Today in Nascar History August 31st:

Winners on this date: Tim Richmond, Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte, and Jimmie Johnson.

August 31st, 1997: Jeff Gordon fends off Jeff Burton in a classic last lap fender rubbing duel at Darlington to win the Southern 500 and the Winston Million bonus. Gordon is the first driver to win it since Bill Elliott in 1985.






August 31st, 2003: In what would be the final Southern 500 at Darlington on its traditional race date, veteran Terry Labonte ends a long winless drought and scores a popular victory on the rough old track. It was Labonte's last career victory.



August 31st, 2008: Jimmie Johnson toys with the competition and romps to an easy victory at Fontana.