I've hit a good streak of luck the last few years visiting tracks for the first time - Homestead in 2014, Phoenix in 2013, Dover in 2011 and Las Vegas in 2010.
Over the almost 40 years of going to races, I never got to see a Petty car win. Yet, I've been fortunate to experience several racing firsts - sometimes for me and/or sometimes for a driver.
1976 Nashville 420 qualifying - Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Neil Bonnett's first Cup pole
He qualified and later raced the CAM2 Penske Mercury in relief for Bobby Allison who was badly hurt in a late model race in Minnesota.
The night was also the first time for me to see the #43 STP Dodge Charger of Richard Petty.
My first Cup race
First time to get close to the legendary #43 STP Dodge
My first Daytona race
First and only Daytona 500 victory for Buddy Baker
My first Bristol race
First Cup win for Rusty Wallace
1987 Winston 500 - Alabama International Motor Speedway
My first race at track now known as Talladega Superspeedway
First Cup win for Davey Allison
1991 Motorcraft 500 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
My first (& second) trip to Atlanta - rained Sunday, returned Monday
First race for Alan Kulwicki with Hooter's as his sponsor
Special K started from the pole position
First Talladega race run on a Monday
Harry Gant won after Sunday's race was postponed by heavy rains
1992 Hooters 500 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
First Cup start for Jeff Gordon
Kulwicki won his first (and only) Cup championship
1994 Daytona 500 - Daytona International Speedway
First Cup win for Sterling Marlin
1994 Coca-Cola 600 - Charlotte Motor Speedway
My first Charlotte race
First Cup win for Jeff Gordon
1995 Brickyard 400 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
My first race at Indy
First (and only) Brickyard win for Dale Earnhardt
1995 Goody's 500 - Bristol Motor Speedway
Terry Labonte wins first of two late race battles with Dale Earnhardt
First Daytona 500 victory for Jeff Gordon
Terry Labonte finishes second with Ricky Craven third
First 1-2-3 sweep for Hendrick Motorsports
(Yes, I was at Gordon's first Cup race, Cup win & Daytona 500 win.)
First Cup race at Texas
First Cup win for Jeff Burton
2003 Pop Secret 400 - North Carolina Motor Speedway
My first Rockingham race
Matt Kenseth clenched his first (and so far only) Cup championship
2007 Coca-Cola 600 - Charlotte Motor Speedway
First Cup win for Casey Mears
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| Source: Motorsport.com |
First Cup win for David Reutimann
Took two days and several rain delays to get it done, but Reuty won it
2010 Food City 250 and Irwin Tools Night Race - Bristol Motor Speedway
Watched Kyle Busch win two-thirds of the first NASCAR weekend sweep in the truck, Nationwide and Cup races
2011 Quaker State 400 - Kentucky Speedway
First Cup race at Kentucky Speedway
(But not first GN / Cup race in Kentucky. Lee Petty won at Corbin KY in 1954.)
2014 Ford 300 - Homestead-Miami Speedway
First Homestead win for Kevin Harvick
Captured his first (and so far only) Cup championship
TMC
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