|| *Comments on the 1997 Winston 500:* View the most recent comment <#43> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Dave posted: 01.05.2005 - 5:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The fastest 500 mile race run in NASCAR history. This race was actually rain delayed from its origional date, was attempted on monday, then set back to the Saturday before mothers day. Mark Martin wins an uneventful caution free race. 2. Darrell posted: 06.18.2006 - 9:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Why was Joe Nemechek in the 40? 3. Matthew Sullivan posted: 06.22.2006 - 3:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Guessing that Nemechek didn't make the race and took over for Robby Gordon. 4. XAC33 posted: 08.01.2006 - 4:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) If you're gona have a caution free race it better be at Talladega. Actually a very entertaining and competive race as the aero packages at the time allowed for lots of passing. After ending one of his longest losing streaks in years the week before at sonoma, Martin comes back and wins 2 in a row with his late restrictor plate win to date. And likely his last restrictor plate win ever. 5. Rob posted: 10.18.2006 - 5:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Actually, Joe Nemechek ran the 40 car in this race because Robby Gordon had activities for the Indy 500 that was conflicting with the Winston 500, either qualifying day or carb day. 6. myself posted: 02.19.2007 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) John Andretti, driving Cale's car, would've won this race if some of the Nascar powers would've been willing to draft w/ him. 7. Steve.M. posted: 05.07.2007 - 3:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) i like XAC33 was almost dead wrong in saying most likely his last plate win ever, almost got the 500 this year 8. SK posted: 09.02.2007 - 2:47 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) -- DNQ -- #19 Gary Bradberry #42 Joe Nemechek #73 Phil Barkdoll #78 Billy Standridge #91 Mike Wallace #95 Ed Berrier Nemechek, of course, piloted the #40 Coors Light Chevrolet that Robby Gordon had qualified in the 32nd position. 9. SK posted: 10.26.2007 - 6:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, this race brought to a close the existence of Harry Ranier's vaunted race team, which began 30 years prior with Buddy Baker behind the wheel. Interestingly, it would also be the final time that car number 20 raced on the Cup circuit before Tony Stewart came along... 10. Mark O. posted: 11.03.2007 - 11:09 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Per Tony's biography, he was supposed to be behind the wheel of that car, but declined the ride. He had driven for them in Busch the previous year and didn't feel like the team was ready to move back up to Cup. The Raniers' disagreed, and Stewart was left without a ride. 11. RaceFanX posted: 03.05.2008 - 9:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Lake Speed's ACE Hardware sponsorship in this race was fake, his car was so painted to portray the bad guy's car for the Fox TV movie "Steel Chariots" Footage for the movie was shoot during this race, ironically the good guy's car in the film is the Ranier racing Hardee's #20 Ford which was making it's last start. "Steel Chariots" wound up being a major dud. The movie has faded into complete obscurity. 12. Mr. Consistency posted: 03.09.2008 - 8:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mark Martin wins the fastest 500 miles in NASCAR history! I know what movie you're talking about RFX, didn't even bother watching it. By the way, Dale Jr. almost broke this record in a similar race at Talladega in fall 2002. They ran 183 MPH, caution free that day. You think they would of ran faster five years later... 13. James W.McLaughlin posted: 04.16.2008 - 7:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hey, RFX--about that movie "Steel Chariots" that you saw. I saw it myself, too. But it was rather disappointing, like you said. Do you happen to remember who drove the #9 and the #20 in that film? 14. Steve.M. posted: 04.25.2008 - 10:28 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) wait a minute this was run on a Saturday right??? so wouldnt it be May 11th. Because the Sears Point race was run on May 5th, so that would mean if this was May 10th it would be a Friday correct??? Unless Sonoma was run on a Monday 15. Frogger49 posted: 04.29.2008 - 3:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Sonoma race was May 4th in 1997 (it was run on the 5th in 1996). So, the date is right for this event. 16. Steve.M. posted: 05.09.2008 - 7:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) it says on the 1997 one it was run on May 5th. Unless the website has a typo http://www.racing-reference.info/race?id=1997-09&series=W 17. RaceFanX posted: 09.21.2008 - 6:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I actually didn't Steel Chariots, just remember Inside Nascar or somebody did something on it. Read about how bad it was in Stock Car Racing magazine. 18. ChazzyJoe posted: 10.21.2008 - 6:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yes, the '97 Sears Point race was run on Monday, May 5th. The race date is correct on both ends. 19. jp posted: 02.16.2009 - 7:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) jeremy mayfield and greg sacks almost flipped in the 18-car Big One. mayfield was on top of the 23 of jimmy spencer,while the 40 was,as CBS broadcaster Mike Joy said, "hooked on marlin's hood".I just watched part of the YouTube vid of the wreck.also, a flub occured when Joy was looking at Sacks & marlin disscussing the wreck. he said sterling MARTIAN instead of marlin. the only other cautions i remember seeing on YouTube were the #47 of Billy Standridge,and the grass trip the #46 of Dallenbach took. another flub occurred on the #46 caution. ned jarrett said "Dally Wallenbach". LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!! 20. Anonymous posted: 04.26.2009 - 4:23 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) jp, what are you talking about? This race was caution free... 21. RaceFanX posted: 04.26.2009 - 4:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Phil Barkdoll's last attempt to race in NASCAR. The good guy in "Steel Chariots" who drove the Ranier #20 was "D.J. Tucker," couldn't find the name of the bad guy who drove the Melling #9. I think scenes for that film were also shot during another early 1997 race, probably Texas. 22. Aaron Camp posted: 05.01.2009 - 8:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) JP was talking about the October Talladega race. 23. Taylor posted: 03.19.2010 - 8:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DJ's 300th start Jeff Burton's 100th start and Joe Nemecheck's 100th start. 24. 00andJoe posted: 05.27.2011 - 12:51 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #21- the other Steel Chariots race was indeed Texas. 25. Evan posted: 01.01.2014 - 9:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mark Martin wins two in a row and wins on two of the most toughest tracks on the circuit to get wins on, the winding road courses are a murder to set up and Talladega is a moving accident waiting to happen. Mark Martin was probably the most versatile NASCAR out there, he's won on every type of track and he's won some important races like teh Coca Cola 600 and Southern 500 but never the Daytona 500 or the championship. Still the fastest race ever recorded. 26. Dylan posted: 08.17.2014 - 7:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First caution-free race at Talladegs. 27. JimmieJameson posted: 10.11.2014 - 5:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In May 1997, Jeff Burton's Roush Racing Ford Thunderbird showed up at Talladega with a roof that had been heavily modified by an outside vendor. The roof laps - which, ironically, team owner Jack Roush had invented - were relocated five inches forward, contrary to the rules. Sections of the roof were also lowered to provide improved aerodynamics. NASCAR officials were so incensed with the roof-flap modifications that they cut the roof off the car entirely, destroying it. 28. Anthony posted: 10.31.2016 - 6:28 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) IN the Brian France era, there has never been a caution free race. Its safe to say this record won't be going anywhere any time soon. 29. Gray Gaulding's Distant Cousin posted: 08.07.2017 - 6:37 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) despite being twice the distance this race was only 32 minutes longer than the 2017 Watkins Glen Race. 30. Danish Pie posted: 08.07.2017 - 7:13 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) With no braking, and probably rarely going below 175 mph with no cautions, that is not incredibly surprising. 31. JSPorts posted: 08.07.2017 - 7:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yeah, look at average speeds. This race = 188.354 mph. Sunday's race = 104.132 mph. 32. CJ posted: 04.19.2018 - 12:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Season best finish for Bobby Hillin Final start for Greg Sacks in the 20 and Robert Pressley in the 29. 33. Ryan posted: 06.14.2018 - 1:06 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) Mark Martin broke Bill Elliott's 500 mile Nascar race record by 1 minute and 46 seconds. 34. RaceFanX posted: 06.14.2018 - 9:48 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) More than 20 years later Martin's race speed record still stands. Given the reason they set the record was this race going caution free I think it's unlikely it will be broken anytime soon since NASCAR Has added mandatory stage break cautions to all races. 35. Ryan posted: 06.14.2018 - 1:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Lets hope and pray that this is the last year of the stage cautions. 36. Jimnsimforever posted: 02.20.2020 - 5:05 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Because this race was pushed back a couple weeks to a Saturday afternoon this was a wild day for Nascar's top 3 series. Cup race in Alabama on ESPN. Busch race in New Hampshire on TNN. Truck race at Evergreen in Washington on TBS. About as far as you can get 3 races away from each other. Still, all fields full and stands packed for Cup and Truck. Big day to sit and watch at home in a row at 3 different tracks. 37. Joshua posted: 04.30.2020 - 10:42 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) Mark Martin said on his podcast that he wanted to try running the Qualifying shocks in the race. The crew initially objected but then relented and allowed Mark to try it. No one had tried this before because the prevailing thought was the Q shocks wouldn't last the duration of the race. They did here for Mark, which gave him a little extra speed and helped get him the dub here. 38. JSPorts posted: 04.30.2020 - 12:28 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Not only a little extra speed, his 188.354 mph pace was the fastest in NASCAR history! 39. Jiminy posted: 07.08.2020 - 11:25 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I wonder who originally qualified the #40 car into the field, since Nemechek drove it after his DNQ. I know Robby Gordon was in Indy and unavailable, but clearly SABCO had plans for somebody to race it if Joe had qualified the #42 successfully, since it was a full-time entry. 40. RaceFanX posted: 07.08.2020 - 12:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @39 Robby Gordon drove his normal #40 in qualifying with Joe Nemechek in the #42 and Wally Dallenbach, Jr. in the #46 as was the team's usual arrangement. All three were planned to race their normal cars but when Nemechek failed to qualify he took over Gordon's car after the race was delayed two weeks by rain, it was only the rescheduled date on Mother's Day weekend that put it in conflict with Indy 500 qualifying. 41. Mile501 posted: 07.08.2020 - 12:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @40 - Based on that, shouldn't #40 Robby Gordon be listed as a driver change? 42. Pacer posted: 07.08.2020 - 12:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) FOX made the movie "Steel Chariots" before it had the rights to air actual NASCAR races. Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, and Rusty Wallace had cameos in the film but the fact those cameos were heavily promoted should tell you a bit about the rest of the cast. A pre-Farscape Ben Browder played the hero with county singer Randy Travis as a reverend. Tommy Lee Wallace directed the movie, he's best known for horror films like Halloween III. A major racing magazine reviewed the film briefly, Stock Car Racing I think, and said it painted the sport in a poor light with much of the movie focused on soap opera off-track antics. Today the film is so-little remembered I saw someone get away with posting it in full to a YouTube channel once. 43. Rich posted: 08.04.2020 - 4:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The commentators were Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett and Benny Parsons. The pit road reporters were Dr. Jerry Punch, John Kernan and Bill Weber. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: