1988 Coca-Cola 600

NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway
May 29th, 1988

[@Carolinian4372]

I was there that day with my Dad. We're both celebrating a birthday this week. I'll be 50 and he'll be 77.

[@vapinbachelor289]

Thinking I was too..I remember Neil tried to knock down the wall in the dog leg the race I was at. Sounded like a bomb went off.

[@thomashallman5436]

happy birthday hoss

[@pickititllneverheal9016]

I was also there with my dad. Turn 4. 🎉

[@JesusTapdancingChristOnaCross]

'88 was a real odd ball season. Numerous first time winners (perhaps attributed to the tire war), Earnhardt's team going from 11 wins in '87 to only 3, the rise of Rusty Wallace, and Elliott getting redemption for his choke job in '85 winning it all.

[@joett84]

That wasn't a choke job. That was a result of the stupid Nascar points system that rewarded top 5s almost as much as wins. Elliott wasn't the only driver to dominate a season yet lose the points title. In 1996 Gordon won 10 races but Labonte won the Cup with only 2. This does not mean that Gordon choked, only that he had more tough-luck bad finishes than Labonte. Just like Elliott winning 11 and DW easing his way into a title with only 3 wins. And of course Kenseth won only ONE race during the final year of that points system, 2003, giving us another undeserving champion.

[@stealthbomber2127]

@@joett84 Six rules changes that put the company favorite brand ahead of Bill made the difference. While Waltrip was winning 22 races in 81-2 and Earnhardt doing the same in 86-7, not one single rules change. I quit watching for years until my son wanted to go to a race, and he quickly tired of it too.

[@darkusracing8772]

56:46 RIP Ken Squier

[@racermac1988]

Bob Varsha on pit road for a NASCAR race. Love seeing stuff like that. Kinda like Mike Joy calling sprint cars on TNN, or Bob Jenkins calling IHRA Drag Racing, or even now times like Allen Bestwick calling the Indy 500.

[@cosmiccharlie8294]

What a wild way for these Nascar pioneers to close out their careers! Riding in these metal firecrackers @ 200 mph.

[@4fanintexas]

Rick Wilson had the field covered. Hated to see him wreck out of this one. Had that Kodak car flying.

[@joett84]

He also had the best car at the Firecracker 400 that year.

[@4fanintexas]

@@joett84 Sure did. Ran a great race but I'm sure he wishes he'd lapped Elliott instead of followed him. Still was a ton of fun to watch.

[@nascarvintage17]

i m tottally fan to the vintage races thank you smiff tv really for all uploads

[@Slinger43]

Absolutely loved hearing Johnny Hayes in the booth 🙏 RIP JH 😞 As for Earnhardt, maybe, just maybe if little Bill had disciplined his favorite driver a little harder (like sit his butt down a race or two) he would still be here with us today 🙏 RIP Senior 😞 Every so often, Bill would slap his favorite driver's wrist, like the 5 laps Dale sat in "the box" here & later on at Martinsville, but the penalty never fit Senior's crimes, maybe if they had that horrible day in 01 never happens 😣

[@jamieorange7073]

Dale Earnhardt made racing what it is u either liked him or u didn’t I’m just glad I got to see him race.

[@Bigkillaward]

My pap was friends with dales dad Ralph. He said dale always said he would die in a race car, that wouldn't be tragic.. it would be tragic if he died on the porch swang

[@Slinger43]

@@Bigkillaward LOL! Yep, that sound's like Dale alright 👍

[@cosmiccharlie8294]

These long races really test the cars.

[@38motorsports58]

This was the first cup race I ever went to.

[@stealthbomber2127]

nascrap saving their favorite son again with the early caution before lap 25's scheduled caution. They did it for him at Dover too, pro wrestling on wheels.

[@ELOfanatic]

I'm not a great big Earnhardt fan, but I've seen the video, and it sure looked like Geoff Bodine came down on Earnhardt,

[@MayoFilms83]

I was live at this race at 4 years old pulling for Rick Wilson. Then two years later it was Ernie Irvan. Who was in the #2 car at the 2:47 mark.

[@Michael-nf1ej]

I was there, Davy was quick and smooth in the beginning laps.

[@greggwgiddensable]

This is INSANE. Dale slid up the track, he didn't bloody wreck him.. Nascar is such a horrible organisation even now 35 yrs later. Garbage like this with Dale, what they did to Tim Richmond and Jeremy Mayfield. Absolutely ridiculous

[@beeemm2578]

Yeah their crisis/issue control and solutions has a less than stellar track record

[@E180TEKNO]

super course

[@knobdikker]

MayPop 600

[@brendanwilliams7291]

Great stuff, do you have the 1986 and 1987 races please?

[@Bigkillaward]

I know I'm a little young, but where tf is dodge at?

[@stuvo1977]

They dropped out in 1975 and returned to NASCAR racing in 2001.

[@joett84]

Richard Petty switched from Dodges to GM in the middle of 1978, and that pretty much ended Dodge's run in Nascar until 2001.

[@zcam1969]

Geoff Bodine's wife was shacking up with every man in town .back in the day. i visited her house in North Carolina

[@Cmperry9]

this is why the tire war was a bad thing. Damn

[@MarkMeadows90]

Unusual to hear DW broadcasting back then... OR is that DW?

[@EricCox4848]

Johnny Hayes of US Tobacco and Skoal was broadcasting. They sounded almost alike. DW was in car 17 the Tide Machine.

[@MarkMeadows90]

@@EricCox4848 got ya

[@EricCox4848]

@@MarkMeadows90 DW stopped driving at the end of 2000. He did some broadcasts in the 90s. But he was still driving. The years of 1987 and 1988 weren't real kind to DW. He did broadcast the Clash in 1988.

[@MarkMeadows90]

@@EricCox4848 I see. I had to rewatch the beginning of the video to see who you’re talking about. Never mind my stupid question then. Sorry.

[@robertoliver1350]

Bodine looked to come down on Earnhardt! As for the tires, Hoosier should never been allowed, then Good Year would not have had to sacrifice quality! Maybe Bonnett would not have gotten killed either!

[@chrisbaker927]

Hoosier tires performed well on most tracks it was supply and cost that filed the tire war also neil bonnets crash was because of a broken shock tower not a blown tire

[@thomashallman5436]

the 1988 world 600 dale earnhardt gits whacked......by nascar and deserves it but actually there is room for forgiveness jason voorhees would agree unlucky 13th for my unlucky very bad boy that day

[@jimknowlton342]

Any time I watch a race and this particular driver wins, it feels like I wasted my time watching the race. Blah!