|| *Comments on the 1986 First Union 400:* View the most recent comment <#23> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Darrell posted: 01.06.2006 - 8:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) NASCAR debut for Willy T. Ribbs, one of the first African-Americans to race in the Modern Era of NASCAR. He was supposed to run with Will Cronkite in 1978, but he skipped practice sessions and Cronkite fired him and replaced him with the winner of this race, Dale Earnhardt. 2. Jay posted: 04.17.2006 - 6:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Earnhardt's win broke a streak of 11 different winners in 11 straight races, dating back to the 1985 Holly Farms 400. Actually, the streak was intact the previous week at Darlington, but since Earnhardt started the streak, it continued until he became the first repeat winner since October of 1985. 3. Bill posted: 05.17.2006 - 3:49 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) After winning the second North Wilkesboro race of the 1986 season, Darrell Waltrip claimed that this race was the "beginning of the end" for him driving for Junior Johnson. Granted DW, never led this race, but a 4th place finish is still very respectable. 4. myself posted: 02.15.2007 - 5:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (5) I didn't realize Willie T. Ribbs was born on the African continent, moved to the United States, gained his citizenship here, thus becoming an African-American. I merely thought he was an everyday normal black American citizen, native born in the USA. 5. Frogger49 posted: 03.19.2007 - 4:02 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Trevor Boys did in fact crash out of the race, but they did not throw a caution for it even though he stalled at the entrance to pit road (blocking it), requiring a wrecker to haul him out of the way. Mind you, this happened under green conditions. By today's standards, that's insane. 6. Frogger49 posted: 03.19.2007 - 4:41 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh yes, in the broadcast of the race, it was revealed that Ribbs' #30 was actually one of Henley Gray's cars that was prepared for the race by DiGard, not one of DiGard's cars. 7. Jeff posted: 04.06.2007 - 11:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ribbs' car was actually a Chevrolet. 8. Scott posted: 05.13.2008 - 4:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) My first and only race at North Wilksboro. Happy to see the man win. Hmmm...if only he had passed Bodine or Allison in those races. 9. Steve.M. posted: 05.28.2008 - 4:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Intro = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=wRrGRSh3d50&feature=related Start = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=y2T4RodH2tY Trevor Boys Crash = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=xvvL4UHFCIU Willy T Ribbs Spin = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=4orTLzOJ_FU D.Waltrip Spin = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=3MaDo1Nsx2g Ruttman, McDuffie Spin = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai_K-7U14jA T.Richmond Spin = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RnJTS1AS6_Q Marcis Crash = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=FelVLup-3ro Finish = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=98sCBQ-EAh8 Post Race = http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=S8-njT7qUfs&feature=related 10. RaceFanX posted: 10.02.2008 - 8:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Willy T's best career finish Much was made before the race of the fact King qualifing second 11. Steve posted: 02.08.2009 - 12:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) All sources I can find about Willy T is that he was born in San Jose. I don't know what source you have that says he was born in Africa. 12. Matt_1986 posted: 02.10.2009 - 9:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 300th Win for Chevy. 13. myself posted: 07.27.2009 - 10:04 am Rate this comment: (0) (4) My point, excactly, Steve! My point, exactly! Ribbs was/is an American, just like the rest of us. None of that African-American crap! 14. Sébastien posted: 08.18.2009 - 2:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jeff is right, Ribbs #30 was a Chevrolet. 15. Sébastien posted: 09.19.2009 - 10:51 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Boys #6 sponsor was Finky's. 16. Ryan posted: 06.23.2013 - 9:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) How ironic these guys would be running 1-2-3 on the last lap of the 1989 fall race there until Rudd took out Earnhardt of the race and cost him the title. 17. saltsburgtrojanfan posted: 01.01.2015 - 2:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution 1: Lap 81-83: debris Caution 2: Lap 126-129: #25 spin turn 2 Caution 3: Lap 136-140: #30,64,67 spin turn 2 Caution 4: Lap 188-192: #11 spin turn 2 Caution 5: Lap 210-230: rain Caution 6: Lap 246-250: #30 spin turn 2 Caution 7: Lap 255-275: #26 spin turn 3 Caution 8: Lap 354-359: #71 accident turns 1/2 18. Dave posted: 04.12.2015 - 8:12 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Ryan you truly trip me out. 4 races, or posts ago Earnhardt takes out Waltrip and you defend him, but when Rudd takes it Earnhardt it's foul play lol get some unbiased perspective dude seriously 19. saltsburgtrojanfan posted: 05.16.2015 - 5:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution lap corrections Caution 1: Lap 80-82 Caution 2: Lap 121-124 Caution 3: Lap 136-140 Caution 4: Lap 188-192 Caution 5: Lap 206-229 Caution 6: Lap 246-250 Caution 7: Lap 258-275 Caution 8: Lap 354-359 All the reason for cautions are correct 20. Tide1732 (GO ENFINGER!!!) posted: 03.03.2017 - 1:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 1,500 race 21. Anonymous posted: 11.01.2019 - 2:18 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The race where Tim Richmond talked to ESPN under green flag conditions. 22. RaceFanX posted: 02.14.2020 - 1:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the first of five wins at North Wilkesboro for old Ironhead. 23. NewGuyOnTheBlock posted: 05.12.2020 - 4:16 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) ESPN broadcast this race. Bob Jenkins, Larry Nuber, and Benny Parsons were in the booth with Jack Arute in the pits. One big story heading into this race was Richard Petty's incredible qualifying run. The King lined up second to Geoff Bodine during qualifying, a significant feat considering that Petty hadn't won a pole position since 1979 and was still nursing an injured shoulder from Daytona. Another major story was Willy T. Ribbs becoming the first black driver to start a NASCAR Winston Cup race since Wendell Scott started the 1973 National 400 at Charlotte. Geoff Bodine shot into the lead at the initial start, avoiding the issues that had plagued him in his last two pole starts. Tim Richmond initially moved into second but began to suffer from handling issues that dropped him down the order, at one point nearly spinning out in front of the field. Richard Petty caught up to Bodine after 15 laps, door-slamming his way past in a move that made the local crowd go nuts. Petty, Bodine, and Joe Ruttman would battle for the lead until Bodine moved around the inside of Petty on lap 27 to retake the lead. Ruttman moved to second and continued to hound Bodine for the top spot as they fought through lapped traffic while Petty dropped down the running order with a cut tire. The King would eventually fall out of the race with engine issues, a promising day ending in disappointment. Geoff Bodine would dominate the first quarter of the race, while behind him the battle for second heated up between Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and defending race winner Neil Bonnett. Debris on track would bring out the day's first caution at lap 80, with Dale Earnhardt gaining the lead after a round of pitstop. Bodine had a disastrous first stop; his team dropped the jack too early on the right side, causing him to lose valuable track position. On the restart, a bizarre incident occurred. As Earnhardt pulled away from the field, Trevor Boys spun and slammed into the turn 4 wall. The car slid to a stop at the entrance of pit road, but no caution was displayed. A wrecker pulled out onto pit road to remove Boys' stricken machine. Still, no yellow flag came out, as NASCAR feared that if they threw the yellow, the field would immediately dive into the pits, putting Boys in danger. Also during this restart, ESPN was talking to Tim Richmond when the field returned to green. Rather than stop to focus on the restart, Richmond continued to talk to ESPN as he weaved his way through the field, marking one of the only times I can think of that a driver conversed with the broadcast crew during green-flag racing. Lapped traffic allowed Dale Earnhardt to pull away from the field over the next few laps, though Joe Ruttman was able to reel in Big E after getting through the traffic. Just was Ruttman caught Earnhardt, Tim Richmond spun around in turn 2 after contact with Michael Waltrip, bringing out the second caution of the day. Earnhardt pulled away on the restart, with Ricky Rudd close behind. Another caution would come out a few laps later when Willy T. Ribbs and Rick Baldwin made contact in turn 2, spinning into the infield. Buddy Arrington was also involved when he drove into the side of Baldwin's spinning Ford. On the subsequent restart, Rusty Wallace spun in turn 2 off the nose of Tim Richmond as he tried to get his lap back, though no yellow was thrown. Earnhardt, Rudd, and Ruttman battled for the lead with Richmond hounding the three as he tried to regain two lost laps. Ruttman appeared to have the fastest car on track, passing Rudd for second and then quickly catching Earnhardt. A fierce battle for the lead broke out between the #3 and the #26, with Earnhardt holding firm in first as a light rain began to fall around the track. On lap 190, Darrell Waltrip was turned by Ricky Rudd in turn 2 to bring out the fourth caution of the day. On the restart, several drivers nearly spun out as the track conditions deteriorated due to the rain; NASCAR would eventually throw a yellow in order to dry the track. After about 20 laps of caution, NASCAR deemed that the track was dry enough to resume racing. Earnhardt led the field back to green, but his decision to stay out during the extended caution rather than pit for fresh rubber quickly backfired as Geoff Bodine shoved Earnhardt out of the way to take the lead. Bodine, who before the rain delay had been charging his way through the field, pulled away from Earnhardt as the Junior Johnson cars of Neil Bonnett and Darrell Waltrip began to attack the #3 for second place. Willy T. Ribbs' spin on lap 251 brought out another yellow, and the leaders hit the pits for tires. Ricky Rudd assumed the lead under caution, while Neil Bonnett was penalized a lap by NASCAR for ignoring the pit sign and exiting the pits prematurely. On the restart, Rudd pulled away from the field while Earnhardt became swamped in lapped traffic. Desperate to get back to front, Earnhardt put the bumper to Joe Ruttman in turn 4, turning the #26 sideways in front of the entire field. Miraculously, nobody hit the stricken Buick, though J.D. McDuffie lost control of his #70 and hit the inside wall while racing back to the flag. Rain began to fall during the caution, leading to an extended caution period. After another 20 laps of track drying, the green came back out with just 10 cars on the lead lap. Ricky Rudd and Geoff Bodine pulled away from the rest of the field as they battled for the lead, Earnhardt in hot pursuit behind. Meanwhile, Joe Ruttman had been forced to restart as the last car on the lead lap following his spin. He proceeded to charge up to fifth place, showing just how fast his Buick was that day. With about 40 laps to go, Dave Marcis lost control entering turn 1 and spun. The car slammed hard into the outside wall, destroying both ends of the Helen Rae Special. Dale Earnhardt would win the race off of pit road and lead the field back to green. Earnhardt, Rudd, and Bodine fought ferociously over the last 34 laps for the lead of the race, with Earnhardt managing to hold off Rudd by 2 car lengths for the win. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: