A Race Win That Saved A Career

JGR_20

JGR_20

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Inside of the NASCAR ranks, is there a driver who won a race at the perfect time, therefore saving his NASCAR career? What race win(s) do you think saved a drivers spot inside this sport...

One could argue that every single win could be pointed to... but I’m talking about drivers who were possibly in droughts... Finally getting a win, seemed to change everything for them...
 
Gilliland at Kentucky in 2006? Haha couldn't think of anyone else sorry.
 
AuzGrams said:
Sorry but Ragan has had no business being a Cup driver after his JGR/MWR stint
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But he only got to that point by the wins which were well before that.
 
kkfan91 said:
Geoff Bodine at Martinsville 1984, not his career but Rick Hendricks
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Also Geoff bodine winning Watkins glen in 96 probably kept his name valuable in the garage for a few more years. Even though he was in his own car... but later driving for other owners
 
DaBiff1618 said:
Bowyer winning Martinsville last year probably earned him two more years of mediocrity. Jamie Mac winning Talladega in a lame duck situation in 2009 I think helped play a role in him getting the 1 car in 2010
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Agreed. I think the Daytona 500 win also bought McMurray those last 7 or 8 years he ran in the #1 as well.
 
AuzGrams said:
Jamie wasn't too bad in '15 and '16
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You’re right. He did run well in those couple seasons. I just think that when he won at Daytona in 2010, that alone probably would’ve kept him around as long as the sponsors were there.

Good call on how well he ran though.
 
Harry Gants win in the Spring race at Darlington in 1989 was huge for him. His last win prior to that was the Fall race at North Wilkesboro in 1985. It ended a long drought for the Skoal Bandit.
 
AJ Allmendinger for sure, but that saved a team and extended his career for four more years. One of the more overlooked wins, but an extremely important one.

Brett Moffitt winning at Michigan in 2016 started a run he's been on ever since that win. He's won 10 additional races and a truck championship.
 
JohnHill said:
You’re right. He did run well in those couple seasons. I just think that when he won at Daytona in 2010, that alone probably would’ve kept him around as long as the sponsors were there.

Good call on how well he ran though.
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Also not bad in '17 either. I wouldn't say he underperformed. Probably up to average really.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Kasey Kahne had a few. Every time he was about to lose his ride, boom, another win.
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I like that mention too. Kasey did find a way to come through at various times keeping himself relevant. Good driver, especially for evernham
 
JohnHill said:
Also Geoff bodine winning Watkins glen in 96 probably kept his name valuable in the garage for a few more years. Even though he was in his own car... but later driving for other owners
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Bodine fan growing up. That was his last ever win. Was the day before I started high school.

I was watching the Daytona 500 my sophomore year in college and he was running 2nd late in the Miccosukee #09 car and was ecstatic. Think Ward Burton won that race.

Would Trevor Bayne have ever gotten a full-time Cup ride without a Daytona 500 win?

(There's a clear pattern in this thread of "Daytona 500 wins extend careers".)

Clearest case of a a driver saving a race team by good performances though was Vitor Meira in the 2006 Indycar season. Panther Racing all season seemed to be on death's door financially, and Meira kept finishing 2nd and 3rd.
 
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Brad K's first win at 2009 Talladega. Without it he probably fades into history and loses his ride.
 
Acs said:
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Brad K's first win at 2009 Talladega. Without it he probably fades into history and loses his ride.
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Disagree strongly. He was extremely popular in XFINITY, was in line at Hendrick, and probably still would have been picked up by Penske.
 
Martin Truex, Jr.'s win at the 2015 spring Pocono race victory was the start of a mutually career-changing run with Furniture Row Racing.

Kasey Kahne's 2017 Brickyard 400 win showed a little grit and fire that many had started to believe was no longer within him, and the win earned him one last shot at the playoffs before his untimely retirement.
 
Acs said:
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Brad K's first win at 2009 Talladega. Without it he probably fades into history and loses his ride.
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No way. He was impressive enough in Xfinity he was going to a decent cup ride no matter what.
 
Truex_rox said:
Martin Truex, Jr.'s win at the 2015 spring Pocono race victory was the start of a mutually career-changing run with Furniture Row Racing.
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Truex had a few career-saving wins but that one, right after that, he went from an average driver who won every few years to the gold standard in Cup racing.
 
I think Casey Mears bought a few more years in cup, by winning the coke 600
 
jaqua19 said:
This. He drove for Roush when they were elite and did nothing

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
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He did okay in 2008 (?) but for some reason I don't think I was paying attention to every race that year.
 
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