The unlikely tale of greg sacks and his lone nascar victory new. Photos from the 1985 pepsi firecracker 400, daytona internatonal speedway, daytona beach, fl, july 1985, by brian cleary. Personal use prints and editorial downloads available. Champion 400 michigan busch 500 bristol southern 500 darlington wrangler sanforset 400 richmond delaware 500 dover goodys 500 martinsville holly farms 400 north wilkesboro miller 500 charlotte nationwise 500 rockingham atlanta journal 500. Virtual unknown greg sacks shocked the motorsports world in 1985 by becoming the.
During the 1985 nascar winston cup season, bill elliott emerged as a bona fide superspeedway hero. Driving a research and development car for digard motorsports, which was in the thick of the championship fight with bobby allison, sacks would win the 1985 firecracker 400. Nascar cup series race winners at daytona international speedway. Elliotts points lead now expanded to 101 markers on darrell waltrip 3rd.
The 1986 firecracker 400 was a nascar winston cup series race that took place on july 4, 1986, at daytona international speedway in daytona beach. Nascar race result for the pepsi firecracker 400 at daytona international speedway on jul 4, 1985. Pepsi firecracker 400 daytona international speedway. Stats this article has passed the halfway point, but is in no way close to the official. The coke zero sugar 400 is a nascar cup series race held at daytona international. Driving what was described as a research and development car for digard racing, greg sacks scored one of the biggest upsets in nascar history when he won the 1985 firecracker 400 at daytona. Nascar cup tracks daytona international speedway nbcsports. It was a victory for the ages, putting racing on the front pages of newspapers across the country and nascar on nightly newscasts. If you know the answer to this question, please register to join our limited beta program and start the conversation right now. It remained the firecracker 400 until 1985, when pepsi, one of the speedways original benefactors, spent additional money to rebrand julys race as the pepsi firecracker 400. Nascar race result for the pepsi firecracker 400 at daytona international speedway on jul. Nascar standings after race number 16 of the nascar winston cup series.
A look back at all dodge models that have run in nascar fox. Daytona international speedway summer web gems page 2. Elliott clicked off a string of victories at nascars fastest tracks, including daytona, atlanta, darlington, and talladega. Among the nearly six decades of history, here are a few moments that stand tall as some of the coke zero sugar 400 s most significant. The first summer race at daytona international speedway was called the firecracker 250 the forerunner of the coke zero sugar 400 and held on july 4, 1959. Nascar driver bobby allison talks with his crew members during a practice session for the 1985 firecracker 400 on july 3, 1985 at the daytona international speedway in daytona beach, florida. Firecracker 400 daytona international speedway margin. Eight of the most surprising daytona summer finishes usa today. Coke zero sugar 400 memorable moments daytona international.
His first victory in the nextel cup series came in 1985 in the firecracker 400 at daytona international speedway. Coke zero 400 memorable moments daytona international. Calling all nascar winston cup nascar, racing fans. Despite an inexperienced pit crew, greg sacks races to victory at daytona international speedway in the 1985 firecracker 400. The first summer race at daytona international speedway was called the firecracker 250 the forerunner of the coke zero 400 powered by cocacola and held on july 4, 1959. It is not only sacks first nascar winston cup grand national victory, but also his first topfive finish. Greg has proven to be a solid driver on the bigger tracks like daytona and talladega, said team owner james whitener. Unheralded greg sacks stuns the favorites by winning the pepsi firecracker 400 at daytona. Nascar daytona international speedway winners quiz by. Article 404 daytona beach newsjournal online daytona beach, fl daytona s summertime race has produced some surprising visitors to victory lane. The 1985 pepsi firecracker 400 was a winston cup now nextel cup event held at daytona international speedway on july 4, 1985. Nascar 1980s by brian cleary photos by brian cleary. Daytona beach richard petty beat cale yarborough by the width of his front bumper to win the 1984 firecracker 400 and score his 200th career victory with president ronald reagan watching from a vip suite. Nascar cup series pole winners at daytona international speedway.
Cars built by matthews won 262 of 362 nascar winston cup races from 1974 1985, including all 30 races in 1978, and four consecutive winston cup championships 197578. Many drivers who have won the daytona 500 have also won the coke zero 400 at some. Coke zero 400 academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. Nascars most memorable onewin wonders sports daytona. Daytonas july race has met changes and challenges sports. In 1985, virtual unknown greg sacks shocked the motorsports world by. Competed in the nascar winston cup series between 19831998. Nascar winston racing series firecracker 400 daytona. He had three children, paul, brian, and rachel, with his wife vicky. Jul 02, 2018 it remained the firecracker 400 until 1985, when pepsi, one of the speedways original benefactors, spent additional money to rebrand julys race as the pepsi firecracker 400.
The 1985 nascar season was also highlighted by the inaugural the winston, a special nonpoints invitational race for nascar allstars. Test your knowledge on this sports quiz to see how you do and compare your score to others. In addition, almost every multipletime daytona 500 winner has. Elliott races at daytona beach today, watkins glen. Nascar driver kyle petty cools off in the daytona international speedway garage area during qualifying for the 1985 firecracker 400 on july 3, 1985 in daytona beach, florida. My online photo database contains 29 photos from pit road and victory lane as well as some good driver candids. Bill elliott is winning so many winston cup stock car races that hes looking for something else to conquer. Won the 1985 firecracker 400 at daytona over bill elliott.
The address label on this brochure has been removed, and one area has a small mark from a ballpoint pen. Miller 400 michigan pepsi firecracker 400 daytona summer 500 pocono talladega 500. None of these, however, were any bigger then the miracle that happened in the 1985 pepsi firecracker 400 when a 32yearold man from mattituck, new york shocked the nascar world. Race results for the 1985 nascar winston cup series pepsi firecracker 400 at daytona international speedway. Apr 22, 2019 among the nearly six decades of history, here are a few moments that stand tall as some of the coke zero sugar 400s most significant. His cars won the firecracker 400 at daytona three times with drivers fireball roberts, a. The coke zero sugar 400 is an annual nascar cup series stock car race at daytona international speedway. Considered one of the greatest upsets in nascar history, greg sacks. Jul 2 greg sacks won the 1985 pepsi firecracker 400 at daytona. May 18, 2010 on the silver anniversary weekend of his monumental nascar sprint cup victory in the 1985 pepsi firecracker 400, veteran greg sacks will return to the drivers seat in a jr motorsports entry in the july 2 nascar nationwide series race at daytona international speedway, kicking off a brand new partnership between jr motorsports and grand touring vodka. Greg sacks, in a stunning upset, won his only career race, holding off bill elliott by 23.
Daytona international speedway home to nascars biggest upset. A year later he earned a busch series win at talladega. Held on july 4, 1985 at daytona international speedway in daytona beach, fl. All years 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010. In 2008 coca cola replaced pepsi as the title sponsor of the coke zero 400. April 26 today in jayskis nascar history page 16 of. The coke zero 400 powered by cocacola at daytona is a 160 lap, 400 miles 640 km nascar sprint cup series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at daytona international speedway in daytona beach, florida. In 1985 pepsi became as the title sponsor of the firecracker 400.
Nascar winston cup race number 15 of 28 thursday, july 4, 1985 at daytona international speedway, daytona beach, fl 160 laps on a 2. Thursday, july 4, 1985 at daytona international speedway, daytona beach, fl 160 laps on a 2. This ticket brochure for the 1985 pepsi firecracker 400 is special because it is also a reminiscence of richard pettys 200th victory in the previous years race, which had president ronald reagan in attendance. Greg biffle won his first race in the 2003 pepsi 400 in dramatic fashion. Jun 27, 2017 mixed into the nearly six decades of history, several moments stand tall as some of the coke zero 400s most significant. The pepsi firecracker 400 was run on july 4 at daytona international speedway in daytona beach, florida.
Jul 01, 2008 daytona international raceway has been home to a lot of upset finishes in its 50 years of existence. Races shown are ones from any of the series tracked by. Qualified on the pole for the 1990 firecracker 400. By the decades coke zero 400 daytona international speedway. On many occasions, cars built by banjo matthews comprised over half the field, not only did he build them, he also repaired them. The 1985 firecracker 400 produced what is billed as the greatest upset in nascar history.
Pepsi firecracker 400 unheralded greg sacks stuns the favorites by winning the pepsi firecracker 400 at daytona. The unlikely tale of greg sacks and his lone nascar. This is the 15th race of the 1985 winston cup season from the daytona international speedway. Won the 1996 busch grand national race at talladega. Coke zero 400 memorable moments daytona international speedway. First held in 1959, the event consists of 160 laps, 400 mile 640 km, and is the second of two major stock car events held at daytona on the cup series circuit, the other being the daytona 500. Apr 23, 2020 some of the biggest onehit wonders happened at daytona. From its inception to 2019, it was traditionally held on or around united states independence day. While 1985 put bill elliott on the map, 1988 was the year in which he emerged to win. He won his only nascar sprint cup series race at the 1985 firecracker 400 at daytona. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images.
Daytona international speedway home to nascars biggest. This race was originally uploaded by user brock beard in parts. Nascar standings after race number 15 of the nascar winston cup series. Nascar 1985 daytonafirecracker 400 ticket brochure. Can you name the nascar daytona international speedway winners. As the stars of the sprint cup series prepare to take to daytona international speedway, we look back at some memorable moments from the track. Decades at daytona 1980s daytona international speedway. Nascar race result for the firecracker 400 at daytona international speedway on jul 4, 1975. A look at the history of the pepsi 400 at daytona international speedway with year of race, winner, runnerup, polesitter and winning car owner. Since 1959, the coke zero 400 powered by cocacola has been a. Calling all nascar winston cup grand national nascar, racing fans. The drivers who have won the coke zero 400 and the daytona 500 are as.
List of onehit wonders in the nascar premier series fox. Mixed into the nearly six decades of history, several moments stand tall as some of the coke zero 400 s most significant. A look back at all dodge models that have run in nascar. That stretch included what would be the final victory of bakers career, a convincing triumph in the 1983 firecracker 400 at daytona. Eight of the most surprising daytona summer finishes. Watch live races and get the nascar schedule, race results, rumors and more on. Click add to cart next to any image to check pricing and availability. Gabriel 400 michigan international speedway margin. Nascar race results at daytona jul 4, 1975 firecracker 400.