Most Exciting Race Finish Seen Live?

R

roadcoursefan

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Just curious what the rest of the board considers the best race that they've seen live? "Best" can mean a lot of things, but I'm thinking along the lines of a crazy finish or something historic.

For me, it has to be witnessing what turned out to be Stewart's last W at Sonoma. The crowd was juiced, then it felt like all the air was let out when Hamlin passed Smoke on the final lap. The rest is history. While I wouldn't have minded seeing the 14 win 1-2 more last year, it is pretty cool looking back and knowing you were there for #49. Especially in as dramatic fashion as it happened...

Others: Jr. winning the July Daytona race in 2015. We were in VL for the last few laps, so we were facing away from the track. I dont recall even knowing about Dillon's wreck until I looked at my phone leaving the track.

Logano spinning Kenseth to win Kansas in 2015. I knew it was a big deal when it happened, but sure as heck didn't know what was to come at Martinsville.
 
David Ragans win at Daytona or 2013 Dover spring or 2016 Dover
 
I saw my boy T. Labonte win at Pocono when Gordon ground the gears on a restart with 10 to go. It was not a close finish but I was a 5 fan at that time and although consistent, Labonte didn't win a lot of races and I was with a Gordo fan who heard it from me all the way home. That was around 95 or 6 I think. Also saw a decent fuel attrition deal when Truex won there I think two years ago. That was fun watching guys dry up one after the other.
 
- Gordon's final win
- JR conquering Daytona in July 2001

I was also there the day Sr. passed. Obviously not exciting but in terms of historic that will probably go down as the most impactful day in the sport's history.

Also saw the Dillon wreck live from the grandstand. Happened right in front of me but I was in the top section.
 
I can't remember how many live races I have attended but I have seen some good IROC races at 'igan and 'dega and I believe it was Steve Grissom that showered us with sparks with his car sliding on one side along the fence. I used to have so much fun as a Nascar fan and it would take forever to list them all and while I am sad it all had to come to an end I have got enough stories and happy memories to last a lifetime.
 
Earnhardt finally winning the 500. The respect the teams showed him on pit road caused me to tear up (and I wasn't a fan of his).

Also Ned Jarret calling the action of his son Dale on leading the last lap of the 500.
 
1. The famous Darlington race with Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch. Dave Blaney was flying in third catching them both, had they wrecked he would have won.

2. From an emotional standpoint it was Dave Blaney beating Mat Kenseth in the Busch Race at Charlotte for his only NASCAR win.

3.Dale Jr's win at Daytona after his daddy died.

4. Harvick's win at Atlanta the week after Sr.'s death.

5. Richard Petty's 200th win at Daytona.

6. Geoff Bodine's truck crash at Daytona. Only a few minutes before his crashing I was standing along the fence at the start/finish line. Glad I moved.
 
As far as races I've been at, three stand out. The first was the Winston in 1992. It came down to a two lap shootout between Mark Martin( leader) and Earnhardt. On the initial restart Earnhardt jumped the start big time. With it being the All Star race, they didn't black flag him, they just lined them back up and did it again. Dale still got the win. The crowd was really mixed.

The other is Martinsville in 2011 I think. Shootout between Kyle Busch, Jr and Harvick. Jr got by Busch with 10 or so to go. The crown thought the dry spell was over. Didn't work out that way. Harvick got by him with two to go.

The other was Martinsville in 1999 when John Andretti got his final win. That crowd was pumped I see the 43 win.
 
If we're talking races we've seen in person, the one for me had to be the '99 night race at Bristol where Earnhardt "rattled" Terry Labonte's cage. The crowd went nuts, nobody was leaving.
 
1) khane vs kenseth in the final cup rockingham race.

2) Darlington in 15' when Edwards won

3) this years Coke 609

4) Larson holding off Logano in the truck at rockingham.


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#3 - Regan Smith holding off the field on old tires at Darlington

#2 - Darlington again. Craven and Busch. 'Nuff said.

#1 - Rockingham Busch race in '97 or '98. Matt Kenseth in an unsponsored car moves Tony Stewart out of the way in turn 3 on the last lap to get his first Busch win.
 
DIDIT said:
1. The famous Darlington race with Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch. Dave Blaney was flying in third catching them both, had they wrecked he would have won.

2. From an emotional standpoint it was Dave Blaney beating Mat Kenseth in the Busch Race at Charlotte for his only NASCAR win.

3.Dale Jr's win at Daytona after his daddy died.

4. Harvick's win at Atlanta the week after Sr.'s death.

5. Richard Petty's 200th win at Daytona.

6. Geoff Bodine's truck crash at Daytona. Only a few minutes before his crashing I was standing along the fence at the start/finish line. Glad I moved.
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#4 - Respectfully, that was two weeks after. The week after was Harvick's debut in the car at Rockingham. It started raining around lap 7 and they finished on Monday.
 
Not necessarily close finishes, but the two most memorable finishes I saw live were Ernie Irvan winning at Martinsville in September 1993 (the first win for the 28 car after Davey Allison's death), and Dale Jr. winning at Michigan in June 2012 breaking a four-year winless streak.
 
For one reason or another these are all memorable in a good way:

2014 Ford 400
2013 Mudsummer Classic
2005, 2011, 2014 Daytona 500
 
Gordon's last win at the Brickyard. It was the first in about 10 years where I driver I rooted for actually won. The one before that was Jeff Gordon as well. Still disappointed I never got to see Carl do a backflip.
 
One of the more memorable endings in NASCAR history. It was cool dreary Monday morning (10 AM start) but the wait was worth it. As amazing as the ending was the atmosphere was equally impressive. 90% of the crowd returned. There was very little security and personnel so it was basically a free for all in the stands. Just a really memorable day! At the time I was happy Mayfield won but in hindsight I really wish Dale did. The July was race just as good! Mayfield blew a tire on the last lap and Rusty won!



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Spring 2016 at Dover or Loudon Fall 2011. Every other race I've ever been to was a snoozer and a half at the end.
 
Can I add the most bizarre race I saw?...

The 2014 sprint unlimited.

Pace car caught on fire. All but about 7 cars taken out.
 
I was standing on the pit wall for the end of the Truck race at MoSport last season when Cole Custer and JHN came banging around that last corner and through the dirt to the finish. So much dust everywhere I couldn't tell who won! Lol it was great!

Technically that's the only live NASCAR race I've been to but I have a feeling that finish would be high or at the top on the list anyway

 
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KodiakRusty89 said:
One of the more memorable endings in NASCAR history. It was cool dreary Monday morning (10 AM start) but the wait was worth it. As amazing as the ending was the atmosphere was equally impressive. 90% of the crowd returned. There was very little security and personnel so it was basically a free for all in the stands. Just a really memorable day! At the time I was happy Mayfield won but in hindsight I really wish Dale did. The July was race just as good! Mayfield blew a tire on the last lap and Rusty won!



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Awesome! Liked how Earnhardt reacted after the race.
 
2001 March Atl. New kid in the 29 clips the 48 or 24 at the finish by a bumper.
I grew up not a Sr. fan since I was a 9 fan all my life. But that day was extremely
special from the black B1 bomber flyover with a white 3 painted on the side of the **** pit
to that finish . Yep, pains me to say , it was even better than the lightening in a
bottle day Nov. '92 when the Petty, Kulwicki, Gordon, Allison, Elliott cosmic intersection
in Atl. happened.
 
I feel like there's about 10-12 iconic finishes that are entrenched in the sports history. The ones that come to mind
1959 Daytona 500
The Petty-Pearson crash and finish
The Rudd-Wallace battle at Watkins Glen '88??
'90 Daytona 500
Allison-Jarrett at Michigan '92
'92 Winston
Dale and Dale show
Earnhardt-Labonte at Bristol -rattle his cage part 1
Mayfield-Earnhardt at Pocono - rattle his cage part 2
Harvick and Gordon at Atlanta '01
Busch and Craven at Darlington '03
Harvick and Martin at Daytona '07

There's been others obviously but these seem to be the ones that are shown and talked about the most.
 
Wrangler1 said:


Watkins Glen has made a habit of producing close finishes but this race was on another level. The crowd was electric that last lap. (2012 Watkins Glen).
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This is the one and only time I have jumped out of my seat and started screaming at the TV on the last lap of a race. This was an amazing finish.
 
My family (dad's side) and I attended the summer 2015 Daytona race as well.

At the finish, I was watching Jeff Gordon slide sideways in front of us. I didn't know about Austin Dillon's wreck until my dad pointed out his car a minute or so later.
 


It was a glorious day on God's green earth. Just sitting in the third row and watching the stands clear was almost as much fun as the race. I can still see the look of shock in Dale's fan's eyes.
 
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