Favorite races you have been to

Get That 88 Up There !!

Get That 88 Up There !!

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I know we have a race experiences thread, but I think it would be cool to have the best races we have been to thread. For myself,
1. 2007 Dover Spring Race - Truex’s 1st win and more importantly my first race
2. 2014 Richmond Fall Race - far from the best race I have seen in person, but to date only time I have seen Brad win in cup
3. 2018 Watkins Glen - Chase’s 1st win and a very memorable race weekend
4. 2013 New Hampshire Summer Race - a race that had a ton of different contenders, including Bobby Labonte running in the top 5 for a while, and finishing with Brian Vickers coming out of nowhere to win
5. 2011 Southern 500 - first of 3 trips to date to Darlington, and of course the surprise winner in Regan Smith
6. 2016 Dover Spring Race - Probably the best race I have ever seen at Dover, fantastic battle the last 40 laps or so
7. 2017 Coca-Cola 600 - no matter what you think of him, seeing the 3 car back in cup victory lane was pretty cool
8. 2014 Martinsville Spring - fanastic battle between Kurt and Johnson on a very cold day
9. 2013 Dover Spring - Seeing my dad’s favorite driver, Stewart win with him (my dad had seen tony win numerous times before I started going) was pretty cool and definitely a favorite moment of mine.
10. 2008 Dover Busch spring - first time I saw Brad win and watching Kyle get punted of the lead was awesome for 10 year old me.

So what are some of your favorite races you have been to?
 
Get That 88 Up There !! said:
I know we have a race experiences thread, but I think it would be cool to have the best races we have been to thread. For myself,
1. 2007 Dover Spring Race - Truex’s 1st win and more importantly my first race
2. 2014 Richmond Fall Race - far from the best race I have seen in person, but to date only time I have seen Brad win in cup
3. 2018 Watkins Glen - Chase’s 1st win and a very memorable race weekend
4. 2013 New Hampshire Summer Race - a race that had a ton of different contenders, including Bobby Labonte running in the top 5 for a while, and finishing with Brian Vickers coming out of nowhere to win
5. 2011 Southern 500 - first of 3 trips to date to Darlington, and of course the surprise winner in Regan Smith
6. 2016 Dover Spring Race - Probably the best race I have ever seen at Dover, fantastic battle the last 40 laps or so
7. 2017 Coca-Cola 600 - no matter what you think of him, seeing the 3 car back in cup victory lane was pretty cool
8. 2014 Martinsville Spring - fanastic battle between Kurt and Johnson on a very cold day
9. 2013 Dover Spring - Seeing my dad’s favorite driver, Stewart win with him (my dad had seen tony win numerous times before I started going) was pretty cool and definitely a favorite moment of mine.
10. 2008 Dover Busch spring - first time I saw Brad win and watching Kyle get punted of the lead was awesome for 10 year old me.

So what are some of your favorite races you have been to?
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Dover's a great place to experience a race for sure. The racing there though, it's either a thriller or a horrible bore ... no in between.

I'd end up listing a bunch of short track races on my list. #MoreShortTracks
 
I think my all time favorite race I've been to was the first Brickyard. Remember that the hype for that race went on for a year and a half, the atmosphere was absolutely electric, the race itself was pretty exciting and then to have Gordon win was just unbelievable. The roar from the crowd when he went around Ernie's wounded car off turn two was the loudest crowd noise I have ever heard. :) Jeff's final win there was pretty amazing too. Knowing that the end was near, and that I most likely saw the last race I would ever see Jeff win was kind of sad, yet very satisfying at the same time. There have been some other great ones in various series, but for me, those two stand out.
 
1992 season finale at Atlanta. Simply unbeleivable day. Elliot won the battle, Kulwicki won the war.

2 1992 spring race at Bristol. Saw eventual champ Kulwicki put a win in the Ford column.

3 1988 Motorcraft 500 at Atlanta. Watched Dale Sr put an absolute beat down on the field that day. And I'm thinking that was his first points paying win in the black Goodwrench car.
 
If I name just one greatest race... MotoGP at Silverstone in 1979. From green flag to checkers, Kenny Roberts and Barry Sheene fought an epic battle, often passing and re-passing several times per lap. This race remains legendary among bike guys to this day. I was on the hillside at Stowe, and my attention was divided... 50% on the race, 50% plotting to get in my date's pants later on..:oops: (Roberts won.)
 
I’ve only been to three Cup races ever, but my favorite has to be the 2017 Alabama 500. People in the stands all around me we’re getting restless because there hadn’t been a “big one” yet. At about lap 171 the first of several big ones struck. Approximately 20-25 laps and what felt like an eternity later, there were 14 cars left running with half of them being loosely held together with duct tape and 20 MPH off pace. All told, was a really fun race weekend.(also had my heart broken by Newman, part #3853)
 
After being a race fan for over 65 years there aint no way to pick favorites. But I guess the one that made me the happiest was when my dad took me to Daytona Beach, the race on the beach when I was around ten years old. I've always been glad that I got to see that.
 
Johali said:
After being a race fan for over 65 years there aint no way to pick favorites. But I guess the one that made me the happiest was when my dad took me to Daytona Beach, the race on the beach when I was around ten years old. I've always been glad that I got to see that.
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WOW! Not many fans can attest to that. You go back nearly as far as the Wood Brothers. That's just cool.
 
1. Atlanta, 2001 - Harvick's first win after Dale's death. Unbelievable emotion, the third race, and three weeks later.
2. Darlington, 2003 - Craven Busch finish! What was just as exciting was watching Blaney run them down. I thought for sure they would wreck and he would get the win.
3. Daytona, 1984 - Richard Petty's 200th win
4. Dover, 1982 - My first NASCAR race.
 
Here are mine:
1. 2001 Bristol night race. Tony Stewart won the race what I thought would be the first of many more at Bristol, but it was his only one.
2. 1975 Atlanta 500. My first NASCAR race and first big track I ever went to. Richard Petty won, thus making me a fan of his.
3. 1977 Atlanta 500. Another Petty win in Atlanta.
4. 1999 Bristol night race. The Earnhardt-Labonte "rattle his cage" race. Was not a fan of either. But the crowd response when that race was over is one I'll never forget.
5. 1992 Bristol spring race. The last time I saw Richard Petty race in person, last Bristol race on asphalt, and Alan Kulwicki winning the race.
6. 2000 Coke 600. My first and only trip to Charlotte. Stewart did the double and came from the back to get a top 5 finish (I think).
 
MRM said:
Here are mine:
1. 2001 Bristol night race. Tony Stewart won the race what I thought would be the first of many more at Bristol, but it was his only one.
2. 1975 Atlanta 500. My first NASCAR race and first big track I ever went to. Richard Petty won, thus making me a fan of his.
3. 1977 Atlanta 500. Another Petty win in Atlanta.
4. 1999 Bristol night race. The Earnhardt-Labonte "rattle his cage" race. Was not a fan of either. But the crowd response when that race was over is one I'll never forget.
5. 1992 Bristol spring race. The last time I saw Richard Petty race in person, last Bristol race on asphalt, and Alan Kulwicki winning the race.
6. 2000 Coke 600. My first and only trip to Charlotte. Stewart did the double and came from the back to get a top 5 finish (I think).
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Wow that's quite a lineup!!! Lot's of good races in there! All ya missed was the '92 Atlanta race and you'd get an A+....:D
 
Wow this was fun thinking of all the races that I have been to, most of which were at Phoenix, but still a lot of good memories.

2016 Phoenix Fall Race - Bowman filled in for Dale Jr and killed it all day until the GWC and Kenseth fell asleep at the wheel and caused a huge pileup. Lagano went on to win the race, but it was fun with all the "playoff implications" because the previous two races were pretty tame so guys were fighting for that final playoff spot. The best part about this was that my wife and I went all out and got pit road passes and were there for all 3 races that weekend. It was a long weekend but a ton of fun. Don't think I would do all 3 races again on the same weekend because we live about an hour away so it was a lot of travel, but again, a ton of fun!
2006 Phoenix Fall Race - This was my first Phoenix race. Harvick ran away with it, but still a fun day.
Other Phoenix Races - 2007 Fall, 2008 Spring, just fun times.
1999 Las Vegas 400 - they had the old flat banking and Jeff Burton led 111 laps. It was a complete snoozer but it was my first official NASCAR race and I still had a blast.
I went to an ARCA race at Chicagoland in 2002 which was fun because I was a guest of the Venturini race team. We got to hold the giant american flag that covers the infield during the national anthem and we were on pitroad all day. Very cool.
 
Great thread...I know I'll miss a couple

1. 2000 Pocono 500 - Infamous Monday race where Mayfield bumps Earnhardt out of the way in turn 3 on the last lap. Sr. gives Jeremy the #1 salute on the Long Pond Straight.
2. 1991 Peak 500 (Dover) - Harry Gant makes it 3 wins in a row during his famous "Mr. September" run.
3. 2000 Pennsylvania 500 (Pocono) - Mayfield cuts a tire heading into the tunnel turn on the final lap. Rusty holds off Jeff Burton for the win!! Crazy karma for Mayfield after his June win.
4. 1995 MGD 500 (Dover) - Kyle Petty battles heat exhaustion to capture what would be his final Cup win.
5. 1993 MGD 500 (Pocono) - Earnhardt gets the win in the first race after Davey Allison's death. He did a polish victory lap and held a #28 flag. Extremely emotional end...
6. 2002 Pennsylvania 500 (Pocono) - Steve Park and Earnhardt Jr. had a wild wreck on the first lap which resulted in a long red flag to repair the guardrail. There was another long red flag for rain. Bill Elliott passes Marlin late in the race for his 5th win at Pocono
7. 2002 Pepsi 400 (Daytona) - Waltrip wins under caution over Rusty which caused the fans to go crazy. This is one of the races that help lead to the G-W-C rule.
8. 1997 Miller 500 (Dover) - Absolutely crazy race for the final 500 miler at the Monster Mile. Gordon and Jarrett had an altercation under caution which led caused both to drop out. Ernie Irvan had the race won then hit oil and wrecked. Ultimately Rudd and Martin had an epic duel in which Rudd held on to win.
9. 1988 Miller High Life 500 (Pocono) - Not a "great" race but historically memorable/significant. My very first cup race would prove to be Bobby Allison's last.
10. 2006 Dover 400 - Jeff Burton and Kenseth wage a classic 20 lap battle at the end. Burton ultimately gets the upper hand!
 
Get That 88 Up There !! said:
I know we have a race experiences thread, but I think it would be cool to have the best races we have been to thread. For myself,
1. 2007 Dover Spring Race - Truex’s 1st win and more importantly my first race
2. 2014 Richmond Fall Race - far from the best race I have seen in person, but to date only time I have seen Brad win in cup
3. 2018 Watkins Glen - Chase’s 1st win and a very memorable race weekend
4. 2013 New Hampshire Summer Race - a race that had a ton of different contenders, including Bobby Labonte running in the top 5 for a while, and finishing with Brian Vickers coming out of nowhere to win
5. 2011 Southern 500 - first of 3 trips to date to Darlington, and of course the surprise winner in Regan Smith
6. 2016 Dover Spring Race - Probably the best race I have ever seen at Dover, fantastic battle the last 40 laps or so
7. 2017 Coca-Cola 600 - no matter what you think of him, seeing the 3 car back in cup victory lane was pretty cool
8. 2014 Martinsville Spring - fanastic battle between Kurt and Johnson on a very cold day
9. 2013 Dover Spring - Seeing my dad’s favorite driver, Stewart win with him (my dad had seen tony win numerous times before I started going) was pretty cool and definitely a favorite moment of mine.
10. 2008 Dover Busch spring - first time I saw Brad win and watching Kyle get punted of the lead was awesome for 10 year old me.

So what are some of your favorite races you have been to?
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Your first race also happened to be a Monday affair! I was at that one too! Great to see a driver get his first win!
 
1. 2013 Auto Club 400 - Epic finish
2. 2007 UAW-DiamlerChrysler 400 - 53 cars, high quality field
3. 2016 CanAm 500k - great race at Phoenix
4. 2013 Toyota/Save Mart 350 - not a lot of cautions or close finish, Truex broke a 6 year streak
5. 2007 Sam's Town 300 - epic finish between Jeff Burton and Kyle Busch

Honorable Mentions:2016 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, 2007 Sam's Town 300 Xfinity finish, 2006 Smith's Las Vegas 350 Truck Race
 
Not sure the year, but great race weekend
Living in Va Beach, Va
It was 4pm and found out I was not needed for work
Drove to South Boston to catch late model race
After race drove to Wilksboro (no ticket) slept in parking lot
Bought an extra ticket from an Elliott fan....top row start finish line
Sat next to Elliott fan as I cheered Davey to the win.....ha ha
Before I left track bought ticket to “One hot night” all star race
Another win for Davey
Watched Richard Petty drive out of race track in a mini van
you’d think someone else would drive since he just ran 4 or 5 hundred laps

Ahh good days!
 
First race was Richmond think 85 or 86
Biggest thing I remember is after race was over they opened the fence doors and let you walk on track
Half hour after race was over was walking in turn three and had to physically pull my shoes off the rubber that was still warm.
Oh and used tires were stacked by the outside pit road wall free for the taking
Thought what do I need a used tire for, now people pay $25 for a piece of a tire
 
First race I've ever attended, the 1990 Firecracker 400 race in Daytona. I was 18 years old.

Richard Petty had an incredible wreck that destroyed the catch fence. We sat roasting in the heat for nearly 3 hours while they fixed the fence. Had to be 98 in the shade.

Dale Sr. did the win the race so it made up for that long wait.
 
I've only been to one.. and it was a truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park

The one where JHN took out Custer and then Custer tried to tackle him.

Hell of a finish but the best part was that I was there volunteering on Norm bennings team. I was the rear tire carrier. It was an unreal experience especially being my first time at any NASCAR race. I met JHN and Rico Abreu.. our garage stall was right next to Jennifer Jo Cobb and Austin Cindric. Tyler Reddicks pit box was next to ours and I watched the broadcast on their TV. I got to push the truck through the inspection line. Even got to work on the truck a little bit.. we had to get out of line for inspection because the aero ducts needed to have wire screen over them.. I riveted those screens on lol. I know I know they basically couldn't have finished without me :D

After the race when we brought the "war wagon" back to the garage one of the drawers flew open and cut my arm.. left a scar.. I call it my NA-SCAR hehehe.

Truly an unforgettable experience that I'm so glad to have been able to do.

I even had the finish filmed on my phone from standing on the pit wall.. but somehow it got deleted.

One of the coolest parts of the weekend was at night when me and my buddy decided to walk the track.. we got to a part near the Canadian Tire bridge thing and saw a banner some fans that were camping had put on a fence that said "WE LOVE NORM!" So we started yelling "Yaaaaaa Noooorm!"... then looked up and Norm was there with them.. hanging out with fans. He knew them because they go every year.. so we went up there for a bit.. had a few beers and made some new friends.It was just awesome seeing a driver taking time to go spend time with fans after all on track activity was over for the day. I'll never forget that.
 
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Joe Pisciotta said:
First race I've ever attended, the 1990 Firecracker 400 race in Daytona. I was 18 years old.

Richard Petty had an incredible wreck that destroyed the catch fence. We sat roasting in the heat for nearly 3 hours while they fixed the fence. Had to be 98 in the shade.

Dale Sr. did the win the race so it made up for that long wait.
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I'm thinking of another time that Petty got into the fence outside of the 1988 500. I know there was a Pepsi 400 where he got caught up in an early wreck after an awesome qualifying run. That was the race Cope and Sacks made it 3 wide through the tri-oval which caused a big one. Sacks was running a hopped up/experimental car iirc.
 
This isn't one that I went to but for Christmas we got my parents tickets for the Bristol night race in 2015.. on Christmas morning i told my dad Joey was going to win the race and sure enough.. 9 months later he went out and did just that. I was half expecting a beer can to hit the windshield on the white flag lap lol
 
Speedbowl14 said:
Wow that's quite a lineup!!! Lot's of good races in there! All ya missed was the '92 Atlanta race and you'd get an A+....:D
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Thanks. I kind of regret not going to that one. But I didn't have anybody that would go with me, so it wasn't high on my list at the time.
 
1. Final cup race rockingham - 2004

2. 2015 Southern 500

3. 2003 All star (I was a youngin)

4. 2018 Coke 600

5. 2018 Southern 500

First ones that come to mind. Honorable mention to the 2014 All Star since that was the last time McMurray won in a cup car.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
I have only been to two races. Both at Chicagoland. First year Tony wrecked Jeff Gordon for the win. Tony got a lot of middle fingers at that race. Second year my guy won. So I atleast was able to see Jr. win one race in person.
 
1. 2015 Martinsville Fall, Jeff's last career win + Joey/Matt drama
2. 2017 Martinsville Spring, Brads win. Had a hotpass for that race, incredible experience
3. 2018 Martinsville Fall, Joey vs Truex. No win = no championship
4. 2011 Martinsville Spring, Harvick beats Jr
5. 2002, Martinsville Spring race My first race, won by Bobby Labonte
 
i got to be in steve parks pit at bristol nite race,it was cool watching the cars go by above you.and looking up in to the stands.funny i never got to go up in the stands,also got to go to allot of the riverside races.
 
1971 Miller 500 at Ontario.

AJ Foyt in the Wood Bros. Purolator 21 won the race and Evil Knievel jumped 19 Dodges on his Harley.
__ _

1968 Motor Trend 500 at Riverside.

Dan Gurney passed Parnelli Jones late, coming back from a 90 second pit stop to replace a red-hot wheel from a shredded tire. Driving for the Wood Bros. and getting his fourth NASCAR win at Riverside.
 
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