|| *Comments on the 1986 Firecracker 400:* View the most recent comment <#33> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Keith posted: 06.21.2005 - 6:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sterling Marlin set the event track record in the second round of qualifying. He was the overall fastest qualifier (21st starting position) at 203.666 mph. 2. Jeff posted: 04.17.2006 - 2:35 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) If my math is correct this is Richard Petty's 1000th start. 3. Steve posted: 07.21.2006 - 8:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Correct. This was King Richard Petty's 1000th start. It's also Sterling Marlin's first Top 5 finish, and the first of 9, that's right, NINE 2nd place finishes he would get before winning the 1994 Daytona 500. 4. Anonymous posted: 09.25.2006 - 6:20 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sterling's first lead lap finish, too. 5. myself posted: 02.15.2007 - 5:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cale's last of many Daytona poles. I was sitting in Campbell Grandstand for this one. Everyone around me was hoping Sterling Marlin would pull it out. 6. SK posted: 12.28.2007 - 6:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jody Ridley, the 1980 Rookie of the Year and the only man to win behind the wheel of Junie Donlavey's Fords, makes his final Winston Cup start. 7. Hokie20 posted: 06.03.2008 - 12:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ridley makes his final start at Daytona, but raced in the 1989 Daytona 500 for an injured Bill Elliott, but later wrecked in the race. Elliott, who had a broken wrist, started the race and ran three laps before passing the car over to Ridley. 8. Anonymous posted: 01.26.2009 - 1:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Intresting fact is that only six sponsors from this race are still in NASCAR while only 20 sponsors from this race are still in existance overall. The other sponsors have ether left NASCAR or went out of business. 9. Anonymous posted: 02.04.2009 - 2:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sterling Marlin's first top five. 10. Kit posted: 02.15.2009 - 12:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Man, if Sterling Marlin came to Cup 20 years later with better equipment, he would have been setting fires. He did quite a bit in his career for spending most of it in second-tier cars. 11. Doc posted: 05.22.2010 - 5:19 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Look at what Sterling did here. Ellington's race cars were very poor usually and Marlin had some great runs in them. It's too bad the man only got a few chances at good equipment, he'd have 50 wins and a championship if he'd gotten the kind of cars that Gordon, Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson have gotten. 12. 18fan posted: 08.24.2010 - 12:26 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The last time Earnhardt Did Not Finish due to a crash until August 1994 at Michigan. 13. bake posted: 10.20.2010 - 8:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) if i remember correctly it rained down at one end of the track at one point in the race while it was sunny at the other end. i was ony 13 but believe it was raining in 3 & 4. i'm so glad looking back on it that i got to see tim richmond win a race. 14. mark posted: 10.22.2010 - 1:23 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bake, I was at that race and yes, it rained on and off, on different parts of the track. If I remenber correctly, tim Richmond went at least one lap down, maybe two, lost his windshield at one point, and still won the race! 15. Walleyewacker posted: 06.08.2011 - 7:23 pm Rate this comment: (2) (3) >The last time Earnhardt Did Not Finish due to a crash until August 1994 at >Michigan. I wonder how many cars he caused to crash due to his dirty driving during that period? 16. Matthew Sullivan posted: 08.11.2011 - 1:48 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) Earnhardt actually lost an an engine which dumped oil on his tires and caused him to wreck. 15. Walleyewacker posted: 06.08.11 - 7:23 pm >The last time Earnhardt Did Not Finish due to a crash until August 1994 at >Michigan. I wonder how many cars he caused to crash due to his dirty driving during that period? Probably no more than Ernie Irvan wrecked between 1990-1991. 17. myself posted: 01.25.2012 - 2:35 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Ernie Irvan's fully tally of "caused wrecks" is mentioned in Guiness. 18. hibank42 posted: 02.14.2012 - 7:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was at this race also.. we cooked, Tim was my favorite driver,1st and only time i saw him win, live.That race was the last July 4th race.IMS changed the race day the next year to the 1st Saturday of the month. And eventually to what we have now. Oh the good old days 19. cbtbartley09@gmail.com posted: 06.01.2012 - 10:45 pm Rate this comment: (4) (1) IN MEMORY OF MY BUDDY DONNIE WOFFORD: HE HOLLERED ALL DURING THE RACE THAT MORNING WHILE WE COOKED RACKS OF CHICKEN AND LISTENED TO THIS RACE ON THE RADIO "CHICKEN COOKING CHICKEN COOKING COOKING CHICKEN CHICKEN COOKING GO BOBBY ALLISON". RIP WOFFORD 20. SRT posted: 12.02.2013 - 7:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) two more DNQs Rick Newsom - Chevrolet James Hylton - Chevrolet 21. SRT posted: 12.03.2013 - 10:57 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) another DNQ Phil Barkdoll - Ford He crashed in turn 1 during qualifying 22. Walleyewhacker posted: 04.06.2014 - 12:06 pm Rate this comment: (2) (2) The difference between Earnhardt and Irvan causing wrecks was intent. Earnhardt caused wrecks because he used the bumper and was a dirty driver. Irvan caused wrecks because he overdrove his ability to control a car and caused wrecks unintentionally. Ernie had a decent personality at least and wasn't an ornery cuss like Earnhardt. He was also liked more by his fellow drivers than Earnhardt. 23. dedphesant posted: 07.02.2014 - 5:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also Ken Schrader's first lead lap finish. 24. mjb posted: 07.05.2014 - 1:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the last weekday race in NASCAR until the CWTS Mudsummer Classic last year. 25. Flywheel89 posted: 12.25.2014 - 2:57 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Trucks have ran Bristol on Wednesday for several years. 26. Michael Schwartz posted: 07.02.2015 - 1:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This race marked a change in the way NASCAR dealt with cheating. Following Wednesday's qualifying session, the #1 team of Hoss Ellington (Sterling Marlin) was fined $5000 for an unapproved fuel-cooling device. Reporters were called in to the NASCAR garage office and were shown the confiscated part. According to a statement from NASCAR's Dick Beaty, "In the past we've caught things and haven't said nothing about it. From now on, if we find something like this, the news media will know about it. If car owners want to participate in this sort of thing, they're going to get their names in the paper." Source: Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 3 July 1986 27. Ryan W posted: 09.12.2015 - 12:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "The difference between Earnhardt and Irvan causing wrecks was intent. Earnhardt caused wrecks because he used the bumper and was a dirty driver. Irvan caused wrecks because he overdrove his ability to control a car and caused wrecks unintentionally. Ernie had a decent personality at least and wasn't an ornery cuss like Earnhardt. He was also liked more by his fellow drivers than Earnhardt." Cause wrecks unintentionally? You over drive the car that means you're in crontrol and it's your own fault. The difference between Earnhardt and Swervin Irvan was that Earnhardt could bump and run someone without taking them out or killing someone like Irvan would. Irvan about killed Bonnett (pretty much ended his career) when he was 10 laps down in a race, he about killed himself, and about killed Dale at 'dega in 1996 that was really uncalled for. The guy was a menace plain and simple. You don't get the name Swervin Irvan for no reason... Earnhardt helped give Ernie his start by sponsoring him... liked by more drivers huh? LOL A decent personality hardly even wins anything? You telling me as much as Dale donated to charities and churches that his personality sucked? Lol ok hater. 28. Big Mac Fan posted: 09.12.2015 - 12:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @27- You missed the key word. INTENT. Ernie overdriving his cars and causing wrecks IS his fault, but it isn't intentional, like Earnhardt. 29. M posted: 01.12.2018 - 4:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Rick Hendrick sweeps Daytona in 1986. Geoff Bodine won the Daytona 500, and Tim Richmond won the Firecracker 400. Also, putting aside his win in the 1982 consolation race, this was Tim Richmond's only win at Daytona in his career. Starting with his win at Pocono two races before this, he went on a tear for the rest of the season, culminating in the best season of his career. Having watched the condensed version of this race, it was pretty cool seeing him fly out of the turns, right on the edge of getting sideways, but always managing to keep the car under control and power full-throttle down the straightaways. One HELL of a wheelman. It sucks that he died and wasn't able to see his career through until the end. 30. NewGuyOnTheBlock posted: 06.12.2020 - 10:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ABC broadcast this race. Al Trautwig and Sam Posey were in the booth with Jerry Punch in the pits. In the final summer Daytona race scheduled specifically for July 4th, Tim Richmond gave Hendrick Motorsports a season sweep of Daytona as he claimed his second win of the season. However, Richmond's victory was largely overshadowed by the breakout performance of Sterling Marlin, whose second-place finish was a then career-best that officially put him on the NASCAR map. Qualifying saw Bill Elliott fail to win four consecutive Daytona poles, coming up just short to Cale Yarborough for the top spot. Yarborough's pole position would be the final one of his illustrious career. However, Yarborough's pole speed of 203.519mph was not the fastest time set, as Sterling Marlin set a then track record of 203.666mph. But since Marlin qualified on the second day of time trials (due to disqualification on the first day for using dry ice in his motor to increase speed), Marlin would line up 21st. Buddy Baker took them three-wide for the lead at the start, quickly jumping into an early lead with Dale Earnhardt close behind. Earnhardt, seeking redemption after his heartbreaking loss at the track earlier that year at the Daytona 500, passed Baker for the top spot after a quick back-and-forth. Two IndyCar drivers were responsible for the day's first caution: A.J. Foyt blew his motor entering turn 4, causing Pancho Carter to spin out on the oil a lap later. Dale Earnhardt held the lead on the restart, but the field would not be under green for long. Coming out of turn 4 on lap 15, Sterling Marlin made contact with the #98 of Ron Bouchard. Bouchard slammed into the outside wall, bounced off the side of Terry Labonte's Oldsmobile, then rode along the wall down towards the turn 1 grass. Behind the accident, Greg Sacks lurched sideways into Ken Schrader and Chet Fillip, sending all three cars spinning. Dave Marcis also joined the calamity as he spun to avoid the wrecks. The majority of the field pitted under the yellow, with polesitter Cale Yarborough inheriting the lead. Yarborough was quickly overtaken on the restart by Earnhardt before another caution for debris slowed the field yet again. Following the brief yellow, Earnhardt, Tim Richmond, and Geoff Bodine pulled away on the restart. The Hendrick teammates quickly overpowered Earnhardt for the top spot, with Richmond and Bodine trading the lead amongst themselves. Buddy Baker soon joined the fight at the front, while outside polesitter Bill Elliott found himself down in the pits for an unscheduled pitstop. Tommy Ellis's blow motor would bring out the days fourth caution, bringing the field into the pits. Dale Earnhardt inherited the lead and led away on the restart, only for Bodine and Baker to blow past. An intense three-way fight for the top spot broke out over the next 20 laps, with the three at one point going three-wide down the backstretch for the lead. Meanwhile, Tim Richmond had fallen completely out of the picture, as he had lost his windshield and had gone two laps down while having it replaced in the pits. Unbeknownst to the leaders, Sterling Marlin had moved up into the top five and was soon knocking on Earnhardt's door for third place. Rick Wilson's spin on lap 62 brought out the days fifth caution, bringing the leaders into the pits. As dark clouds gathered overhead, many expected the race to only go halfway, which was lap 80. Benny Parsons stayed out and led the field back to green but quickly got out of the way of Earnhardt as his engine gave up. Earnhardt and Baker dueled for the top spot for several laps, with the #88 coming out the victor and pulling away from the rest of the leaders. Rain would bring out the day's sixth caution on lap 86, resulting in a nearly 30-lap caution period to dry the track (what would we do without air titans?). Tim Richmond was able to get both of his laps back under the caution as the leaders pitted multiple times for fuel. After nearly an hour delay, the race resumed, with Earnhardt, Bodine, and Baker continuing their race-long battle at the front. However, all three were forced to make green-flag pitstops around lap 125, as they had lost plenty of fuel while leading under the rain caution. The pitstop cycle resulted in the most unlikely leader: Sterling Marlin. Thanks to some excellent pit strategy, Marlin had stayed out longer than the others, and now hoped for a caution. Bobby Allison managed to catch Marlin for the lead but was forced to pit along with third place runner Cale Yarborough. Marlin would get his caution, as Rodney Combs spun on the frontstretch to bring out the race's seventh yellow. Marlin and the other leaders pitted, with Kyle Petty taking over the race lead. Petty, Marlin, and Bobby Hillin Jr. would duel for the lead on the restart, only for the much faster cars of Tim Richmond and Buddy Baker to blow past. As the laps wound down, Richmond and Baker fought through lapped traffic, which included Allison, Yarborough, and Earnhardt, who had been lapped under the caution. Baker took the top spot away from Richmond with 15 laps to go and slowly began pulling away from the #25. This allowed Sterling Marlin to catch up with Richmond, putting massive pressure on the Ohioan for second. With seven laps to go, all hell broke loose. Dale Earnhardt, running a lap down ahead of the leaders, blew his engine heading into turn 1. As oil coated his back tires, Earnhardt lost control and spun head-on into the wall. Race leader Buddy Baker went low to avoid the accident, striking the side of Connie Saylor's lapped Ford. As Baker struggled to keep control of his Oldsmobile, Richmond shot past into the race lead and led the field back to the yellow flag. Baker managed to limp around, but the damage had been done. The fastest car that day was out of contention. The field restarted with three laps to go, with Tim Richmond leading ahead of Sterling Marlin and Darrell Waltrip. All eyes were on Marlin, who was having the race of his life. Marlin, having competed in NASCAR since the mid-'70s, had never finished on the lead lap in his career. His chances for victory were compounded by the lapped cars of Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, and Bill Elliott who sat between him and Richmond. Caught behind the traffic, Marlin never had a chance, as Richmond pulled away to score his first Daytona victory. Marlin came home second while Bobby Hillin Jr. finished a solid third. While he may not have won this race, Marlin's performance would help him secure a full-time ride for 1987, driving the #44 for Hagan Racing. But he would have to wait until 1994 for that first victory, coming ironically enough at Daytona. 31. myself posted: 02.17.2021 - 1:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wow! What a ^^^^summary^^^^!! 32. zuel660 posted: 02.18.2021 - 7:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @30 great rundown, but 1 small note - Marlin's run may have been an event recaord at the time, but not the track record, as Bill Elliott went 205.114 in winning the pole for the 500 in 1985. Bill then set the all time mark at 210.364 for the 1987 Datona 500. 33. Anonymous posted: 03.07.2021 - 7:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @newguyontheblock Buddy was indeed the fastest that day...got behind on a bad pit stop, worked his way back to the front under the green, only to lose it when Earnhardt blew the motor in front of him trying to stay on the lead lap. Nascar measured Baker's engine after the race and it came out too big, but they let it cool down properly and then it tested inside the limit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: