1998 NASCAR Thunder Special Motegi

[@SonnyBurnett1988]

*Yeah, goddamn it, we beat that little son of a bitch!* I'm a diehard Jeff Gordon fan to the end but man that shit had me dying

[@fatpatlives1998]

JG was winning everything...don't blame skinner for celebrating like that between Gordon and Mark Martin wins where hard to come by in 98/99

[@tycobandit]

Man, they didn’t announce keiichi tsuchiya, that guy is like the Japanese equivalent to the old moonshine runners NASCAR was founded upon. The Japanese Junior Johnson if you will.

[@cody3676]

There's a hot version episode with English subtitles that show's DK's side of the story when they raced at suzuka

[@the_road__warrior6185]

I appreciate people like you in the comment sections of these old races.

[@waydebaker33]

@@the_road__warrior6185 folk like this are few and far between.

[@rolux4853]

That’s the problem with most Americans, they are so narrow minded and think everything revolves around them. Despicable attitude!

[@SHEVYWOOD]

2:21:58 the moment that caused Dale Sr to throw his shoe at Jr, although you really can't see it

[@Bubbadew]

SHEVYWOOD I don’t see nothing but the 99 and 12, but thank you for pointing it out because I was looking for it or for someone that had also known about that incident lol

[@MamaBear-es2sj]

2:24:26 ''WHOO WE BEAT THAT LITTLE SOB"

[@cfoster81]

#RIP Steve Byrnes Also, I wish NASCAR could go back to Motegi and do a points race

[@reverendrasheemstewart3744]

Chris Foster Yeah me too I would love to see that

[@johnanderson6401]

#NASCAR and #INDYCAR needs to go back there. it was a cool track

[@hunterwofford8552]

Impossible. The track is damaged beyond repair now.

[@notmasyn41]

It cost too much money to ship the cars overseas. That’s why they stopped

[@racermac1988]

If Honda gets into NASCAR, the Oval gets fixed.

[@TombstoneChris]

Dale Earnhardt Jr podcast with Jeff Gordon brought you here give me a like

[@Bubbadew]

ChrisS82 indeed

[@racermac1988]

2:24:10 Yeah, Childress was LIVID pissed at TBS for using their radio chatter without permission... Richard came to the team's PR rep after they got home and said, "Get a letter ready to go to Squier!!!"

[@michaelflaherty3202]

they said what everyone was thinking at the time though. I remember Jeff Gordon felt unbeatable then.

[@RandysRacingPlace633]

My shock when I clicked on this video at 2;00 am and saw Jeremy Mayfield's hair.

[@RandysRacingPlace633]

Around 1:00.

[@williamhamilton1118]

Wtf

[@chucklove8709]

Fuckin meth head 😂😂😂

[@darren.plateroti]

That was the result of a bet he had made with his crew. If Jeremy and the team were to win a point-paying event in 1998, everyone would dye their hair blonde. Most of the crew had done it after Jeremy attained his first career win at Pocono in June, but Jeremy waited until October during the Winston 500 week at Talladega (when he was in a slump) to hold up his end of the bet. Jeremy would then keep his locks that color through the end of the season, returning to his natural brown at the start of 1999.

[@dalejr183]

WOW 20 years ago today I cant believe this last 20 just flew by Happy Thanksgiving

[@Holden308]

Ken Squier was wrong about one thing, it wasn't the first time NASCAR raced on an oval outside of the USA (North America). That honor went to the Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne, Australia with the Goodyear NASCAR 500k in February 1988 (the Thunderdome was a 1.119 mi (1.801 km) version of Charlotte complete with 24° banked turns).

[@frevazz3364]

Saw a video on YT of that race and it's a pretty cool track. They messed up in the construction of exit of turn 4 with a large bump but otherwise cool track. Like a larger Rockingham.

[@Holden308]

@@frevazz3364 the bump in turn 4 is because there is a tunnel under the track at that point for spectator access to the infield (there is also a tunnel under turn 2 which gives pit access to the garage area which is located between the oval and Calder Park's road racing circuit, but the bump isn't so severe). And you are right, the Thunderdome slightly longer than Rockingham.

[@racermac1988]

For it being about 14 Cup cars... And about the same in Winston West cars... Plus some Japanese locals... Race was actually pretty good. Still getting if Honda gets into NASCAR, they fix the Oval and we go back here.

[@jonathan_tong93]

There were 3 NASCAR Exhibition Races aired on GMA Network. The NASCAR Suzuka Races were aired right after GMA Supershow and S.O.P. while the 1998 Coca-Cola Motegi 500 was aired after Eat Bulaga!

[@94nolo]

I miss Steve Byrnes... such a part of my childhood.

[@shaynefarmer6703]

This is awesome. I was a kid when they did all this and we didn't have cable growing up so if not for youtube I would have never known this race existed. I'm sure it would cost a fortune to coordinate something like this now but if it was to happen I would be all over it. Great video!

[@arwyss]

Am I the only one who wants another overseas offseason exhibition race?

[@cappyrage7649]

2020 and this is my first time seeing this! Heard about it over the years and always wished this was more of a thing. Australia.. Europe.. maybe one day.

[@thecoxsays1]

There was an Australian NASCAR for a time in the 90s but petty business bullshit caused it to go under. And there’s also some ovals in Europe (Lausitz, Venray, and another somewhere in France).

[@robertryan7204]

​@@thecoxsays1 More like bad admin killed it. Not a get deal of enthusiasm for NASCAR now. Maybe in the mid 90's

[@nascargavin8]

49:31 "Gaughan with the wind" lol with what happened at Dega.

[@mike4auburn91]

If you watched the Grand Tour on Amazon Prime, you would know this. The American won!

[@derrymunikartono452]

Honestly, Darrell laugh when imagine Buddy Baker and Benny Parsons get into those F1 Machines @7:14

[@jessiehenry5405]

This Came From The Fucking Idiot Who Said Eranhardt Team Could Read

[@evanwilliams6406]

Mike sure does love Japan.

[@fatman1288]

i miss seeing steve byrnes on the nascar broadcasts shame hes gone

[@TekiOkami]

Holy shit! the Drift King took part in this

[@Actor.Rokuchannel]

現地でメインストレートの最前列で観戦したの懐かしい！ 当時アストロに乗っていて、ジェフ・ゴードンを推していたが､最後のバトルは興奮したな！！！ そして、マイク・スキナーが左ハンドルから観客に手を振るためにドーナツターンしてコースを逆走したのは、本当にアメリカ人のサービス精神らしくて最高だった👍 しかし…2001年にデイル・アーンハートが事故死したのは非常にショックでした…forever『3』

[@tailsnascarfan93]

STEVE BYRNES! RIP

[@mbenoit9697]

Steve Byrnes interviewed Bobby Hamilton. Both would die from the same disease: head and neck cancer.

[@WarpPal]

M Benoit Are you serious?

[@mbenoit9697]

Sadly, yes.

[@the_road__warrior6185]

#Facts

[@frevazz3364]

That was an entertaining race.

[@barneystinson5288]

If i remember correctly, NASCAR kind of pissed Japan off because they thought the races went over so well they partnered with Honda to build Motegi as a track for NASCAR and open wheel cars but NASCAR didn't aquire any new sponsors so Bill Jr pulled the plug and now Motegi looks a lot like North Wilkesboro, a beat up parking lot. The road course still operates i think. Its similar to the Australian race in 88, they built a track more or less for Cup cars and NASCAR bolted, but Calder i think is still used by the Super V8 cars. Europe has some kind of series similar to the old Whelen series so maybe over there. I always wanted to see them at Le Mans since i found the NR 2003 mod for it, the cars are similar i think but i really dont know much about the other cars though

[@STP43FAN1]

Interesting - Motegi was a good racetrack

[@japotak99]

Calder park doesn't have a V8SC race. Motegi had Indy races until the oval was damaged to disrepair during the earthquake in 2011.

[@vern7424]

I think the Motegi oval was also created since F1 would not allow CART to race on any road courses in Japan.

[@Holden308]

@@DM-ps4dq Formula One had absolutely no say in what raced in Australia. They did the Grand Prix and that was it. That's why they were able to get the Cart and IndyCar race at Surfers Paradise.

[@SwingAxleLover]

The Motegi oval was damaged in 2011 in the big earthquake and they decided repairs would be too costly. While it is no longer used for racing, the road course is still used often and the grounds are far better kept than Wilkesboro.

[@mariagloriadelcarmen]

I really wish this race was in NBC sports/NBCSN, Fox sports/FS1 and FS2

[@egisyukran800]

NASCAR on NBC/usa and CBS

[@WhoopityDoo]

11:27 "Temperatures a little on the NIPPY side..." Ken Squier with casual slant towards the Japanese.

[@kalenhorne]

Whoopity Doo how is that a slant?

[@fishrocker95]

CoolHandLando17 calling a japanese person a nip is a derogatory slur. although i doubt that was the intent of the commentator as it was relatively chilly that day

[@Little-Oshawott-2010]

I wished that NASCAR went back to international races outside the United States of America and Canada.

[@robertryan7204]

No it will not

[@timsautovision6145]

Thanks for uploading this

[@ryanbearden9709]

Is this the race where Jr. talks about Sr. throwing his shoe at him after the race. I went looking for this race after I was watching Jr. tell that story.

[@bubwal23xifan]

This is the infamous show race.

[@heavyhitter3185]

" I Hear This Whizzing Noise..as a Shoe Barely Misses My Head Man"...

[@chesterross8065]

Great race

[@CJODell12]

2:25:32. Really good victory burnout.

[@RooneyMac]

For the talk of the track being designed after Darlington? Eh, not quite. At least not as we know it now. But the flat of it? Old original 1950's Darlington, maybe

[@scottwilliams1925]

winston had to have hated the Marlborough signs lil

[@ssj5goten657]

I had no idea there was NASCAR track in Japan

[@the_road__warrior6185]

Well it wasn’t a nascar track to begin with but what I think you meant was you didn’t think there was an oval in Japan.

[@traviscalkins5881]

Actually have a few of these both Earnhardt's and Burton 99 Bruce Lee car

[@No-pl6nx]

Oh is this the shoe throw race

[@uncleslumbago3182]

2:24:28 😂

[@seahawkfan1995]

Empty seats though

[@TravisMSimpson]

NASCAR wasn't that big overseas at the time, it would be later.

[@ricksanchezsflask8794]

Probably a better turnout than today's races.

[@robertryan7204]

​@@TravisMSimpson It never got big. As a result the Japanese races were canned

[@MSC-Songwriter]

They didn't even notice the battle of the Earnhardts....crappy coverage back then.

[@MrBreeze18]

They didn't even have a working leader board. On TV, or in the infield.

[@johnk8475]

where is the incident that caused a shoe to be thrown at Jr

[@SHEVYWOOD]

2:21:55 around 5th place

[@chesterross8065]

NASCAR should go back to Motegi great race track forget about Canada or Mexico.

[@psychlops924]

Chester Ross they’d have to rebuild the entire speedway. The 2011 earthquake damaged the foundation of the oval so they’d have to tear it all town to in order to hold any races. It’s not good for much more than a parking lot these days. The road course is still good though, and MotoGP races there amongst others.

[@crimtsun]

_as a Canadian, I'm....._ yeah ok, we don't really have many ovals much bigger than a half mile. Though I would love to see some cup cars do an exhibition race at ctmp or something.

[@robertryan7204]

​@@crimtsun in Canada you are so far away...sarcasm

[@2ndamendmentsupportingrepu601]

How many non points cup races did mike Skinner win ???

[@juwannabuildashnowmayne2392]

I think the only other one was one of the 2001 daytona 125's

[@MrBreeze18]

And 1997s exhibition race in Japan

[@renfredholdenso6986]

What is the maximum speed here? 180?

[@RAID3R63]

skinner dominated Japan

[@4specialkinggaming807]

2:24:01

[@MYBODYISTICKLISHALLOVER365]

And 10 years later history was made at this track, not in NASCAR but in Indycar by the 👸 of open wheel racing Danica Patrick.

[@TyCathey]

Shawna Robinson did more for racing than danica.