5 Under Appreciated NASCAR Races

5 Under Appreciated NASCAR Races

By Brian Cotnoir

In its seventy plus year history NASCAR has had some exciting and Historic Races.  From Brad Keselowski’s first win at Talladega, to Jamie McMurray’s first win at Charlotte in his 2^nd Start, and Ricky Craven beating Kurt Busch at Darlington by 0.002 of a second!  Pretty much every Daytona 500 has at least one memorable moment, but then there are some races that were very significant that for some reason or another have been forgotten, and I’m here to bring to attention the importance and significance of these races. 

*The Races have been ranked in order of when they occurred*

1.)  The 1987 Miller High Life 500

In recent years NASCAR has begun to recognize the significance of this race, but still I think this race needs to be talked about more.  NASCAR driver Tim Richmond missed the first half of the 1987 due to an illness he claimed to be “double-pneumonia”.  The truth was that Richmond had been diagnosed with AIDS in the off-season and didn’t want anyone to know.   On a June Day in Pocono, PA, Richmond strapped into his race car for the first time that season and drove a 500 mile race driving at speeds up to 200 miles per hour with one of the deadliest diseases known to mankind, and you know what; he won!  

Richmond after winning Pocono

Richmond followed up that race at Pocono with a win at Riverside road course the next race too.  He began to look like the old Tim Richmond and appeared he was ready to make his comeback.  Unfortunately, Richmond would have to resign from his position with the Hendrick Team several races later.  In 1989 he passed away from AIDS leaving behind a complicated legacy.

Richmond's win at Riverside

2.)  The 1988 NASCAR Goodyear 500

NASCAR has been a mostly Regional Sport since its inception, but has since gone on to race in all corners of the United States.   NASCAR has occasionally branched out of the country running races in Canada, Mexico, and Japan, but the first the NASCAR race outside of North America happened in 1988 in Australia of all places.  The race was an exhibition race, so no drivers received points for the race, but 32 drivers from the United States, Australia, and New Zealand entered the race at Melbourne’s Calder Park Thunderdome.   It was a 500 kilometer race, and half the field wasn’t running at the end. 

The American’s dominated the race with Neil Bonnet winning the race followed by Bobby Allison and Dave Marcis as the only cars finishing on the lead lap.  The highest (and only) finishing Australian driver was Robin Best who finished in the 11^th place, 13 laps down.  This would be the only NASCAR race run in Australia, as they teams never returned.  But Australia had their own version of NASCAR, appropriately named -AUSCAR that raced from 1989-2001 before folding.

3.)  The 2001 Pennzoil Freedom 400

Bill Elliott is a NASCAR Hall of Famer and one of the Best American racecar drivers ever.  From the early 1980’s to the mid 1990’s he was one of the most dominant drivers in the sport.  Elliott would eventually go on to form his own team, but failed to capture the same success he had driving for the likes of Melling Racing and Junior Johnson’s team.  In 2001, he sold his team to championship winning crew chief Ray Evernham, and the team became the official Dodge Manufacturers team that brought Dodge back to NASCAR.   Elliott’s start with the New Dodge team looked promising when he won the pole for the 2001 Daytona 500, but after that his results began to falter.  

Elliott would return to his former greatness when at he won the 2001 Pennzoil Freedom 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.  Elliott snapped a winless streak of 226 consecutive races without a win; a record that still stands to this day for most races between wins in NASCAR.  Elliott would win three more races over the next two seasons before stepping away from a full-time Cup Series ride.

4.)  The 2004 Sylvania 300

The 2004 Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway wasn’t a particularly exciting or memorable race, but it does hold some historical significance.   This was the first Chase for the Cup race ever in NASCAR.   NASCAR completely overhauled its points system for the 2004 season and introduced a new playoff system to the NASCAR Cup Series.  No one knew if this change to the points system would be popular or successful or if it would be replaced again by next season.  The race was won by Kurt Busch in dominating fashion.

I was actually at this race.  I met Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Joe Nemecheck; it was a great day!

5.)  The 2007 Coca Cola 600

What I think makes the 2007 Coca Cola 600 so remarkable is it has probably the strangest Top 5 finish in NASCAR History.  The Race came down to fuel mileage and was won by Casey Mears—his first win in the Cup Series ever—he was followed by JJ Yeley in 2^nd, Kyle Petty in 3^rd place, Reed Sorenson in 4^th, and Brian Vickers in 5^th. 

Mears won while driving for Rick Hendrick.  It was an impressive run, and Mears actually ran out of fuel after crossing the finish line.   His career in NASCAR really faltered after he was replaced at Hendrick and he only really ran well at Daytona in Talladega.

The highest starting position of any of the top 5 finishers was JJ Yeley, who started in 12^th place.  This 2^nd place finish would be JJ Yeley’s best finish in the Cup Series.  Yeley would only ever finish in the Top 5 one more time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. 

What’s most impressive was Kyle Petty finished in 3^rd place.   Over the previous decade, Kyle Petty’s Average finish was a 29.9!  It was also his last career Top 5 finish and his first Top 5 finish since 1997 at Dover!  

Reed Sorenson finished 4^th after starting an abysmal 34^th place, and Brian Vickers left his ride at Hendrick (the one Casey Mears would end up taking) in 2007 to join the newly formed Red Bull Racing NASCAR team.  Vickers would fail to qualify for one-third of the races that season.  His fifth place finish would be his best finish of the season.