The history of exciting short track finishes in NASCAR is long, colorful and angry.
The latest entry occurred Sunday night at Martinsville Speedway.
Here’s a look at iconic short track finishes that have sent fans into a frenzy and competitors a rage.
“WHERE’S KYLE PETTY?!” - Richmond (Fairgrounds) Raceway - Feb. 23, 1986
Before its multi-million dollar renovations, Richmond Raceway was basically a slab of concrete with a guard rail around it.
The old Richmond track was the site of Kyle Petty’s first Cup win. That wouldn’t have been possible if not for an intense battle between Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip that ended with three laps to go with contact in Turn 3 and a vicious multi-car wreck.
This is also the race where Earnhardt famously cleaned his own windshield while on the track.
https://youtu.be/8xMp8mq27uA?t=134
GORDON vs WALLACE X 2 - Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway is synonymous with the names Earnhardt and Labonte.
But Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace have multiple Bristol entanglements in their history.
April 13, 1997
Their first run-in came on the final lap of the spring race, with Gordon giving Wallace the bump-and-run in Turn 3 and sneaking by for the win.
https://youtu.be/6H_SzrgORtI?t=231
Aug. 24, 2002
This time it was under the lights.
With flames on his hood instead of a rainbow, Gordon gave Wallace the boot with three laps to go and went on to snap a 31-race winless streak.
https://youtu.be/5Ujr27O4m08?t=11685
THE INTIMIDATOR STRIKES BACK - Bristol Motor Speedway, Aug. 28, 1999
Earnhardt was up to it again.
Four years earlier, Bristol hosted the first round of The Intimidator vs the Ice Man, as Earnhardt wrecked Terry Labonte coming to the checkered flag. Labonte won and pulled an obliterated No. 5 Chevrolet into Victory Lane.
Earnhardt wasn’t having any of that this time.
The seven-time champion spun Labonte as they entered Turn 1 on final lap and slipped by to earn his 73rd Cup win.
If not for a mechanical problem, Labonte said recently he would have retaliated.
MARTINSVILLE MARVEL - Martinsville Speedway, April 1, 2007
After Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, the winningest drivers at Martinsville are Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who are tied with nine.
In 2007, Johnson entered the April Martinsville race with just two wins on the short track. He got No. 3 after coming out on top of an 18-lap battle with Gordon.
The last lap looked almost like its 2018 counterpart, except Gordon never led.
TEAMMATE TAP - Richmond Raceway, April 24, 2016
Richmond returns to the list courtesy of Carl Edwards’ bump-and-run of teammate Kyle Busch in the final turn two years ago.
PLAYOFF PUNT - Martinsville Speedway, Oct. 28, 2018
It’s still fresh on everyone’s mind.
Sunday’s move by Joey Logano that Martin Truex Jr. called a “cheap shot.”
An intense five-lap battle turned into an almost three-wide finish at the checkered flag, with Logano clinching a spot in the championship four at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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