(Author’s Note: Recently, I began thinking about NASCAR and how much it has changed from the time I was born. Today, I turn 20 years old, which is hard to imagine. Even harder to visualize is how much NASCAR has changed since November 30, 1997. As I pondered this subject, I started to think about the last NWCS race before I was born. I performed some research, knowing that the last race prior to my birth was most likely the season finale in 1997. During the 1990s, I knew the season concluded at Atlanta Motor Speedway after a 500-mile race. Also, I remembered that NAPA Auto Parts was the title sponsor of the season finale around that same time. I decided to dig deeper on racing-reference.info and I discovered that the season finale was run on November 16, 1997, just 14 days before I was born. I found the race on YouTube like the rest of my previous 5 Stages of Analysis and began the process of writing another in-depth article. I watched the race and decided today, as I celebrate my birthday, would be the perfect opportunity to analyze a thrilling season finale for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in the heart of Georgia. Enjoy as we take a trip down memory lane and discuss Bobby Labonte’s only win of the 1997 season, Jeff Gordon’s title clinching race as he became a two-time champion, and the brand-new configuration of AMS as if the checkered flag just waved on a cold November afternoon in Hampton, Georgia.)
After passing Mark Martin with 11 laps to go, Bobby Labonte cruised to the checkered flag in an utterly dominant performance at one his best race tracks in NASCAR. Labonte started the day in 21st, but he propelled himself to the front with his fast Pontiac and jumped to the lead after a blazing fast green flag pit stop on lap 91. From there, the Texas driver led the race through green flag pit stops and intense racing, except for a few laps after the fourth caution restart. However, during the final round of green flag pit stops, Labonte lost the lead as Martin and his team decided to take only two fresh tires. The older left side rubber on Martin’s car and a damaged cylinder in his engine slowed him down on the brand-new asphalt and Labonte mounted a final charge to take the lead on lap 315. He grabbed the top spot and cruised to the finish line as the winner of the NAPA 500, but a championship was claimed behind him. Despite a dismal race and a finish of 17th, Jeff Gordon grabbed his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship for his Hendrick Motorsports team. In the late laps, Gordon’s old tires caused him to slow down considerably with only 15 or so points separating him from his fellow championship competitors in Martin and Dale Jarrett. Yet, he managed to save his Goodyear tires enough to cross the finish line and win the title by 14 points over Jarrett. Throughout the afternoon, the battle for the championship and the fight for the win culminated in a classic race for NASCAR on a track just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Geoff Bodine started on the pole after a qualifying lap of 197.478 mph, which set a record for the fastest speed ever turned on a 1.5-mile track in NASCAR history. Bodine led the first lap of the event, but the lead swapped early in the 500-mile race. Ward Burton moved to the front on lap 5 heading through the brand-new Atlanta quad-oval. Dale Earnhardt drove past Burton entering turn 1 on lap 11, but lapped traffic slowed his progress and allowed Burton to retake the lead on lap 19. Earnhardt stayed close to the #22 Pontiac and moved back into the lead in turn 2 on lap 26, just as the first caution waved. NASCAR waved the caution to check tire wear on the racecars since practice was limited by rain throughout the weekend. Mark Martin inherited the lead during the stops as he took two tires, but Earnhardt returned to the lead just a couple of laps after the restart on lap 35. The second caution waved on lap 39 for a crash between Brett Bodine and Buckshot Jones, but the leaders stayed out during the yellow flag period. On the subsequent restart, Joe Nemechek moved to Earnhardt’s inside on the backstretch and powered to the lead. He led until the third caution waved on lap 51 for Gary Bradberry’s crash in turn 2. Again, the leaders stayed on track and Nemechek maintained the lead. When the race restarted, Earnhardt used Lake Speed as a pick to take the top spot. He only held it a lap before Nemechek returned to the front thanks to a pass in turn 3. From there, a long run began to shape as the field struggled around the 1.5-mile track and begged for fresh tires. The first round of green flag stops began on lap 85 and when they cycled through, Labonte moved to the lead for the first time in the race after starting 21st. He held the lead from his fellow drivers until the second round of green flag pit stops began on lap 131. Again, he returned to the point after the cycle of stops with just a handful of drivers on the lead lap thanks to Labonte’s torrid pace. Finally, the fourth and final caution waved on lap 176 with Labonte leading and seven racecars on the lead lap. All seven of those drivers pitted for fresh tires during the yellow flag period and the #18 Pontiac returned to the lead. The final restart proved to be challenging for Labonte as he lost the lead to Derrike Cope exiting the quad-oval frontstretch. Cope stayed out front for two circuits before Mark Martin powered past him on lap 185 in turn 3. Despite dropping to third on the restart, Labonte rebounded and returned to the lead on lap 196. He held the top spot until the third round of green flag pit stops began on lap 227. Again, he cycled back to the lead with just a few drivers on the lead lap. The fourth and final round of green flag pit stops began on lap 285 with Labonte leading the charge to pit road. Several teams used strategy on pit road and Martin moved into position for the win thanks to a two-tire change. As he looked poised to win and make the championship battle close in the final laps of the race, he lost a cylinder in his Ford motor and began to slow down. Martin’s older tires culminated with the possible engine failure allowed Labonte to move back into the lead on lap 315. He negotiated 11 clean laps to take his only victory of the 1997 season and his second consecutive victory in the fall Atlanta race. Behind him, Jeff Gordon crossed the finish line four laps down in 17th, but he earned enough points in the race to be crowned champion for the second time in three years. Despite only five drivers finishing on the lead lap, today’s race proved to be a successful beginning for Atlanta Motor Speedway’s $30 million reconfiguration to a 1.5-mile quad-oval speedway. 24 lead changes, late strategy calls, a championship deciding race, and a dominating event for the winner thrilled nearly 200,000 fans and concluded an incredible season for the NWCS. As these 5 stages of analysis display, Bobby Labonte’s win and Jeff Gordon’s second championship victory made today’s season finale memorable for the all-new AMS.
Stage 1:
Driver of the Day: Labonte Leads 168 of 325 Laps in Dominating Fashion at Atlanta
The 1997 NWCS season started with a crucial change for Joe Gibbs Racing and the team’s driver, Bobby Labonte. JGR made the decision during the offseason to switch manufacturers from Chevrolet, which the team competed with from 1992 to 1997, to Pontiac. The #18 became a Pontiac with Labonte behind the wheel in his third season for the organization. While JGR had never competed with Pontiacs, Labonte entered the season with Pontiac experience after completing the 1994 season with the manufacturer at Bill Davis Racing. Through the first 31 races of this season prior to the season finale, the move appeared to be successful for JGR and its Texas driver. The #18 team had earned 8 Top 5’s, 17 Top 10’s, and three poles as the NWCS headed to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Yet, despite more success than last year for the team, victory lane eluded Labonte during the season. The Texas driver and his team came to Atlanta with a ton of confidence, though, due to their win in the fall race at AMS last season. The victory, ironically, ended another year-long winless streak for the team and boosted their confidence heading into 1997. The team hoped for a similar result in today’s race. However, the brand-new track configuration posed a new challenge for the team and caused them to readjust their game plan at, arguably, JGR’s best track. Labonte started in the middle of the pack in 21st, but his Interstate Batteries Pontiac didn’t stay outside the Top 20 for long. By lap 20 of the 325-lap race, the Texas driver had fought to ninth position with a blazing fast racecar. The yellow flag waved for the first time just six laps later and Labonte sat in sixth position after a terrific first run of the race. However, during the pit stops under the caution, the #18 pit crew struggled to execute their four-tire change and their driver returned to the track in 12th after losing six spots. Labonte was unfazed by the terrible stop, though, and he moved back inside the Top 10 as the second caution waved on lap 39. The race restarted after Brett Bodine and Buckshot Jones’ crash, but the third caution quickly waved on lap 51 for a Gary Bradberry incident. The #18 prepared to restart eighth after the caution with a fast JGR Pontiac. After the green flag waved, the race entered its longest run of the day to that point with the first round of green flag pit stops nearing. The stops began on lap 85 with Derrike Cope as Labonte sat in the fifth spot. He moved into third as drivers in front of him pitted and the Texas driver powered down the pit lane on lap 91. His team redeemed themselves from their terrible first stop and returned their driver to the track after a near perfect stop. After the cycle of stops concluded on lap 107 following Chad Little’s stop, Labonte inherited the lead for the first time. He continued to outperform his fellow competitors and put drivers laps down as the circuits clicked by. He led until he pitted for the second time under green on lap 144. Again, Labonte returned to the lead after a blazing fast pit stop from his #18 team. Just over 30 laps later, the Texas driver and his team began to contemplate a third stop during the run with only five drivers on the lead lap thanks to his torrid pace. However, the green flag stop didn’t occur as the fourth and final caution waved on lap 176. Labonte slowed and allowed two drivers to regain their laps, which put only seven of the 43 starters on the lead lap just past halfway. During the caution, the #18 team performed quick work and returned their driver to the lead in hopes of continuing their dominating performance. The next restart proved to be a challenge, though. As soon as the green flag waved, Labonte’s Pontiac struggled for the first time all race. He lost the lead to Derrike Cope and dropped back to third after Mark Martin passed him. The restart setback didn’t faze the #18 and Labonte managed to work his way back to the lead on lap 196. From there, he drove away from the field again as more green flag stops neared. Labonte brought his JGR Pontiac down pit road on lap 231 and quickly returned to the lead after the cycle of stops. He continued to set a torrid pace at the front of the pack and put all but four other drivers a lap down. 50 quick laps passed and for the final time, teams planned green flag pit stops to finish the remainder of the event. The #18 started the round of stops on lap 285 and the four other lead lap drivers quickly followed. On lap 288, the stops concluded and Labonte fell to second after Mark Martin’s team decided to take two tires. However, Labonte’s fast racecar and fresh tires still had 37 laps to retake the lead and grab his first win of the year. Throughout the final run, the #18 stalked the #6 as the laps clicked by. Finally, Labonte pulled to his fellow competitor’s bumper around lap 310 and prepared his move to the lead. The Texas driver shot to Martin’s outside entering turn 1 on lap 315 and powered to the front with only 11 laps left in the event. Labonte drove away from Martin and Dale Jarrett and crossed the finish line with a 3.8 second lead to win his only race this season. As Jeff Gordon celebrated his second NWCS championship on the frontstretch, Bobby Labonte and his team enjoyed a victory lane celebration after a dominant drive at the newly configured AMS.
Stage 2:
Historic Occurrence: Gordon Grabs His Second NWCS Championship After 17th Place Finish at Atlanta
In 1995, Jeff Gordon, a former dirt track superstar competing in only his third full-time season in the NWCS, grabbed his first career Cup championship after winning seven races. Last year, the Indiana native returned to victory lane ten times, but came up just short of back-to-back championships. It seemed unlikely the blossoming stock car driver could continue his unfathomable run of greatness this year, but the young man did just that. In the first 31 races of the season, Gordon amassed ten wins and came into the season finale at Atlanta with a 77-point lead in the standings over Dale Jarrett. Gordon appeared to be in perfect position to capture his second championship at the start of this weekend, but the problems started early for the #24 team. In the first practice session on Saturday morning, Gordon coasted down the pit lane and shimmied left and right to heat up his tires in preparation for a run. As he did this, his Chevrolet snapped loose towards the inside wall on pit road. Instead of hitting the inside wall, he slammed into Bobby Hamilton’s parked Pontiac Grand Prix, which destroyed both racecars and forced them to back-up vehicles. Moving to a back-up car caused the #24 team to miss out on important track time prior to qualifying, which hurt their qualifying set-up. Gordon broke loose slightly on his one qualifying lap and ended up in the 37th starting spot for the race. The deep starting position put the team in an awkward situation for the early part of the event, but the championship leading #24 looked to move up and clinch the title. Throughout the first run, Gordon steadily passed slower cars from his 37th place spot as he powered towards a championship clinching position. When the first caution waved on lap 26 for teams to check tires, Gordon sat in 23rd position with a much-improved Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He came down pit road during the caution and his Rainbow Warriors pit crew looked to return their driver to the track after a quick stop. However, Morgan Shepherd blocked Gordon in his pit box and caused him to lose three positions on pit road. When the race restarted, the pit road block ignited Gordon’s competitive fire and he powered past several other drivers. He sat in 20th as the second caution waved on lap 39 and moved into 19th just as the third caution waved on lap 51. On the restart, the #24 team continued to fight for positions and by lap 75, he found himself in 16th in a title clinching position. Yet, Gordon was close to going a lap down thanks to the fast pace of the leaders and Martin and Jarrett, the two drivers battling him for the title, were running well. Because of that, the #24 needed to continue gaining spots and move towards the Top 10. Pit stops followed for the field around lap 85 and Gordon pitted on lap 92 with a host of other drivers. After the stops cycled through, the Indiana raised driver remained in 16th with even less time between himself and the leader. His car plateaued on the run and he even lost a position as he struggled to contend with the new AMS configuration. He eventually lost a lap to the leader on lap 113 and he appeared to be on the cusp of losing his title because of his ill-handling racecar. Just 36 laps later, he pitted for four scuffed tires to try and regain some of his lost time on the previous run. Gordon cycled back to the 16th spot after the conclusion of stops and his Chevrolet did improve slightly. He managed to gain a few positions as the race crossed the halfway mark. By lap 170, he sat in 13th, still a lap down, as more green flag pit stops loomed. The fourth and final caution waved on lap 176 for a Dale Earnhardt incident and ended the thoughts of green flag pit stops as drivers raced back to the line. Gordon was unable to pass the leader as the field raced back to the line and he remained a lap down. His crew serviced his car under the caution and returned him to the race in 13th with a few adjustments to try and move into the Top 10. On the next run, he slid into tenth around lap 185, but quickly dropped to eleventh ten laps later. On lap 218, with about ten laps before more green flag pit stops, he had slipped to 12th with a continuously ill-handling racecar, but he still sat in a position to clinch the championship. His team brought him to pit road on lap 227 and the #24 returned to the track quickly, but he fell to 13th position. As Gordon continued to lose spots, Martin and Jarrett began to move to the front and the points battle tightened with only 100 laps left. Gordon continued to lose time to the leader and he lost his second lap with 70 circuits remaining. By lap 265, Gordon was begging his crew chief, Ray Evernham, for some scuffed tires to finish the race. On lap 267, he pulled down pit road for a stop much sooner than the drivers in front of him. While the move gave him fresher tires earlier, he wouldn’t be able to stop again under green. If he did pit in the last few laps of the race, he would lose too many positions and possibly lose the championship. The #24 returned to the track in 16th, but three laps down to the leaders. He utilized the fresh tires immediately after receiving them and stayed on track as the leaders started pitting around lap 285. Gordon gained a lap back in the cycle of stops, but his tires began to show some wear. With 25 laps to go, the NWCS champion eased his racecar around the 1.5-mile speedway to preserve his tires and his championship hopes. He lost another lap as the final circuits clicked by, but he remained in 17th and in position to win the title. In the final five laps, Gordon and his team couldn’t contain their anxiety as he skated around the fresh asphalt at AMS. Finally, the #24 took the white flag and powered around the final four corners to take the checkered flag in 17th after 325 laps. The finish was enough to clinch the championship by only fourteen points and the #24 team began to celebrate passionately after taking the checkered flag. Jeff Gordon’s tires lasted 58 laps in the last run, much longer than any other set during the race, and he miraculously held onto the points lead to take his second NWCS championship after a historic season.
Stage 3:
Moves of the Race: Jarrett and Martin Come Up Just Short of the Championship After Using Strategy Calls
Even though Jeff Gordon entered today’s season finale with ten victories and a comfortable points lead, Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett came to Atlanta with a legitimate shot at the title. Jarrett had won seven races, including last week’s race at Phoenix, throughout the year and found himself second in the points with only a 77-point gap to make up in the final race of the season. Martin won four races throughout the season and finished in the Top 10 23 times prior to today’s season finale, which put him 87 points away from winning his first championship. Because of their strong seasons and recent momentum, both Ford drivers entered the Atlanta weekend knowing that a bad finish from Gordon would put them in perfect position to win their first championships. Throughout the race, the #88 and #6 teams utilized bold strategy moves and earned as many points as possible to win the biggest prize in all of NASCAR. Jarrett started the race in third while Martin rolled off in the ninth position. In the opening run of the race, though, the two drivers moved in opposite directions. Jarrett dropped back with an ill-handling racecar while Martin powered towards the front of the field. When the first caution waved on lap 26, the #6 of Martin sat in fifth position while his fellow championship contender had dropped all the way to tenth. During the pit stops, the two teams utilized their first strategy moves of the day. The Arkansas driver moved to the lead after his team gave him two fresh tires, which allowed him to earn five bonus points towards the championship. His fellow championship competitor received a flawless stop from his #88 team and returned to the race in sixth after gaining four spots. On the restart, Martin managed to lead for two laps on his older tires, but Dale Earnhardt quickly passed him on lap 35. The second caution waved on lap 39 with the #6 in third after slight struggles on older tires and the #88 in 12th after a terrible run. The race restarted and the two drivers attempted to make some passes until the third caution waved on lap 51 for a Gary Bradberry incident. The leaders stayed on track during the yellow flag period and Martin restarted third and Jarrett restarted tenth. After the third caution, the race entered a long green flag period with the two championship contenders vying to stay on the lead lap and gain points. During the first round of green flag pit stops, the #6 Ford pitted around lap 91 for four tires and fuel. He returned to the race after a great stop with a desire to gain the lead. The #88, on the other hand, stayed on track until lap 94, which allowed him to lead a lap and earn five bonus points in the championship. The stops cycled through on lap 107 and Martin slid into the second position while Jarrett dropped into eleventh. A little less than 30 laps later, more green flag pit stops began as some teams struggled with tire wear on the fresh pavement. Martin pitted around lap 135 and returned to the track after a great stop with four scuffed tires, which came from Brett Bodine’s team after the New York driver crashed out on lap 39. Jarrett pitted around lap 146 after leading another lap and he returned to the track with four scuffed tires. After the conclusion of stops, the #6 sat in third position with the #88 in ninth spot. In the subsequent run, Martin managed to move into second position while Jarrett lost a lap to the leader, Bobby Labonte, who was setting a fast pace out front. As a third round of stops neared under the green flag, Dale Earnhardt plowed into the wall in turn 2 with a flat tire on lap 176, which caused the fourth and final caution to wave. Drivers a lap down picked up the pace as they tried to pass Labonte and grab their lap back as they raced to the finish line. Jarrett and Jeff Green managed to pass the leader before crossing the line, which allowed them to move back onto the lead lap in the sixth and seventh positions. Just past halfway, Martin and Jarrett were two of only seven cars on the lead lap with the points leader running around 20th. Both Fords hit the pit lane under caution and Martin returned to the race in third with Jarrett in sixth, hoping to gain more points with Gordon having a terrible race. On the subsequent restart, Martin began his charge to the lead. He maneuvered past Labonte, who fell to second when the green flag waved, and jumped to the top spot after passing Derrike Cope in turn 3 on lap 185. The #6 led for ten laps before Labonte returned to the lead with his dominating racecar. Meanwhile, Jarrett powered into the Top 5 on the restart thanks to a valiant effort to regain his lap. As the run progressed, Martin dropped to third and Jarrett remained in fifth as the third round of green flag pit stops began on lap 227. Again, the two Ford drivers pitted around lap 230 and returned to the race with more scuffed tires. As the stops cycled through, Martin slid into the second spot with the #88 right behind him in third as only six drivers remained on the lead lap. With just under 100 laps left, the two teams sat comfortably in the Top 5, but they would need a little help to win the championship. By lap 280, after nearly 100 laps under green, teams prepared for a fourth green flag pit stop of the race and their final chance to fix their cars prior to the checkered flag. Jarrett pitted on lap 286 for four tires while Martin and his team pitted a lap later. The #6, however, received only two fresh tires in hopes of inheriting the lead and winning the race. When the stops cycled out, Martin did inherit the lead with Jarrett in third on fresher tires. With Gordon struggling on older tires and an ill-handling racecar on the final run, Martin’s strategy call seemed perfect to steal the title. However, with about ten laps to go, he lost the lead to Labonte and reported to his team that his Ford engine was running on only seven cylinders. He dropped to third as Jarrett powered past him with his own intentions of taking the championships thanks to Gordon’s struggles. Ultimately, Jarrett and Martin crossed the finish line in second and third, respectively, after fighting hard all day to win the race and possibly clinch the championship. However, Gordon finished 17th and won the championship by only 14 points over the #88 and 29 points over the #6. Despite coming up short of the win and a championship, both Dale Jarrett and Martin utilized pit strategy calls, impressive moves on the race track, and fast Ford Thunderbirds to earn Top 5’s in the season finale and make the championship fight a close contest all the way to the final checkered flag of the 1997 season.
Stage 4:
Underdog of the Race: Green Scores Best Career Finish of Fourth After Strong Run at Atlanta
Throughout the early part of his NASCAR career, Jeff Green competed as an underdog in sporadic races in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series and NWCS. Prior to the 1995 NBGNS season, though, the youngest of the Green racing brothers hopped into the spotlight in NASCAR’s secondary series. The Kentucky driver signed a full-time deal with Dale Earnhardt Inc. to compete in the famous #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet in the NBGNS. Driving the black #3 made Green a focus of all Earnhardt fans as they watched to see if the young driver could live up to the reputation of the #3 and the Intimidator. In two seasons driving for DEI, though, Green didn’t win a race and only finished in the Top 10 in about half of his starts for the organization. After the 1996 season concluded, the team and driver parted ways with Green signing to race for Diamond Ridge Motorsports in the NBGNS. The move proved to be fruitful for the Kentucky driver and his owner, Gary Bechtel, as the team earned a win at Las Vegas and seven Top 10’s in the first 14 races of the year. In fact, Green’s success prompted Bechtel to replace Robert Pressley, who had been struggling in Bechtel’s #29 Chevrolet in the NWCS, and put Green in his Cup car. However, the Kentucky driver’s success in NASCAR’s secondary series didn’t translate to the Cup level. In Green’s 21 races in the #29 prior to today’s season finale, the team earned only one Top 10, finished outside the Top 30 in 10 races, and did not qualify for two superspeedway events. Yet, despite the struggles and frustrations for the entire team, the #29 came to Atlanta with motivation to finish well and build towards a better season in 1998. Green started in seventh spot after an excellent qualifying run, which matched his second best starting spot of the year. As soon as the race started, the Kentucky driver looked to maintain his track position and hold onto a Top 10 spot. Green maneuvered past several drivers in the first run and when the first caution waved on lap 26, he sat in fourth position with a capable Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The #29 team struggled on their stop during the caution and they returned their driver to the race in eighth. When the race restarted, Green began to race hard with the drivers around him and found himself in seventh as the second caution waved on lap 39. Again, the Kentucky driver raced hard on the restart and sat just outside the Top 5 when the third caution waved on lap 51. The subsequent restart began a long green flag run with the #29 not only in the Top 10, but with a fast car to stay on the lead lap and contend for an excellent finish. After 30 laps of green flag racing, Green and his team contemplated a pit stop from their eighth-place position. The #29 pitted around lap 90 and returned to the track after a much-improved stop from the team. When the stops cycled around, Green returned to his eighth-place spot. 40 laps after his first green flag stop, the Kentucky driver and his team planned another one with the leaders for fresh rubber. Green pitted from the sixth spot this time around lap 135 and returned to the race on the lead lap, but he was not too far in front of Bobby Labonte, who was setting a blistering pace in the lead. The run continued under green and a third green flag stop neared for the leaders around lap 170. At the same time, Green went a lap down despite running just outside the Top 5 in sixth. Fortunately, the fourth and final caution waved on lap 176 and the leader slowed down while racing to the yellow flag. Labonte’s decision to slow down allowed Green and Dale Jarrett to pass him and move back onto the lead lap in sixth and seventh, respectively. Green’s awareness of how close he was to the leader as the caution waved allowed him to regain his lost lap and pit with a fast Chevrolet. He returned to the race in seventh after the caution flag pit stops and prepared for another restart. Again, the restart proved to be the start of a long green flag run. After the green flag waved, the Kentucky driver moved up a couple of spots and slid into the Top 5 with green flag pit stops looming at lap 225. The #29 pitted around lap 230 and Green slid into the fourth spot after the cycle of stops. With less than 100 to go, it appeared the Gary Bechtel owned team would earn a much-needed Top 5 finish. Green stayed smooth and consistent after the stop as he maintained his fourth-place position. On lap 285, the #29 team prepared for their fourth green flag stop of the race and their last pit stop. The team made a strategy call to replace only two tires and see if they could contend for the win. Green returned to the track in fourth after the cycle of stops, well behind the leader of the race. For the final 30 or so laps of the race, the Kentucky driver managed his two older tires and avoided potential issues. He crossed the finish line on lap 325 in fourth after a clean race for his team. Jeff Green’s fourth place finish for the underdog #29 team came out of nowhere and gave the organization momentum heading into the 1998 campaign.
Stage 5:
Memorable Moment: Atlanta Motor Speedway Debuts New Configuration and Asphalt for a Thrilling Season Finale Weekend
Since 1960, Atlanta Motor Speedway, formerly known as Atlanta International Raceway, has thrilled fans and challenged NASCAR’s greatest drivers on its 1.5-mile layout. The challenge of the raceway and the fan support led NASCAR to hold the season finale race in Georgia beginning in 1987. For the last few years, the 1.5-mile oval has provided thrilling championship battles and incredible races for the win. In 1992, Bill Elliott grabbed the victory at his home track and Alan Kulwicki earned a popular championship win for his self-owned #7 team after a thrilling title fight that came down to the final race. The 1992 event also featured the end of Richard Petty's career in NASCAR and the first start for Jeff Gordon. Last year, Bobby Labonte won his only race of the season after leading most of the race and he celebrated the victory with his brother, Terry Labonte, who clinched his second career NWCS championship in the same race. To launch AMS into the future, the company owning the speedway, Speedway Motorsports Incorporated, launched a $30 million renovation project after the March race finished earlier this year. The project included additions to seats at the 1.5-mile speedway, brand-new asphalt, and a complete reconfiguration of the traditional frontstretch. The track transitioned from a traditional oval shaped speedway to a track with a quad-oval reminiscent to the shape of Charlotte Motor Speedway and the newly opened Texas Motor Speedway. Fans and teams flocked into AMS on Friday with anticipation about the potential for the newly reconfigured track in Georgia. As soon as the weekend began, the track did not disappoint as cars performed high speed laps, race winning and championship drivers struggled, and Pontiac drivers excelled. In terms of high-speed laps, Geoff Bodine set the standard for the weekend in practice and qualifying on Saturday. In practice, Bodine’s Ford ran a lap of 196.255 mph, an unbelievably fast lap on its own. Later in the day, the New York driver demolished his own fast time from practice and ran a qualifying lap at 197.478 mph. The speed made him the fastest driver ever in the history of a 1.5-mile track and the blistering lap secured him the pole position for the race. Unfortunately, his Ford didn’t handle as strongly in race conditions and he immediately dropped back. When the checkered flag waved, he brought his #7 home in 33rd after a disappointing day. While drivers never reached a 197-mph average lap during the race, several drivers ran laps at an average of 182 mph on older tires, which would set records at most NWCS tracks. In addition to the speeds, most of the veteran drivers in the field struggled to figure out the brand-new layout of AMS. Bill Elliott, the 1988 NWCS champion and the hometown favorite driver in the race, started in tenth in his self-owned Ford Thunderbird, but he quickly dropped back in the field with an ill-handling racecar. By lap 40, he was in 31st position and in danger of going a lap down. During the last run of the race, Elliott brought his #94 down pit road and retired from the event with a clutch issue, which caused him to finish in 36th. Rusty Wallace, the 1989 series champion, qualified deep in the field in 33rd and his Miller Lite Ford never seemed to handle properly. He finished 11 laps down in 32nd to end his season on a very sour note after only winning one race. Darrell Waltrip, the three-time NWCS champion, received a provisional to start the race and he began the event in last position. His #17 Chevrolet gained a few positions in the early runs of the race, but he finished in 40th after dropping out with ignition issues around lap 115. Jeff Gordon, the 1995 NWCS champion, struggled mightily throughout the weekend with a well-documented practice crash and 37th place qualifying effort, but his hard-fought 17th place finish earned him the championship despite his struggles around the new AMS. Terry Labonte, the two-time and reigning NWCS champion, and Dale Earnhardt, the 7-time NWCS Champion, fared better than their fellow championship winners, but their finishes didn’t show it. Earnhardt led early portions of the event and ran in the Top 5 before dropping back a few positions following the second round of green flag pit stops in the race. As Earnhardt neared his green flag pit stop around lap 176, one of his tires went flat as he drove through turn 2. He slammed the outside wall, which damaged his Chevrolet and hurt his chances in the race. After struggling through the rest of the event, he finished in 16th spot to continue his long winless streak. Labonte’s race ironically followed the same pattern as Earnhardt’s. He remained in the Top 5 of the race until just after the second round of green flag pit stops. His #5 Chevrolet began to drop back with handling issues and he lost a couple of laps in the late stages of the event. As the checkered flag waved, the reigning champion finished in 21st and handed the title over to his teammate, Gordon. While veteran and championship-winning drivers struggled throughout the afternoon, Pontiac teams found some new life in the season finale. Bobby Labonte used his Pontiac’s speed to take his only win of the 1997 season and launch his team into the 1998 campaign. Derrike Cope powered to the Top 5 from his 14th place starting spot and the 1990 Daytona 500 winner stayed consistently near the front as he grabbed a fifth-place finish for his #36 team. The finish was Cope’s best of the season as he prepared to leave his Nelson Bowers owned organization after the race. However, the finish gave the #36 team some momentum for 1998 with their new driver, Ernie Irvan. Kyle Petty and Bobby Hamilton brought their Petty Enterprises Pontiacs home in sixth and seventh positions, respectively, which gave them added confidence heading into 1998. Ward Burton led 13 laps after starting second and the Virginia driver brought his Bill Davis Racing Pontiac home in ninth thanks to a solid race. Johnny Benson started 12th and the 1995 NBGNS champion maintained a consistent Top 15 spot in his final race driving the #30 Pontiac for Chuck Rider. Benson finished in tenth and nearly grabbed the tenth spot in the points standings after his strong run. Overall, of the nine Pontiacs in the race, six of them finished inside the Top 10 thanks to improved performance from the manufacturer. As AMS debuted a brand-new configuration and fresh asphalt on the 1.5-mile speedway, the 43 drivers in the field experienced vastly different circumstances on the revamped oval and the struggles as well as the successes for each team made today’s season finale a memorable one in Georgia.
After today’s thrilling season finale at Atlanta, the NWCS takes a few months off from points-paying competition. Next Sunday, though, several drivers and teams will head to Japan for the second annual exhibition race for the NWCS at Suzuka Circuitland. However, most of the sport will now turn its attention to the 1998 Daytona 500. For the 40th time, NASCAR’s finest drivers will take on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway to compete for a win in the Great American Race. 200 laps of nonstop action and wide-open racing will culminate in a career-defining victory for the winner. However, the victory will not be an easy one to capture. The restrictor plate racing of DIS and the tight quarters of the turns will cause massive crashes, which could end the pursuit of a victory. Also, the draft equalizes the entire field of racecars and an underdog could take a win in the 500. Plus, fuel and tire strategy could shake-up the running order and put a driver in victory lane thanks to a bold pit road move. Finally, the Daytona 500 marks the start of the 1998 season and drivers contending for the championship will be fighting to begin the season with an excellent finish and momentum for the title fight. In addition to the storylines concerning the intense racing at DIS and the start of the 1998 season, several drivers have offseason storylines heading into next year. Jeff Gordon might be fresh off his second NWCS championship, but the Indiana native is already focused on winning a second consecutive Daytona 500 and begin his drive for a third championship in NASCAR’s highest series. Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin came up just short of their respective first titles in the NWCS, but the two Ford drivers will head to Florida in February with the goal of winning the sport’s biggest race and starting off the season with good momentum. Dale Earnhardt ended the 1997 season without a victory for the first time since 1981, but the 7-time champ heads back to the Daytona with the goal of ending his 49-race winless streak and his winless streak in the 500. Finally, Bobby Labonte grabbed his only win of the season in today’s race, but the #18 team now has momentum heading into 1998 and Joe Gibbs Racing could contend for its first championship. Today’s season finale at Atlanta featured a dominating win for Bobby Labonte, a championship clinching 17th place finish for Jeff Gordon, only five drivers left on the lead lap at the end of the day, great runs for several Pontiac teams, blazing fast speeds on the brand-new AMS asphalt, and interesting strategy moves through four rounds of green flag pit stops.
(More Stats Down Below!)
Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 26- NASCAR waved a competition caution for teams to investigate tire wear on the brand-new Atlanta Motor Speedway asphalt.
2nd Caution: Lap 39- Buckshot Jones bumped Brett Bodine in turn 2, which sent the two drivers up the track. Bodine slammed into the outside wall with his left rear as Jones piled into it with his right side at the same time. Both drivers climbed from their destroyed racecars okay, but their races were done.
3rd Caution: Lap 51- Gary Bradberry broke loose in turn 2 while racing with Chad Little, which caused him to spin up the track and slam into the outside wall with the left side of his car. He slid to the apron as the field avoided his spinning car. He climbed out safely after the hard impact.
4th Caution: Lap 176- Dale Earnhardt had a tire go flat in turn 2. He slid up the race track and slammed into the outside wall, which damaged his Chevrolet. He coasted to the pit lane for repairs and fresh tires with the hope of finishing the event, but a win seemed out of the picture for the 7-time champion.
Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Bobby Labonte
2nd: Dale Jarrett
3rd: Mark Martin
4th: Jeff Green
5th: Derrike Cope
Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Kyle Petty
8th: Joe Nemechek
12th: Ernie Irvan
13th: Michael Waltrip
14th: Dick Trickle
16th: Dale Earnhardt
17th: Jeff Gordon
20th: Ken Schrader
21st: Terry Labonte
25th: Kenny Irwin Jr.
27th: Morgan Shepherd
32nd: Rusty Wallace
34th: Jeff Burton
36th: Bill Elliott
37th: Ricky Rudd
40th: Darrell Waltrip
Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/1997_NAPA_500/W
-Images:
http://www.mechanix.com/blog/nascar-original-jeff-gordon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aOX4LM4FA0 (Screencap at 2:41:58)
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aOX4LM4FA0
-Full Qualifying Session:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJUCPm36hyM
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