20 years later: Recalling Wildest Coke 600 in the history of NASCAR

When it comes to the iconic NASCAR race, NASCAR’s Coca-Cola is going to run 2005 of 600, which is one of the willar and the most bizarre. On May 29, 2005, Dan Vidan won his first Indianapolis 500 in the first day.

43 drivers participated in NASCAR’s longest race and through 5+ hour chaos, it came down to an aging champion, searching for a new superstar of one last moment and greatness.

The race stopped in daylight Ryan Namman And Jeff gordon Leading the ground for green flags. Seven laps were run before flying carefully and security vehicles were deployed which would be a very busy night for them. Martin Truex JuniorRubbed the wall and while it was nothing big, it was the beginning of the most careful race in NASCAR history.

The first 100 laps were quite tame and nothing strange. but as Kyle Busch Defeated the lead against the then teammate Gordon, a multi-car pileup began on backstrate. No big name was collected, but the free pass 2000 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Gaya Bobby lebonateWhich started back in the 34th. And you want to remember that name later.

chaos reigns

Things started moving forward from that point. The race can hardly be 20 laps without any event. Ten precautions flew between lap 115 and 240. Perhaps the most notable incident occurred in the 247th lap, when Dale Arnhard Junior. And then team Michael Waltrip Were struggling for the situation. A incorrect crossover trick by Arnhard spinned the Waltrip under the Frontistch, destroying both cars in the process. Former cup champion Matte canceth And Terry Labonte also swept away the dirt and their nights ended prematurely. Terry’s brother Bobby was able to weave through chaos and just avoided out-of-control race cars.

When the race returned to the green flag position, the massacre (currently) began to decrease and all finally got a chance to breathe after 375 miles of almost non-stop destruction. Caution was taken, but they were for small things such as a piece of debris or oil on the track. but when Kasi kahne A right tire was blown up and threw the debris on the entire track, forcing the NASCAR to display yellow once again. How was this yellow more important than others? Well, it happened in the middle of the green flag pit stop and in the same way, the running order turned upside down.

Race-converted yellow

All four hendric cars were stuck deeply in the running order, as many other top contenders. A driver was asked for the pit from the main seconds of his crew before displaying caution, but the driver called a audible and decided to wait after seeing the lame around the apron. The driver will be experienced Bobby Lebonte, who was now second Carl EdwardsWith the rules, as they were back, cars that remained out to withdraw an adoption, not waving around the pace car. Instead, they resumed the leaders in the tail-end of the lead lap, put Edwards and Lebonte in the middle of the field-and The I of the Storm.

On Lap 364, Joe Nemehek fought its way through traffic and captured the race lead. The driver tired and the race was incredibly walking late, the templates started provoking. Under caution, Edwards and Dale Geratte attended a shing match with their cars in contact some earlier.

Another huge pileup occurred with just twenty laps. In total, seven cars suffered damage with notes like Gordon, Brian Wichers, Kevin HarvickAnd Mark Martin. Jimmy Johnson The accident was lucky to live directly in front of the accident because only a few were built through it. That debris officially broke the old NASCAR record for warning in the same cup race, and they were not tearing the equipment yet.

For Johnson, he was quietly escaping from the drama throughout the race. He recorded the incident as a favorite, and not just because the track was called Lowe’s motor speedway at that time, which was also his primary sponsor. Johnson Coke was a 600 defending winner and both ran in Charlotte last year. He was now one of some drivers who stood in closing laps.

And this race was not yet surprised to us. As soon as Laps stood down under ten laps, the race leader Nemchek lost control and withdraws it to the wall due to tire failure. His Mangald number 01 machine dropped the track down and directly on Johnson’s route. No. 48 somehow made it through blind smoke, inches away from a terrible effect.

The lead was not placed in the hands of anyone other than Bobby Lebonte. That weekend was strange for him, even before the green flag flying. His bright green interstate battery car was replaced with Fedex colors for this race as his team partner Jason Liefler, who originally carried out the plan, failed to qualify for the program. The company then made an unusual deal with Gibbs, which was placed on the number 18 car. Labonte was also facing a disinterested streak that returned at the end of the 2003 season and was eager to return to Vijay Lane.

Labonte fights up to bitter end

The race was red-jungle with nine laps to get into the race and the commentators decided to talk with Lebonte, but as they came to know quickly, he was not in chatting mood.

“You got me Bobby?” … “Yes.” … “Do you think you can catch him?” … “I’m trying.” … “How good is your car? As good as I think all night?” … “Yes.”

He was focusing on the mission ahead of him, knowing that he had an inferior car. But he was not going to bow down to such obstacles. This weekend was also the tenth anniversary of Labonte’s first win at the cup level, which came in this race in 1995. He knew that behind him, he had a hungry crook in Edwards and Johnson’s Hendrik-Purd No. 48. Johnson also had some new tires compared to those.

There were only six laps left in the race. Johnson quickly proceeded, leaving the second and six miles with four laps to run the Lebonte down. Well, he was on the same lap.

Whatever the Lebonte had done, fought with him, but also had his reputation as one of the cleanest drivers in the field. He was not about being physical in this stressful battle for victory. Johnson sent it inside the labonte in turn 1 on the last lap, but he was very tight and had to bear. It seemed that the fight was over, but Johnson had not ended yet. They sent it deeply in the last set of corners, sparks out of their number 48 Chevrolet. He moved forward, stood with the camera flash, pulling out of turn 4 with the labonate.

In the line, only 0.027s separated him into the nearest finish in the entire 65 -year history of Coke 600. Johnson enjoyed the sweet taste of Vijay Lane Champagne that night, while Labonte ended the bitter pain of defeat, killing his car’s side in hatred. This was not a celebration that he had expected to win his first NASCAR Cup from ten years ago. And as the fate would, Labonte ran for another decade, and never won again.

The 46th running of Coca Cola 600 was a riveting, but the bizarre event that lasted for five hours and 13 minutes. It had a record number of warnings on 22, which has not yet been defeated. Of the 43 drivers, 21 who started the race, led at one point and the driver who led the most laps (wires) never ended it. And when the smoke was cleaned, it was standing between the cars of only 36 inches first and second place. This indicated a two -aged confrontation with the Lebonte, one of the last stars of the Winston Cup era lost to a person who would change the newly introduced NASCAR playoffs in his personal playground.

And while many strange and wild cokes were in the 600s, there is nothing compared to what happened this Sunday evening in 2005.