May 26, 1990
In motorsports circles, Memorial Day weekend is often referred to as “Motorsports Christmas”. It is on this weekend that NASCAR, Formula One, and IndyCar hold the premier events of their individual series. For F1, it’s the glamorous Monaco Grand Prix. For IndyCar, it’s the Indianapolis 500, the greatest spectacle in racing. And for NASCAR, it’s the longest race of the year, the Coca-Cola 600.
The lead-up to the 1990 Coca-Cola 600 does feature a preliminary race that we absolutely have to talk about. The Champion 300 is the biggest race of the year for the Busch Grand National series. Held the Saturday before “Motorsports Christmas”, this race is the longest race of the year for the Busch drivers and features a stacked entry list. Everyone and their mother wants to win this race.
The favorites of today’s event by far are the Cup regulars. 16 of the 42 starters are full-time Cup Series drivers, making up nearly half of the field. These Buschwackers have historically dominated this event, especially the overall favorite for today’s race. Harry Gant is tied with Morgan Shepherd and the late Tim Richmond for the most wins in this event at two. Starting second today, he’s been picked by all the oddsmakers to run away with the race, though he’ll have to do so from the back of the field. A practice crash will force Gant to pilot a backup car. “The Bandit” has his work cut out for him, but he’s fought back from tougher odds before.
While most of the Cup drivers pilot cars either fielded by their Cup owners or affiliated with them, the man sitting on the pole is the exception. Dick Trickle is a short-track ace, perhaps the most decorated short-track driver in the history of stock car racing. He has so thoroughly dominated the lower divisions that his recent arrival to NASCAR almost didn’t happen. Why advance to the top level when you’ve made millions at the local level?
Trickle is piloting a Pontiac for Mac Martin Racing, a small local team with limited experience on track and no affiliations with the Cup Series. His sponsor is the Australian steel company RedKote. He has never won a NASCAR race outside of his Winston Open victory one week earlier (that was an exhibition and doesn’t count). He is the quintessential underdog, and today he has a chance to pull off the quintessential upset.
Trickle leads the field to green under cloudless skies. He briefly pulls ahead before surrendering the lead to Sterling Marlin. After a quick caution for Randy Baker’s blown engine, Trickle settles into second behind Marlin. All attention is on the other Cup regulars further back. How long will it take before they join the lead battle? Harry Gant is already up in the top ten and we haven’t even reached quarter distance!
For one Buschwacker, their day is over earlier than expected. Darrell Waltrip spins on lap 32, cooking his engine and ending his competitive day. The spin breaks up the field on pit strategy, allowing independent Billy Standridge to briefly take the lead. Standridge is disposed of on the restart as the Cup regulars make their move. Kyle Petty and Dale Earnhardt charge to the front, holding the lead until a caution for fluid on the track slows the pace.
50 laps in and Trickle makes his move. Despite having less power and odds stacked against him, the veteran takes the lead away from Earnhardt and vanishes off into the distance. Not even another quick yellow for Jeff Purvis blowing his motor can stop Trickle. He’s simply on another level on this hot May afternoon.
At 100 laps NASCAR throws a mandatory caution. It’s part of a new experiment to see if halftime breaks could work for the lower divisions (although the TBS broadcast booth jokes that the real reason is to allow the local Charlotte rugby club sell more hot dogs in the stands). Trickle gets out of his car for a stretch and a drink. “We were really loose at the beginning,” he tells pit road reporter Ralph Shaheen. “The guys tightened us up and we’re rolling now.”
Out of the half, Trickle once again plays it safe. He lacks behind the ever-pesky Sterling Marlin, allowing his fellow Buschwacker to log some laps before pressing him for the lead. A string of blown engines eliminates many of the front runners, leaving Trickle with less and less opposition.
Rick Mast and Steve Grissom both blow their engines with about 60 laps to go, bringing out a pair of cautions that jumble the field and leave series regular Tommy Ellis out front. It doesn’t matter. Trickle is too strong and he retakes the lead on lap 167. It’s shaping up for another first-time winner in the Busch Series. Trickle will be smoking his customary cigar in victory lane in no time.
It’s the perfect time for things to go wrong.
After a late caution for Dave Rezendes crashing into the wall, the Champion 300 comes down to a shootout. 27 laps will decide this race. 27 laps for Dick Trickle to hold off the field. He’s done brilliantly so far, but the caution has brought two new challengers into range. One is Dale Jarrett. The other is Harry Gant. “The Bandit” has finally made his way to the front.
Trickle’s Pontiac is strong and he initially holds the advantage. However, something is amiss. His tightened car begins drifting up the track frequently, especially in turns three and four. He’s loose. Bad loose. Jarrett and Gant smell blood in the water and close in like a pack of sharks.
With a lap to go, Trickle still holds the lead. It doesn’t matter. In the final corner, he slips wide. Jarrett lunges and grabs the inside as the two Pontiacs roar toward the finish line. Trickle desperately tries to hold the outside like he did in the Winston Open. He has some momentum left and pushes with all his might. Hitting the line, he looks up and sees…Dale Jarrett’s number flashing on the scoring pylon. By three feet, Dale Jarrett has won the Champion 300.
It’s a win that’s hard to swallow. Yes, seeing Dale Jarrett win the biggest race of the year in a thrilling photo finish is awesome. But……you have to feel for Dick Trickle. As soon as the race ends he pulls down pit road and sits in his car, muttering “I got loose” over and over again.
Well, that was kind of depressing. How about some humor to lighten the mood? Over at Flat Rock Speedway, the ARCA grid just pulled off one of the funniest top-fives of all time. The top five consisted of:
- Bobby Bowsher
- Bob Brevak
- Bob Keselowski
- Bob Strait
- Bob Dotter
Throw in Bobby Gerhart finishing eighth and you have a race completely dominated by Bob’s. I looked at pretty much every race on Racing Reference, a motorsports database, and this is the only race I found where the top five finishers all had the same name. Wild stuff in ARCA.
Back in Charlotte, perhaps Dick Trickle will have better luck in his Cup ride. He’s scheduled to partake in the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the year. After such a dominant run in the preliminary event, maybe he’ll pull off the win in the main show?
Next time on NASCAR in the 90s, the longest race of the year.
NASCAR in the 90s 