NASCAR lore

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NASCAR lore has developed since the sport's founding in 1948. It includes NASCAR's colorful history of races along with the men and machines that have competed in them. Largely through the efforts of sportswriters and television, some events have become extremely famous, even mythical, in the history of the sport.

Some races are made famous by a dramatic last-lap battle for the win, while others are notable for special achievements or historical significance.

Contents 1 Races 1.1 1950s 1.2 1970s 1.3 1980s 1.4 1990s 1.5 2000s 2 Honorable mention 3 Famous cars 4 Nicknames 4.1 Drivers 4.2 Tracks 5 References

Races

1950s

• Photo Finish^[1] - Inaugural Daytona 500 (February 22, 1959)

  The first major milestone in NASCAR history saw the series move from the Beach Course to the new high-banked Daytona International Speedway. Nearing the finish, Johnny Beauchamp and Lee Petty battled for the lead. The two cars crossed the finish line side-by-side for a photo finish. Officials deemed Johnny Beauchamp the unofficial winner, and he drove to victory lane. The results, however, were protested. After examining photographs and newsreel film for three days, Lee Petty was declared the official winner. The controversey kept the race in the news for several days.

1970s

• Pearson Get His - 1976 Daytona 500^[2][1][3] (February 15, 1976)

  After years of misfortune, David Pearson finally won the Daytona 500 in spectacular fashion. On the final lap, Richard Petty led Pearson down the backstrech. Pearson attempted a sling-shot pass, and took the lead into turn three. Petty picked up the draft, and returned the favor in turn 4 to take the lead back. Exiting turn four, the two cars touched, and spun out of control. Both cars slammed into the outside wall, and Pearson spun into the tri-oval infield. Petty continued sliding towards the finish line, and appeared as if he would cross the line spinning backwards. The car hit a grassy rut, and slid to a stop 50 yards short of the finish line. Pearson refired his wrecked car, and headed for the finish line. Petty's car was stalled, and Pearson idled by to win the race. It is often regarded as the greatest finish in Daytona 500 history.

• The Fight^[1][4] - 1979 Daytona 500^[2][3] (February 18, 1979)

  For the first time in its history, CBS televised the race live flag-to-flag on national television. A major snowstorm, known as the Presidents Day Snowstorm of 1979, bogged down most of the Northeast and parts of the Midwest, increasing the viewership of the event. Donnie Allison was leading the race on the final lap with Cale Yarborough drafting him tightly. Yarborough attempted a slingshot pass at the end of the backstretch, and Allison attempted to block. With both drivers refusing to give, the cars banged together three times until crashing into the outside wall in turn 3. Third place Richard Petty, running a half a lap behind, sailed by to take the victory. Donnie Allison and Yarborough climbed out of their cars and began to argue. Bobby Allison stopped at the scene, and a fight broke out on national television. The story made the front page of The New York Times. It is largely considered the point at which NASCAR arrived as a popular national sport.

1980s

• Petty's 200th - 1984 Firecracker 400^[2][5] (July 4, 1984)

  On Independence Day, seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty won his record 200th career Grand National/Winston Cup Series victory in exciting fashion. Battling Cale Yarborough most of the race, the two were running 1st-2nd in the closing laps. With President Ronald Reagan in attendance, Petty led with 3 laps to go. Doug Heveron crashed in turn one, and the caution flag came out. The two cars raced back to the caution, and Petty edged out Yarborough to lead at the stripe by a few feet. The field circulated around the track under caution for the final two laps, and Petty secured his unprecidented and unequalled 200th victory.

• Million Dollar Bill^[6][7] - Bill Elliot wins the Winston Million^[8] (September 1, 1985)

  Bill Elliott won the 1985 Daytona 500 in dominating fashion. In May at the Winston 500, Elliott was in contention, but was forced to the pits to repair a broken oil fitting and he lost two laps. Elliott proceded to make the laps up under green, and took the victory.^[8][3] At Darlington Raceway, Elliott capped off the tremendous effort with victory in the Southern 500. The win clinched him the first-ever Winston Million, a cash bonus for a driver who could win three out of the four races that comprise NASCAR's "grand slam." The victory thrust him into notoriety, and he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

• 1986 Miller High Life 400^[2][9] - (February 23, 1986)

  Rivals Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt battled for the win on the half-mile short track for the better part of the race. In the final five laps, Waltrip rode on the back bumper of Earnhardt, bumping and rubbing the whole way. Waltrip finally snuck underneath exiting turn two with three laps to go. Going into turn 3, Earnhardt spun Waltrip out, but lost control himself and both cars crashed hard. The wreck collected Joe Ruttman (3rd place) and Geoff Bodine (4th place), allowing 5th place Kyle Petty to slip by and take his first-career Cup victory. The incident drew a fine for Earnhardt, raised tempers throughout the garage area, and gave Earnhardt the "Ironhead" nickname. The incident was dramatized in the movie 3.

• The Pass in the Grass^[1] - 1987 The Winston (May 17, 1987)

  After two mostly uneventful runnings, in 1987, a new format was introduced for NASCAR's all-star event, The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Two segments - 75 and 50 laps, respectively - were concluded with a 10-lap "trophy dash" sprint to the finish. With 7 laps to go, Dale Earnhardt led Bill Elliott in turn four. Towards the quad-oval, Elliott pushed his nose underneath Earnhardt, attempting to take the lead. Earnhardt swiped the car over to block, but slid into the infield grass. He was able to maintain control, veered back onto the track, back in front of Elliott, and held onto the lead. Earnhardt muscled his way around the track over the final six laps, and won. The event has since been become one of the most popular events on the calendar.

1990s

• One Hot Night^[10] - 1992 The Winston^[2] (May 16, 1992)

  Lights were installed at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and it became the first non-short track to host night racing. The first race held under-the-lights was the The Winston "all star" race. During the final 10-lap sprint, Dale Earnhardt led Kyle Petty and Davey Allison. On the final lap, Petty nudged Earnhardt in turn three, spinning him out. Petty took the lead into turn four, but as he entered the qual-oval, Davey Allison pulled alongside. The two cars touched as they crossed the finish line, with Allison edging out Petty by less than half a car length. The two cars clipped, and Allison crashed hard into the outside wall, showering bright sparks over the track. Allison spent the night in the hospital instead of victory lane.

• 1992 Hooters 500^[2][5] (November 15, 1992)

  In what is considered one of the greatest NASCAR races of all-time, several sidebar stories complemented the closest championship chase in NASCAR history up to that point. The race served as Richard Petty's final career race, and the first start for future champion Jeff Gordon. Six drivers entered the race with a mathematical chance to win the title, the most in history. As the laps dwindled down the race, and the championship, became a two-man battle between Alan Kulwicki and Bill Elliott. Kulwicki, known to be an intelligent and calculating driver, was facing his final fuel stop. He stayed out while leading one lap extra than his pit crew requested, allowing him to lead a total of 103 laps during the race. Elliott led the rest of the way, and won the race, while Kulwicki finished second. Elliott's total laps led, however was only 102, and Kulwicki received the 5 bonus points for leading the most laps, and clinched the championship.

• 1998 Daytona 500 - February 15, 1998

  After 19 years of misfortune, bad luck, and after several second place finishes, Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500 in his 20th attempt. Earnhardt had won seven Winston Cup championships, over 70 Cup races, and 32 other races at Daytona International Speedway, but had never won NASCAR's crown jewel. Up front most of the race, Earnhardt dominated the final 60 laps, and clinched victory one lap early when a caution came out with one lap to go. Earnhardt was greeted on pit road by nearly the entire NASCAR brethern, then veered into the infield tri-oval grass to do a burnout. The tire marks in the grass eeriely resembled his famous #3.

• Rattle His Cage - 1999 Goody's Headache Powder 500^[2][9] (August 28, 1999)

  In the closing laps of the popular Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt led Terry Labonte and Jimmy Spencer. Labonte pulled alongside Earnhardt in turn four, and the two cars touched at they took the white flag for one lap to go. Going into turn 1, Labonte took the lead. In turn 2, Earnhardt tagged Labonte in the rear bumper, sending Labonte spinning down the backstrech. Earnhardt went on to win, and Spencer slipped by for second. Terry Labonte, however, collected six other cars and wrecked. When Earnhardt climbed out of the car in victory lane, many of the 170,000 fans booed and waved the finger. Defending his action, Earnhardt said in his victory lane interview, "(I) didn't mean really to turn him around, I meant to rattle his cage." Earnhardt was widely criticized for the move, and other criticized NASCAR officials for not penalizing him.

] 2000s

• 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500^[3][2][1] (March 11, 2001)

  After the shocking Death of Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500, Richard Childress Racing had to move quickly, but respectfully, to fill the vacated seat. Childress filled the empty seat with rookie Kevin Harvick, a Busch Series driver he had planned to develop over the next couple of seasons. Dale Earnhardt's famous black #3 car was repainted white, and the number was changed to #29 (a number of little significance, as it was simply the lowest number unused at the time). After strong finishes of 14th at Rockingham and 8th at Las Vegas, Harvick entered his third-career race at Atlanta. With five laps to go, Harvick took the lead, but was being chased down by Jeff Gordon. As the two cars came out of turn four, Gordon pulled alongside, but Harvick held him off by 0.006 seconds, the second-closest finish in NASCAR history at that time. Harvick performed a burnout on the frontstretch, holding up three fingers, fittingly representing his third start, and more importantly, in remembrance of Dale Earnhardt's famous #3.

• 2001 Pepsi 400^[3][1] (July 7, 2001)

  Less than five months after the Death of Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500, NASCAR returned to Daytona International Speedway. Much to the delight of the crowd, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. dominated most of the event. After a late-race caution, Earnhardt, Jr. charged from 7th place to first in less than a lap and a half, and took the lead with 5 laps to go. With teammate Michael Waltrip protecting the position in second place, Earnhardt took the dramatic victory. An emotional post-race celebration saw Earnhardt, Jr. mimick his father's actions by spinning donuts in the tri-oval grass.

• 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400^[3][2][5] (March 18, 2003)

  Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven battled in one of the greatest lap-lap finishes in NASCAR history. The two cars pounded each other relentlessly around Darlington Raceway for the entire final lap, and engaged side-by-side coming out of the final turn. Slamming fenders and turning into each other down the frontstrech, the two cars crossed the line together, with Craven taking the victory by 0.002 seconds. It was the closest finish in NASCAR history, since electronic scoring equipment had been introduced.

Honorable mention

• "They're not changing tires!"^[11] - 1981 Daytona 500^[8] (February 15, 1981)

  After over 40 lead changes, the race came down to the final series of pit stops. Bobby Allison's Pontiac LeMans was the class of the field, but Allison needed one more pit stop. After Allison took on tires and fuel, Dale Inman, crew chief for Petty, called his driver to the pits. With 24 laps to go, the crew gambled and took on fuel only. They decided not to change tires, and Petty's blazing 6.8-second pit stop allowed him to re-enter the track and hold the lead. A starled Ned Jarrett, working as a pit reporter for CBS, proclaimed "They're not changing tires! A change of pace for the Petty crew!"^[12] Petty held off a shocked Allison by 3 seconds, and won his record 7th Daytona 500 crown.

• 143 Lead Changes^[5] - 1984 Winston 500 & Talladega 500

  The most competetive pair of races in NASCAR history occurred at Alabama International Motor Speedway in 1984. At the Winston 500 on May 6, the race recorded a NASACR record 75 official lead changes. That number only includes the leader of each lap at the start/finish line, and not any intermediate lead changes on other parts of the track, which were estimated at many more. Less than three months later, the Talladega 500 on July 29 nearly matched the record when it saw 68 official lead changes, the second-most in NASCAR history.^[13]

• Inaugural Brickyard 400^[9] - (August 6, 1994)

  After over two years of preparation, and decades of speculation, NASCAR held its first event at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A NASCAR-record crowd watched the Winston Cup regulars, and numerous one-off entries, compete for a then-record $3.2 million purse. The popular hometown hero Jeff Gordon from nearby Pittsboro, Indiana, won the race after his strongest competitors Geoff Bodine and Ernie Irvan fell by the wayside. The event thrust into one of the biggest races on the circuit, and elevated Gordon's young career.

• The Iron Man Streak - 1996 First Union 400 (April 15, 1996)

  Terry Labonte tied NASCAR's all-time consecutive starts record at the final spring race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Driving an "iron grey" painted Kellogg's Monte Carlo, Labonte drove in his 513th straight race, tying the record set by Richard Petty. The streak was a culmination of seventeen years of racing, and his record would stand until 2002. Not only did Labonte take over the record, he won the race, and went on to win the 1996 Winston Cup Championship.

Famous cars

Herb Thomas' #92 Fabulous Hudson Hornet

Petty's famous Roadrunner Superbird, on display at the Richard Petty Museum

Melling Racing car that set the record for the fastest recorded time in a stock car - 212.809 mph at Talladega Superspeedway

• Fabulous Hudson Hornet

  In the early 1950, Marshall Teague dominated stock car racing in NASCAR and USAC winning 27 of 34 events driving the lightweight, monocoque machine. Herb Thomas switched to the car in 1951, and went on to win the championship. He then dominated the 1953 Grand National season in the car.

• Aero Warriors

  In 1969, Ford introduced the Ford Torino Talladega to Grand National competition. The car featured a slick, aerodynamic fastback design. A year later, the Plymouth Superbird was Mopar's answer to the Torino. The Superbird featured a protruding nosecone, a massive rear wing, and was introduced also to lure Richard Petty back to NASCAR.

• Bill Elliott's Melling Racing Ford Thunderbird

  For several seasons in the mid to late 1980s, Melling Racing led by Ernie Elliott produced a stable of Ford Thunderbird machines that saw much domination at superspeedways. In 1985, Elliott piloted the car to 11 poles and 11 wins. Among the victories included a dominating win at the Daytona 500, the fastest-race to date at the Winston 500 at 186.288 mph, and the Southern 500, which clinched the Winston Million. Elliott set the all-time pole qualifying record at the Daytona 500 in 1987 at 210.364 mph, and the all-time NASCAR qualifying record later that year at Talladega at 212.809 mph. Elliott also set the summer race pole record at Talladega at 209.005 mph in 1986. From 1985-1988, Elliot's dominating Ford won 25 races, 29 poles, and the 1988 Winston Cup Championship.

Nicknames

Drivers

• The King - Richard Petty
• The Intimidator, Ironhead - Dale Earnhardt
• The Silver Fox - David Pearson
• "Gentleman" Ned Jarrett
• Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, Million Dollar Bill - Bill Elliott
• Iceman - Terry Labonte
• Handsome Harry Gant, also Mr. September and "High Groove Harry"
• King of the Beach - Marshall Teague
• Jaws - Darrell Waltrip, also "D. W."
• Wonder Boy, The Kid with the Mustache, Super G - Jeff Gordon
• The "Alabama Gang" - Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, Red Farmer, Jimmy Means, Neil Bonnett, Hut Stricklin
• Smoke - Tony Stewart
• The Franchise - David Reutimann
• Happy - Kevin Harvick
• Rowdy - Kyle Busch

Tracks

• "The Lady in Black" and "The Track too Tough to Tame" - Darlington Raceway
• "Thunder Valley" - Bristol Motor Speedway
• "The Monster Mile" - Dover International Speedway
• "The Miracle Mile" - New Hampshire Motor Speedway
• "The Rock" - North Carolina Motor Speedway (former NASCAR track)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Greatest NASCAR moments: Nos. 10-1". Fox Sports. 2008-07-20. http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/7797480/Greatest-NASCAR-moments:-Nos.-10-1. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} "Greatest NASCAR Finishes". CMT. 2008-01-18. http://www.cmt.com/shows/dyn/greatest_nascar/series_featured_copy.jhtml. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Fans' Poll: Greatest Races". NASCAR.com. 2009-02-13. http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/features/02/02/top.races.10/index.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
4. ^ 2009 Daytona 500 telecast - FOX-TV, February 15, 2009
5. ^ ^{a b c d} "Greatest NASCAR moments: Nos. 20-11". Fox Sports. 2008-07-20. http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/7795946/Greatest-NASCAR-moments:-Nos.-20-11. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
6. ^ "Bill Elliott". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2055. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
7. ^ "Bill Elliott NASCAR Cup Series Career: 1976-present". NASCAR.com. 2008-04-21. http://www.nascar.com/news/features/50.greatest.bill.elliott/index.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
8. ^ ^{a b c} "Greatest NASCAR moments: Nos. 40-31". Fox Sports. 2008-07-20. http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/7792908/Greatest-NASCAR-moments:-Nos.-40-31. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
9. ^ ^{a b c} "Greatest NASCAR moments: Nos. 30-21". Fox Sports. 2008-07-20. http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/7792908/Greatest-NASCAR-moments:-Nos.-30-21. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
10. ^ "One Hot Night". thatsracin.com. http://blogs.thatsracin.com/scuffs/2008/05/one-hot-night.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
11. ^ 1981 Daytona 500 telecast - CBS, February 15, 1981
12. ^ 1981 Daytona 500 telecast - CBS, February 15, 1981
13. ^ "A Look Back In Talladega History: Competition". TalladegaSuperspeedway.com. http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/news/track_news/551064.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.

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