“Reganomics” was the rule last Saturday at Talladega and paid huge dividends for the winner Regan Smith in the Nationwide Series event. However, the first installment of Reganonmics was at the 2011 Southern 500. After getting jobbed out of a win at Talladega in 2008, Smith would have to wait three years to get another crack at one — and he delivered in the clutch in Darlington, holding off Carl Edwards on new tires for the final two laps. The win did get a bit overshadowed with the antics between Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch in the final laps and on pit road following the race. To Busch’s credit, he actually did try to avoid confrontation twice before Harvick’s car went on a ghost ride into the wall. Busch would later claim his transmission wouldn’t grab reverse, and he didn’t want to get clobbered by Harvick.
by Vito Pugliese
9. 1965 Southern 500: Cale has left the building
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In recent years, NASCAR has made great strides in safety, notably with the installation of “soft wall” SAFER Barriers that line most walls around the circuit’s 23 tracks. Cale Yarborough could have used something like that at Darlinton at the 1965 Southern 500, as his Banjo Matthews owned No. 27 Ford ollies the guardrail and parks it with the fans outside of Turn 1. Check out his comments about it at 3:05 with Richard Petty, Benny Parsons and Darrell Waltrip — as well as those retro New Balances that have just been re-released.
by Vito Pugliese
8. 1997 Southern 500: Earnhardt punches out
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A scary moment in the opening laps of the 1997 Southern 500 occurred when Dale Earnhardt basically blacked out coming to take the green flag and then had trouble finding his way onto pit road. He would later say that he had an episode of double-vision before the incident, but then didn’t remember anything until he got out of the car. Doctors attributed it to a migraine-like episode or broken blood vessel in his brain. A couple of years later, Earnhardt would have surgery to remove a piece of metal from his skull that occurred during a shop incident in the 70’s. Fitting since he was nicknamed “Ironhead.”
by Vito Pugliese
7. 1970 Rebel 500: That’s why they now have window nets
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After seeing the rash of accidents at Talladega — including Kurt Busch barrel rolling and landing atop Ryan Newman’s windshield — it is a wonder nobody was injured. Such was not the case during the height of speedway racing in late 1960s and early ’70s. Richard Petty endures this violent head-on impact into the concrete retaining wall (nothing “soft” about these walls), blasting it apart, and then barrel rolling his Roadrunner, with his body hanging halfway out of the window. Petty would miss the next five races with a broken shoulder, and despite 18 wins that season, finished fourth in the final point standings.
by Vito Pugliese
6. 1993 Southern 500: Martin wins fourth straight
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Mark Martin’s No. 6 Valvoline Thunderbird was on a roll in 1993, and the train kept booking through Darlington. A race that was delayed once for rain, but only featured three caution flags was the perfect complement to the Roush team’s raked Ford that ran roughshod all summer long, tying the modern era record for consecutive wins at four. Ford honored the win by placing a full page ad in the USA Today that read, “It Was Labor Day Weekend, But We Celebrated The Fourth.” Pick up the action around the 3:04 mark and check out the banzai run by Dale Earnahardt. Think things were dark at ‘Dega last weekend? Check out the sun setting behind Turn 2 when Martin pulls into Victory Lane. Also, awesome hat.
by Vito Pugliese
5. 1997 Southern 500: Brother, can you spare a million bucks?
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Jeff Gordon was eligible for the Winston Million in 1997 after winning the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600. We pick up the action at 2:25, with five laps to go, as Jeff Burton gets past Dale Jarrett to get a shot at Gordon’s lead. Don’t let Tony Stewart see this last lap — he will lose it after seeing Gordon’s defensive maneuver coming to take the white flag. After the race, Burton said he would have nailed Gordon had he been able to get back to him. It was only the second time the Winston Million had been won at the time.
by Vito Pugliese
4. 2004 Southern 500: The final “true” Southern 500
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From 1950 to 2004, the Southern 500 was run on Labor Day Weekend. That changed in 2005, when the push for major market exposure meant that Labor Day weekends would move to — gulp! — Southern California. The final “true” Southern 500 was the set up to the inaugural Nextel Cup under the new Chase format. We pick up the action at the 21:00 mark, as the final “true” Southern 500 finds a great race with championship implications unfolding. Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray exchange the lead over the final 100 laps, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has battery problems and some new guy named Carl Edwards is making video game passes with 25 to go. Remind me again why they aren’t racing here twice a year?
by Vito Pugliese
3. 1985 Southern 500: Million Dollar Bill
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In 1985, Bill Elliott was deemed “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” after his Ernie Elliott-powered Coors Ford became the scourge of the speedways in NASCAR. He won the Daytona 500 and Talladega 500, making him eligible for the $1 million bonus put up by Winston for any driver who could win three of NASCAR’s four most prestigious races: Daytona 500, Talladega 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500. Equally awesome call by Larry Nuber here, as Elliott comes to the checkers to become the first winner of the Winston Million. The fans seem pretty excited too, even though he had to beat native South Carolina son Cale Yarborough to do so. Mind you, this was a million dollars in 1985 money — back before the days of multi-million dollar driver contracts, huge purses and lucrative endorsement deals. I mean because now, a million dollars is chump change …
by Vito Pugliese
2. 1979 Rebel 500: A changing of the guard
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Picking up the action at the 6:20 mark, three-time Formula 1 champion Jackie Stewart calls the final five laps with ABC’s “Wide World of Sports’” Jim McKay. This race is cited as the changing of the guard between the previous generation to the next, led by drivers such as Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott. Richard Petty and Waltrip battle back and forth, exchanging the lead several times. Coincidentally, three of the four cars involved in dictating the final lap of the ’79 Daytona 500 are charging for the win, but this time the outcome is reversed. Of note, nobody makes contact with each other or executes a “bump ‘n’ run” to win. There was a different code back then. And some big-assed boats, ‘70s style.
by Vito Pugliese
1. 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400: Greatest finish in NASCAR’s Modern Era
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The best recipe for cookie cutter tracks and nap-inducing races? Head to the oldest of the old-school racetracks: Darlington. After all, what other track on the circuit can lay claim to the myth that a minnow pond dictated its layout? Larry Mac goes bat guano during the final laps calling this one, with plenty of “hah-side” and “drag race” quips, as Darrell Waltrip cheers on Ricky Craven to victory – which I guess is unbiased and all. Interesting observation, however, by DW, that the pointy Pontiac nose helped get the win for Craven. Ten years later, this is still the closest finish in NASCAR history at .002 seconds. And contrary to what you may think, Kurt Busch wasn’t upset afterwards.
Jimmie Johnson’s fourth straight championship was arguably his most dominant performance; with three races left, he had a seemingly insurmountable 184-point edge over teammate Mark Martin under the old point system. But as Denny Hamlin should remember, entering this coming weekend after Martinsville’s mechanical monster, anything can and will happen. Johnson and Sam Hornish Jr. and got into it on lap 8, a three-wide choice turned into catastrophe when Johnson lost control, then spun off Turn 2. The man then known as “Three-Time” would run 38th, see Martin cut the deficit to 73 points and spend his post-race disgusted over what could have been the first opportunity ever to clinch the title pre-Homestead under the Chase format. What’s worse for the No. 48 group? Hornish never apologized, leaving hurt feelings that lasted months afterwards— even though J.J. still cruised to the title.
by Tom Bowles
9. Fall 2005: Edwards vs. Martin
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Texas hasn’t been a track where late-race passes for the lead are the norm. But Carl Edwards, one of five Roush drivers in contention for the 2005 season title, made this fall edition one to remember. Leading 82 laps, Edwards jumped out in front until one last caution, for debris, sent him scurrying to pit road. That left Martin out front, but with new tires Cousin Carl was able to race down the No. 6, then blow by him on the top side to secure an easy victory and pull within 77 points of Tony Stewart for the championship. As for Mark? It was his last, best chance to secure a victory in the No. 6 Roush car; he would never win again in Cup driving the famed Ford he put on the map.
by Tom Bowles
8. 1997: Lap 1 … And Done
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Turns out everything’s bigger in Texas—even the wrecks. The start of the first ever Cup race at the 1.5-mile oval, the first in the Lone Star State since 1981, didn’t even make it half-a-lap before nearly half the field was all torn up. With the new track basically a one-groove speedway, everyone was desperate to cut to the inside, including Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, who thought his No. 17 was clear of Johnny Benson’s No. 30. The second their sheet metal tangled, Waltrip went spinning in an incident that left him knocked out of the race in dead last. In all, 13 cars were involved, though most made it back on track. Only Dale Earnhardt (from a lap back to sixth) was able to work his way back into contention. And for DW, it would be a “double whammy.” One year later, he’d be a centerpiece of another major multi-car wreck to start the 1998 event. In two races, he’d struggle to complete more than two laps as the first key to this racetrack was “survival.”
by Tom Bowles
7. 1997: Throwing Caution To The Wind
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We all know the only real way to listen to a race is in Dutch. That said, you want to know why NASCAR doesn’t race back to the caution? Because there’s a risk of incidents like this one. After a multi-car crash off Turn 4, cars were racing back to the line with one particular problem: Greg Sacks’ hobbled No. 20 was slowing considerably, anticipating the dangerous incident that had happened on the tri-oval ahead. In the meantime, Ernie Irvan was focused on passing leader Terry Labonte to get a lap back instead of the mess of shattered sheet metal ahead. He didn’t see Sacks slowing until it was far too late, slamming into the No. 20 like a speeding car plowing into a safety vehicle on the highway in a wreck that left the stands eerily quiet. Until 2003, when a similar near-disaster with Dale Jarrett occurred at New Hampshire, this incident became the poster child in trying to get the rules changed. Luckily both drivers were unhurt, although each was obviously done for the day.
by Tom Bowles
6. 1997: Burton Gets First Win
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20:00 mark
Hard to believe it has been 15-plus years since Jeff Burton, now 45, etched his name in the NASCAR record books. During a Demolition Derby of an inaugural edition, the No. 99 team and crew chief Buddy Parrott hit on the setup down the stretch. Pushing their way to the front, they avoided a late-race incident when Todd Bodine spun in front, pulled away from the homestate Labonte brothers, then outlasted Dale Jarrett to win his first Cup race by 4.067 seconds. Added bonus in this video: Kim Burton debuts on the NASCAR scene as “That NASCAR wife,” capping her emotional speech with the words “this is all he’s ever wanted his whole life.” What a nice reminder that back in the day, winning Cup Series races for the first time actually meant something more than a nice paycheck and an extra Monday appearance for your sponsor.
by Tom Bowles
5. Fall 2010: The Jeffs Play Pattycakes
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Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks—or throw good uppercuts? Respected veterans Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon got into it when the two were involved a vicious wreck exiting Turn 2. Each man had his version of the incident to tell, but with Burton at full speed, the drivers connected and Gordon took a vicious hit into the outside wall. It was surprising enough that these two wrecked, but what people didn’t expect was the duo—known more for their intellectual pursuits—trying to solve this puzzling incident with punches. The funniest part of the whole thing? NASCAR still made both men ride inside the same ambulance (of note: the two haven’t wrecked each other on the racetrack since).
by Tom Bowles
4. 2000: The Son Rises
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Way, way back, before the Most Popular Driver Awards, the concussions and the “overrated” comments, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was just a wide-eyed, introverted 25-year-old who loved computers, had a famous dad and was simply trying to make it in the wild world of the Cup Series. Big things were expected of the rookie, and some wondered if he could excel with a new team run by dad Dale Earnhardt Sr. But in just his 12th race at NASCAR’s highest level, Junior cashed in, leading a race-high 106 laps and virtually coasting to the checkers by 5.9 seconds in a performance that impressed everyone—even the old man. The tender moments between them, replayed all over the country, showcased how their relationship had progressed, back to an unbreakable bond after the elder Earnhardt was MIA at times during Junior’s childhood. Also not to be missed: a loving hug from Teresa Earnhardt, a sign of her love that’s eerie considering how badly their relationship would deteriorate in the coming years, following Senior’s death in 2001.
by Tom Bowles
3. Fall 2010: Knaus’ Switch-eroo
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At the time, it was a move that reeked of something unusual out of the 48 camp: Desperation. After several slow stops with crew consistently losing time to the No. 11 team and Denny Hamlin, crew chief Chad Knaus pulled something virtually unprecedented—he called in reinforcements. A team that, in some cases, had taken the car to four straight championships on the back of its tire-changing, fuel-pumping and chassis-adjusting knowledge was suddenly on the bench. In its place, at least for the rest of this race, was Jeff Gordon’s crew, which had been pulling off faster stops in the 24’s pit box, but in the end could never really do enough to put Johnson up front to catch Hamlin. The challenger went on to a dominating win in what seemed at the time a nail in Johnson’s coffin. Of course, Johnson, Knaus and the boys took advantage of the No. 11 team’s choke job one week later and sailed to Title No. 5.
by Tom Bowles
2. 2008: McBarrell Rolls
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In six years of covering races live, there have been only two instances where I thought a driver was dead. One was during an ARCA Daytona event, when a stopped Patrick Sheltra was broadsided at full speed. This one was the other. The full clip shows you how normal a qualifying run can be, a driver progressing through his normal rhythm before a split-second mistake, as simple as one bad deceleration point, which can turn things into a possible tragedy. End over end, flip over flip, a succession of barrel rolls. Miraculously, Michael McDowell walked away, surviving in part through NASCAR’s substantial safety innovations. But his experience, limited that year in his progression through to the Cup level, was questioned for months afterward. The danger, perhaps, of what can happen as a rookie at the sport’s top level.
by Tom Bowles
1. 2004: Sadler Sneaks One In
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Kasey Kahne’s rookie season was defined by two words: “near miss.” So many times, he had the No. 9 car in position to win only to be denied, sometimes by inches in the final laps. Texas was yet another example, as Jeff Gordon’s motor problem left Kahne in position to challenge Elliott Sadler for the victory. Sadler himself had not won since Bristol in 2001, and was desperate to score another for new employer Yates Racing. The problem? Kahne was clearly the faster car. Using the high line, he came off Turn 2 like a bullet, then appeared ready to jettison by through Turns 3 and 4 as Sadler was a sitting duck. But the lapped car of Johnny Sauter, which initially looked like it would hurt Sadler by not pulling out of the way, actually cost Kahne a shot. His insistence on running full speed, keeping the inside line, forced Sadler up and Kahne was unwilling to wreck either driver, unsure what to do and slowing up just enough he didn’t have enough momentum to make the pass down the tri-oval. Either way, it was the best Texas race for the victory we’ve seen. And based on NASCAR’s current intermediate package, not one we’ll get again anytime soon.
by Tom Bowles
BONUS 2011: Kyle’s “No No”
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This list is based on Cup, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention the one-year anniversary of the wreck that changed the career of Kyle Busch. After a three-wide incident put both he and Ron Hornaday in the wall, Busch’s anger got the best of him as the caution waved. While others slowed down, the No. 18 sped up, slammimg into the back of the No. 33 of Hornaday—a title contender in the Truck Series— and wrecked both in a move that conceivably cost his rival the big trophy while putting his own professionalism, and aggression, under the microscope. NASCAR’s response was swift and severe, parking Busch for the rest of the Texas weekend while sponsor M&M’s pulled out for the final three races of 2011. A tamer Kyle Busch has been seen ever since … and for good reason.
Timothy Peters’ Truck Series victory at Bristol on Wednesday, when he led all 204 laps, reminded us how rare it is to pace a race from start to finish. In the Cup Series, it hasn’t happened since New Hampshire, in September 2000 — and you certainly wouldn’t expect it at a short track. But believe it or not, before the days of Thunder Valley and Saturday night summers under the lights, Bristol had a full-race domination all its own. Cale Yarborough, driving for a No. 11 team that would later be purchased by Junior Johnson, led all 500 laps from the pole in the spring 1973 Cup event. Withstanding seven caution flags, Yarborough had no double-file restarts to contend with but it wouldn’t have much mattered, anyway — second-place Richard Petty was two laps down by the checkered flag. It’s the only time in history the track has seen that on the Cup level, a feat seemingly impossible to match, but after Wednesday, who knows?
by Tom Bowles
9. Edwards and Busch Battle at Bristol in 2008
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The 2007 Bristol repave brought more polarization from NASCAR fans than this year’s Presidential election. There was one finish, though, during the last five years that both sides of the aisle could embrace: a push-and-shove between Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in a year where both were favorites for the Sprint Cup championship. After dominating most of the race (415 laps led), Busch was in front during a final restart with 35 laps to go but Edwards quickly snuck under the rear bumper. While entering a turn, the two touched and a resulting side-by-side duel led to sheet metal scraping together for a good five laps. Finally, Edwards took control, using that initial edge to pull away to victory but not from the wrath of the temperamental Busch. Edwards was slammed by the No. 18 car after the race; in response, he spun Busch out to show he wouldn’t be intimidated. “That was one of those deals, where I couldn’t get by him,” Edwards said. “So I asked myself, ‘Would he do that to me?’ And he has before. So…”
by Tom Bowles
8. Ward, get your gun
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How crazy could the “old Bristol” make your temper? Even the quietest of drivers could lose control. Take Ward Burton, known for this low-key southern drawl and quiet, outdoorsman lifestyle who turned on a dime after getting spun out by Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Bristol in 2002. Not only did Burton, whose car was totaled, respond by throwing his heel pads, but his post-race interview took the “violence” to a whole new level. “I wish I had something I could have shot through the window,” said the man whose an avid gun user. We’re guessing Earnhardt steered clear for a couple of weeks. He did wind up third in the race.
by Tom Bowles
7. The Genesis of Spencer vs. Busch
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Before the infamous one-race suspension of Jimmy Spencer in 2003 (for punching Kurt Busch after the two made contact at Michigan) there was the day their bad blood all began. In his first season driving the No. 41 for owner Chip Ganassi, Spencer had a rough beginning – missing the Daytona 500 – but appeared to have the fastest car in the spring Bristol event. With 56 laps left he passed Kurt Busch for the lead and appeared poised for a first ever Cup Series victory at his favorite track. Except … Busch had no fear. Pounding back into “Mr. Excitement,” he shoved the short track veteran out of the way, nearly spinning him out and breezed to a first career victory on the Cup level. Looking back, it’s a turning point that may have kept Spencer’s employment with CGR at just one season – a win would have been nice to have on the resume – and fueled the fire for years of rivalry to come. “I never forget,” said Spencer after the race, and his actions from that day forward certainly showed it.
by Tom Bowles
6. Gordon doesn’t accept Kenseth’s apology
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Jeff Gordon’s early career was filled with nicknames and stereotypes. Driving a rainbow-adorned car, rival Dale Earnhardt tabbed him with “Wonder Boy” and the “Rainbow Warrior,” always poking fun at the youngster’s “metro” attitude compared with his hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners style. But the four-time champ showed on this day he wasn’t going to be pushed around. After getting spun out by Matt Kenseth while battling for third, Gordon responded to Kenseth’s post-race apology with an outright shove on pit road — to the delight of the fans. “I should have waited a little bit longer,” joked Kenseth although he wasn’t smiling a few months later when Gordon paid back the favor at Chicagoland – costing the No. 17 car a win.
by Tom Bowles
5. Darrell Waltrip wins seventh straight at Bristol
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Before “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity,” Darrell Waltrip was defined by a different type of “B” word: Bristol. The current FOX NASCAR broadcaster scored 12 of his 84 career victories – a whopping 14 percent — at the half-mile facility, a total that includes one of the more impressive streaks in NASCAR history. From 1981-84, Waltrip won seven straight, dominating in a way we’ve never seen before or since. The final stats during that stretch: three pole positions, 1,542 of 3,500 possible laps led and one victory by over a lap. No wonder why the Tennessee resident is so passionate about this fine facility, outspoken on several of the recent track’s initiatives to win fans back.
by Tom Bowles
4. Michael Waltrip walks away — somehow
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No, it’s not NASCAR’s top series, but Michael Waltrip would have never won in the Cup Series – let alone be around to own Chase-contending cars — if he didn’t make it through this horrifying wreck. One of the worst in NASCAR history, Waltrip’s car virtually disintegrated during a preliminary NASCAR Nationwide (then-Busch Series) race at the speedway in 1990. Coming out of Turn 2, Waltrip hit a gate for emergency cars to enter/exit the track at a bad angle, similar to how Mark Martin’s car hit at Michigan’s pit road wall last weekend. With all outside sheet metal virtually destroyed on impact, safety workers and older brother Darrell feared the worst. All that remained was the roll cage, a few select metal bars – and Michael sitting right there, winking and giving the thumbs up. “He’s a Waltrip,” said Darrell when the all clear was given. “He’s got a really hard head.”
by Tom Bowles
3. Allison, Martin, Rudd and Marlin stage a classic
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Four cars, nose-to-tail over a grueling final 10 minutes. That’s what we saw at one-groove Bristol in 1990, as a riveting chess game left Davey Allison, Mark Martin, Sterling Marlin and Ricky Rudd plotting their strategy to get up front. Several times, a driver would pull alongside another but no one was able to make a pass as they hit the white-flag lap. That’s when all hell broke loose; Rudd hit Marlin, battling for third and sending Marlin into the wall on the back straight. That left Martin and Allison clear to fight for the win, with Martin planning his charge of Turn 4 perfectly … well, almost perfect. Coming to the inside, the two hit the start/finish line so close it took a photo finish camera to sort out who won. Turns out it was Allison, by only eight inches in the closest ending ever seen in Thunder Valley. Leave it to Martin, a four-time championship runner-up, to wind up the bridesmaid in the whole ordeal.
by Tom Bowles
2. Terry Labonte spins … and still wins
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It was Terry Labonte’s most infamous win, perhaps the only way to enter Victory Lane at the “old” Bristol – with your car smashed beyond recognition. He seemed to have the August night race well in hand, leading the 1995 version of the event by 1.5 seconds entering the last 10 laps. But two cars battling for position, Mike Wallace and Jeff Burton, held Labonte up as rival Dale Earnhardt charged forward. As the white flag flew, Burton and Wallace made contact and suddenly the No. 3 car was in the midst of it all. Coming off Turn 4, Earnhardt made his move, charging to the inside and tapping Labonte’s No. 5 car, turning it sideways directly into the wall as the checkered flag flew. The contact disrupted Earnhardt’s momentum, though, allowing Labonte to stay in front and cross ahead by about a car length. “I think I ran all day without a scratch,” he joked in Victory Lane. “But that’s the way it goes (at Bristol). We won.”
by Tom Bowles
1. Earnhardt/Labonte ’99
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It’s the spin to win where even diehard Earnhardt fans know they got away with one. On a late caution, Terry Labonte put on four fresh tires, costing him track position but making him markedly faster than everyone else. The move appeared to be paying off, as the No. 5 car charged from fifth with five laps to go to challenge Earnhardt for first heading to the white flag lap. As the two bumped and banged down the front straightaway, Labonte surged ahead into Turn 1 and appeared to have his rival cleared. But that’s when Earnhardt took matters into his own hands, outright slamming into Labonte’s rear bumper, spinning out his rival and taking out half-a-dozen cars while coasting to the checkered flag without penalty. Arriving in Victory Lane to a smattering of boos, the Intimidator took his final career Bristol win with a guilty smirk. “I just meant to rattle his cage a bit,” he said. It just got “rattled” a little too much.
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