NASCAR races are best enjoyed live. However, some races are more of a spectacle. Whether you’ve seen them before or not, some races are definitely worth rewatching. Here are five amazing NASCAR races to rewatch.
5. The 2011 Ford 400
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The November 2011 Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway was an eventful, rain-affected Sprint Cup Series season finale. Tony Stewart emerged from the race as the winner and champion in the most intense showdown with Carl Edwards. The race was eventful, and at one point Stewart fell out of the top 10 due to slow pit stops and air gun issues.
Despite those problems, excellent strategic fuel management and timely precautions helped Stewart stay competitive throughout the race. Stewart and Edwards were tied in points at the end of the race and the season. But Stewart won more races – five – in the season, and that was enough to give him the championship. This made him the first owner-driver to win the championship since Alan Kulwicki in 1992.
Related: Top 10 NASCAR Drivers of All Time
4. The 1998 Daytona 500
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One of the most famous races in NASCAR history was the 1998 Daytona 500. This was due to the triumph of Dale Earnhardt Sr. He tried 20 times over 20 years and came close to winning the Daytona 500 many times before finally achieving it. The “Intimidator” led for 107 laps and pretty much proved his skills as one of the best restrictor plate racers in history. The race itself was uneventful with only three cautions and ended under the yellow flag.
Earnhardt’s win was sweet, coming after a 59-race drought and at a time when people had begun to question whether he could still be a top-performing driver. It was an emotional win, and every crew member from every team came out to congratulate him in Victory Lane. This was the driver’s career celebration at Daytona International Speedway.
Related: Top 10 NASCAR Drivers by Career Earnings
3. The 2001 Cracker Barrel 500
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This Cracker Barrel 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 2001 was an emotional one with a memorable ending. Kevin Harvick was driving the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing car, Dale Earnhardt’s car. He earned his first NASCAR Cup Series win in a very close finish, with a gap of just 0.006 seconds, the second closest finish in NASCAR. This win was especially meaningful after Dale Earnhardt’s loss in the Daytona 500 earlier in the year. Harvick’s win was a form of healing for many NASCAR fans.
The race was a close one, with Jeff Gordon leading for most of the race, and the final fight between Harvick and Gordon, among other drivers. On the third lap, there was an emotional tribute to Earnhardt. Fans raised three fingers in salute and released 7,000 balloons in his honor. Harvick’s aggressive and energetic performance imitating Earnhardt gave him the impression of a rising NASCAR star. He proved to be an inheritor of the legacy of “The Intimidator.”
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2. Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 2015
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The Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville is famous for being Jeff Gordon’s last racing win. It also secured his position in the championship race 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
This race also has one of the most infamous moments of the season. Matt Kenseth, who was several laps from the finish, deliberately crashed his car into Joey Logano’s car in retaliation for an incident earlier in the season. In fact, it greatly affected the championship as Logano failed to qualify for the Championship 4. This race is very interesting to rewatch due to the controversy surrounding it and Gordon’s emotional win.
Related: The 7 Most Controversial Moments in NASCAR History
1. The 1984 Talladega 500
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The 1984 Talladega 500 is one of the most memorable NASCAR races of all time. This race featured 68 lead changes among 16 drivers and is one of the most exciting in NASCAR history. It featured the best drivers of the era, such as Dale Earnhardt Sr., Buddy Baker, Terry Labonte, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip, battling for victory.
Dale Earnhardt, who had not won a race since the season began, took his victory in dramatic fashion. Toward the end of the race, Earnhardt performed his traditional slingshot move to overtake Terry Labonte for the win. That victory was a major event in Earnhardt’s career, establishing him as a nearly unbeatable competitor and earning him the nickname “The Intimidator.”
Related: The 20 Richest NASCAR Drivers of All Time: Where Does Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rank in the Top 20?
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