R
redriver6
Guest
i would have to say the last race of the 1992 season....Hooters 500 at Atlanta with 6 drivers mathematically eligible to win the championship....without any fancy shmancy 'chase' scenario.
i watched the race and was pulling for Elliot...but wasn't sorry to see Kulwikci win it...i also got to see the King's last ride when i went to the Petty museum in NC a few years ago. they left it just like it ended the race...a wreck..
i watched the race and was pulling for Elliot...but wasn't sorry to see Kulwikci win it...i also got to see the King's last ride when i went to the Petty museum in NC a few years ago. they left it just like it ended the race...a wreck..
Hooters 500
The 1992 Hooters 500 was held November 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #1 of Rick Mast won his first career Winston Cup pole. This race was the last for 7-time champion Richard Petty, and the first for future champion Jeff Gordon. Coming into the race six drivers had a mathematical chance to win the title: Bill Elliott, Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Kyle Petty, Harry Gant, and Mark Martin. Kyle Petty had engine problems that took him out of contention and Allison was involved in a crash with Ernie Irvan on Lap 254, ending his championship hopes. Kulwicki won the championship by leading 1 more lap than Elliott (103 to 102) in the race (receiving the 5 additional bonus points for leading the most laps) and finishing 2nd to Elliott. This gave Kulwicki the championship by only 10 points over Elliott. A Hollywood script writer could not have penned a more exciting season finale. The Richard Petty Fan Appreciation Tour made its final stop and an emotional Saturday night tribute to "The King" signaled the beginning of the end. Not even a third of the way through the event, Petty was collected in a front-stretch accident that ignited flames under the hood of his famed STP Pontiac. Petty said, "I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, I just forgot the glory part." Meanwhile, the battle for the Winston Cup championship and the accompanying $1 million bonus raged on. Allison needed to finish sixth or better to clinch the title, while Elliott and Kulwicki could only run their cars to the limit, hoping it would be enough. On lap 253, Allison's fate would be sealed. Allison was running sixth — good enough to clinch the title — and moving back to the front when suddenly disaster struck. Ernie Irvan, fighting his Kodak Chevrolet, which had a tire going down, lost control and spun directly in front of Rusty Wallace and Allison. Wallace miraculously dodged the spinning Irvan, but Allison was not so lucky. Allison T-boned Irvan, ending his day, leaving Elliott and Kulwicki to battle for the title. Elliott and Kulwicki ran 1-2 for the entire second half of the race, swapping the lead on several occasions. It became evident that the driver who led the most laps and received the five extra bonus points would win the crown. It would come down to one lap. On lap 310, Kulwicki pitted while leading, knowing he had clinched the bonus by leading 103 of the event's 328 laps. After the fuel-only pit stops, Elliott gained the lead and drove on to his fifth victory of the season. Elliott had led 102 laps. If Elliott had led one lap that Kulwicki did not lead. then Elliott would have received the five bonus points instead of Kulwicki, which would have left the two in a tie. In that instance. Elliott would have won the title by virtue of more wins. As it was, Elliott won the Hooter's 500, but Kulwicki finished second to claim the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup championship by a scant 10 points, the narrowest margin in the sport's history. Meanwhile, the STP crew patched Petty's car back together and "The King" rejoined the field with one lap remaining. After Kulwicki's "Polish Victory Lap," Petty made one final lap all by himself. It was his way of saying goodbye one last time and paying tribute to his millions of fans.