Today in Nascar History July

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Today in Nascar History July 1st:

Winners on this date: Marshall Teague, Buddy Shuman, Lee Petty, Davey Allison, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, and Denny Hamlin.

July 1st, 1952: The first Nascar Grand National (Cup) event is held outside of the United States. It is held in Stamford Park in Niagra Falls, Ontario, Canada. Buddy Shuman wins the 100 mile contest by over two laps in his Hudson Hornet.

July 1st, 1995: Jeff Gordon holds off Dale Earnhardt in a one lap dash to the checkers after a late caution to win the Pepsi 400.

Finish

July 1st, 2000: Jeff Burton holds off the competition to win the Pepsi 400. (Note this was the final broadcast for the CBS network of Nascar)

1st Wreck (Terry Labonte was injured in this crash)

2nd Wreck-Bill Elliott on the backstretch

Finish

Still one of my favorite paint schemes ever.

July 1st, 2006: Tony Stewart holds on at Daytona to score his 2nd consecutive Pepsi 400 victory.

Wreck and then Finish

July 1st, 2007: Denny Hamlin holds off a fast charging Jeff Gordon to take the win at New Hampshire.

Last 9 laps

July 1st, 2010: Nascar announces the 25 finalists for the 2nd Hall of Fame class-the same 20 members nominated previously are in as well as these 5 new names.

Jerry Cook-6X Nascar Modified Champion

Jack Ingram-the iron man of the Busch (Nationwide Series) 2X Series Champion

Dale Inman-8X Championship winning crew chief, 7 of them with Hall of Famer Richard Petty

Fred Lorenzen-nicknamed Fast Freddy, 26-time Cup Series winner, 1965 Daytona 500 winner

T. Wayne Robertson-Winston RJ Reynolds executive who raised Nascar's profile with marketing and branding of the sport

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Today in Nascar History July 2nd:

Winners on this date: Curtis Turner, Bill Elliott, Jimmy Spencer, and Tony Stewart.

July 2nd, 1964: Fireball Roberts succumbs to injuries suffered in his crash at the World 600 in Charlotte. :(

July 2nd, 1994: Jimmy Spencer and Ernie Irvan race side by side to the line with Spencer edging out Irvan in a photo finish to win the Pepsi 400 and score his first career Cup Series victory.

Start of the Race and a few great opening laps of racing

Mini Big One

Finish

July 2nd, 2005: Tony Stewart wins a marathon of a Pepsi 400. The race is hampered by rain and ends close to 2 AM ET time and Stewart celebrates his dominating win by climbing the fence to the delight of the fans. (I definitely remember this race-very entertaining ha)

First Big One

Hard Racing/Big One #2

Finish

July 2nd, 2009: Nascar releases its list of the 25 Nascar Personalities nominated for the 1st Hall of Fame Class. (note-the 5 in bold were elected to the first class of the Nascar Hall of Fame)

Bobby Allison-1983 Cup Champ, 84 Career Wins (T-3rd all time), 3 Daytona 500 Wins

Buck Baker-First repeat Cup Champ (1956-1957), 46 Career Wins (13th all time)

Red Byron-Won First Ever NASCAR Sanctioned race (1948), 1949 Cup Champ

Richard Childress-6 time Cup Champ Owner, 11 NASCAR Championships as an owner, 89 career wins as an owner

Dale Earnhardt-7 Time Cup Champ (T-1st), 76 Career wins (7th all time), only driver to win ROY honors and Cup Championship in successive years, 34 career wins at Daytona, 1998 Daytona 500 Winner

Richie Evans-9x NASCAR modified Champ, including 8 in a row (1978-1985)

Tim Flock-2x Cup Champ (1952, 1955), 39 Career Wins (16th all time)

Bill France Jr.-Became President in 1972, succeeding his father William H.G. France, Served until 2000, Guided NASCAR to become the 2nd most popular sport!

William H.G. France-Founded the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) in 1947, served as President until 1972, helped lay out the first beach/road course race in Daytona.

Rick Hendrick-11 Career NASCAR owners championships (T-1st), 8 Career Cup Chapionships as owner, recently celebrated 25 years as an owner

Ned Jarrett-2x Cup Champ (1961, 1965), 50 Career Wins (T-10th all time), Won 1964 Southern 500 by 14 laps, still the largest margin in history

Junior Johnson-50 Career wins as a driver (T-10th all time), 132 Career wins and 6 titles as an owner

Bud Moore-63 wins and 2 titles as an owner, crew chief for Buck Baker's 1957 Championship team

Raymond Parks-one of the earliest and most successful team owners, team had 12 top 10's in 18 career races

Benny Parsons-1973 Cup Champ, 21 Career wins, 1975 Daytona 500 winner, First driver to qualify at over 200 mph

David Pearson-3x Cup Champ (1966, 1968, 1969), 105 Career Wins (2 all time), 1976 Daytona 500 Winner

Lee Petty-3x Cup Champ (1954, 1958, 1959), 54 Career Wins (9th all time), Won Very first Daytona 500, a race that took 3 days to decide a winner

Richard Petty-"The King" won 7 Cup Championships (T-1 all time), 200 Career wins (1st all time), 123 Career Poles (1 All time), Most wins in a season (27, Most races (1,185), Most Daytona 500 Wins (7), 10 Consecutive wins (1st all time)

Fireball Roberts-33 Career Wins, 1962 Daytona 500 Winner

Herb Thomas-2x Cup Champ (1951, 1953), 48 Career Wins (12th All Time), Has record 21.05 Career winning percentage (48 wins/228 starts)

Curtis Turner-17 Career Wins, won in only his 6th career start, Only driver to win 2 consecutive races from the pole leading every lap

Darrell Waltrip-DW won 84 Career Races (T-3 All Time), 3 time Cup Champ (1981, 1982, 1985), 1989 Daytona 500 Winner

Joe Weatherly-2x Cup Champ (1962-63), 25 Career Wins

Glen Wood-97 Career Wins as Cup Owner, 4 Wins as a driver in brief career

Cale Yarborough-First driver to win 3 consecutive Cup Championships (1976-78), 83 Career wins (5th all time), 4x Daytona 500 winner (1968, 1977, 1983-84)

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Today in Nascar History July 3rd:

Winners on this date: Herb Thomas (2 times), Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon, and Kevin Harvick.

July 3rd, 2004: Jeff Gordon and teammate Jimmie Johnson hold off Kurt Busch and Dale Jr to the line giving Hendrick Motorsports a 1-2 finish and Gordon another win at Daytona.

Last 12 Laps:

July 3rd, 2010: Kevin Harvick holds off what is left of the field to win at Daytona in it's final race before repaving in a wet and wild Coke Zero 400. The race starts an hour and half late due to rain and Daytona's old worn out surface makes for a wild race with countless incidents. Kurt Busch triggers the biggest one late in the event which takes out 19 cars.

The...Big One

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Happy July 4th!



Today in Nascar History-one of if not the busiest day in Nascar History-every Firecracker (Pepsi and now Coke Zero lol) 400 used to be run on July 4th up until 1988 for those that dont know-so that makes for a LOT of stuff.

Winners on this date: Fonty Flock, Tim Flock, Lee Petty, Herb Thomas, Fireball Roberts (5 times), Paul Goldsmith, Jack Smith, David Pearson (5 times), AJ Foyt (2 times), Sam McQuagg, Cale Yarborough (4 times), LeeRoy Yarbrough, Donnie Allison, Bobby Isaac, Richard Petty (3 times), Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison (2 times), Buddy Baker, Greg Sacks, Tim Richmond, Ernie Irvan, and Tony Stewart.

July 4th, 1952: Curtis Turner beats a 56 car field in the Modified Sportsman race at Darlington. Rex Stansell is fatally injured in a late race crash :(.

July 4th, 1953: Junior Johnson takes the win in the Modified Sportsman race at Darlington. In another event on the same day in Spartanburg, SC, Tim Flock is run over by a car while taking a nap in the infield. Flock sustains injuries that keeps him out of competition for a few weeks! (WOW that’s crazy lol)

July 4th, 1956: Fireball Roberts takes his first ever win on a superspeedway by winning at Raleigh.

July 4th, 1957: Paul Goldsmith takes his Smokey Yunick prepared Chevy to the win in the race at Raleigh. Herb Thomas makes his first start of the year after returning from injuries suffered in October of the previous year.

July 4th, 1958: Fireball Roberts outruns 55 cars to take another win in the event at Raleigh Speedway.

July 4th, 1959: Fireball Roberts takes a hometown victory in the inaugural Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The race is run caution free.

Fireball is the 47 car

July 4th, 1960: Jack Smith beats Cotton Owens to the line to win the 2nd annual Firecracker 250. Smith becomes the first driver to win on a superspeedway using radio communications with his crew during the event.

July 4th, 1961: David Pearson passes Fred Lorenzen with 2 laps to go and goes on to win the Firecracker 250.

July 4th, 1962: Fireball Roberts continues his dominance of Daytona International Speedway by winning the Firecracker 250. Fireball had already won the Daytona 500 earlier in the year. Race officials also announce that the race distance will be increased to 400 miles starting in 1963.

July 4th, 1963: Fireball Roberts passes Fred Lorenzen on the final lap to win the Firecracker 400. Fireball holds off Lorenzen and Marvin Panch in a race in which there were 39 lead changes.

July 4th, 1964: AJ Foyt prevails in a classic dual with Bobby Isaac to win the Firecracker 400. Foyt and Isaac swap the lead 16 times in the last 56 laps.

July 4th, 1966: Sam McQuagg takes his first ever career Grand National (Cup) Series win by taking the checkers at the Firecracker 400. McQuagg's Dodge Charger has a strip of aluminum on the back decklid of the car making the car more stable. This was the first Nascar Grand National event to permit cars equipped with rear spoilers.

July 4th, 1972: David Pearson beats Richard Petty to the line by 4 feet to win the Firecracker 400 at Daytona.

July 4th, 1974: David Pearson outfoxes Richard Petty on the last lap to take the win in the Firecracker 400. Pearson is leading coming to the white flag, but pulls to the low side and slows down allowing Petty by. Pearson wanted to be behind him to utilize the draft, and he uses it to his advantage by drafting by Petty just before the finish line to take the win. (I’ve seen a video of this-wish I could find it)

July 4th, 1977: Richard Petty wins the Firecracker 400 at Daytona. For the first time since 1949, 3 women are in the starting field-Janet Guthrie, Christine Beckers, and Lella Lombardi.

July 4th, 1983: Buddy Baker takes the lead and goes on to the win in the Firecracker 400 when Terry Labonte runs out of gas while leading with 2 laps to go.

July 4th, 1984: With President Ronald Reagan in attendance, Richard Petty wins the race to the caution flag and wins the Firecracker 400 for his 200th and final career victory, a record that is very unlikely to be matched.

Finish

July 4th, 1985: Relative unknown Greg Sacks wins the Firecracker 400 at Daytona in an unsponsored car. Sacks beats 2nd place Bill Elliott by 23 seconds for his first Cup Series Victory.

July 4th, 1987: Bobby Allison charges from 13th place to 1st in 3 laps to win the Firecracker 400 at Daytona in impressive fashion.

Final Laps (that's Ken Schrader flipping in the 90 car)

July 4th, 1992: Ernie Irvan passes Sterling Marlin to win the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. President George Bush accompanies Richard Petty in pre race ceremonies, commemorating the King's final Daytona start.

July 4th, 1998: Huge Forest Fires in Florida force Nascar to postpone the Pepsi 400 until October. It is the first time the July classic is postponed since the track was built in 1959.

July 4th, 2009: Tony Stewart collides with Kyle Busch just before the finish line sending Busch into the wall and partially airborne in a huge crash at the finish of the Coke Zero 400-Stewart takes his 3rd win in the last 5 years in the 400 mile July classic.

Big One

Finish

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Today in Nascar History July 5th:

Winners on this date: John Andretti, Greg Biffle, and Kyle Busch.

July 5th, 1997: John Andretti holds off Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte in the late laps to score his first Nascar Cup Series victory in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. It is also Cale Yarborough's first win as a car owner.

Finish: (wreck, restart, and another big wreck before the finish-crazy racing!!)

July 5th, 2003: Greg Biffle uses fuel strategy to win the Pepsi 400 at Daytona and score his first ever Cup Series victory.

Start

July 5th, 2008: Kyle Busch inches ahead of Carl Edwards while chaos ensues behind them on the final lap and goes onto win the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.

Finish

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Today in Nascar History July 6th:

Winners on this date: Tim Flock (2 times), Richard Petty, Bill Elliott, Sterling Marlin, and Michael Waltrip.

July 6th, 1969: Richard Petty wins at Dover by over 6 laps in a dominating performance.



July 6th, 1991: Bill Elliott dominates the Pepsi 400 at Daytona leading a Ford 1-2-3 finish. Darrell Waltrip survives a horrible tumble on the backstretch during the event.

DW's crash



Finish



July 6th, 1996: Sterling Marlin prevails in a rain shortened Pepsi 400.



July 6th, 2002: Michael Waltrip dominates much of the night and prevails when the caution comes out late to win the Pepsi 400.

Start



Da Big One: (definitely remember this one-Jarrett and Burton-Bodine and Nemechek took hard hits)



Finish

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Today in Nascar History July 7th:

Winners on this date: Lee Petty, Rex White, Ned Jarrett, Elmo Langley, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jamie McMurray.

July 7th, 1990: A massive 24 car accident on the 2nd lap of the Pepsi 400 depletes half of the field allowing Dale Earnhardt to cruise to an easy victory at Daytona. It was Earnhardt's first points win at the track.

DW Happy Hour crash for this race-would keep him out of action for a few months due to injury.

July 7th, 2001: In the first race back at Daytona since his father's death on the last lap of the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr scores an emotional feel good win with his DEI teammate Michael Waltrip finishing in 2nd right behind him. (very memorable race for me-even as a non Jr fan, I wanted him to win this one).

Pre Race-nice Dale Sr tribute and Dale Jr interview

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Today in Nascar History July 8th:

Winners on this date: Fonty Flock, Lloyd Dane, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, and Benny Parsons.

July 8th, 1951: Fonty Flock survives a wreck filled 100 mile event in Bainbridge, Ohio to score the win. Only 5 cars finish the race.



July 8th, 1973: Benny Parsons drives an unsponsored racecar to a dominating win in the Volunteer 500 at Bristol. Parsons wins the race by over 7 full laps and maintains his points lead.

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Today in Nascar History July 9th:

Winners on this date: Jim Paschal, Fred Lorenzen, Junior Johnson, Richard Petty (2 times), Bobby Isaac, Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon (2 times), and Tony Stewart.

July 9th, 2000: Tony Stewart is out front when a thunderstorm hits Loudon after 273 of the 300 laps and the race is called, giving the rookie the win in a somber race for Nascar. Driver Kenny Irwin was killed in a practice crash 2 days before the race-the 2nd death at the track in the year (Adam Petty was the first) :(

Kenny Irwin Jr Tribute





July 9th, 2006: Jeff Gordon boots leader Matt Kenseth out of the way in the late going to win in controversial fashion at Chicagoland Speedway.

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Today in Nascar History July 10th:

Winners on this date: Red Byron, Dick Rathmann (2 times), Tim Flock, Lee Petty, Ned Jarrett, Billy Wade, David Pearson (2 times), Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and David Reutimann.

July 10th, 1949: Red Byron passes Gober Sosebee with six laps to go and goes on to win on the Daytona Beach Road Course. A smaller than expected crowd of 5000 comes out to watch the race. Three female drivers also start the event-Sara Christian, Ethel Mobley, and Louise Smith. Mobley finishes the highest of them, in 11th place.

July 10th, 1994: Ricky Rudd and Dale Earnhardt engage in a terrific duel late at New Hampshire with Rudd coming out on top. It is the first win for Rudd since becoming an owner/driver. It is his 15th career win and the 12th season in a row he has won at least 1 race.

Last 8 Laps-great racing

July 10th, 2005: After struggling through much of the season and undergoing crew changes, Dale Earnhardt Jr uses some strategy and a fast car to win at Chicagoland, ending a personal slump.

Finish

July 10th, 2010: David Reutimann drives his MWR Toyota to the win in a quick and odd race at Chicagoland Speedway. Most of the normal front runners encounter problems or run poorly giving the oppurtunity for Reutimann to take his 2nd career win and his first non rain-shortened win. Carl Edwards runs a strong 2nd and Jeff Gordon emerges 3rd in his 600th career Cup Series start.