what was better about 1984 in nascar??

Greg said:
The winners were legends, Hall of Fame worthy

Date ▾ Track Winner
1 Feb 19, 1984 Daytona Cale Yarborough
2 Feb 26, 1984 Richmond Ricky Rudd
3 Mar 4, 1984 Rockingham Bobby Allison
4 Mar 18, 1984 Atlanta Benny Parsons
5 Apr 1, 1984 Bristol Darrell Waltrip
6 Apr 8, 1984 North Wilkesboro Tim Richmond
7 Apr 15, 1984 Darlington Darrell Waltrip
8 Apr 29, 1984 Martinsville Geoff Bodine
9 May 6, 1984 Talladega Cale Yarborough
10 May 12, 1984 Nashville Fgds Darrell Waltrip
11 May 20, 1984 Dover Richard Petty
12 May 27, 1984 Charlotte Bobby Allison
13 Jun 3, 1984 Riverside Terry Labonte
14 Jun 10, 1984 Pocono Cale Yarborough
15 Jun 17, 1984 Michigan Bill Elliott
16 Jul 4, 1984 Daytona Richard Petty
17 Jul 14, 1984 Nashville Fgds Geoff Bodine
18 Jul 22, 1984 Pocono Harry Gant
19 Jul 29, 1984 Talladega Dale Earnhardt
20 Aug 12, 1984 Michigan Darrell Waltrip
21 Aug 25, 1984 Bristol Terry Labonte
22 Sep 2, 1984 Darlington Harry Gant
23 Sep 9, 1984 Richmond Darrell Waltrip
24 Sep 16, 1984 Dover Harry Gant
25 Sep 23, 1984 Martinsville Darrell Waltrip
26 Oct 7, 1984 Charlotte Bill Elliott
27 Oct 14, 1984 North Wilkesboro Darrell Waltrip
28 Oct 21, 1984 Rockingham Bill Elliott
29 Nov 11, 1984 Atlanta Dale Earnhardt
30 Nov 18, 1984 Riverside Geoff Bodine
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All hall of fame heavy hitters...
 
It's not how dale raced. Its how he acted. A guy who came off as an a**hole on the track but one of the nicest guys off
A guy who had money and lots of it but he never flashed it. A guy who raced on sunday and was at his farm on monday working. A guy who could make a sly remark and give that grin
 
Well I was born in 84 so can't really say but if I was around 10-15 years old I would be a fan of NASCAR during this time because: Dale Earnhardt, Winston Cup Points system, North Wilkesboro, The King, Awesome Bill And Cale Yarborough.
 
jayandtim said:
It's not how dale raced. Its how he acted. A guy who came off as an ******* on the track but one of the nicest guys off
A guy who had money and lots of it but he never flashed it. A guy who raced on sunday and was at his farm on monday working. A guy who could make a sly remark and give that grin
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I agree wholeheartedly....... I hated him for 4 hours on Sunday but appreciated him tremendously the rest of the week....
 
kymartin6 said:
Well....... that's a bit of a stretch .........
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no stretch, they both came together at the same time. Espn needed something to show on tv to get them started and the rights to nascar were cheap. The king was at the end and Dale was rough and ready to go. and the fans love it.
 
BOWTIE GUY said:
no stretch, they both came together at the same time. Espn needed something to show on tv to get them started and the rights to nascar were cheap. The king was at the end and Dale was rough and ready to go. and the fans love it.
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I think there might have been a few others involved...... you seem to forget about that red headed kid from Dawnsonville that turned everything around for Ford.... after Dale drove a Ford for Bud Moore and didn't have a lot of success... Dale wasn't a one man show until he got with Childress...... He won a Championship in '79 with Osterlund.... but..... the next few years were lean... he was luckier than a 3 peckered dog that Richard realized he couldn't drive a car and hired him...... Earnhardt didn't build Nascar all by himself.... there were a lot of VERY good drivers there at the time... It was a very special time in Nascar.... Earnhardt was good...and I miss him ... even though I didn't like him on the track..... but.... he didn't singlehandedly with his fans build Nascar what it is today.
 
kymartin6 said:
I think there might have been a few others involved...... you seem to forget about that red headed kid from Dawnsonville that turned everything around for Ford.... after Dale drove a Ford for Bud Moore and didn't have a lot of success... Dale wasn't a one man show until he got with Childress...... He won a Championship in '79 with Osterlund.... but..... the next few years were lean... he was luckier than a 3 peckered dog that Richard realized he couldn't drive a car and hired him...... Earnhardt didn't build Nascar all by himself.... there were a lot of VERY good drivers there at the time... It was a very special time in Nascar.... Earnhardt was good...and I miss him ... even though I didn't like him on the track..... but.... he didn't singlehandedly with his fans build Nascar what it is today.
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the wrangler 3 came before the melling 9.
 
Anyone have the average number of cars finishing on the lead lap in '84 per race?

How about the average time gap between first place and second place per race?
 
kymartin6 said:
I think there might have been a few others involved...... you seem to forget about that red headed kid from Dawnsonville that turned everything around for Ford.... after Dale drove a Ford for Bud Moore and didn't have a lot of success... Dale wasn't a one man show until he got with Childress...... He won a Championship in '79 with Osterlund.... but..... the next few years were lean... he was luckier than a 3 peckered dog that Richard realized he couldn't drive a car and hired him...... Earnhardt didn't build Nascar all by himself.... there were a lot of VERY good drivers there at the time... It was a very special time in Nascar.... Earnhardt was good...and I miss him ... even though I didn't like him on the track..... but.... he didn't singlehandedly with his fans build Nascar what it is today.
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BOWTIE GUY said:
the wrangler 3 came before the melling 9.
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Think you may be wrong....
Wrangler on the car at Ontario,last race of 1980.
Melling on the 9 at charlotte race #28 , 1980
 
1984

Daytona 500: 6 cars on lead lap / 20th place 9 laps down / 22 cars failed to finish

Richmond Fairgrounds 400 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 26th (last) place car 15 laps down

Rockingham 492 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 20th (last) place car 68 laps down / 16 cars failed to finish

Atlanta Coke 500: 3 cars on the lead lap / 29th (last) place car 52 laps down / 11 failed to finish

Bristol 500 laps: 3 on the lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 28 laps down / 26th (last) 98 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 5 cars on lead lap / 10th place 1 down / 20th place 14 down / 23rd (last) 47 laps down

Darlington 367 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 7 laps down / 21st (last) 42 laps down / 17 failed to finish

Martinsville 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 19 down

Talladega 500 miles: 5 cars lead lap / 20th spot 2 down / 20th place 23 laps down

Nashville 420 laps: 7 cars lead lap / 10th place 2 laps down / 20th spot 10 down

Dover 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 3 down / 20th place car 31 laps down

Charlotte 600 miles: 2 cars lead lap / 10th place 4 down / 20th place 14 laps down

Riverside 95 laps: 8 lead lap cars / 10th was 1 lap down / 20th place 6 laps down

Pocono 500 miles: 6 lead lap cars / 10th place 1 lap down / 20th spot 4 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 9 lead lap finishers / 10th was 1 down / 20th was 3 down

Daytona 400 miles: 6 on the lead lap / 10th was 3 down / 20th was down 5 laps

Nashville 420 laps: 2 on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th spot 53 laps down

Pocono 200 laps: 6 on lead lap / 10th was down 2 laps / 20th was 14 laps behind

Talladega 500 miles: 15 cars finished lead lap / 20th place was 24 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 5 on lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place car down 5 laps

Bristol 500 laps / 2 cars on the lead lap / 10th place 22 laps down / 20th spot was 64 laps down

Darlington 500 miles: 3 lead lap cars / 10th was 9 laps down / 20th place 58 laps down

Richmond 400 laps: 3 lead lap cars / 10th place 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

Dover 500 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 9 laps down / 20th place 60 laps down

Martinsville 500 laps: 1 car on the lead lap / 10th place 11 laps down / 16th (last) place 44 laps behind

Charlotte 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 4 lead lap cars / 10th was 2 laps down / 20th place car 18 laps down

Rockingham 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th place 12 laps down / 20th place 39 laps down

Atlanta 500 miles: 4 lead lap cars / 10th place 3 laps down / 20th place 11 laps down

Riverside 119 laps: 11 cars on the lead lap / 20th spot 4 laps down / 29th (last) place 22 laps down

http://racing-reference.info/raceyear/1984/W

The world has changed a lot during the past 23 years.
 
aunty dive said:
1984

Daytona 500: 6 cars on lead lap / 20th place 9 laps down / 22 cars failed to finish

Richmond Fairgrounds 400 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 26th (last) place car 15 laps down

Rockingham 492 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 20th (last) place car 68 laps down / 16 cars failed to finish

Atlanta Coke 500: 3 cars on the lead lap / 29th (last) place car 52 laps down / 11 failed to finish

Bristol 500 laps: 3 on the lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 28 laps down / 26th (last) 98 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 5 cars on lead lap / 10th place 1 down / 20th place 14 down / 23rd (last) 47 laps down

Darlington 367 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 7 laps down / 21st (last) 42 laps down / 17 failed to finish

Martinsville 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 19 down

Talladega 500 miles: 5 cars lead lap / 20th spot 2 down / 20th place 23 laps down

Nashville 420 laps: 7 cars lead lap / 10th place 2 laps down / 20th spot 10 down

Dover 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 3 down / 20th place car 31 laps down

Charlotte 600 miles: 2 cars lead lap / 10th place 4 down / 20th place 14 laps down

Riverside 95 laps: 8 lead lap cars / 10th was 1 lap down / 20th place 6 laps down

Pocono 500 miles: 6 lead lap cars / 10th place 1 lap down / 20th spot 4 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 9 lead lap finishers / 10th was 1 down / 20th was 3 down

Daytona 400 miles: 6 on the lead lap / 10th was 3 down / 20th was down 5 laps

Nashville 420 laps: 2 on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th spot 53 laps down

Pocono 200 laps: 6 on lead lap / 10th was down 2 laps / 20th was 14 laps behind

Talladega 500 miles: 15 cars finished lead lap / 20th place was 24 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 5 on lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place car down 5 laps

Bristol 500 laps / 2 cars on the lead lap / 10th place 22 laps down / 20th spot was 64 laps down

Darlington 500 miles: 3 lead lap cars / 10th was 9 laps down / 20th place 58 laps down

Richmond 400 laps: 3 lead lap cars / 10th place 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

Dover 500 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 9 laps down / 20th place 60 laps down

Martinsville 500 laps: 1 car on the lead lap / 10th place 11 laps down / 16th (last) place 44 laps behind

Charlotte 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 4 lead lap cars / 10th was 2 laps down / 20th place car 18 laps down

Rockingham 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th place 12 laps down / 20th place 39 laps down

Atlanta 500 miles: 4 lead lap cars / 10th place 3 laps down / 20th place 11 laps down

Riverside 119 laps: 11 cars on the lead lap / 20th spot 4 laps down / 29th (last) place 22 laps down

http://racing-reference.info/raceyear/1984/W

The world has changed a lot during the past 23 years.
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23 years?
 
I have no idea I was born in 1991
 
The Mona Lisa is just an ugly old painting.

Some things have substance. NASCAR lost it.
 
DanicaFreak said:
Lets see if I remember Auntys lessons...

The suspension is not a factor in this Gen or NASCAR racer. The skirts and splitter slam the car into the track such that shocks dont play much role anymore. Plus I think NASCAR mandates their damping rates.

I agree with the bumpiness. I like it! But, I think you see with the outcry when ATL was gonna get the repave job, that todays drivers like an old surface.

Drivers with no power steering, and bias ply tires. They may have been tougher, but do you really want our superstars sucking on exhaust fumes for the trip down memory lane?

For me, I say get the cars out of the race track and lets make suspension relevant again. Balance this with keeping the cars on the ground.
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Tinkering with the suspension is huge, when Nascar screwed this up by mandating shocks and not allowing them to do much in this area it took a lot of innovation out of the sport. Personally I feel they should be allowed to choose the size splitter, spoiler and any other aero pieces to a degree. Mix and match so to speak, it would make it more interesting, that and making the cars actually conform to what the show room cars are. I know you young guys think this is BS, but it was awesome back in the day hearing crew chiefs bitching and moaning about one manufacturer having the unfair advantage. Innovation, uniqueness, and identity are missing in todays' Nascar.
 
aunty dive said:
1984

Daytona 500: 6 cars on lead lap / 20th place 9 laps down / 22 cars failed to finish

Richmond Fairgrounds 400 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 26th (last) place car 15 laps down

Rockingham 492 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 20th (last) place car 68 laps down / 16 cars failed to finish

Atlanta Coke 500: 3 cars on the lead lap / 29th (last) place car 52 laps down / 11 failed to finish

Bristol 500 laps: 3 on the lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 28 laps down / 26th (last) 98 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 5 cars on lead lap / 10th place 1 down / 20th place 14 down / 23rd (last) 47 laps down

Darlington 367 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 7 laps down / 21st (last) 42 laps down / 17 failed to finish

Martinsville 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 19 down

Talladega 500 miles: 5 cars lead lap / 20th spot 2 down / 20th place 23 laps down

Nashville 420 laps: 7 cars lead lap / 10th place 2 laps down / 20th spot 10 down

Dover 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 3 down / 20th place car 31 laps down

Charlotte 600 miles: 2 cars lead lap / 10th place 4 down / 20th place 14 laps down

Riverside 95 laps: 8 lead lap cars / 10th was 1 lap down / 20th place 6 laps down

Pocono 500 miles: 6 lead lap cars / 10th place 1 lap down / 20th spot 4 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 9 lead lap finishers / 10th was 1 down / 20th was 3 down

Daytona 400 miles: 6 on the lead lap / 10th was 3 down / 20th was down 5 laps

Nashville 420 laps: 2 on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th spot 53 laps down

Pocono 200 laps: 6 on lead lap / 10th was down 2 laps / 20th was 14 laps behind

Talladega 500 miles: 15 cars finished lead lap / 20th place was 24 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 5 on lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place car down 5 laps

Bristol 500 laps / 2 cars on the lead lap / 10th place 22 laps down / 20th spot was 64 laps down

Darlington 500 miles: 3 lead lap cars / 10th was 9 laps down / 20th place 58 laps down

Richmond 400 laps: 3 lead lap cars / 10th place 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

Dover 500 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 9 laps down / 20th place 60 laps down

Martinsville 500 laps: 1 car on the lead lap / 10th place 11 laps down / 16th (last) place 44 laps behind

Charlotte 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 4 lead lap cars / 10th was 2 laps down / 20th place car 18 laps down

Rockingham 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th place 12 laps down / 20th place 39 laps down

Atlanta 500 miles: 4 lead lap cars / 10th place 3 laps down / 20th place 11 laps down

Riverside 119 laps: 11 cars on the lead lap / 20th spot 4 laps down / 29th (last) place 22 laps down

http://racing-reference.info/raceyear/1984/W

The world has changed a lot during the past 23 years.
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That looks like a lot of work went into that post. Probably lost 10 years working on it. ;)

Just a guess but I think many will look at those numbers and come to the conclusion that the racing had to be horrible. These kinds of stats are looked down on by today's fan. Yeah, the world sure has changed in the past 23, err 33 years, but I think the biggest change is with Joe Avg Fan.
 
aunty dive said:
1984

Daytona 500: 6 cars on lead lap / 20th place 9 laps down / 22 cars failed to finish

Richmond Fairgrounds 400 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 26th (last) place car 15 laps down

Rockingham 492 laps: 3 cars on the lead lap / 20th (last) place car 68 laps down / 16 cars failed to finish

Atlanta Coke 500: 3 cars on the lead lap / 29th (last) place car 52 laps down / 11 failed to finish

Bristol 500 laps: 3 on the lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 28 laps down / 26th (last) 98 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 5 cars on lead lap / 10th place 1 down / 20th place 14 down / 23rd (last) 47 laps down

Darlington 367 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 7 laps down / 21st (last) 42 laps down / 17 failed to finish

Martinsville 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th place 19 down

Talladega 500 miles: 5 cars lead lap / 20th spot 2 down / 20th place 23 laps down

Nashville 420 laps: 7 cars lead lap / 10th place 2 laps down / 20th spot 10 down

Dover 500 laps: 4 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 3 down / 20th place car 31 laps down

Charlotte 600 miles: 2 cars lead lap / 10th place 4 down / 20th place 14 laps down

Riverside 95 laps: 8 lead lap cars / 10th was 1 lap down / 20th place 6 laps down

Pocono 500 miles: 6 lead lap cars / 10th place 1 lap down / 20th spot 4 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 9 lead lap finishers / 10th was 1 down / 20th was 3 down

Daytona 400 miles: 6 on the lead lap / 10th was 3 down / 20th was down 5 laps

Nashville 420 laps: 2 on lead lap / 10th place 4 laps down / 20th spot 53 laps down

Pocono 200 laps: 6 on lead lap / 10th was down 2 laps / 20th was 14 laps behind

Talladega 500 miles: 15 cars finished lead lap / 20th place was 24 laps down

Michigan 400 miles: 5 on lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place car down 5 laps

Bristol 500 laps / 2 cars on the lead lap / 10th place 22 laps down / 20th spot was 64 laps down

Darlington 500 miles: 3 lead lap cars / 10th was 9 laps down / 20th place 58 laps down

Richmond 400 laps: 3 lead lap cars / 10th place 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

Dover 500 laps: 2 cars on lead lap / 10th spot 9 laps down / 20th place 60 laps down

Martinsville 500 laps: 1 car on the lead lap / 10th place 11 laps down / 16th (last) place 44 laps behind

Charlotte 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th was 2 down / 20th place 10 laps down

North Wilkesboro 400 laps: 4 lead lap cars / 10th was 2 laps down / 20th place car 18 laps down

Rockingham 500 miles: 4 cars lead lap / 10th place 12 laps down / 20th place 39 laps down

Atlanta 500 miles: 4 lead lap cars / 10th place 3 laps down / 20th place 11 laps down

Riverside 119 laps: 11 cars on the lead lap / 20th spot 4 laps down / 29th (last) place 22 laps down

http://racing-reference.info/raceyear/1984/W

The world has changed a lot during the past 23 years.
Click to expand...
What we can conclude is that people's nostalgia blinds them to the fact that the racing today is much better & more competitive.

Complain about last year's 'boring' Coke 600 all they want but 1984's 600 was abhorrent in comparison.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
What we can conclude is that people's nostalgia blinds them to the fact that the racing today is much better & more competitive.

Complain about last year's 'boring' Coke 600 all they want but 1984's 600 was abhorrent in comparison.
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I think you'd see some similarities today if not for stages, restrictor plates, fake cautions, and wave arounds.
 
I don't know if lead lap cars is a good measure to go by. If you had a race go green today they'd have maybe 5 or 10 left on the lead lap. No free passes back then and lots of mechanical failures, and fewer cautions.

I started watching in the 90s. My eyes tell me the racing today sucks now compared to the 90s and pre-COT 2000s. The segments and chase just cheapen it further. You tell me nostalgia, I tell you rose-colored glasses.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
That looks like a lot of work went into that post. Probably lost 10 years working on it. ;)

Just a guess but I think many will look at those numbers and come to the conclusion that the racing had to be horrible. These kinds of stats are looked down on by today's fan. Yeah, the world sure has changed in the past 23, err 33 years, but I think the biggest change is with Joe Avg Fan.
Click to expand...
ChexOrWrex said:
What we can conclude is that people's nostalgia blinds them to the fact that the racing today is much better & more competitive.

Complain about last year's 'boring' Coke 600 all they want but 1984's 600 was abhorrent in comparison.
Click to expand...
ReturnTrip said:
I don't know if lead lap cars is a good measure to go by. If you had a race go green today they'd have maybe 5 or 10 left on the lead lap. No free passes back then and lots of mechanical failures, and fewer cautions.

I started watching in the 90s. My eyes tell me the racing today sucks now compared to the 90s and pre-COT 2000s. The segments and chase just cheapen it further. You tell me nostalgia, I tell you rose-colored glasses.
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Did a little math for averages over the course of the 30 race 1984 season:

Number of cars on the lead lap - 4.77

Number of laps down in 10th place - 3.90

Number of laps down in 20th place - 23.34*

* 18 cars finished the second Martinsville event ... used that one
 
Greg said:
In 1984 we were young and innocent, how could we had ever known that Nascar would so flippantly fail to recognize Fort Worth.
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Had Travis drawn the line there perhaps things would have been different.............
 
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