NASCAR's premiere racing division, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, has seen many close finishes since the electronic scoring system was instituted in May during the 1993 season. As of 2017, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series is 0.002 seconds. This first occurred during the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway, as Ricky Craven crossed the finish line inches ahead of Kurt Busch. [1] In 2011, the record was tied at the 2011 Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway, when Jimmie Johnson was victorious over Clint Bowyer in a four-wide finish.
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock-car racing. Its three largest or National series are the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Regional series include the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, the Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Pinty's Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, and NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series. NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 48 US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Europe. NASCAR has presented races at the Suzuka and Motegi circuits in Japan, and the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia. NASCAR also ventures into eSports via the PEAK Antifreeze NASCAR iRacing Series and a sanctioned ladder system on that title.
The 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season was the 45th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 22nd modern-era Cup season. The season began on February 7 and ended on November 14. Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing won the title, the sixth of his career.
The 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 was the fifth stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. It was held on March 16, 2003, before a crowd of 55,000, in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway. The 293-lap race, the 100th NASCAR Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway, was won by PPI Motorsports driver Ricky Craven after he started from the thirty-second position. Kurt Busch of the Roush Racing team finished in second place and Dave Blaney took a third-position result for Jasper Motorsports.
Prior to the introduction of integrated electronic scoring in May 1993, margins of victory were scored in laps, car lengths, or feet, using handheld stopwatches or analog timing clocks. [2] This occasionally led to controversy, such as occurred in the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. Initially, NASCAR declared the race won by Johnny Beauchamp, but many observers felt that Lee Petty had won. It took 61 hours before video evidence established Petty as the winner. [3]
A stopwatch is a handheld timepiece designed to measure the amount of time that elapses between its activation and deactivation. A large digital version of a stopwatch designed for viewing at a distance, as in a sports stadium, is called a stopclock. In manual timing, the clock is started and stopped by a person pressing a button. In fully automatic time, both starting and stopping are triggered automatically, by sensors.
The 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona was the second race of the 1959 NASCAR Grand National season. It was held on February 22, 1959, in front of 41,921 spectators. It was the first race held at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.
Johnny Beauchamp was an American NASCAR driver from Harlan, Iowa. He is best known for finishing second in the 1959 Daytona 500 in a photo finish after being declared the unofficial winner. In 23 starts, he had ten top 10 finishes, seven top 5 finishes, and two victories.
Beginning with the 1993 Save Mart Supermarkets 300K, scoring was standardized to the thousandth of a second using transponders located on the vehicles and timing lines around the track. Geoff Bodine won the first event using this electronic scoring, finishing 0.53 seconds ahead of Ernie Irvan. [4]
Geoff Edmond Bodine is a retired American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers. Bodine currently lives in West Melbourne, Florida.
Virgil Earnest Irvan, occasionally referred to as "Swervin' Irvan", is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A retired NASCAR competitor, he is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head injury left him with only a 10% chance of survival, August 20, 1994, at Michigan International Speedway. Irvan has been inducted into numerous halls of fame and was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, in 1998. After a series of injuries in the late 1990s, he retired from racing in 1999.
* | Event was not part of the regular season |
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the finish line may be used for a more accurate check. Photo finishes make it less likely that officials will declare a race a dead heat.
Richard Lee Petty, nicknamed The King, is a former NASCAR driver who raced from 1958 to 1992 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series. He was the first driver to win the NASCAR Cup Championship seven times, winning a record 200 races during his career, winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times, and winning a record 27 races in the 1967 season alone. Statistically, he is the most accomplished driver in the history of the sport and is one of the most respected figures in motorsports as a whole. He also collected a record number of poles (127) and over 700 Top 10 finishes in his record 1,184 starts, including 513 consecutive starts from 1971–1989. Petty was the only driver to ever win in his 500th race start, until Matt Kenseth joined him in 2013. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. Petty remains very active, as both a NASCAR team owner in the Cup Series and owner of Petty's Garage in Level Cross, North Carolina.
The Subway 400 was the second race of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season until 2004, held a week after the Daytona 500. This 400-mile (644 km) annual race was sponsored by Subway and was held at North Carolina Speedway since 1966. From 1966 to 1995, a 500-mile (805-km) race was held; the race was known as the Peach Blossom 500 (1966), the Carolina 500 (1967–1985), and the Goodwrench 500 (1986–1995). In 1996, the race was shortened to its current distance of 400 miles; the 400 mile race was called the Goodwrench Service 400 (1996–1997), the GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400 (1998), the Dura Lube/Big K 400 (1999), the Dura Lube/Kmart 400 (2000), the Dura Lube 400 (2001), and the Subway 400 (2002–2004).
Kasey Kenneth Kahne is an American dirt track racing driver and former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018; driving the No. 95 Dumont Jets/Procore Technologies Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Leavine Family Racing.
Elliott William Barnes Sadler is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing. Sadler is one of 31 drivers who have at least one win in each of NASCAR's top three series. Sadler was born in Emporia, Virginia; he is the younger brother of former NASCAR driver Hermie Sadler.
The Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 was the annual spring NASCAR Nextel Cup race held at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, USA. A 100-mile (160 km) race was held in May at the track in 1952, however the event did not become a regular one on the NASCAR schedule until 1957, as a 300 miles (480 km) race in the Convertible Division, known as the Rebel 300. In 1966, the race was expanded to 400 miles (640 km), and in 1973 to 500 miles (800 km). For a time, the race was held on or around Confederate Memorial Day, which is observed on May 10 in the state of South Carolina.
Kyle Eugene Petty is an American former stock car racing driver, and current racing commentator. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of racer Adam Petty, who was killed in a crash during practice in May 2000. Petty last drove the No. 45 Dodge Charger for Petty Enterprises, where he formerly served as CEO; his last race was in 2008.
The NextEra Energy 250 is the first race of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway and as of 2004 has been held under the lights. It is the Truck Series event of Speedweeks – the series of races leading up to the Daytona 500.
The NASCAR Racing Experience 300 is the first race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season, 300-mile-long (483 km) annual race held at Daytona International Speedway. It is held the day before the Daytona 500, and is considered the most prestigious event of the Xfinity Series. Until 2002, it was the only event of the Xfinity Series to be annually held at Daytona International Speedway. Michael Annett won the most recent race, in 2019.
RPAC Racing, LLC, dba Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The team is owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty and New York businessman Andrew M. Murstein. The team was founded as Evernham Motorsports in 2000 by former crew chief Ray Evernham, entering full-time competition as a two-car operation in 2001 and fielding additional full-time entries in alliances with Ultra Motorsports and the Valvoline corporation. The organization was renamed Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2007 after former Montreal Canadiens and Liverpool F.C. owner George Gillett bought a controlling interest from founder Evernham, and took on its current name after merging with Petty's team Petty Enterprises in 2009. Known for its factory backing from Dodge since its inception, the team switched to Ford in late 2009 and merged with Yates Racing for 2010. The team has the odd distinction of being the result of three successful teams merging after falling on hard times.
Chad Anthony Knaus is an American NASCAR crew chief. He is currently employed at Hendrick Motorsports as the crew chief for the No. 24 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car, driven by William Byron. Knaus has 81 victories as Jimmie Johnson's crew chief and is the only NASCAR crew chief to win five consecutive championships. He has worked in NASCAR since 1991. Over this time, he has worked for four teams: Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Melling Racing, Tyler Jet Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports. He has been a crew chief in NASCAR for 16 years and is considered to be one of the greatest NASCAR crew chiefs of all-time.
The 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup season was the 56th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 33rd modern-era Cup series season. The season began on Saturday, February 7, and ended on Sunday, November 21. Kurt Busch with Roush Racing driving a Ford was the Nextel Cup champion.
The 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 55th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 32nd modern-era Cup Series season. The season began on February 8 at the Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout and ended on November 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 400. Despite only winning one race throughout the whole season, Matt Kenseth, driving the No.17 Ford for Roush Racing, was strongly consistent following the lone win, and was crowned the Winston Cup champion. His only win came in the third race of the 36 race season. Chevrolet took home the NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship after capturing 19 wins and 264 points over second-place finisher Dodge, who had nine wins and 203 points. Ford finished the year third with seven wins and 200 points, and Pontiac finished fourth with one win and 125 points.
JR Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Mooresville, North Carolina, co-owned by former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and the owner of his former Cup Series team, Rick Hendrick. As of the end of 2018, the team fields four full-time entries and one part-time entry in the Xfinity Series: the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro SS full-time for Michael Annett, the No. 7 Camaro full-time for Justin Allgaier, the No. 8 Camaro full-time for part-time drivers such as Zane Smith, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Preece, Jeb Burton, Chase Elliott, Sheldon Creed, and Ryan Truex, and the No. 9 Camaro full-time for Noah Gragson.
The 2007 Pepsi 400 was the 18th race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season and held on July 7, 2007, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is an annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stock car race at Daytona International Speedway. First held in 1959, the event consists of 160 laps, 400-mile (640 km), and is the second of two major stock car events held at Daytona on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit, the other being the Daytona 500. Since its inception, it has been traditionally held on or around United States' Independence Day. Since 1988, the race has been scheduled for the first Saturday of July – that closest to July 4. In 1998, it became the first restrictor plate and Daytona race to be held at night.
NASCAR lore has developed since the sport's founding in 1947. It includes NASCAR's colorful history of races along with the drivers and machines that have competed in them. Through the efforts of sportswriters and television, some events have become embedded within the sport and instantly recognizable throughout the years.
The 1975 NASCAR Grand National Winston Cup Series was the 27th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 4th modern era NASCAR Cup series. The season began on Sunday, January 19 and ended on Sunday, November 12. Richard Petty, driving the #43 Petty Enterprises STP Dodge scored his sixth NASCAR Grand National Series Winston Cup Championship. Bruce Hill was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year. NASCAR introduced a new points system for 1975, a system designed by statistician Bob Latford. For the first time, each race on the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National schedule carried an equal point value, a system that would be used for 36 seasons, from 1975 to 2010. The original points system ran for the first 29 seasons, from 1975 to 2003, and in the original points system, 5 bonus points for leading a lap and 5 additional bonus points for a driver leading the most laps was only counted towards the points of your finishing position. In 2004 however, even though this points system was still in play, modifications were made in the points system itself: A playoff system was added, points would reset to 5000 after 26 races, only the top 10 drivers in points or anyone else within 400 points of the leader would race for the championship with 10 races to go, the drivers in the chase would start off the 10 race format 5 points apart from each other, and throughout the whole season, an additional 5 bonus points for winning a race was now included. In 2007, the number of drivers to compete for a championship would increase from 10 drivers to 12, the seeding for the chase was now lined up by the number of wins the driver had after the 26th race, or before the 10 race chase, and increasing another 5 additional bonus points from the 2004 rule for winning a race, making it now 10 bonus points for winning.
Tyler George Reddick is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing and part-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for RCR. He is the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.
The NASCAR Winston Cup Series era was the period 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 its 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 Winston left the sport after the 2003 season.