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  *Comments on the 1985 NASCAR Doubleheader:*
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  1.   Justin posted:
  11.11.2011 - 6:59 pm
   Rate this comment:      (2)      (0)

This is one of the most important races in the history of NASCAR's
"development" series and divisions.

Robbie Crouch was declared the winner at Catamount, but Randy LaJoie
protested. LaJoie, who had been black-flagged earlier in the race but
refused to heed the officials, had his score card pulled on lap 71.
LaJoie stayed out on the track as if he was racing for position, and
actually crossed the finish line first, but Crouch was named the winner.

(The points race was close enough that the outcome of the race
eventually factored into the outcome of the championship two months
later. At the time, that meant Crouch -- the apparent race winner at
Catamount -- was the champion.)

LaJoie and crew chief Bob Johnson filed an appeal to NASCAR headquarters
in Daytona Beach directly after the race in August, and the case ended
up in court. LaJoie was named the winner, Crouch and Tour director Tom
Curley countersued, and the ruling was again overturned. A subsequent
ruling in yet another lawsuit finally named LaJoie the race winner and
NASCAR North Tour champion in 1988, three years later.

The litigation and controversy, coupled with another lawsuit filed by
driver Bobby Dragon over a disqualification, led NASCAR to fire Curley
and dissolve the NASCAR North Tour at the end of the 1985 season.

Curley formed the independent American-Canadian Tour in 1986, and still
operates the series today.

NASCAR returned to New England in 1987 with the Busch North Series. The
series began to sprawl in the mid-2000s, and is now known as the K&N Pro
Series East, with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series-affiliated teams competing
regularly.


  2.   Alex posted:
  03.08.2016 - 7:49 pm
   Rate this comment:      (0)      (0)

Still one of the most fascinating stories ever... but I guess we can
safely say Lajoie's crew chief in 1985 was Bob Johnson!**


  3.   RaceFanX posted:
  10.26.2018 - 12:34 pm
   Rate this comment:      (0)      (0)

nascarman wrote an article on the crazy lawsuit...
ttps://www.racing-reference.info/showblog?id=3358


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