Stock Car Racing Time Machine: Recent Episodes
Tim Nejman
The Stock Car Racing Time Machine Podcast will focus on old school racing discussions. The focus will be on late 90’s Winston Cup Racing.
The NASCAR Winston Cup Series visited Martinsville Speedway for the 8th race of 1999 season. You can always expect some good old fashioned short track racing at the half mile paperclip. Find which driver took home the grandfather clock in a surprising late race surge.
After a long break break, we're finally back with a new episode. We're taking an in-depth look back at the 1999 Daytona 500 on it's 25th Anniversary. This race had a bit of everything-- a long green flag run to start the race, a huge multi-car crash, a daring late race pass, and two all-time greats slugging it out in the closing laps. Take a listen and find which driver was winner in the 1999 edition of The Great American Race.
We close out season 1 of the podcast with Part 3 of the 1997 Winston Cup Year-in-Review. In this episode, the drivers who placed 5th through 1st in the points standings are discussed. These drivers won 24 of the 32 races run in '97 Cup Season. Jeff Gordon continued an amazing run of success winning his 2nd Cup title in 3 years and winning 10 races. Dale Jarrett picked up a career high 7 wins and narrowly lost out on the championship finishing in the runner-up spot. Mark Martin had a big bounce back season after failing to win a Cup race in the prior season. Jeff Burton was the breakout star-- he had never visited victory lane or finished in the top 10 points in Cup competition before 1997. He won three times and finished an impressive 4th in points for the '97 Cup Season. Earnhardt failed to break his long Cup losing streak in '97, but was much more competitive the 2nd half of the '97 Season. Take a listen as we look back one final time on the '97 season.
It's Part Two of the '97 Winston Cup Year in Review. In today's episode, we take a look back at the drivers who finished 6th-10th in the season point standings. Three drivers who failed to capture a top 10 points position in '96 got the job done in '97. There were three pleasant surprises among the drivers who finished in back half of the top 10 in points. Two drivers had more disappointing seasons based upon expectations going into the season. These five drivers combined for 3 wins on the season. Join us for a comprehensive review of the highs and lows for these five drivers.
It's time to take a look back at the '97 Winston Cup Season. This episode will review the drivers who finished outside the top 10 in points. We'll discuss the drivers who finished outside the top 10 in points and went to victory lane. Who were the surprises and disappointments in 1997? How do the rookie drivers perform? We'll review the best moments for each driver.
The Winston Cup Series brings down the curtain on the '97 season with season finale at the re-configured Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon leads Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin by 77 and 87 points respectively. Gordon's task to win the championship became much more difficult after a bizarre pit road accident during practice and a poor qualifying effort. Jarrett and Martin need a strong run and hope that Gordon has a poor finish. Dale Earnhardt is still trying to break that long Cup losing streak. Can Bobby Labonte win the season finale in back-to-back years? There are so many unknowns at the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway such as race pace, tire wear, and will the track have only one racing groove. Take a listen and find out who wins the race and championship.
Two races remain in the '97 Winston Cup season as the series visits Phoenix. Jeff Gordon has a comfortable points lead over Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett, but it is still within the margin that Gordon could lose the points lead with a very poor finish and strong runs by Martin and Jarrett. Bobby Hamilton won the pole and is defending champion of the event and has momentum after a winning last week at Rockingham. Martin is a former winner at Phoenix. Other favorites include Jeff Burton who has two flat track wins this season (Martinsville and Loudon) and Rusty Wallace who is always good on flat tracks. Dale Earnhardt is still winless in '97 and trying to break that lengthy losing streak. He's finished 2nd this season at both Loudon and Martinsville. Find out who goes to victory lane in the Valley of the Sun and if there is shake up in the points standings.
Just three races remain in the '97 Winston Cup Season. The Cup series makes its fall visit to Rockingham. lJeff Gordon won the spring race at "The Rock" and is hoping to extend his points lead. Mark Martin picked up his first career win at Rockingham and is looking to gain ground on points leader Jeff Gordon. Dale Jarrett has three consecutive 2nd place finishes at "The Rock", but has never won at the track. In spring event, he dominated the race only to have Gordon pass him late and he had to settle for a runner-up finish. Geoff Bodine, Bobby Labonte, Dale Earnhardt, Bobby Hamilton, and Sterling Marlin all won last season and have failed to win in '97. The race was forced to be run on Monday due to rainy weather postponing event on Sunday. Find out who comes out on top at Rockingham and if there is shake up in the points chase.
The 1997 Winston Cup season is winding down. 28 races have been completed and three drivers-- Gordon, Martin, and Dale Jarrett still have a legitimate chance at the championship. The latest restrictor plate race on the schedule has all of the points leaders on edge. 2 of the last 3 races the "Big One" that large multi-car accident shook up the points race. Mark Martin was victorious in the caution free May race at Talladega. Earnhardt and Elliott are both still looking to break long Cup losing streaks. Both have run strong in the restrictor place races this season. Can one of the Labonte brothers pick up their best win of the season? Talladega has had it's fair share of underdog winners. Will a surprise winner go to victory lane in Alabama? Take a listen and find out who gets the win and if there is a shake up in points standings.
Just five races remain to determine the 1997 Winston Cup Champion. This week it’s UAW-GM Quality 500 from the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett are both hoping to gain ground on points leader Jeff Gordon. The Fall race at Charlotte has not been kind to Gordon in the past. Last season a 31st place finish in this event coupled with a win by teammate Terry Labonte resulted in a big points lead for Gordon being shrunk to a single point. Gordon never regained the momentum he lost and Labonte captured the 1996 Winston Cup Championship. Gordon comes into the ’97 race with similar points cushion over Mark Martin. Martin has to be among the favorites as he captured victory at this event in 1995. DJ has been strong on the intermediate tracks this season and has two career wins at Charlotte. Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt have been running well of late and both are looking to break long Cup losing streaks. It’s been a struggle for Terry Labonte in the 2nd half of the season and he is still looking for his 1st Cup win of ’97. Bobby Labonte is starting 2nd and had a strong car in practice. His first career win came at the 1995 Coca-Cola 600. Can Gordon overcome the Fall Charlotte race hurdle and maintain his comfortable points lead? Will DJ and Martin get a strong finish and gain ground on Gordon? Will a driver not in the championship chase play spoiler? Take a listen and found out who comes out on top at Charlotte.
It's the final short track race of the 1997 Winston Cup Season. Just six races remained before the Winston Cup Champion would be crowned. Mark Martin won at Dover from the pole last week and was hoping to cut into 105 point deficit to Jeff Gordon. That could prove difficult as Gordon has won back-to-back races at Martinsville and took home the victory in the Spring race leading 431 laps. 3rd in points Dale Jarrett struggled to 16th place finish in the Spring and he desperately needed to gain points on both Gordon and Martin. Although Rusty Wallace was having a difficult '97 season, he is always a favorite at the short track races. Also, don't count out Bobby Hamilton who finished 2nd in the Spring at Martinsville and is excellent on the flat tracks. Ward Burton is on the pole in his home state and looking for a strong finish. His brother Jeff Burton is feeling heathier and would love to snag his 3rd win of season. Elliott and Earnhardt have had some strong recent runs and both would love to snap long Cup losing streaks. Take a listen and find out who grabs the victory at the Cup Series' shortest track.
The '97 Winston Cup Tour makes it second visit to Dover. This was a wild caution filled race in the Spring in which three different drivers leaders experienced problems in the final 75 laps of the race. Ricky Rudd edged out Mark Martin for a narrow victory. Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon, and Ernie Irvan all looked contenders for the win until accidents or mechanical problems ended their chance of the victory at the first Dover race. Mark Martin is looking to win from the pole and gain on points leader Jeff Gordon. He's lost points to Gordon in three consecutive races. Kyle Petty had a top 5 in the Spring at Dover and his car was very strong in practice. Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott are attempting to break long Cup Series winless streaks. Take a listen and find out who goes to victory lane and slays the Monster.
The Cup series makes a second visit to the Granite State for the running of CMT 300. This is the 25th race of Winston Cup Season. In it’s short history the track has produced five different winners in the first five races (Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Jeff Gordon, Ernie Irvan, and Jeff Burton). Points leader Jeff Gordon struggled mightily with his handling in the July race and finished two laps down in 23rd. Third in points Dale Jarrett had a strong run going until engine problems resulted in a 38th place finish. His teammate Ernie Irvan was strong in July and is a former winner at the track. Jeff Burton won the race in July but is experiencing a vestibular/balance difficulties and it is likely he will need a relief driver. Can Earnhardt finally break the long losing streak-- he finished 2nd a few months ago at Loudon? How will New England native Ricky Craven perform in what has been a disappointing season due to injury, crashes, and mechanical problems? Will Mark Martin get back on track after Jeff Gordon finished better than him the past two weeks? Take a listen and find out who pulls into victory lane at the “Magic Mile”.
It’s time for more short track racing as the Cup Series makes it second visit to Richmond International Raceway for a night race. Would Richmond produce the same short track Saturday night fireworks that Bristol produced a few weeks back? How would Dale Earnhardt perform after that scary medical event at the Southern 500 last week? Will Dale Jarrett pick up another short track win? He had the car to beat in the spring Richmond race until a late race restart. Rusty Wallace is always a favorite for a short track race and is looking for a turnaround in the ’97 season. He overcame an early race spin to win at Richmond in the spring. Martin and Gordon are locked in a tight points battle and both are previous winners at Richmond. Bill Elliott is on the pole and riding high after leading the most laps and finishing 4th at Darlington last week. Can he break a nearly three-year winless streak? Don’t count out Ernie Irvan the defending winner of the event or Geoff Bodine who finished 2nd in the spring. Jeff Burton with two wins already is experiencing a breakout season and wants to win in his home state. Take a listen and find out who the victor is the penultimate short track race of the season.
It's time for the annual Labor Day Weekend visit to Darlington. The drivers will try to tame the Lady in Black and earn victory at NASCAR's oldest superspeedway event. Jeff Gordon looks to become the 2nd driver to win The Winston Million and the first to win 3 Southern 500s in a row. He will need to defeat an impressive cast of favorites to cash the big checkfv. Dale Jarrett won the spring race at Darlington and has led a ton of laps on the superspeedway tracks this season. Ted Musgrave was 2nd in the spring and hoping to grab his first Winston Cup win. Jeff Burton had a strong run in the Spring and won the Busch race on Saturday. How will Mark Martin perform after becoming the points leader for the first time since 1990. Bill Elliott the only winner of the Winston Million hopes to keep that way and pick his first Cup Win since the Southern 500 in 1994. This race had it all-- bizarre moments, lots of on-track action, and a great late race duel among 3 drivers. Take a listen and found out who conquers the Track Too Tough to Tame.
The Cup Series finally gets back to a short track after many weeks of racing on road courses, intermediate tracks, and superspeedways. Race #22 on the season is the Bristol night race. In my opinion, this was one of the best races of season. It had everything you could ask for close quarter racing, tons of beating and banging, shocking moments, underdog stories, and a Saturday night dash for the cash just like the local short track. I would rate this as one of most underrated and sometimes forgotten Bristol night races. Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace had to be considered two of the favorites. Will Mark Martin continue his hot summer and pick up back-to-back Cup wins? Can Dale Jarrett pick up his first short track win in Cup competition? Will Earnhardt find a way to break that long losing streak from the backstretch pits? What underdog driver will be a serious contender for victory? Take a listen and find out who conquers Bristol.
The 21st race of the Winston Cup season would be run at Michigan. This was the 2nd visit to the track in the Irish Hills. Ernie Irvan won the race in June and Bill Elliott finished second. Both were among the favorites for victory at the wide D-shaped oval. Roush Racing was in the midst of an excellent season. All three drivers were in the top 10 in points. Mark Martin and Jeff Burton had two wins a piece. Ted Musgrave's excellent Summer performance had moved him into 8th in points. Musgrave looked poised to pick up his first career win. Could defending race champion Dale Jarrett bounce back from disappointing finish at Watkins Glen last week? Will Jeff Gordon win for the first time ever at Michigan? Should crew chiefs prioritize horsepower or fuel economy? Take a listen and find out which driver and manufacturer will get bragging rights in the shadow of the Motor City.
The Cup Series heads to Watkins Glen for the 20th race of the season and final road course race of the season. One of the favorites is Mark Martin who won 3 times in a row at Watkins Glen ('93-'95) and was victorious at Sonoma in May. Geoff Bodine is the hometown favorite and defending champion but is looking for some good fortune after missing the most recent Cup race at Indianapolis. Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett both hope to break through and pick up their first road course win after having strong runs at Sonoma earlier this season. Don't count out excellent road course racers like Terry Labonte, Ricky Rudd, Wally Dallenbach, and Robby Gordon. Find out which driver is king of road after 90 laps at Watkins Glen.
The Cup Series heads to Indy for the 4th running of the Brickyard 400. In it's brief history the Brickyard 400 has become one of NASCAR's biggest races. Three big names have won the first three stock car races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway-- Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Dale Jarrett. Gordon and Jarrett both have to be considered among the favorites. Jarrett was the defending champion of the Brickyard 400 and won the most recent Winston Cup Series race at Pocono. Gordon was victorious at the Inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994 and won the June race at Pocono. Indy and Pocono have similar characteristics with long straightaways and flat corners. A strong engine and a good handling car are crucial to a good run. Other favorites would include the entire Roush Team (Jeff Burton, Martin, and Musgrave) as they all ran strong at both Pocono races this season. Ernie Irvan is on the pole and he lost out on late race duels in the '94 and '96 at the Brickyard. He's out for redemption and shopping his skills after the announcement he will not be back in the #28 car. Take a listen and find out who takes the checkered flag and kissed the bricks.
The '97 Winston Cup Series had an off week between the Pocono race and the Brickyard 400. I discuss the history behind some of the Cup Series biggest races- Daytona 500, Southern 500, World 600, and the Winston 500. In addition, the rise and fall of the Brickyard 400. The history of the Winston Million and No Bull Programs are reviewed. I rank the biggest races through the years to the present day. The final subject discusses NASCAR reimagining The Winston Million/ No Bull five program. Would a 10 million, 15 million, or 20 million dollar payday increase interest and excitement in the regular season races?
It's the second visit to Pocono for the 1997 Winston Cup Tour. Can Jeff Gordon win and be the first driver to get the season sweep at Pocono since Tim Richmond in 1986? Will a Roush Racing driver get to victory lane? Martin and Jeff Burton are both looking for their third win of the season. Will Ted Musgrave pick up his first career win? Can Dale Jarrett bounce back with a good run after engine problems resulted in a poor finish last week at Loudon? Dale Earnhardt has a good starting spot and is looking to break his long Cup losing streak. He has momentum on his side after back-to-back top 5 finishes including a 2nd place finish last week at Loudon. Can Joe Nemechek turn a pole winning run into a good finish? Take a listen on found who is victorious at the "Tricky Triangle".
The Winston Cup series makes it's seventeenth stop of the season in the Granite State. This season the Cup series will race twice at New Hampshire International Speedway. The last several races have resulted in some up down performances for the top 4 in points. Loudon is like a super sized Martinsville with long straightaways and flat corners. Irvan, Gordon, Rudd, and Wallace have each won since the Cup Series started racing at the track in 1993. The former winners all could be considered among the favorites. Bobby Hamilton is on the outside pole and is always strong on the flat tracks. Don't forget about Jeff Burton who has earned the most points on superspeedway tracks (tracks one mile or longer) this season. Can Earnhardt use his momentum from Daytona to break his lengthy losing streak? Take a listen and find which driver gets to victory lane at "The Magic Mile".
The 1997 Winston Cup Season has reached the halfway point in the season. The Pepsi 400 is the final scheduled late morning race at Daytona. The heat and humidity always make the track very slick and handling is crucial. Will the restrictor plate aces-- Dale Earnhardt and Sterling Marlin finally break their long losing streaks? Can Mark Martin win back-to-back plate races? Will Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports demonstrate the same strength as they did at the Daytona 500? Could it be a underdog winner this year like when Jimmy Spencer or Greg Sacks picked their first career wins in the Summer race at Daytona? This race had plenty of action and a wild finish. Take a listen and find out who picks up the victory at The World Center of Racing.
The Cup Series returns to the Southern California area for the inaugural running of the California 500 presented by Napa in Fontana. Roger Penske's new racing palace was built on the site of an old steel mill and the track configuration is very similar to it's sister track Michigan Speedway. That means just like last week horsepower and fuel mileage will play a key role in determining the winner. Will Irvan pick up back-to-back wins after winning last week at Michigan? Can Jeff Gordon pick up his 3rd win in the past 5 races? Does Terry Labonte bounce back after a poor finish last week at Michigan? Will Mark Martin continue his streak of top 5's and pick up his 3rd win of the season? In addition, we discuss NASCAR's late 90s expansion to new markets and reflect on the life of Bruton Smith.
The 1997 Winston Cup Tour runs it's 14th race of the season at Michigan Speedway. Michigan's wide track and multiple grooves lends to great side by side and sometimes 3 wide racing. It's a challenge for the crew chief who has to decide whether to favor horsepower or fuel economy. Michigan has a reputation for not many cautions and races decided by who can best save fuel. Can Jeff Gordon overcome a practice crash and being forced to a back-up car and get a good finish? Will Mark Martin continue his top 5 streak? How will the Yates teammates fare at a track that horsepower is important? Will Terry Labonte get his first win of the season? Take a listen and find out what manufacturer gets bragging right down the road from the Motor City.
The 13th stop of the Winston Cup tour would be in Long Pond, PA for the running of the Pocono 500. The unique triangular design and 3 very different corners always made for an interesting and entertaining race. Crew chiefs and drivers knew you could not get the perfect chassis setup for all three corners. In addition, is it best to prepare the engine for horsepower or fuel mileage? How would the points leaders fare after a wild race at Dover in which almost all ran into trouble. Will Dale Jarrett get back on track after engine problems resulted in 3 consecutive poor finishes in points paying races? Could the red hot Mark Martin get his first ever victory at Pocono? Jeff Gordon was the defending event winner and always ran strong at the Tricky Triangle. How will Bobby Hamilton perform after winning the pole? Elliott, Earnhardt, and DW were former winners at the track looking to snap long losing streaks in Winston Cup Racing. Take a listen and find which driver tames Pocono's three challenging turns.
The 12th stop for 1997 Winston Cup Series was at Dover for the final running of a 500-mile race at the Monster Mile. It was an action-packed race from start to finish. Will Jeff Gordon make it four wins in a row at Dover? Can Dale Jarrett get back on track after he was plagued by engine problems in the last two points paying races? Does Mark Martin’s hot streak and climb in the points standings continue? Will a new face find their way to victory lane in 1997? Can Bobby Labonte win from the pole? Things got wild in the final 75 laps as the Monster Mile lived up to its reputation. Take a listen and find out which driver came out on top after 500 miles of racing in Delaware.
The 11th race for the 1997 Winston Cup tour was the traditional Memorial Day Weekend running of the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It proved to be a very competitive race with some great action right from the drop of the green flag. Will Jeff Gordon or Mark Martin pick up the win and have a chance to win the Winston Million at the Southern 500 on Labor Day Weekend? Can Dale Jarrett bounce back from a rough race at Talladega to capture wins in back-to-back years at the Coke 600? Earnhardt looked strong at the Winston All Star Race a week prior can he finally break his long losing streak? Can one of the Labonte brothers pick up their first win of the season after having strong runs at The Winston last week? The Coke 600 has produced a first-time winner in 2 of the past 3 years. Will a new face make their way to victory lane, or it will be a veteran like Bill Elliott in the mist of long losing streak? Take a listen to a race that had a bit of everything— competitive side-by-side racing, a lengthy rain delay, pit stop strategy, and a great finish.
The Cup series takes a break from the points chase to run The Winston All Star Race from the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It's a star studded event with special paint schemes, different rules, and a 10 lap dash for the cash. Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt are on the front row and both are hungry for victory. Can Jeff Gordon make it 2 wins in the past 3 Winston's? Will it be a surprise winner like the '96 running when Michael Waltrip went to victory lane? Does Mark Martin keep his hot streak going? It's a bring home the steering wheel or the checkered flag kind of a race. Take a listen and find out who goes to victory lane and cashes the big check.
The postponed Winston 500 is the 10th stop on the 1997 Winston Cup Tour. Both races in 1996 at Talladega had massive wrecks that shook up the points standings. Can Mark Martin make it two wins in a row after breaking a long Cup losing streak at Sonoma last week? Will Jeff Gordon capture his second restrictor plate win of the season along with the second leg of the Winston Million? How will Dale Jarrett fare at a track he has been very close to victory multiple times? Earnhardt was strong at Daytona can he break a long losing streak with a win at one of his best tracks? Will Talladega produce another surprise winner? Take a listen and find out who comes out on top at NASCAR’s fastest tracks.
The 9th stop on the '97 NASCAR Winston Cup tour was Sonoma for some road racing. Which driver would be able to best negotiate around the over 2.5 mile 11 turn road course in the beautiful Napa Valley? Will Mark Martin break a long losing streak and finally get to victory lane? Can Jeff Gordon pick up his first career win on a road course? Is Dale Jarrett able to bounce back from a disappointing finish at Martinsville? How would the road course aces like Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Ernie Irvan, and Robby Gordon perform? Take a listen and find out which drivers comes out on top at turning both left and right for the first of two road course races this season.
This episode takes a break from our race reviews to take a look at the big stories for the 1st quarter (8 races) of the 1997 Winston Cup Season. We take an in-depth look at the statistics of the drivers who were in the top 10 of the points standings. In addition, we'll discuss early contenders for the Winston Cup Championship, which drivers were having a pleasantly surprising season, the drivers who had experienced disappointment with early season results, and the race for Rookie of the Year.
It's more short track racing as Martinsville is the 8th stop on the 1997 Winston Cup Tour. The shortest and tightest track will conclude the Spring short track season. Can Jeff Gordon win back-to-back races for the 2nd time in 1997? Will Rusty Wallace get his second short track win of the season? How will Kenny Wallace and Joe Nemechek fare after starting on the front row? Can the points leader Dale Jarrett find success at a track he has struggled at of late? Will Dale Earnhardt keep the momentum rolling and score a good finish at Martinsville? Listen in and find out who goes to victory lane and takes home the grandfather clock.
The Winston Cup Series heads to Bristol for the running of the Food City 500. This is the seventh race of 1997 Winston Cup Season. The world’s fastest half mile track and the largest starting field in history at Bristol equals a ton of action, tight close quarter racing, crumpled sheet metal, and some tempers flaring as well. Can Jeff Gordon get back on track after 2 poor finishes in the past three races? Will Rusty Wallace bounce back from disappointment at Texas and win his second short track of the season? Is Dale Jarrett able to keep his strong start to season going at Bristol? Will a driver who has not won in 1997 like Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt, or Ricky Rudd pull into victory lane? Take a listen to find who wins the Bristol slugfest and make sure you listen all the way to the final lap (hint/hint).
The next stop on the 1997 Winston Cup tour was the inaugural running of the Interstate Batteries 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway near Forth Worth. This was the sixth race of the season. Drivers were concerned about the design of the track especially the tricky transition off of turn four. The race had a major wreck on the first lap and plenty of action throughout the race. Will the points leader Dale Jarrett continue his hot streak and win his third consecutive race? Can team Hendrick break his momentum with a win for home state favorite Terry Labonte or Jeff Gordon? Due to all drivers having very little experience on the track could the inaugural race at Texas produce a first time winner? Listen in as we take a look back at a wild day in Texas.
The Winston Cup Series heads to historic Darlington Raceway in South Carolina for the 5th race of '97 Winston Cup Season. The Track known as "Too Tough To Tame" lived up to it's reputation with a rash of early race crashes and cautions flags. Can Jeff Gordon get back on track and win for the fourth consecutive time at Darlington after a poor finish at Atlanta? Will Dale Jarrett win back-to-back races and get revenge on the track that cost him a chance at a million dollars last year at the Southern 500? Does Dale Earnhardt build on the momentum of Atlanta and record back-to-back strong runs? The final laps featured a classic duel between a driver who was having a strong season and a driver looking for his first career Winston Cup win. Take a listen and find which driver comes home victorious on the final race run at Darlington before they flip-flopped the front and backstretch. One programming note, there will not be a new episode next week as I'm on vacation. We'll be back with a new episode on April 9th reviewing the inaugural Winston Cup race at the Texas Motor Speedway.
The Winston Cup drivers had an off weekend after 4 consecutive races to the start the season. In this episode, we'll discuss what media options were available for race fans especially when many did not have internet access 25 years ago. Next week we'll get back to our race reviews and discuss the 1997 Transouth Financial 400 from Darlington.
The Winston Cup Series heads to the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia for the 4th race of '97 Winston Cup Season. This would be the final race on the oval configuration with the long corners and short straightaways before the track would be reconfigured to look similar to Charlotte and Texas. Will the defending champion of the race Dale Earnhardt get on track after missing the top 10 in the first three races of the season? Can Dale Jarrett break through with his first win of the season after leading the most laps at Rockingham and Richmond but coming up short in the win column? Which won of the points leader will suffer an early mechanical problem and shake up the points standings? Can a veteran with a strong record at Atlanta in a new ride for '97 score a top 5 finish? This was an action packed race especially in the final third of the race. Take a listen and find out who wins at Atlanta.
The Winston Cup Series heads to the Richmond International Raceway for the 3rd race of '97 Winston Cup Season. This was the first short track race of the season and it did not disappointment. What two drivers who had strong cars were involved in an early race incident? The race would feature a lengthy green flag run but there was plenty of excitement and positions being swapped throughout the field. We'll discuss the wild late race scramble as drivers raced back to the caution flag battling for the lead. Find out which driver took advantage of a late race restart to make the race winning pass? Does Gordon win three in a row to start the season? Will Richmond be the turn around race for Earnhardt? Can Dale Jarrett pick up his first career short track win? Will Rusty, Geoff Bodine, and Jeff Burton build on their momentum from Rockingham the previous week? Take a listen and find which driver takes the checkered flag.
The Winston Cup Series heads to the North Carolina Motor Speedway (aka "The Rock") for the 2nd race of '97 Winston Cup Season. How would the drivers who had disappointing finishes at Daytona such as Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, and Ernie Irvan fare at The Rock? Will Jeff Gordon and the rest of the Hendrick team keep the momentum rolling at Rockingham? Find out which driver was victorious at The Rock along with the surprises and disappointments for the race.
This episode takes a look back at all the big moments from start to finish of the 1997 Daytona 500 on it's 25th anniversary. We'll examine what drivers had bad luck and who ran surprisingly well. The exciting final 20 laps of the race will be reviewed in-depth. If you remember the closing laps and who won see if you agree with my analysis.
This episode has three major parts-- a discussion of '97 Winston Cup Schedule, a look at some of the important rules for the season, and a review of the preliminary events of Daytona Speedweeks leading up to the '97 Daytona 500. The changes to the schedule and the era of expansion to new markets is examined. Daytona 500 qualifying, the Busch Clash, and the Gatorade Twin 125 qualifying races are reviewed. Finally, the favorites to win the 1997 Daytona 500 are discussed.
Our driver preview of the '97 Winston Cup Season concludes as we discuss the top 5 points finishers in the '96 Winston Cup Season. Drivers discussed include Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon, and Terry Labonte. We'll take an in-depth look at each driver's '96 season, past career highlights, and expectations for the '97 season.
Our driver preview of the '97 Winston Cup Season continues as we discuss the final set of drivers who finished outside the top 10 in points in the '96 Winston Cup Season. Drivers discussed include Kenny Wallace, Dick Trickle, Bill Elliott, and Jeff Burton. The second part of the podcast will focus on the 10th-6th place points finishers in the '96 Winston Cup season. Drivers discussed will include Ernie Irvan, Bobby Hamilton, Sterling Marlin, Rusty Wallace, and Ricky Rudd.
We continue our driver preview of the 1997 Winston Cup Season by looking back at drivers who finished outside the top 10 in points for the 1996 season. Drivers discussed in this episode include Ricky Craven, Johnny Benson, Mike Skinner, Ken Schrader, Robby Gordon, Kyle Petty, and others.
We begin our driver preview of the 1997 Winston Cup Season by looking back at drivers who finished outside the top 10 in points for the 1996 season. Drivers discussed in this episode include Bobby Labonte, Jimmy Spencer, Michael Waltrip, Darrell Waltrip, Geoff Bodine, Ward Burton and others.