1984 Winston 500: NASCAR's Greatest Race?

Races come and races go but only a handful stand out when it comes to the discussion of which race is the greatest of all time. Most NASCAR historians agree on two or three races when it comes to the title of "NASCAR's Greatest Race."

The 1992 Hooters 500 was important for many reasons. Six drivers had a legitimate shot at winning the championship when the race started, Alan Kulwicki won the championship as an owner/driver in his "Underbird," and the story lines surrounding Richard Petty's last race and Jeff Gordon's first race make for a strong argument.

The 2007 Daytona 500 is a solid choice, but is only in the discussion because of what happened on the last lap off of turn 4. Kevin Harvick beating out Mark Martin by inches at the line while a big wreck is happening behind them made for a great finish more so than a great race.

The wild card in the discussion would have to be the 2003 Darlington Race. Watching Kurt Busch beat and bang with Ricky Craven was, without a doubt, intense and spectacular; but like the '07 Daytona 500 you are only talking about a five to ten lap stretch of racing.

If you want to talk competition, lead changes, minimal caution periods and a powerhouse line-up it's hard to argue against the 1984 Winston 500 as being the greatest race ever.

Of the 40 drivers that started the race 10 drivers were, or would become, Cup Champions; 10 were Daytona 500 winners; 16 were later named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998; and 24 drivers would later account for over 900 wins in the sport.

That is simply unbelievable!

The only thing that rivaled the line-up was the racing itself. The May race had 4 cautions for 17 laps and saw 75 official lead changes among 13 drivers. That breaks down to a new leader coming every 2 1/2 laps (a NASCAR record). Race officials also estimated that well over a 100 passes for the lead took place around the track during the 188 lap event.

To this day the 75 lead changes still stand as the most during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Race. The only races to come close to that feat were later that year at the 1984 Talladega 500 with 68 lead changes and the most recent race at Talladega, the 2008 Amp Energy 500, which saw 64 lead changes.

Statistically and historically it's hard to go against giving the title of "NASCAR's Greatest Race" to the 1984 Winston 500.