The 1961 Nashville 500 was a Grand National (now Nextel Cup) event held at Nashville Speedway USA on August 6, 1961. Richard Petty had dominated the event, but late engine woes took him out after leading the first 362 laps. Instead, Jim Paschal led the last forty-one circuits before the rain gave him his second and final win of the year. Eventual season champ Ned Jarrett was 2nd. Stats