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NASCAR Winston Cup Series era

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Winston Cup Series Logo

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 who named the series after it's premier brand "Winston". The series was referred to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from that point forward. Many view the Winston Cup Series Era as a time in which NASCAR entered the modern era of spectator sports. During this era, NASCAR experienced a significant rise in popularity that persisted until its fatal end in the early 2000s.

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1971-1979

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Logo

In 1971, NASCAR was courting the tobacco giant, R.J. Reynolds Company 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. The tobacco company saw a major potential advertising base that could offset the loss of television commercials. As a result of the legislation, Reynolds Co. had a massive advertising budget a lot of which 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] During the Winston Cup Era, NASCAR experienced a significant rise in prominence. One example is the 1979 Daytona 500 which was the first race of its kind to be broadcasted 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. Millions observed this encounter on live television helping NASCAR enter a niche in spectator sports once held exclusively by other events.[2] Dale Earnhardt ultimately claimed the Winston Cup Championship in 1979 which was his first of several Winston Cup victories.

1980-1989

Ronald Reagan with Richard Petty

On July 4, 1984, President Ronald Reagan became the first sitting president to attend a NASCAR race when he watched the "King" Richard Petty won the 1984 Firecracker 400.[3] Some look to moments such as these to suggest that the Winston Cup Era marked the time in which NASCAR rose to prominence in America. The Firecracker 400 was Petty's 200th and final Winston Cup victory.[3] In that same year, Terry Labonte captured his first Winston Cup Series Championship driving the #44 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

In 1985, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company came up with a concept called "The Winston Million." This idea entailed a million-dollar prize to 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" prize referred to as "The Winston" in 1985. This prize would award the winner a check for $200,000. This development set a precedent for significant cash prizes for winners of NASCAR events. Darrell Waltrip was the first to be awarded the "The Winston" at Charlotte Motor Speedway[4] Waltrip won his first and only Daytona 500 in 1989 driving the #17 Tide Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Hendrick Motorsports.

1990-1999

Dale Earnhardt

In the 1990 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt had held a lead for 155 of the 200 laps when he ran over a piece of metal on the backstretch and also popped a tire on the final lap. Derrike Cope, driving the #10 Purolator Chevy Lumina, was able to pass 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 this historic winning streak.[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.[7]

Dale Earnhardt won his seventh and final Winston Cup Championship in 1994 assisting to his rise to national recognition. The "Iceman" Terry Labonte won the Winston Cup Series Championship for the second and final time in 1996 driving for Hendrick Motorsports. 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] Dale Jarrett captured the 1999 Winston Cup Series Championship driving the #88 Ford Credit Ford Taurus for Robert Yates Racing.


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] Joe Gibbs, Racing driver Bobby Labonte, captured the 2000 Winston Cup Series Championship in his #18 Pontiac Grand Prix.

The 2001 Daytona 500 closed with a crash (pictured above) involving Dale Earnhardt and Ken Schrader. Earnhardt did not survive.

The Winston Cup began to decline in national admiration during a fatal crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt and Sterling Marlin were competing 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.[12] Michael Waltrip, driver of the #15 Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet Monte Carlo, won the 2001 Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Incorporated driver Steve Park won the race at Rockingham one week after his boss Dale Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500.[13] Ward Burton won the 2002 Daytona 500 driving the #22 Caterpillar Dodge Intrepid. Tony Stewart, the driver of the #20 Home Depot Pontiac Grand Prix, became the 2002 Winston Cup Series Champion after the Ford 400 on November 17, 2002.[14] Ricky Craven, driver of the #32 Tide Pontiac Grand Prix, finished .002 seconds ahead of Kurt Busch to win the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. It was the closest recorded finish in NASCAR history.[15] The final NASCAR Winston Cup Series race was won by 2000 Series Champion Bobby Labonte at Homestead–Miami Speedway The 2003 season was the last year for Pontiac in NASCAR.[16] Matt Kenseth driver of the #17 DeWalt Ford won the final Winston Cup Series Championship in 2003.[17] There were fifteen different Winston Cup Series Champions in its history. Seventy different drivers won at least one race during the Winston Cup Series Era and which was one of the most significant tournaments in NASCAR history.

References

  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. ^ Benson, Michael (2002). Dale Earnhardt. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers. pp. p. 60. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  13. ^ Menzer, Joe (2001). The Wildest Ride: A History of NASCAR. Simon & Schuster. pp. p. 322. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  14. ^ 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)
  15. ^ "Craven edges out Busch in closest NASCAR finish". History. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  16. ^ Hinton, Ed. "Pontiac pulled from NASCAR". Chicago Tribune. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  17. ^ "Reliving the end of an era: The last Winston Cup season". Winston Cup Museum. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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