Who Really Won North Wilkesboro 1990? 

3 things we learned: 1. NASCAR was right for once 2. It's he pace car drivers' fault 3. Larry Mac really is one of the greatest crew chiefs of all time

After all these years we can remove that asterisk from Brett's win, so happy to see it was a legitimate one!

The way it’s presented in that tv special with DW they had me believing that Waltrip actually won that race

Somebody should show this video to DW

This video was very analytical and clears up a lot of areas that I and many others didn't realise before. Great upload as expected

Everyone may want to talk about what DW said and what Dale Earnhardt said and for 90% of the NASCAR community that will never see this video.... this vindicates Brett Bodine and Larry Mac (even though we all love him already). Brett Bodine won this race. He only won once in his career and some people love to act like it didn't even happen, but thank goodness this is here to prove it actually happened. Brett Bodine is a Winston Cup winner.

I remember S1apSh0es mentioning this in his Top 10 Worst Officiating Calls in NASCAR History. But this is one is a Complete Breakdown of what happend at North Wilkesboro Between Brett Bodine, Dale Sr. And Darrell Waltrip

1:26 Classic! Bob Jenkins will always be the GOAT of Commentary

Great video with fantastic research and analysis! Such a shame that controversy has overshadowed that race, not only because it was Brett's only Cup win, but also Buick's last Cup win, which is remarkable when you consider just how dominant they were at the dawn of the Gen 3 car era (1981-'82).

Thankfully, with electronic timing and scoring, scenarios like this won't happen again

I actually remember watching this race live. I can't believe I'm that old... I always liked Brett. Seems like he was always in his brother's shadow though.

Great analysis, makes those that claimed bodine didn't win look dumb now heh. If nascar hadn't made a mistake picking up the leader on the caution, I think bodines chances would have been slim though. The field would be bunched with bodine on 10 or so lap older tires with earnhardt and dw right behind (unless he pitted again and lost track position). The winning move as noted was pitting for fresh tires for "free" due to nascars mistake

with this breakdown It just shows Brett did a master undercut

Before this video I thought Bodine probably wo n the race, after watching this I now know Bodine DEFINITELY won that race

Id always wondered who won that race, but thanks to your video I can say I know for certain now. Kinda blows my mind now in an age of digital timing and scoring that a mistake like that could've happened

This is a great video, and after watching the race I'm incredibly grateful you made it. There are only two things I'd add: 1) it was great that you showed how much trouble Dale had getting around Brett, even with Brett on old tires, but people need to see how dominant Brett's car was when that last green flag run started, too. It wasn't like Bristol the week before, where it was a one groove track and impossible to pass and Davey just held everyone up until the end. Brett walked off and left those guys, even when there was no lapped traffic between them. Waltrip only started cutting into the deficit with like 10 laps to go. 2) at 5:43 Mark Martin passes Dale while he's in the pit, meaning Mark probably only took 2 tires (Roush and Hmiel did that a lot that year). After Wallace's wreck, Bodine is right in front of Earnhardt, who's right in front of Waltrip...but Mark would've been ahead of all of them and was probably the true leader of the race at that point. The "controversy" to the extent that there was any wasn't that Brett was on the tail end of the lead lap, like Waltrip and Earnhardt claimed. Brett did get an unfair advantage by the pace car picking up Dale, and not him (or Mark Martin who I think was the actual leader), and then being able to pit and stay in the lead. Bodine either would've pitted and given up the lead, and fallen back and had 4 or 5 cars to pass to get back in the lead, or he would've had to stay out on tires that were 11 laps older than Earnhardt's and Waltrip's. Mark probably wouldn't have been a factor even if he'd been picked up as the leader because his car was only fast on long runs, but he could've come in for left side tires to get out in front of Brett and everyone else who pitted and had a shot. I think Brett had the car to have won regardless, but the race would've been a lot closer and more interesting than it ended up had he not been able to keep the lead *and* make a pit stop.

omg so brett actually did win the race, that’s actually kinda crazy

Exactly the synopsis I had when I watched it a few months ago. If Brett were to have been a lap behind then rather, he had to serve a pit road penalty, had a really slow stop (wasn’t the case cuz you can time the video), or Dale had an insanely quick pit stop (was not the case). Was just a good call by Larry Mac to tell Bodine to pit as the tire fall off meant a lot that race

Don't show this to Slap.

Buick's final win in NASCAR

Crazy good and well made upload! I don’t comment much, but I had a really good time watching this and you told the story well.

Pretty cool to learn that Bodine was in fact the rightful leader at the caution, however Bodine still gained a big advantage being able to get new tires and still keep the lead under the caution, if he was correctly picked up as the leader he would have lost track position to the other leaders before the restart by pitting when others stayed out. The pace car picking up the wrong leader just really made it so there was no fair outcome for either party.

Glad to get the real story. To hear Darrell tell it, he led the race until NASCAR put a backmarker in the lead out of pity.

I never understood why over the years they didn't simply set up a TV video camera at the S/F line to record the entire race start to finish. It would have recorded every car crossing the line on every lap. Before the days of automated/electronic scoring, it could have been used to re-watch the whole race, and if needed, re-score it from scratch.

Not Brett's fault that NASCAR didn't know what they were doing, and Larry was smart enough to take advantage of the mistake. Had the race been correctly scored, it is LIKELY, but not certain that Waltrip or Earnhardt go on to win the race, however, ifs and buts do not count in the record book. Bodine won the race.

brock woke up and chose violence

If I remember correctly, this race was tape delayed on espn shown on Monday night the day after it actually happened. I remember watching it then and being confused as to what happened. I was an Earnhardt fan so I kinda wanted both Waltrip & Bodine to get flagged. If Brett had been a driver who won on a consistent basis like Earnhardt or Waltrip, no one probably woulda contested it BUT since it was run at the back of the pack one week & crash the next Brett, no one had any faith that he may actually have been the winner...

I really appreciate the hard work that went into this video. In less than 10 mins you give a lot key info. Now I don't want call anyone but when I've heard about this race on other channels it's a small part of a larger story they are telling or its a countdown so they just the basics. I don't think they mean to but it comes across like Bret just unlapped himself and NASCAR said he was in the lead. So I really you broke down the circumstances before the caution and how Bret had so many laps on fresh rubber. How he than was able to make another pitstop to put him on fresh tires again. And other factors like Earnhardt had a bad stop which cost him more time.

Absolutely fantastic video. Really well done.

Well, I guess Brett Bodine DID win that race after all. Great video as always Brock! This puts one NASCAR mystery to bed.

Great video 👍

Great video and analysis.

I'm a simple guy I see a nascarman upload I'm liking it, I hear Brock beard narrating. I'm loving it

I love how when they did the Pro Invitational race at NW, Larry Mac brought up the win and said DW was still mad about it. XD

Great video. There is one issue I have with Brett winning. If the pace car had picked him up, he would have been on 10-12 lap older tires then the rest of the cars on the lead lap. There were 9 cars on the lead lap. If he would have pitted out of the lead he would have come out of the pits probably 6-9. Could have have raced back to the lead? Maybe. Would he have stayed out on older tires? Maybe. I would love to see someone run a simulation with both scenarios. Be able to pit out of the lead and not lose his track position was very beneficial to him. Thanks again for the great video. May dad I and had discussed this a few times. He though DW got screwed. Anyway he passed away last year. Miss you dad. CG

Great video,great explanation

That's why Larry McReynolds is the America's crew chief. Another great upload!!!!

Brett Bodine Wins At North Wilkesboro Number 26 Quaker State Buick In 1990 It Was So Amazing Buick And Chevrolet 1 And 2 Finished Grand Slam Home Run Thanks For Uploading ☺😎

Good video yes. I didn't know this about Brett Bodine's only Winston Cup win. Thanks

Darrell and Jeff Hammond: 😒

there's a reason you see in today's races when one driver makes the first pit stop the rest of the field cycles into pit the next lap or 2 or 3 at most... this has been a big mystery amongst the Nascar community as to if Brett really won this race, well what we didn't put into consideration is that Larry Mac invented a legendary strategy in this race by pitting early. Kudos to Brett, Larry and that team for winning and winning fair and square

YESS!!! i knew my dawg brett got that dub all along, beautiful work to finally clear the air on one of the great mysteries of modern nascar. wild to think it was because ppl couldn’t comprehend an 11 lap undercut

Great video! Thankyou

If nothing else, this race is the crux of the argument for electronic timing and scoring. With it, there would be absolute certainty about how much time Bodine and McReynolds made up by short-pitting. Although it also makes the case for closing pit road immediately after a caution, cause the part where Bodine got to pit before everyone else is kind of off. But then, you play by the rules as laid out at the time.

One of my favorite cars of all time....the Quaker State Buick

great video

What a 10000 IQ strategy by Larry Mac. Was freaking genious

This was the undercut before “undercut” was a thing.

@nascarman History In Formula 1, this is known as the undercut! Great video :) I don't watch Nascar, but this is fascinating and well told.

Now do the 1988 Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond where a scoring error gave Neil Bonnett the win over Ricky Rudd. Not that I hold grudges.

I gotta agree with Brock. Heck, the others were even allowed to regain a lap! More than enough evidence that Brett didn't just win through a scoring error.

DW has disliked this video, lol

Now I know what happened. You're awesome!

I was at this race, my 2nd Cup race ever. We had a scanner my friend had gotten modified to listen to track officials and between that and the MRN coverage, we honestly had no idea who had won when we left. Bodines won 3 races I attended at North Wilkesboro. Geoff won the year before when Earnhardt and Rudd spun on the last lap, Brett won this one, and Geoff would win again in 1992 in a race rain delayed until Monday which was also the only caution free race I ever attended.

Actually Russ Wheeler won after he spun out Cole Trickle on the final lap.

This was such a unique situation a fantastic race the only time I can remember a race playing out this way and have never seen one like this since. I remember TNN motorsports did a 30 minute special on this race I believe it was around 98 99 it was good long story short at the end of the day all the people keeping score unanimously had Brett Bodine scored as the winner.

He used the F1 undercut strategy!

Thanks for clearing that up. Brett did nothing wrong and Larry Mac played the game perfectly! I wonder how the race would've gone if theyd sorted the running order out before brett got his 'free' stop. Again that aint bretts fault, he was fast all day and drove away when it mattered most. Im so happy to admit i was wrong about this race and say this is a dayumn good video! 👍

Undercut and overcut the field, thats some great work on the box!

One thing people forget is 1990 was DW’s first winless season since 1974. If he had been awarded the win, it would have kept his win streak going until 1993, tying him with his old rival Richard Petty for most consecutive seasons with a win at 18 and breaking his tie with nemesis Bobby Allison at 84 official wins. Of course he wants the win.

Someone show this to Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond ASAP.

Someone needs to show this video to DW, I just saw a news clip last week where he's still saying the he won and not Brett

I would absolutely love it if DW could see this

Good to know Brett Bodine’s only win was legitimate…however this is proof that electronic timing and scoring is a good thing. Also this video is proof that NASCAR should include diagrams of things like pit strategy, tire wear, and fuel mileage in their broadcasts just as F1 does (it would make it so the underlying tension in long green flag runs would be more easily understood and appreciated).

Have you ever considered doing a video about the 1988 Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond? Neil Bonnett was awarded the win, but Ricky Rudd insisted that he really won that race.

Hope DW sees this! Always love a first time winner.

God bless this channel.

Yeah that whole fiasco took me out of the waltrip camp. The way he acted about it pissed me off like dude you lost. Get over it. These days I'd rather see a lastcar outperform a fortune 500 team

Has anyone sent this to DW yet?

Can you find enough info on the Bobby Allison 85th win controversy. I know the story. And ive heard that Tiny lund & several other drivers received created for winning in that series. I cabt recall the name at the moment. Grand American, or something.

I remember watching this race. I was a DW hater so I was laughing at him whining about the outcome. I don’t think I missed live race race coverage for 15 years minimum except a couple of Bristol night races where we were out camping. BTW DW, I don’t hate you any longer 🤣

And there's just a brief glance at that clock like thing they had at the races, as the car you were scoring came by you wrote down the number in that box, it wasn't a clock as we know it it would go 498, 499, 500, 501,502... It wasn't fast enough to measure milliseconds... That worked quite well, except when it didn't. But it wasn't the boxes fault, if you forgot to write down the number. They say it was a tedious job because you weren't there to watch the race, just your car & the box.

How is it ok that Brett got tires and lost no spots? Just because Nascar made a scoring error, the team new he wasnt really a lap ahead of the field. They should have put last car on the lead lap with the restart. Fresh tires and the lead isn't fair.

It's cool Slap, I'd have made the same mistake too!! 🧐

someone send this to DW

wasn't the 26th car also in a controversial race when Neil bonnett won in 1988?

Brett deserved the win. End of story.

Bodine for the win!

Send this to DW

all we need now is to have you guys appeal to NASCAR to get Bobby Allison his 85th win, the videos been made but with how analytical this is the chance is there now I'd say.

DW & Dale run their mouths and most of the fans believe them-gee, why am I not surprised?

Welp, you convinced me. Everyone who thinks the way I did 15 minutes ago is now an idiot to me.

While Brett Bodine was the rightful leader when the caution flag came out, he got a HUGE and unfair advantage by getting a free pit stop because the pace car picked up the wrong driver. If the pace car had picked up the field correctly, Bodine would’ve had 11 lap older tires than everyone else and surely wouldn’t have held the lead. As it turned out, he had five lap fresher tires than everyone else and was able to drive away. So yes, Bodine was the rightful winner, but he got a big assist thanks to NASCAR’s error.

Makes.sence

And the cars look like garage now lol.

That is what you call a mic drop…

That damn Bodine

What was Brett supposed to do?

You honestly think Bodine would have suddenly come up with 24 wins, when he never had any real chances beyond the 1 win he did get, scoring controversy aside ?? And Rudd wouldn't have done any better at all ?? Rudd would have benefited far more then Bodine, he had a better record beforehand, and better equipment & engines that those teams offered would have made him a even stronger driver. Just look at what he DID accomplice as an O/D, it was far better then Bodine, Waltrip, Elliott. Only Stewart has a better record, and as stated, he had the benefit of being a PART owner. Rudd, also compared to the others, again, bar Stewart, never changed his driver mind set, was in a good, competitive part of his career, and was the most consistent. He didn't do worse the he had when he was a team driver, but actually made improvements to his record. Rudd, unlike the others, AFTER closing his team down, was a sought after driver, that won races & was competitive, only Elliott can even attempt to make the same claim, he did win in a dodge after closing his team. I take nothing away from any of these great drivers for going out & trying to repeat what A.K. did. All of them could've had better results having gone to other teams, POSSIBLY, or they may NOT. But to say that the least winning driver, would have suddenly become one of the most winning drivers of those seasons, you said 25 wins, is a stretch. And to say that the MOST SUCCESSFUL of all these drivers would do no better at all, is an even bigger stretch. Rudd was the most successful of these drivers as an owner, and had a good career AFTER he went to another team, only Elliott did anything AFTER owning a team. And, RPM, Rudds team, was the ONLY team to NOT be in debt, in some cases MASSIVE DEBT.

All of this scoring controversy talk reminds me of one thing that happened last year on Turismo Carretera, Argentina's top stock car series. Context: August 1st 2021, eight round of the season at San Juan Villicum, named "Desafío de las Estrellas Shell V-Power" (which translates to "Shell V-Power Stars Challenge", yet it's not an All-Star race). This race can get pretty gimmicky. Don't believe me? Look at this: Starting order is defined random-like. In this race there were 39 entries. So the field were divided in thirds, according to the standings: 1st to 13th (Group 1), 14th to 26th (Group 2), and 27th to 39th (Group 3). Group 1 starts 27th to 39th via random draw, Group 3 starts 14th to 26th via same method, and more of the same in Group 3. Not only that: in this race you have to make 2 obligatory stops: one for fuel, other for tires. BUT you can only pit on odd-numbered laps if you ended up in a odd-numbered starting position. Similar case with a even-numbered starting position. Well, the main guy here is a guy called Valentín Aguirre. He started the race in 12th position. Things went something like this: Lap 2: Aguirre pits for tires. Lap 3: He is scored in 34th place. Lap 4: Aguirre pits for fuel. Lap 5: He is scored in 37th place. Lap 8: Full-course yellow Lap 10: Before the restart, Valentín Aguirre, at this moment 1 lap down, appears alongside race leader Germán Todino. Everyone's confused. Apparently, DTA Racing (team where Aguirre races at) complained to race control because he was a lap down. And for some reason they took the complain as valid. Lap 12: Race direction confirmed that they counted the 12 laps for Aguirre, just like the rest of the lead lap cars. Todino pits, Aguirre takes the lead on the restart. Lap 36: Aguirre crosses the start/finish line, scored in 1st. It took 2 HOURS for race control to determine how many laps Aguirre did. Then it was official: Valentín Aguirre was on the tail end of the lead lap, in 22nd. Gastón Mazzacane, who finished up in 2nd, was the winner for the first time in 168 races. But that wasn't over: Aguirre would later get excluded because "the size of the vent tank exceeded the regulatory maximum", finally putting an end to this shithousery.

This video is so focused on whether Brett Bodine was leading at the time the lap 320 caution came out that it glosses over a very important piece of information: Brett pitted during the resulting caution while everyone else stayed out. Because of this, even after correcting the scoring error, Brett STILL should have restarted at the rear under NASCAR's own rules. When Brett stayed out on the lap 186 caution and the leaders pitted, they didn't get to pass him back for the restart -- so Brett shouldn't been allowed to restart in front of the cars that stayed out at lap 320 when he pitted. Instead, NASCAR not only botched the initial scoring, but they also botched the correction of that error. As a result, Brett got to restart the race in the lead AND with fresher tires than everyone else. It was just a poorly handled situation all around by NASCAR.

I always assumed Bodine didn't win the race. But math and logic say otherwise.

Like I've always said Brett won the race an cry baby waltrip can cry cry cry cause he did not win .I new what happened but always thought he won cause nascar put him in front an he drove off but you showed he really was in first an he won

I think there's a reason why Brett never won another cup race, it was fate deciding to correct the mistake

Take this away from him and the only highlights of his Cup career are Michigan 2003 and Brickyard 1994

Brett Bodine!

So, in my book, Larry Mac's strategy to call Bodine in for tires while he was on a lap on his own was only a genius move because of the pace car mistake. Without the pace car picking up the wrong leader, Bodine wouldn't have won because he would have either been on very old tires or would have pitted and lost the lead. In short, this video says Bodine won, but IMO Bodine didn't really win, or at least didn't win on merit. Am I wrong?

Definitely wasn’t Bodine

Brett won.

no way he won that race. he was a bad driver. they score the race after each lap. just go back see who won the race. Earnhardt said who won. he was always right about everything. so waltrip must have won the race.