1986 Nationwise 500

NASCAR Winston Cup Series
North Carolina Motor Speedway
October 19th, 1986

[@jbracingnewsreviews3381]

Thanks for posting the races helps us people staying at home bored to death have something to watch 👍🏁🏁

[@ragingbull154]

I sure do miss the "Rock." I use to go to all the races there, Darlington, Charlotte and North Wilkesboro. Thanks so much for posting these races. It really helps during these crazy times. Stay safe everyone!!

[@badmonkey2222]

Went to my first race here in 84 was 15 went to many more over the yrs and at Darlington I live about an hour from both, makes my heart hurt every time I drive by the Rock seeing it sitting there like it is

[@franzvonriedel378]

I Love how the Flagman uses the caution flag as a napkin @ 46:23!

[@mulehead3697]

Great video thanks for posting. Rockingham was one of my favorite tracks to watch. So much better than those 1.5 or 2.0 milers out west.

[@michaeleric2126]

most tracks are that way, except Daytona, Talladega super speedway , or short tracks like Bristol, Dover

[@mulehead3697]

Michael Eric yes you are correct most of them are like now days. It didn’t used to be like that about the only mile and a half tracks that was used was Atlanta and Charlotte. But it’s hard to beat the old tracks. Glad they still have darlington, Richmond, Martinsville New Hampshire, Phoenix and all the road courses. Those tracks usually provide the nascar circuit with better racing.

[@edmondcamp2878]

You could tell by Tim Brewers demeanor that team had already fallen apart. From what I remember Brewer said they didn’t even deserve to win that race. That’s in no way taking anybody away from Neil.

[@youdud44]

Awesome seeing the whole race available. Used to be only the first half was on here.

[@bryonkidder6199]

One of the best race tracks ever built. Neil Bonnett was a real driver, too...lol

[@tnwhiskey68]

What a fun looking race track!

[@kurtperleberf6983]

This was the 1.500th all time NASCAR Cup Series race.

[@jimknowlton342]

I love watching races at The Rock

[@mikejansen3357]

Thank you for posting

[@christopherlucas4620]

I never realized Mike Skinner even had a license to run in cup in the 80s. Turns out he raced quite a few events in cup prior to joining RCR!

[@DanArnets1492]

**POINTS STANDINGS and WINS before the 1986 AMERICAN 500 (27 of 29):** #3 Dale Earnhardt (3953pts with 4 wins, GM) #11 Darrell Waltrip (-159 with 3 wins, GM) #25 Tim Richmond (-232 with 6 wins, GM) #15 Ricky Rudd (-499 with 2 wins, Ford) #9 Bill Elliott (-524 with 2 wins, Ford) #27 Rusty Wallace (-568 with 2 wins, GM) #5 Geoff Bodine (-571 with 2 wins, GM) #22 Bobby Allison (-604 with 1 win, GM) #33 Harry Gant (-756, GM) Terry Labonte (GM #44 with 1 win) was 12th after many mechanical problems and Neil Bonnet (GM #12) was 14th because of 6 crashes, 4 mechanical DNFs and missing a race due to injury. The best rookie of 1985, Ken Schrader (Ford #90) was 16th after having only finished cleanly in about half of the races. Meanwhile, Kyle Petty (Ford #7) won the Richmond 400 and looked to be a championship contender for a couple of months, Morgan Shepherd surprised all when he won the Atlanta 500 and Bobby Hillin Jr won the wreckfest that was the Talladega 500. Drivers listed are the season's current top8, last season's top8 plus the rookie of the year before and whatever race winner that doesn't fit any of those 2 descriptions. Yes, I’m using the unsponsored names of the races. In North Carolina's case, the earlier race is the Carolina 500 while the later one is the American 500.

[@loutenant9480]

Geoffrey Bodine wearing an open face helmet. Never saw that before.

[@dwkulcsar]

Was around this time or '87 he moved to the dirt bike helmet.

[@loutenant9480]

​@@dwkulcsar I think i saw him with bike helmet in 1985. Seems like he switched between helmets time to time.

[@joshuaburkhart7690]

Why did Darrell leave junior Johnson?

[@bubwal23xifan]

Thats a weird story. Rick Hendrick came to DW during the year and offered him a ride and contract. DW was in a contract year with Johnson but Johnson hadn't been in talks with him. DW went to talk to Johnson and told him what Hendrick offered ( which included a huge salary increase) hoping John's would make a counter offer. DW didn't want to leave. Johnson paused and then told him that he needed to take that offer. Waltrip still hadn't fully decided to leave until he walked in and his crew guys asked him why he was leaving. Johnson basically made the decision for him. Waltrip signed with Hendrick shortly after

[@easyenetwork2023]

@@bubwal23xifanJohnson would not pay him what Rick did.

[@DanArnets1492]

@@easyenetwork2023 - I feel Junior was the kind of man to spend a whole lot on the car and not that much on the driver. That might've worked out great in the past but by the late 1980s the driving talent started to be a BIG part of the equation to win races.

[@michaelhazen3153]

Why is a picture of Waltrip's car on the cover of the video when Bonnet won the race?

[@DanArnets1492]

It's better to not spoil the result so young ones and people with bad memory can enjoy the race as-new AND Maybe there were no high-quality photos of DW in this race