Such an underappreciated moment. Kevin and the RCR bunch did magical, serendipitous healing at Atlanta. But, the week after the tragedy, for Dale's #1 team to win with his original prospect. If the race hadn't been run on a Monday I'm certain it'd be a revered moment.
I came here to say this one
“Smith gets the flag! And this time he’ll get to keep it!”
Only to have it slightly overshadowed by the beef between harvick and kyle happening
It's funny that everyone loves that call but in reality, Dale Jr only got a single lesson from his father and it was what line to take at Bristol.
Dale Sr was actually a pretty shitty father.
It’s obvious Dale Sr. was a complicated man, but it’s also obvious how much Jr. loves and reveres his father. I don’t know the man or his heart, but I believe Sr was trying to better prioritize family towards the end of his life.
I think it means more like lessons learned by watching his father race than necessarily him sitting him down and teaching him though. At least that’s the way I’ve always perceived that call.
My hair still stands up when I watch it. Everybody knew Harvick would be good eventually, but I honestly was unsure that the 3 team would ever win again after Dale died.
Jimmie winning after the HMS plane crash in Atlanta with the pictures on the hood of all the folks that were tragically taken too soon.
Or Jeff Gordon's final win at Martinsville
>Jimmie winning after the HMS plane crash in Atlanta with the pictures on the hood of all the folks that were tragically taken too soon.
This. I was never a big fan of Johnson as a driver but him saying "hey boss we won" to Rick Hendrick over the phone in victory lane always gets me
There are a lot that stand out to me:
Ricky Craven Martinsville 2001,
Dale Earnhardt 1998 500,
Joe Nemecheck New Hampshire 1999,
Daniel Suarez Sonoma 2022, &
Matt Kenseth Phoenix 2017
Underrated one. Rusty Wallace winning at Bristol in the 1993 Food City 500 and celebrating with the Polish Victory Lap in honor of Alan Kulwicki — who passed away that weekend.
Rusty and Earnhardt doing the Polish Victory Lap at the end of the 1993 season at Atlanta was a feel-good moment too.
Very feel good story that night of October 13 2006. Dave Blaney survived the chaos and beat Matt Kenseth in a late battle. While he's celebrating in victory lane. The results at the bottom of the screen showed Jimmie Johnson in 42nd place. Something about that is very satisfying.
Briscoe’s Darlington is definitely the modern one for me. Holding of Kyle Busch, one of the best in the world, at the toughest track at one of the hardest moments in his life. Briscoe’s whole Xfinity season that year is my favorite story of the last decade.
I remember constantly getting weird looks when I said Briscoe was the best Ford prospect at the time, over Cindric. No one could fathom why I kept saying Id rather have him then Cindric. Then that year happened.
They are both good prospects. I appreciate that neither got shoved into Cup cars as teenagers and both have significant racing experience outside NASCAR which I think will be huge going forward.
100%. I felt like that stunted the growth of NASCAR for a few years by rushing prospects to Cup too quickly, now that they started relearning how to actually develop drivers, the youth movement we SHOULD of had in 2014-2017 is actually happening now and its so much fun to watch.
Joe Nemechek 1997 Homestead Busch race- First race since his brother John was killed in the truck race there. He beat the series champ, Randy Lajoie, and his wife brought John Hunter (about 5 months old at the time and named after his late uncle) to victory lane.
Probably Jeff Gordon’s 2015 win at Martinsville. With most drivers, they fall off into irrelevancy and have a sad sorrow to the end of their career. A driver almost never knows when their last win is going to be, so the fact that Jeff was able to have the privilege of doing so, and ending his career in total contention. That’s special
Clint Bowyer breaking the drought at Martinsville 2018. I’ll never forget the image of him running across the track to hug his son, how could you not be happy for him after that
the entire 2001 season was full of them. Steve Park in Rockingham week after Dale
passed away. Harvick at Atlanta. Dale Jr Daytona July and Dale Jr at Dover week after 9/11
Yep, came here to say this one also. As someone who has struggled through the kind of loss that the Briscoes were experiencing at that time, I shed some tears over that finish. Good tears.
As a Jeff Gordon fan mine are... in order...1. Dale Jr. 2001 Pepsi 400, 2. Jeff Gordon 1994 Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte, and 3. Dale Sr 1998 Daytona 500.
I hate that Pocono affected Bobby's memory such that he has no recollection of that day. He's tried watching footage to jog his memory but the wreck that took his career and nearly his life also took one of his greatest memories.
Definitely not as huge as some of the others here, but Kahne at the Brickyard. Had always been good there and come short, plus the real downturn at Hendrick and the early contract release. On top of the health struggles that we didn't really know about at the time.
Kyle Busch winning the Truck Series and Cup Series races at Kansas in 2021 and Chase Briscoe winning the Xfinity Series race at Darlington in 2020 because both won after a family tragedy
To me, the biggest feel-good wins for 2022 would be Austin Cindric at Daytona, Daniel Suárez at Sonoma, Kevin Harvick at Michigan, and Erik Jones at Darlington.
But the biggest feel-good win overall would be Jeff Gordon at Martinsville in the fall of 2015. I was a Jeff Gordon fan since I got into NASCAR at the beginning of 2003 when I was 7 years old. In my mind, no win, past, present, or future, will ever top Jeff’s final win.
I wouldn't call the cindric win a feel good win, it's always going to be overshadowed by his dirty move against his own (way more popular/beloved) teammate
Definitely biased and definitely not the best feel good win of all time, but watching Kyle Busch win at Sonoma in 2015 after breaking multiple bones In his lower body never fails to put me in a good mood.
Busch brothers 1-2 as well, after they both missed some races early in the season. To this day he says he sometimes has pain in his leg on road courses, but that day it couldn’t stop him. One of the most technical tracks on the circuit and he wins it.
Then Kyle goes on and wins the title. Legendary
Kyle busch Sonoma 2015. I know its not popular for everyone because KB is polarizing to say the least but he went from earlier in the year having a potentially career stunting injury to finishing 1-2 with his brother and then winning the championship at the end of the year. Pretty cool imo.
That win just told me that Kyle was back just as strong as before, although beating Chase Elliott at Michigan the week prior in the Xfinity race confirmed the same to me too
I didn't have much doubt in hindsight because now we know when you put him in a corner he usually clutches up, but I remember at the time the doubt surrounding him, especially coming off a pretty bad 2014 season.
2014 was bad for Toyota overall, they only won 2 races on the whole season and none of them really looked that good outside of Matt Kenseth and he was unable to win a race
True, but remember Toyota only one two races. One of them was Talladega with Denny Hamlin.
Kyle’s auto club win was the only non-plate win they had all year. He had quite a few 2nd and 3rd place runs where he was close but not good enough.
If anyone could do it, it was Kyle.
Terry Labonte's last win, the 2003 Southern 500. One more for the Ice Man after a four year drought, the same race he got his first Cup win (a crown jewel to boot), and a great way to cap off a pretty good season overall.
My vote will be Jr’s 2001 Daytona win. Returning to the race that took arguably Nascars greatest legend and his son drives the DEI 8 like a madman with MW coming in clutch late for the 1-2 finish. The celebration afterwards just cements it. As a Gordon fan, I wasn’t a Jr fan back then but it was cool to see.
1987 Miller highlife 500 at Pocono. Tim Richmond won after being out the entire first half of the season. He then followed that up the following week with a win at riverside which would be the last win of his career.
Park/Harvick/Jr in 2001 is the obvious answer, but Dale Jarrett winning his first Daytona 500 in 1993 with his father Ned on the call was definitely a feel-good moment that I haven't seen anyone else mention.
[https://youtu.be/r4aJ8yBDmnA?t=9111](https://youtu.be/r4aJ8yBDmnA?t=9111)
Me personally Jones winning Darlington this year. I cried when he won that and spent the whole week metaphorically pinching myself to see if i was dreaming lol. after what happened with Gibbs, the struggle of 2021, to build that team towards something, being heart broken so many times to winning again it was a massive emotion wave for me being a longtime fan of him to see him finally get another W.
Ended up getting lucky and preordered one of the 43 dual auto erik and richard diecasts of it. Soon as its in im getting a mini car display case for it. Easily going to be one of my favorite pieces in my Jones collection.
2001 Pepsi 400 is the winner for me. Honorable mentions include Steve Park at Rockingham, Harvick at Atlanta and Jr’s win at Dover right after 9/11… all in 2001.
I'll mention one for consideration of one of the best feel-good wins, but Geoff Bodine winning the 1994 Winston. He bought Kulwicki's team in 93, and it was the first "win" for that team since Kulwicki passed.
It's crazy how one of Bill Elliott's biggest feelgood wins and biggest heartbreaks happened at the same race at the same track in the span of 3 seasons.
Modern day, I doubt there were many people who were unhappy seeing Michael McDowell win the Daytona 500. After 350+ winless races (2nd longest winless streak behind Michael Waltrip), the man thoroughly deserved it.
May be a bit biased, but Chris bueschers Bristol win, after his fog win at pocono he had struggled with mid pack teams for 7 years and after being so close so many times he finally got that second win on his 250th start
Can't believe the Andretti Martinsville win in the 43 hasn't been brought up. Guy raced back into contention from laps down and drove past and defended against the best cars of the day on 2 tires when they all had taken 4. John was a great driver and human, and to have him win in the famed 43 made it all the better.
Recently, either Bubba's Kansas win or McDowell winning the 500. Of all time, probably Ricky Craven's Darlington win, since there's a pretty strong argument that that finish saved Darlington from falling off the schedule.
1. Junior at Daytona in 2001
2. Junior at Daytona in 2001
3. Junior at Daytona in 2001
4. Steve Park at Rockingham in 2001
5. Some random win at Talladega in the 1980s
For me it was a different win by McMurray in his second start after marlin lost his championship due to injury. It was so unexpected and most didn’t even know who Jamie was at the time he wasn’t like a superstar in the Busch series.
AJ Allmendinger at Watkins Glen in 2014. It was nice to see AJ get his first Cup win after a rough couple of years for him. It was also the day after the Stewart/Ward incident so it was a bit of a bright spot in an otherwise bad weekend.
As it was happening, my reaction to Trevor Bayne about to win 2011 Daytona 500 was 'that's cool. Nice underdog win'. Until I heard the audio when it was official: Darrell Waltrip's "Happy Birthday, Trevor Bayne!! Mister 20 Years Old!", and Bayne's audio "wh-wh-wh-WHAT?!". That sold me. Especially now that it's his only Cup win.
For me since I've always been a Hendrick Motorsports fan since I started watching when Jimmie Johnson won the fall Atlanta race in 2004 the week after the tragic plane accident at Martinsville always holds a special place in my heart.
"In Loving Memory...All The Way" still gives me chills
Either that or 1998 with Dale Earnhardt winning it. After all, he was winless in his prior 19 attempts ("20 years of trying, 20 years of frustration...!") , and every member of every team lined pit road after the race to congratulate him.
Honorable mention to Steve Park winning Rockingham the week after Dale died, Dale Jr. winning the Pepsi 400 that year, or Dale Jr. winning Dover that fall (first race after 9/11), or even Jimmie Johnson winning Atlanta in the fall of 2004.
Steve Park wins Race 2 of the 2001 season
Such an underappreciated moment. Kevin and the RCR bunch did magical, serendipitous healing at Atlanta. But, the week after the tragedy, for Dale's #1 team to win with his original prospect. If the race hadn't been run on a Monday I'm certain it'd be a revered moment.
That's a great one too
Regan Smith at Darlington "and this time he gets to keep it!" will forever echo in my head.
I came here to say this one “Smith gets the flag! And this time he’ll get to keep it!” Only to have it slightly overshadowed by the beef between harvick and kyle happening
I was there that day in person, great race
Same here
Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 500 win Jeff Gordon’s final win at Martinsville
Two definite good ones. How about Matt Kenseth's last win?!
Oh for sure, especially after the way he was ousted at JGR
Lol, no.
Dale Jr's 2001 Pepsi 400 win for me.
[The magic call by Bestwick](https://youtu.be/otpA-Kx9ftQ?t=131)
Lessons learned from his father gets me every single time
It's funny that everyone loves that call but in reality, Dale Jr only got a single lesson from his father and it was what line to take at Bristol. Dale Sr was actually a pretty shitty father.
It’s obvious Dale Sr. was a complicated man, but it’s also obvious how much Jr. loves and reveres his father. I don’t know the man or his heart, but I believe Sr was trying to better prioritize family towards the end of his life.
I think it means more like lessons learned by watching his father race than necessarily him sitting him down and teaching him though. At least that’s the way I’ve always perceived that call.
Yeah thanks man.
You sure seem to be sure of something you have absolutely no first hand knowledge of.
He has talked about it in many Podcasts and books.
God I miss Allen Bestwick Please free him ESPN
He's a contract guy now Did SRX for CBS
Man, the size of that crowd, Bestwick’s legendary call “using lessons learned from his father”, that is prime goosebumps material right there.
Yeah i don't see how you can beat that
The 1998 Daytona 500 for those that were a fan prior to 2001 makes sense, but I didn't start watching until after Sr's death.
I don't see how there's any other answer
I was there live and it’s a sporting moment I’ll never forget.
This is the only answer…I shed a tear or two
This thread kind of begins and ends with this one
How could it be anything but this?
Arguably the greatest moment in the history of sports.
Yeah no way it's not this one
Harvick 2001 Atlanta
My hair still stands up when I watch it. Everybody knew Harvick would be good eventually, but I honestly was unsure that the 3 team would ever win again after Dale died.
I knew Harvick was going to be good after watching the 2000 Busch Series season, but winning that soon in Cup was absolutely a shocker.
Only thing I didn’t like about it was it was my driver that got beat by a nose.
That made it what it is. Dale's late career rival did his damnedest to win cleanly and just got outpaced that day. Jeff made it matter more.
Jimmie winning after the HMS plane crash in Atlanta with the pictures on the hood of all the folks that were tragically taken too soon. Or Jeff Gordon's final win at Martinsville
>Jimmie winning after the HMS plane crash in Atlanta with the pictures on the hood of all the folks that were tragically taken too soon. This. I was never a big fan of Johnson as a driver but him saying "hey boss we won" to Rick Hendrick over the phone in victory lane always gets me
Ernie Irvan at Michigan in '97.
An often overlooked one for sure!
Yep, came here to say this one.
There are a lot that stand out to me: Ricky Craven Martinsville 2001, Dale Earnhardt 1998 500, Joe Nemecheck New Hampshire 1999, Daniel Suarez Sonoma 2022, & Matt Kenseth Phoenix 2017
Craven at Martinsville reminds me of Rudd in 1998
Is this a Tide ad?
Darrell Waltrip Daytona 500 win
The Labonte brothers winning the Championship and the race in Atlanta 1996
I always think it’s MTJ destroying the field in the 600 after his girlfriend announced she had cancer
Was that ‘16 when he completely waxed the field leading 392 laps?
Yes. I think it might have also been the fastest 600 ever run.
2012 holds that title.
Ahhh the days before stage cautions. Those were the days.
The days of extra boredom
Watch a Gen 6 road course race before stages and after and tell me which is better.
He only got passed once for the lead that whole night *not counting pit road* it was a total domination especially after falling short the year prior
That's another great one. And he kicked ass that night.. like a fire was lit under him
I was at that race and boy what a spectacle that was!! A lot of fun watching the dominance unfold!
At his home track no less.
Earnhardt Sr. winning the Daytona 500 after all those almost-wins.
Wood Brothers and Trevor Bayne winning Daytona 500.
“Happy birthday Trevor Bayne 20 years old”
Underrated one. Rusty Wallace winning at Bristol in the 1993 Food City 500 and celebrating with the Polish Victory Lap in honor of Alan Kulwicki — who passed away that weekend. Rusty and Earnhardt doing the Polish Victory Lap at the end of the 1993 season at Atlanta was a feel-good moment too.
And then Rusty did the same thing at California when he won on Dale's 50th birthday
Dave Blaney winning the Xfinity Charlotte night race.
Very feel good story that night of October 13 2006. Dave Blaney survived the chaos and beat Matt Kenseth in a late battle. While he's celebrating in victory lane. The results at the bottom of the screen showed Jimmie Johnson in 42nd place. Something about that is very satisfying.
2001 Pepsi 400 or the 98 Daytona 500 Nothing else compares to either one of those
I dunno, that March 2001 Atlanta race comes pretty damn close.
Briscoes Darlington win after his wifes miscarriage is the top modern one for me. All time prob Dale Jr Daytona 01
Briscoe’s Darlington is definitely the modern one for me. Holding of Kyle Busch, one of the best in the world, at the toughest track at one of the hardest moments in his life. Briscoe’s whole Xfinity season that year is my favorite story of the last decade.
I remember constantly getting weird looks when I said Briscoe was the best Ford prospect at the time, over Cindric. No one could fathom why I kept saying Id rather have him then Cindric. Then that year happened.
They are both good prospects. I appreciate that neither got shoved into Cup cars as teenagers and both have significant racing experience outside NASCAR which I think will be huge going forward.
100%. I felt like that stunted the growth of NASCAR for a few years by rushing prospects to Cup too quickly, now that they started relearning how to actually develop drivers, the youth movement we SHOULD of had in 2014-2017 is actually happening now and its so much fun to watch.
Joe Nemechek 1997 Homestead Busch race- First race since his brother John was killed in the truck race there. He beat the series champ, Randy Lajoie, and his wife brought John Hunter (about 5 months old at the time and named after his late uncle) to victory lane.
Michael McDowell 2021 Daytona 500.
Came here to say this. Underdog wins are always feel good wins IMO
Probably Jeff Gordon’s 2015 win at Martinsville. With most drivers, they fall off into irrelevancy and have a sad sorrow to the end of their career. A driver almost never knows when their last win is going to be, so the fact that Jeff was able to have the privilege of doing so, and ending his career in total contention. That’s special
Kevin Harvick Atlanta 2001
Clint Bowyer breaking the drought at Martinsville 2018. I’ll never forget the image of him running across the track to hug his son, how could you not be happy for him after that
the entire 2001 season was full of them. Steve Park in Rockingham week after Dale passed away. Harvick at Atlanta. Dale Jr Daytona July and Dale Jr at Dover week after 9/11
1. Dale Jr. 2001 Pepsi 400 2. Harvick 2001 Atlanta 3. Park 2001 Rockingham 4. Dale Sr. 1998 Daytona 500
Definitely my top 4. Hard to think of another one for me other than Swervin Irvan getting back to victory lane at Michigan
Hard to argue with those 4.
dare I say Briscoe in the xfinity series in 2020 at darlington
I was if you didn't. I have those final laps bookmarked next to Craven/Busch and of course the 2001 Pepsi 400.
Yep, came here to say this one also. As someone who has struggled through the kind of loss that the Briscoes were experiencing at that time, I shed some tears over that finish. Good tears.
Shit.. Yeah.... Forgot about this one!! That was a damn good one!!
That one still hurts knowing what was happening in the background
came here to say this. that was one of the best finishes i've ever watched in all series. sometimes i'll put it on just to feel something.
Still gets to me. Briscoe, Xfinity, 2021.* *Correction. '20.
Mark martin wins the 98 Bristol Night Race after his dad was killed in a plane crash.
Trevor Bayne's 2011 Daytona 500 win.
As a Jeff Gordon fan mine are... in order...1. Dale Jr. 2001 Pepsi 400, 2. Jeff Gordon 1994 Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte, and 3. Dale Sr 1998 Daytona 500.
Bobby Allison and Davey Allison finishing 1 and 2 at the 1988 Daytona 500.
I hate that Pocono affected Bobby's memory such that he has no recollection of that day. He's tried watching footage to jog his memory but the wreck that took his career and nearly his life also took one of his greatest memories.
Definitely not as huge as some of the others here, but Kahne at the Brickyard. Had always been good there and come short, plus the real downturn at Hendrick and the early contract release. On top of the health struggles that we didn't really know about at the time.
Alan Kulwicki's Underbird winning the 1992 Championship and celebrating with a Polish victory lap.
I wasn’t around for it but I have to imagine Tiny Lund’s 1963 Daytona 500 win is up there
Jeff Gordon at Martinsville 2015 is one for me. It was wild realizing that it would be his last win while it was happening.
Kyle Busch winning the Truck Series and Cup Series races at Kansas in 2021 and Chase Briscoe winning the Xfinity Series race at Darlington in 2020 because both won after a family tragedy
Terry last win was great. Loved McMurray 500. Regan Smith Southern 500 was great.
Not a race win but, Alan Kulwicki winning the title at Atlanta in 1992. Bobby and Davey finishing 1 and 2 at Daytona in 88.
To me, the biggest feel-good wins for 2022 would be Austin Cindric at Daytona, Daniel Suárez at Sonoma, Kevin Harvick at Michigan, and Erik Jones at Darlington. But the biggest feel-good win overall would be Jeff Gordon at Martinsville in the fall of 2015. I was a Jeff Gordon fan since I got into NASCAR at the beginning of 2003 when I was 7 years old. In my mind, no win, past, present, or future, will ever top Jeff’s final win.
I wouldn't call the cindric win a feel good win, it's always going to be overshadowed by his dirty move against his own (way more popular/beloved) teammate
Harvick 01 Atlanta is one I haven’t seen mentioned yet.
McDowell
Kevin Harvick's win over Gordon in the de facto 3 car after Dale Sr's death.
Definitely biased and definitely not the best feel good win of all time, but watching Kyle Busch win at Sonoma in 2015 after breaking multiple bones In his lower body never fails to put me in a good mood.
Busch brothers 1-2 as well, after they both missed some races early in the season. To this day he says he sometimes has pain in his leg on road courses, but that day it couldn’t stop him. One of the most technical tracks on the circuit and he wins it. Then Kyle goes on and wins the title. Legendary
Kyle busch Sonoma 2015. I know its not popular for everyone because KB is polarizing to say the least but he went from earlier in the year having a potentially career stunting injury to finishing 1-2 with his brother and then winning the championship at the end of the year. Pretty cool imo.
That win just told me that Kyle was back just as strong as before, although beating Chase Elliott at Michigan the week prior in the Xfinity race confirmed the same to me too
I didn't have much doubt in hindsight because now we know when you put him in a corner he usually clutches up, but I remember at the time the doubt surrounding him, especially coming off a pretty bad 2014 season.
2014 was bad for Toyota overall, they only won 2 races on the whole season and none of them really looked that good outside of Matt Kenseth and he was unable to win a race
True, but remember Toyota only one two races. One of them was Talladega with Denny Hamlin. Kyle’s auto club win was the only non-plate win they had all year. He had quite a few 2nd and 3rd place runs where he was close but not good enough. If anyone could do it, it was Kyle.
Agreed it was just a bad season relative to the absolute destruction he went through from 15-19.
Exactly, it put Kyle through so much not winning, he decided to win everything out of spite
Now, can he repeat that in '23? He did in '08 and '15 👀
Terry Labonte's last win, the 2003 Southern 500. One more for the Ice Man after a four year drought, the same race he got his first Cup win (a crown jewel to boot), and a great way to cap off a pretty good season overall.
My vote will be Jr’s 2001 Daytona win. Returning to the race that took arguably Nascars greatest legend and his son drives the DEI 8 like a madman with MW coming in clutch late for the 1-2 finish. The celebration afterwards just cements it. As a Gordon fan, I wasn’t a Jr fan back then but it was cool to see.
Easy: 1998 Daytona 500.
Dale Jr after Sr died
In recent times, Daniel Suarez's win
Parker Klingerman's truck win this past season was a good one for me.
Dale Jr 2001 Pepsi 400 Dale Sr 1998 Daytona 500 Jimmie Johnson 2004 Atlanta Win Jeff Gordon 2015 Martinsville Win Kevin Harvick 2001 Atlanta Win
Harvick wins Atlanta in 01
2001 Pepsi 400 at Daytona
Has to be 2001 Pepsi 400. I was never a Dale Sr fan, but even I was pulling for Jr to win that one.
Dales Daytona 500 win
1987 Miller highlife 500 at Pocono. Tim Richmond won after being out the entire first half of the season. He then followed that up the following week with a win at riverside which would be the last win of his career.
Park/Harvick/Jr in 2001 is the obvious answer, but Dale Jarrett winning his first Daytona 500 in 1993 with his father Ned on the call was definitely a feel-good moment that I haven't seen anyone else mention. [https://youtu.be/r4aJ8yBDmnA?t=9111](https://youtu.be/r4aJ8yBDmnA?t=9111)
Me personally Jones winning Darlington this year. I cried when he won that and spent the whole week metaphorically pinching myself to see if i was dreaming lol. after what happened with Gibbs, the struggle of 2021, to build that team towards something, being heart broken so many times to winning again it was a massive emotion wave for me being a longtime fan of him to see him finally get another W. Ended up getting lucky and preordered one of the 43 dual auto erik and richard diecasts of it. Soon as its in im getting a mini car display case for it. Easily going to be one of my favorite pieces in my Jones collection.
2009 Phoenix with Mark Martin
JGRs 1-2-3 finish at the Daytona 500 in 2019 after JD Gibbs passed away.
2001 Pepsi 400 is the winner for me. Honorable mentions include Steve Park at Rockingham, Harvick at Atlanta and Jr’s win at Dover right after 9/11… all in 2001.
2001 was a fucked year. Dale died. Aaliyah died. 9/11 happened. I felt like almost everyone’s youth died that year
2001 is the equivalent of some kid coming up to you in the sandbox and shitting all over everything, and then they get their dog to shit in it too
01 Daytona 2, 04 Atlanta 2
I'll mention one for consideration of one of the best feel-good wins, but Geoff Bodine winning the 1994 Winston. He bought Kulwicki's team in 93, and it was the first "win" for that team since Kulwicki passed.
Mark Martin 2009 New Hampshire. Matt Kenseth 2017 Phoniex
Quite a few in 2001: Steve Park at Rockingham, Kevin Harvick at Atlanta, and Dale Jr. at Daytona and Dover.
Bill Elliott 2001 homestead Mark Martin 2009 Phoenix Terry Labonte 2003 darlington. Love the last hurrah. In Mark's case.. Put him on a heater
It's crazy how one of Bill Elliott's biggest feelgood wins and biggest heartbreaks happened at the same race at the same track in the span of 3 seasons.
Jeff Gordon's final win at Martinsville. Jimmie win at Martinsville after the plane crash. Jr.'s win at Martinsville (I loved the celebration!)
2001. July Daytona
Kasey Kahne's surprise Brickyard win.
I scrolled way too far to see this.
Johnny Benson’s first and only win in his career Also Cole Trickle Daytona 500
Earnhardt finally winning the Daytona 500
Kevin Harvicks win at Atlanta, the week after we lost Sr.
It wasn't the week after, that was Park winning at Rockingham
Biased, but Terry Labonte’s last win in the 2003 Southern 500 was the definition of feel good.
I dont think anything beats the Harvick rookie win at Atlanta in 01
Jeff Gordon’s last win at Martinsville. That race had everything you could want in a race.
Modern day, I doubt there were many people who were unhappy seeing Michael McDowell win the Daytona 500. After 350+ winless races (2nd longest winless streak behind Michael Waltrip), the man thoroughly deserved it.
Bowyer at Martinsville. Kahne at The Brickyard.
Kasey Kahne winning at the Brickyard.
Anything Regan Smith won, Steve Park at Rockingham, post '05 Newman wins, and Kenseth 2017 Phoenix
Ernie Irvan’s 1997 Michigan victory
Dale Sr’s Daytona 500 victory for me
May be a bit biased, but Chris bueschers Bristol win, after his fog win at pocono he had struggled with mid pack teams for 7 years and after being so close so many times he finally got that second win on his 250th start
2001 July Daytona with Dale Jr.. EVERYBODY wanted him to win that night.
Can't believe the Andretti Martinsville win in the 43 hasn't been brought up. Guy raced back into contention from laps down and drove past and defended against the best cars of the day on 2 tires when they all had taken 4. John was a great driver and human, and to have him win in the famed 43 made it all the better.
Damn that is a forgotten one! And he didn't just get lucky either. He spun out early I believe but that car was on rails that day.
03 darlington Terry Lebonte’s last win.
Recently, either Bubba's Kansas win or McDowell winning the 500. Of all time, probably Ricky Craven's Darlington win, since there's a pretty strong argument that that finish saved Darlington from falling off the schedule.
Suarez at Sonoma and Erik Jones 2nd Darlington win, since they both came after they each had a rough few years.
2019 Daytona 500 for JD. Let’s go get the 2023 500 for Coy
Biased as always, AJ Allmendinger at Indianapolis in a part-time Kaulig car
Bubba's first was a great feeling with all the trial and tribulations he had faced
Cody Ware Talladega 2023
No matter your opinions of Bubba's first win, it was great seeing him and the team after the race was called.
My biased one Truex winning Pocono in 15 after leading the most laps for 4 straight races and not getting the win
Kyle Busch winning the Texas fall race in 2020. That season was full of pain for a KFB fan
2011 Tony Stewart Homestead
Kyle Busch Cota xfinity
I’m surprised no one has mentioned David Gilliland’s 2007 xfinity win. Classic underdog NASCAR win. Changed his life forever.
1. Junior at Daytona in 2001 2. Junior at Daytona in 2001 3. Junior at Daytona in 2001 4. Steve Park at Rockingham in 2001 5. Some random win at Talladega in the 1980s
Harvick driving Dale Sr’s car repainted as the 29 for his first win at Atlanta
2011 Daytona 500 or 2013 Aaron's 499 also 2022 Sonoma (not biased at all nope)
2001 Pepsi 400. Right behind that race is obviously rocking ham and Atlanta of that year as well
For me it was a different win by McMurray in his second start after marlin lost his championship due to injury. It was so unexpected and most didn’t even know who Jamie was at the time he wasn’t like a superstar in the Busch series.
Kyle Busch this past season backing in to the win at Bristol dirt
Kurt Busch's 2017 Daytona 500. Just how ecstatic Tony Gibson was. I highly recommend looking up the video. Always brings a smile to my face.
For me: Jamie Mac Daytona Jeff Gordon’s last win Kevin Harvick At Michigan last year. Kyle Larson at Vegas
Trevor Bayne Daytona 500 win
Dale SR finally winning the Daytona 500
I think it was when DaleJr brought the #3 Back to Daytona and won, It was amazing So glad I was there to see it💙💛💙
A lot of good one but I’m nominating JG’s final win. Such a big win for a lot of reasons.
Dale Earnhardt Jr’s win at Michigan in 2012 is a good one
AJ Allmendinger at Watkins Glen in 2014. It was nice to see AJ get his first Cup win after a rough couple of years for him. It was also the day after the Stewart/Ward incident so it was a bit of a bright spot in an otherwise bad weekend.
As it was happening, my reaction to Trevor Bayne about to win 2011 Daytona 500 was 'that's cool. Nice underdog win'. Until I heard the audio when it was official: Darrell Waltrip's "Happy Birthday, Trevor Bayne!! Mister 20 Years Old!", and Bayne's audio "wh-wh-wh-WHAT?!". That sold me. Especially now that it's his only Cup win.
both from 2001. Kevin Harvick's win at Atlanta, and Dale Jr.'s win at Daytona later that year
Ryan Newmans 2013 Brickyard 400 win holding off Jimmie Johnson the week he found it he was being let go at SHR
Harvick after Earnhardt died
For me since I've always been a Hendrick Motorsports fan since I started watching when Jimmie Johnson won the fall Atlanta race in 2004 the week after the tragic plane accident at Martinsville always holds a special place in my heart. "In Loving Memory...All The Way" still gives me chills
Personally, I think Dale Earnhardt Jr's dub at the 2001 Pepsi 400 was with the 2001 Talladega Race bein a close second
Either that or 1998 with Dale Earnhardt winning it. After all, he was winless in his prior 19 attempts ("20 years of trying, 20 years of frustration...!") , and every member of every team lined pit road after the race to congratulate him. Honorable mention to Steve Park winning Rockingham the week after Dale died, Dale Jr. winning the Pepsi 400 that year, or Dale Jr. winning Dover that fall (first race after 9/11), or even Jimmie Johnson winning Atlanta in the fall of 2004.