This was the first NASCAR race that was broadcast "live" on national television (ABC). Cale Yarborough was right. The thrilling finish (and the fight) boosted the popularity of NASCAR racing like nothing else could. That popularity has only grown since then.
Other network sports variety shows either showed NASCAR races a week later edited or they were joined in progress. The 1976 Daytona 500 was. That was the one that came down between David Pearson & Richard Petty.
THE defining moment in NASCAR history, shown live on TV, the first Daytona 500 ever broadcast live. I was watching! Cale Yarborough sums it up beautifully- "I think it made a lot of fans for the sport. I think it's one of the biggest things to happen to the sport. It got people's attention." Those were the days! Thanks for posting!
I don't remember like it was yesterday but this is my first memory of NASCAR racing. I remember my Dad rooting for 'The King' and how excited he got when Richard Petty came out on top in that race.
I sent a video response to the owner....the two cars are in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC, and I took a quick video of them up close so you can see Donnie and Cale's cars in the shape they were in right at the end of the race. Awesome that they kept the cars instead of scrapping them....something you don't see today.
I saw an interview during the 50th Anniversary of Daytona 500 and the two were in a room together talking about this fight. You could see they still were angry about it. It cracked me up.
This was the first race I remember seeing (I was 7 years old) and I thought it was so cool, not because of the crash or the fight but the fact that my Dad's favorite driver, 'King' Richard Petty won. He was so excited.....brings back good memories. He'll be watching today for the 50th running of the Great American Race (Daytona 500)
This was the first time since 1959 (and only the second time ever) the Daytona "500" aired live and in full on network TV (CBS). Thanks to heavy promotion of the telecast----and the last laps' duel which boosted the numbers as people called their neighbors to say "Turn On CBS! There's an amazing finish coming up in Daytona!"---the ratings were the largest ever for a NASCAR race (and maybe any kind of auto race) up to that time. Auto racing became a big-time TV sport thanks to this finish.
Classic. This and the finish of the 1976 Daytona 500 (when David Pearson and Richard Petty crashed on the last lap) are among the most memorable finishes in Daytona 500 history.
NASCAR has always been more of a spectator's sport than Formula or WRC, simply because it's both more exciting and easier to spectate. Formula and Touring car racing (or any form of racing with both LH and RH turns) is a fine art; more of an enthusiast's sport. It's about the feeling and finesse of car control on the limit. You hardly have time to think about where other cars are, let alone follow them. And it's not about the battles, it's about getting around the track as fast as possible
I like circuit racing (oval or road course) and rally... it's all fun to watch! Each kind's got its particular feel and thrill, but ALL of it boils down to men and women mastering their machines and making their way through close calls to get the checkers!
Jennifer Sun You are dead wrong, Cale is and was the scrapper here, he took on two brothers at the same time and was holding his own. Donnie tried to cut Cale off and failed, period.
I race stock cars on dirt, which is obviously a lot slower than this but the corners are tighter. I was so surprised at the amount of g-forces I felt going into the corner. Now I got used to it and really don't feel it at all. People who race at all levels really put their life into it. It costs so much money to race even at the local dirt track.
In all honesty, Cale had position on Donnie, Bobby's brother should've given way but instead he ran Cale to the grass & caused both of them to wreck just like the assholes I play against on ps3 NASCAR 14...
Donnie did cut Cale off but you have to remember, this was the Daytona 500. A couple times Donnie had the race basically won, in earlier years, and lost due to bad luck (late flat tire in 1974 is one example), so Donnie wanted to win this race so bad he could taste it and of course, so did Cale. It was Donnie's fault but it was basically two fierce competitors determined to race as hard as they could.
I liked watching them all,more back then tan now.They were racing cars we could go and get at a dealership.So,it was more about the personalities back then.And this was a fine example of personality conflict.
still happens though, Harvick and Biffle at Bristol Fight night comes to mind : ) Kurt Busch and Jimmy Spencer were infamous too. i know there's more but I can't remember what they are
@Dgb12651 It was not the first Daytona "500" to be televised. But it was the first one, as far as I know, to be televised live from start-to-finish. Reportedly, there was a cold wave in much of the country that an urban legend claims contributed to the high viewership. In reality, the big TV numbers were caused by the growth in fan interest auto racing received during the 1970's. Also: Isn't the 2011 edition of the Daytona "500" going to be run under the lights in prime time?
Donnie clearly ran Cale into the grass... I'll always remember this race, as others have mentioned this was the first Daytona 500 televised live. Ever after this I was huge Cale Yarbourough fan, and he's still a great guy!
what was so different about racing then and now? there are cars that go fast, good competition. some of the guys that drive the cars are not exactly "real men" lol, but whats so different? im a new fan of NASCAR, so im curious. thanks
Actually no. The next race that both Cale and Donnie ran was a couple weeks later at Rockingham. In the first 10 laps of the race, Cale took Donnie out as a payback and it was a multi car crash which involved another Hoss Ellington car driven by Neil Bonnett. Only people that really followed racing at the time remember that.
"I had no control over the car at the time" translated, "donnie u mfkr, im gonna put u in the wall just for that"..........."...i knew that he (cale) wasnt going to get under me before i got to turn 3" translated, "i knew that it just wasnt going to happen"....
@critchley3819 If you listen closely you will hear the commentator who called Bathurst for US television last year as the back straight announcer. Mike Joy referenced this fight to Murph during the Ambrose phone conversation comparing this to the 2005 Bathurst squabble.
I'm not a big fan of either drivers, so after watching it several times, I have to take Cale's side. He definitely would have made the pass, but as Donnie eased him down the track, he took Cale's momentum away and ended up side by side. As he kept easing down the track, at first it didn't look like he pushed him off the track, but then I noticed his left rear wheel did catch the mud and it was on from there. I think Donnie refuses to look at it objectively.
LOL I love the way the driver that does indeed squeeze him off states ' a lot of people think I ran him off the road but he hit the back me first!' Yeah mate, he hit you because he wouldve had to take to the grass!
it's a show about the 10 most important things in NASCAR history-this is #1 ...back story, nascar was not as popular then as now but the weather had blacked out/delayed some big north east nfl games so millions got this (I watched it live myself) and people said hey this is exciting and here we are today!
@nixipinion Yes It is a race that is hard on cars and drivers, probably nothing quite like it anywhere in the world, I think it started out in around 1960 as a production car race, that is any car that was on sale at the time with the stipulation that at least 200 cars had been sold, that to me was great to see,I can't remember what the race was called then but if you like I will find out so that you can find it on y tube.
cale made more sense, if your moving at 160+ MPH the car will shot up either back ontop the race track or into the infield. I think that donnie should went high and sling shot by cale in turn 3, however it was an exiting crash and race
saw and interview with cale, and he insists bobby 'ran into his fist'. and there's a rumor floating that stewart punched kurt busch in the nascar hauler after they called them in for using their cars to fight on the track
It was a racing incident. If the front of your car meets the driver's door then he should give you room. In this case Cale was going a lot faster than Donnie but Donnie did a poor job blocking him. Cale was already underneath him and had all 4 wheels on the track when Donnie hit him. I
i dont think u have any idea how demanding it is to drive that. its like being on a rollercoaster, thats how big the g forces are. imagine doing that for up to 4-5 hours and tell me if ur an athlete then
brandonsmail99 -- I was kidding, it''s what Cale supposedly said in the heat of the moment. I think it's hilarious. Bobby was nowhere near Donnie and Cale when the last lap deal happened. Anyway, I agree.....hell of a finish!
I heard all 3 got death threats after this. Someone threatened to throw a beer bottle through Donnie's windshield when they came to Atlanta. 1 year later, Donnie's affiliation with Hoss Ellington ended after the Atlanta race. The TropArtic team would stay out late partying and was not 100% focused come race time. Except for the 1980 Rebel 500 with David Pearson, I don't think Hoss Ellington's drivers won another race.
