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NASCAR Winston Cup Series era

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The NASCAR Winston Cup Series Era was the era of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) from 1971-2003. In 1971, NASCAR leased its naming rights to the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The series was referred to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from that point forward.

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1971-1979

"Junior Johnson who had lost his Ford deal, approached the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco. Co. about sponsorship for his team. At the same time, NASCAR was courting the tobacco giant about sponsoring the entire NASCAR Grand National series. Due to a new congressional mandate, the tobacco companies were no longer able to advertise on television. They had huge advertising budgets and a lot of that went to auto racing starting in 1971."[1] "The new name of NASCAR's premier stock car racing tour became the "Winston Cup Grand National Series."[1] The 1979 Daytona 500 was the first Daytona 500 that was broadcast to a national television audience from start to finish.[2] On the final lap of the 1979 Daytona 500, Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed allowing Richard Petty to take the victory. After the race Donnie Allison along with his brother Bobby got into a fight with Yarborough on the backstretch that was seen live by millions.[2]

1980-1989

On July 4, 1984 President Ronald Reagan became the first sitting president to attend a NASCAR race when he watched the "King" Richard Petty win the 1984 Firecracker 400.[3] The Firecracker 400 was Petty's 200th and final Winston Cup victory.[3] R.J. Reynolds came up with the idea of The Winston Million in 1985. A million-dollar prize would be awarded to any driver that one three out of four major races during the 1985 season. Those races were the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, the World 600, and the Southern 500.[4] Bill Elliott would become the first driver to win "The Winston Million" after he won the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, and the Southern 500 in 1985 in the #9 Coors Ford Thunderbird.[4] R.J. Reynolds would go on to create an all-star "The Winston" in 1985, where the winner would receive a check for $200,000. Darrell Waltrip was awarded grand prize for winning the first running of "The Winston" at Charlotte Motor Speedway.[4]

1990-1999

In the 1990 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt had led 155 of the 200 laps run when he ran over a piece of metal on the backstretch and cut a tire down on the final lap. Derrike Cope driving the #10 Purolator Chevy Lumina was able to pass and Earnhardt and win the 32nd annual running of the Daytona 500.[5] During the 1991 Winston Cup season, Harry Gant driver of the #33 Skoal Oldsmobile swept the races at Darlington, Richmond, Dover, and Martinsville going undefeated in the month of September. Gant was nicknamed "Mr. September for his historic run.[6] Five drivers were still in contention for the Winston Cup Championship going into the season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992. Alan Kulwicki, Bill Elliott, Davey Allison, Kyle Petty, and Mark Martin were all fighting for the championship during the 1992 Hooters 500. Bill Elliott won the race, but Alan Kulwicki captured the championship by a slim ten point margin. This race would also be the final Winston Cup race for the "King" Richard Petty as well as the first Winston Cup race for Jeff Gordon.[7] Jeff Gordon won the final Winston Cup race run at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1996.[8] Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte, and Ricky Craven finished 1-2-3 in the 1997 Daytona 500.[9] Dale Earnhardt won his only Daytona 500 in 1998.[10]

2000-2003

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took home his first career victory in 2000 at Texas Motor Speedway in the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet Monte Carlo.[11] In 2001, Dodge returned to Winston Cup Racing for the first time since 1985 with the introduction of the Dodge Intrepid. Dodge made a big statement in February when Winston Cup veteran Bill Elliott put his Dodge Intrepid on the pole for the 2001 Daytona 500.[12] Dale Earnhardt and Sterling Marlin were battling for third place in the 2001 Daytona 500 on the final lap in turns three and four when they made contact. Earnhardt's car shot up the racetrack into Ken Schrader's Pontiac, the two cars slammed into the outside wall with Earnhardt's car hitting head-on. Earnhardt was severally injured in the crash and pronounced dead at 5:16 P.M.[13] The 2001 Daytona 500 was won by Michael Waltrip driver of the #15 Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Dale Earnhardt Incorporated driver Steve Park won the race at Rockingham one week after his boss Dale Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500.[14] Tony Stewart driver of the #20 Home Depot Pontiac Grand Prix became the 2002 Winston Cup Series Champion after the Ford 400 on November 17, 2002.[15]

Legacy

  1. ^ a b Fielden, Greg (2007). NASCAR The Complete History. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. p. 210.
  2. ^ a b Schaefer, A.R. (2005). The History of NASCAR. Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press. pp. 5–6.
  3. ^ a b Caldwell, Dave. "20 Forgotten Details From A July 4 Firecracker Of A NASCAR Race". Forbes. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  4. ^ a b c Fielden, Greg (2007). NASCAR The Complete History. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. pp. p. 290-291. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  5. ^ Fielden, Greg (2007). NASCAR The Complete History. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. pp. p. 364. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  6. ^ Fielden, Greg (2007). NASCAR The Complete History. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. pp. p. 365. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ Fielden, Greg (2007). NASCAR The Complete History. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International Ltd. pp. p. 367. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  8. ^ Howell, Mark (1997). From Moonshine to Madison Avenue: A Cultural History of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. pp. 182–183.
  9. ^ Hagstrom, Robert (1998). The Nascar Way:The Business That Drives the Sport. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 173–174.
  10. ^ Schaefer, A.R. (2004). The Daytona 500. Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press. pp. p. 24. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  11. ^ Schaefer, A.R. (2005). Dale Earnhardt Jr. Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press. p. 18.
  12. ^ Fielden, Greg (2007). NASCAR The Complete History. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. pp. p. 442-443. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  13. ^ Benson, Michael (2002). Dale Earnhardt. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers. pp. p. 60. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  14. ^ Menzer, Joe (2001). The Wildest Ride: A History of NASCAR. Simon & Schuster. pp. p. 322. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  15. ^ Dutton, Monte (2003). Postcards from Pit Road:Inside NASCAR's 2002 Season. Washington D.C.: Brassey's, Inc. pp. p. 284. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
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