 at Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Lloyd Shaw won the pole.
Top ten results
The seventeenth race of the season was run on June 26 at Tri-City Speedway in High Point, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The eighteenth race of the season was run on June 28 at Wilson Speedway in Wilson, North Carolina. Buck Baker earned the pole position for the event.
Top ten results
The nineteenth race of the season was run on July 3 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Rochester, New York. Tim Flock won the pole.
Top ten results
The twentieth race of the season was run on July 4 at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Buck Baker won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-first race of the season was run on July 10 at Morristown Speedway in Morristown, New Jersey. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-second race of the season was run on July 12 at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-third race of the season was run on July 22 at Rapid Valley Speedway in Rapid City, South Dakota. Herb Thomas captured the pole for the event.
Top ten results
The twenty-fourth race of the season was run on July 26 at the Lincoln City Fairgrounds in North Platte, Nebraska. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-fifth race of the season was run on August 2 at Davenport Speedway in Davenport, Iowa. Buck Baker won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-sixth race of the season was run on August 9 at Occoneechee Speedway in Hillsboro, North Carolina. Curtis Turner won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-seventh race of the season was run on August 16 at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in Weaverville, North Carolina. Curtis Turner won the pole.
Top ten results
The twenty-eighth race of the season was run on August 23 at Princess Anne Speedway in Norfolk, Virginia. Curtis Turner captured the pole position.
Top ten results
The twenty-ninth race of the season was run on August 29 at Hickory Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina. Tim Flock won the pole. This was the first Grand National race for the 1961 and 1965 champion and future NASCAR Hall of Fame member Ned Jarrett. He finished 11th.
Top ten results
See main article: 1953 Southern 500.
The thirtieth race of the season was run on September 7 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Fonty Flock won the pole. Buck Baker won the event by three laps. This race also marked the first Grand National race for future NASCAR Hall of Fame member Junior Johnson. Johnson finished 38th after being involved in a wreck.
Top ten results
The thirty-first race of the season was run on September 13 at Central City Speedway in Macon, Georgia. Joe Eubanks won the pole.
Top ten results
• This was the first of twenty victories for Thompson.
The thirty-second race of the season was run on September 20 at Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
The thirty-third race of the season was run on October 3 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Jim Paschal won the pole.
Top ten results
The thirty-fourth race of the season was run on October 4 at Wilson Speedway in Wilson, North Carolina. Herb Thomas won the pole.
Top ten results
See main article: 1953 Wilkes 160.
The thirty-fifth race of the season was run on October 11 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Buck Baker won the pole.
Top ten results
The thirty-sixth race of the season was run on October 13 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Fonty Flock won the pole.
Top ten results
•Pascal’s win was the first of 25 wins over a 23 year career.
The thirty-seventh and final race of the season was run on November 1 at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia. Tim Flock started on the pole but finished 20th due to an overheating problem. Herb Thomas, the 1953 champion, finished 14th.
Top ten results
See also: List of NASCAR points scoring systems.
| 1 | Herb Thomas | 8460 | 37 | 12 | 27 | 31 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 7814 | 36 | 5 | 26 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 3 | Dick Rathmann | 7362 | 35 | 5 | 21 | 24 | 3 | |
| 4 | Buck Baker | 6713 | 33 | 4 | 16 | 25 | 5 | |
| 5 | Fonty Flock | 6174 | 33 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 3 | |
| 6 | 5011 | 26 | 1 | 11 | 18 | 3 | ||
| 7 | 4211 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 1 | ||
| 8 | 3603 | 24 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 2 | ||
| 9 | Jimmie Lewallen | 3208 | 22 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0 | |
| 10 | 3373 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | ||
| 11 | Speedy Thompson | 2958 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | |
| 12 | Slick Smith | 2670 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 13 | Elton Hildreth | 2625 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
| 14 | Gober Sosebee | 2525 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | |
| 15 | Bill Blair | 2457 | 21 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 0 | |
| 16 | Fred Dove | 1997 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 17 | 1624 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 18 | Gene Comstock | 1519 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 19 | Donald Thomas | 1408 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 20 | Ralph Liguori | 1336 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |