A
abooja
Guest
These are some interesting stories from the history of NASCAR that I enjoyed so much I thought I'd share with the rest of you. Some are very famous incidents. I'm hoping they're all true, but someone here might just prove me wrong. One or two of them just about made me spit up my iced tea!
http://www.geocities.com/nascarspeedway/facts.html
The Monkey
In 1953 a driver named Jim Flock raced with a monkey on board his car. The monkey sat in a safety harness next to him. During one race while he was running second, the monkey got loose and began to run around inside the car. The animal became frightened and forced the driver to make a green flag pitstop to remove the monkey.
Hood Ornament
During one race Lee Petty came in for a regular pitstop. Young Richard Petty worked as a member of the pit crew. His job was to clean the windshield. Richard leaned over the hood to perform his job. The rest of the crew finished the work before Richard was finished and Lee Petty's car left the stall with Richard still on the hood. Richard hung on through a full speed green lap until Lee was black flagged and made a pitstop so Richard could get off.
After Crash Swim
In the first qualifier race race for the 1960 Daytona 500, a crash involving Tommy Irwin sent his car into the large lake known today as Lake Loyd. At that time there was no inside retaining wall. He was able to escape from his sinking car and swim to safety.
Burning Grandstands
During a practice session for the 1959 race at the no longer used Wilson Speedway, the grandstands caught on fire. The fans were moved another set of stands while the main stands burned down. The race went on as scheduled.
Ransom Money
Jabe Thomas was around a hundred laps down at Bristol in the 1970 race when he apparently became bored. He pulled into the race leaders pits. Donnie Allison was the leader at that time. He talked with Donnie's car owner and jokingly asked how much he would pay for him not to spin Donnie out. He went back out and returned to the pits. The car owner waved a sign that read fifty cents. Jabe stopped and collected the money. Donnie Allison ended up winning the race.
Race for the Win
During the final lap of the 1976 Daytona 500, Richard Petty and David Pearson were battling side by side when they made contact with each other. They both spun, hit the wall, and slid into the tri-oval grass. All the other cars were very far behind them. Pearson's car slowly crawled for the finish line while Petty could not refire his engine. Petty's crew came out to push the car causing one of Nascar's most bizzare finishes. Pearson beat Petty to the line and won the Daytona 500.
The Keys
In 1986 at Talladega Superspeedway, a drunk man found the keys to the pace car. Amazed at his luck the man jumped into the pace car and took off joyriding around the 2.66 mile oval. The crowd along with a nationwide television audience watched in amazement as the pacecar zoomed around the track with several police cruisers in pursuit. The man finally pulled over and was arrested.
Keep on Rolling
In 1990 during the last lap of the DieHard 500 at Talladega, Michael Waltrip and Kenny Schrader got together and wrecked on the back straightaway. Jimmy Spencer slid into the wreck and his car became airborne. The car went into a barrel roll until his car landed right side up. He continued on and finished the race.
The Dare
During the 1993 summer Winston Cup race at Pocono, a drunken man took a dare from some friends. They dared him run across the track and touch the outside wall. He jumped over the infield fence and began to run across the track but stopped frozen with fear as cars swerved to avoid him. Luckily he was able to escape unharmed.
Bristol Incident #1
In 1995 during the final lap of the race, Terry Labonte led into the forth turn with Dale Earnhardt in hot pursuit. Earnhardt bumped the rear of Labonte's car sending him spinning past the finish line for the win. Labontes car went in to the wall and Labonte brought one of the most damaged cars ever into victory lane.
Bristol Incident #2
4 years later in 1999 during the same race there would be another incident. Terry Labonte spun bringing out the caution with several laps to go. At the end of the lead lap, Terry stopped for four tires while everyone else stayed out. With only a few laps to go Terry charged through the field and passed leader Dale Earnhardt. With one lap to go Earnhardt tapped Labonte from behind and Labonte crashed into the wall. Dale Earnhardt won the race. Terry labonte was not ammused and threatened to spin Earnhardt during the next race. Earnhardt commented that he did not mean to spin Labonte out but "only rattle his cage."
Gordon vs Stewart
At Watkins Glen during the 2000 race, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart traded paint battling for position. Gordon had won the previous 6 road course races and was going for 7. Tony Stewart apparently got into Gordon and Gordon was pushed into the wall causing heavy damage. After the race the two drivers exchanged words. Gordon threatened to send Stewart into the wall.
Amazing Win
During the 2000 Winston 500, Dale Earnhardt made one of his most amazing victories. Trailing the field in 17th position with 5 laps to go Earnhardt began to move. He drafted up through the field to pass Mike Skinner with one lap to go. He was able to hold off Kenny Wallace to win the NO BULL 5 million at Talladega.
After Race Spin
At the 2001 spring Bristol race Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon battled hard for position. Gordon got on the inside of Stewart and Stewart ended up spinning into the wall. After the race an angry Tony Stewart drove down pit lane and spun Gordon in the pits. The two drivers were summoned by the Nascar officials and Stewart was fined and put on probation.
http://www.geocities.com/nascarspeedway/facts.html
The Monkey
In 1953 a driver named Jim Flock raced with a monkey on board his car. The monkey sat in a safety harness next to him. During one race while he was running second, the monkey got loose and began to run around inside the car. The animal became frightened and forced the driver to make a green flag pitstop to remove the monkey.
Hood Ornament
During one race Lee Petty came in for a regular pitstop. Young Richard Petty worked as a member of the pit crew. His job was to clean the windshield. Richard leaned over the hood to perform his job. The rest of the crew finished the work before Richard was finished and Lee Petty's car left the stall with Richard still on the hood. Richard hung on through a full speed green lap until Lee was black flagged and made a pitstop so Richard could get off.
After Crash Swim
In the first qualifier race race for the 1960 Daytona 500, a crash involving Tommy Irwin sent his car into the large lake known today as Lake Loyd. At that time there was no inside retaining wall. He was able to escape from his sinking car and swim to safety.
Burning Grandstands
During a practice session for the 1959 race at the no longer used Wilson Speedway, the grandstands caught on fire. The fans were moved another set of stands while the main stands burned down. The race went on as scheduled.
Ransom Money
Jabe Thomas was around a hundred laps down at Bristol in the 1970 race when he apparently became bored. He pulled into the race leaders pits. Donnie Allison was the leader at that time. He talked with Donnie's car owner and jokingly asked how much he would pay for him not to spin Donnie out. He went back out and returned to the pits. The car owner waved a sign that read fifty cents. Jabe stopped and collected the money. Donnie Allison ended up winning the race.
Race for the Win
During the final lap of the 1976 Daytona 500, Richard Petty and David Pearson were battling side by side when they made contact with each other. They both spun, hit the wall, and slid into the tri-oval grass. All the other cars were very far behind them. Pearson's car slowly crawled for the finish line while Petty could not refire his engine. Petty's crew came out to push the car causing one of Nascar's most bizzare finishes. Pearson beat Petty to the line and won the Daytona 500.
The Keys
In 1986 at Talladega Superspeedway, a drunk man found the keys to the pace car. Amazed at his luck the man jumped into the pace car and took off joyriding around the 2.66 mile oval. The crowd along with a nationwide television audience watched in amazement as the pacecar zoomed around the track with several police cruisers in pursuit. The man finally pulled over and was arrested.
Keep on Rolling
In 1990 during the last lap of the DieHard 500 at Talladega, Michael Waltrip and Kenny Schrader got together and wrecked on the back straightaway. Jimmy Spencer slid into the wreck and his car became airborne. The car went into a barrel roll until his car landed right side up. He continued on and finished the race.
The Dare
During the 1993 summer Winston Cup race at Pocono, a drunken man took a dare from some friends. They dared him run across the track and touch the outside wall. He jumped over the infield fence and began to run across the track but stopped frozen with fear as cars swerved to avoid him. Luckily he was able to escape unharmed.
Bristol Incident #1
In 1995 during the final lap of the race, Terry Labonte led into the forth turn with Dale Earnhardt in hot pursuit. Earnhardt bumped the rear of Labonte's car sending him spinning past the finish line for the win. Labontes car went in to the wall and Labonte brought one of the most damaged cars ever into victory lane.
Bristol Incident #2
4 years later in 1999 during the same race there would be another incident. Terry Labonte spun bringing out the caution with several laps to go. At the end of the lead lap, Terry stopped for four tires while everyone else stayed out. With only a few laps to go Terry charged through the field and passed leader Dale Earnhardt. With one lap to go Earnhardt tapped Labonte from behind and Labonte crashed into the wall. Dale Earnhardt won the race. Terry labonte was not ammused and threatened to spin Earnhardt during the next race. Earnhardt commented that he did not mean to spin Labonte out but "only rattle his cage."
Gordon vs Stewart
At Watkins Glen during the 2000 race, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart traded paint battling for position. Gordon had won the previous 6 road course races and was going for 7. Tony Stewart apparently got into Gordon and Gordon was pushed into the wall causing heavy damage. After the race the two drivers exchanged words. Gordon threatened to send Stewart into the wall.
Amazing Win
During the 2000 Winston 500, Dale Earnhardt made one of his most amazing victories. Trailing the field in 17th position with 5 laps to go Earnhardt began to move. He drafted up through the field to pass Mike Skinner with one lap to go. He was able to hold off Kenny Wallace to win the NO BULL 5 million at Talladega.
After Race Spin
At the 2001 spring Bristol race Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon battled hard for position. Gordon got on the inside of Stewart and Stewart ended up spinning into the wall. After the race an angry Tony Stewart drove down pit lane and spun Gordon in the pits. The two drivers were summoned by the Nascar officials and Stewart was fined and put on probation.
