1997 Mountain Dew Southern 500 from Darlington Raceway | NASCAR Classic Full Race Replay

[@QF_Dan72]

Watching Burton, Jarrett and Gordon fighting in the top 3 is something so special that we will never get to see again anytime soon. It is so surreal

[@plisskenationbackfromthede3657]

Man these cars looked great. Not even talking about the cars but the liveries. So iconic. Could spot a car halfway across the track just by the color or the shade of the color because they were all unique, different, and most importantly, used every single weekend for the most part. It was part of the driver and teams identity. The only thing that stays constant anymore is the #. But 1 week a car is blue the next its red then its black then its a rainbow lol i cant keep up anymore. Even with hd its not easy to spot a # always. Doesnt help they made the #s smaller either lol.

[@Schneids1216]

That’s so true but the cost to field a car nowadays requires multiple primary sponsors.. or so I’m told… but I totally agree. I also respect the drivers more than today because they weren’t just kids in late teens early 20s. Not to mention the danger aspect made them more respectable

[@jt_smee]

So good to hear Bob, Benny, Ned, and the pit reporters call that race.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

I agree

[@djbatchler4597]

We really didn't know how good we had it. The cars look better. The cars WERE better. The broadcast crews (across TV and MRN and PRN) were great. The drivers were characters because of who they were, not sponsors and PR teams. The men driving were also the ones who had, and still did help work on the cars. Up until recently I thought "no way was the racing better back then with 6 cars on the Lead Lap, and three cars having a chance to win." I was wrong. I've watched more NASCAR Classics and other versions of classic races. I prefer classic racing.

[@codym8897]

1997 1. Austin City Limits in its 22nd season on PBS. Home Improvement in its 7th season during the 1997-1998 season on ABC. 2. CBS airs the 100th episode of The Nanny during Season 4 in the 1996-1997 season, and The Nanny in its 5th season during the 1997-1998 season on CBS. The 100th episode of Walker, Texas Ranger airs on CBS during Season 4 in the 1996-1997 season, and Walker, Texas Ranger in its 5th season during the 1997-1998 season on CBS. 3. Diagnosis Murder in its 5th season during the 1997-1998 season on CBS. 👍

[@cjs83172]

While Jeff Gordon's (ultimately successful) attempt to win the Winston Million was well documented, that had been done before, but what hardly anyone mentioned was the fact that this win also made him the first (and still the only) driver ever to win the Southern 500 three years in a row, having taken the Southern 500 in both 1995 and '96. And astoundingly, he'd make it FOUR in a row the next year, becoming the first driver ever to win any race on a major speedway four times in succession, much less one as tough as the Southern 500. Darrell Waltrip would later say that (Gordon's string of four consecutive Southern 500 wins from 1995-'98) was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen in his years in NASCAR.

[@jesuschristislord6790]

I never realized Earnhardt cruised around there for seven laps before he made it to pit road. They should have thrown the caution. A confused sick driver slowly cruising around the track is a good reason for a caution

[@chrispredsfan]

That is very true but back then if a driver or object was in a safe distance they just raced. Safety wasn’t always thought of, just like when a caution flag waved the drivers raced back to it and any postion picked they could keep. Including gaining a lap back.

[@King1614]

Wouldn’t it be cool if they uploaded the raw in car video of Jeff Gordon from this race? Hint hint NASCAR

[@KrakenRacing818]

Didn't know that Mike Dillon was full time lol a joke but that was a great race I had never watched it and that was great

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Really enjoy there older races!!!! 👍 🏁🏁 👍

[@KR1736]

2:00:15 I’m pretty sure Jimmy is concussed as hell right there

[@BkBk-gy6vr]

Nah, he sounded dopey his whole life.

[@seanklingensmith7713]

Way for ESPN to try to do their best to botch that ending. 2 to go, Burton is running Gordon down like a bat out of hell, and we get to watch other people watch instead of seeing the action.

[@evanwilliams6406]

Earnhardt has an unexplained blackout during this race.

[@J-TechOne]

Well this was in sleeper era im pretty sure

[@President_Grover_Cleveland]

@@J-TechOne ??? What does that mean?

[@stephanienoblet8503]

@@President_Grover_ClevelandI think it means ignoring injuries like concussions

[@timblankenship3797]

He wasn’t pregnant

[@robertlutes5836]

Dude was so concussed

[@alwayslearningthefacts5881]

I became a Fan of Jeff Burton on this day in history. actually It was His Stavola Brothers, Raybestos years. Now I`m 65 and Harrison and Jeb are racing

[@NEO_RedPill_2024]

2 more laps and Burton would have closed the deal for sure.

[@chrisuncleahmad789]

Ironically, the next two years both these drivers again won a million dollars at Darlington under a completely different format: The No Bull 5.

[@beezneezification]

The music selection here is something else😂

[@1kymoonrunner]

I was also at that race.

[@jessiehenry5405]

7:55

[@M1_Engineering]

Todd Bodine causing chaos 😳

[@rebelracing88]

This was the NASCAR I grew up with a loved. Jeff Burton would’ve won the race if he’d had any balls haha.

[@JJA1987]

Butthurt

[@christolbert4628]

Brooke, the gold digger. 🙄

[@cats362]

sadly it will be a electric car, the noise of racing will be gone.

[@AnthonyLincoln-sg1py]

Jeff Burton should have won this race! On the last lap when he and Gordon go into the corner side by side Burton lifts and lets Gordon get ahead. Burton should have hooked him and put him in the wall!

[@SpeedRacer_IRL]

That would have wrecked them both because of the harsh banking at Darlington, he would've given up the race to Dale Jarrett if he did. Jeff Burton saw a no-win scenario and made the right choice.

[@gary24fan]

27 years and you're still not over it? Hope someone comes to your home to change your diaper.

[@cjs83172]

@@SpeedRacer_IRL And if he had not have backed off, it's quite likely that Bill Elliott wins the race, because both Burton and Gordon would have wrecked, and as close as Dale Jarrett was to Gordon and Burton, he quite likely would have been in the wreck, as well.