Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is a 6/10 mile motorsport racetrack located at the Nashville Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee . The track is the second-oldest continually operating track in the United States . The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series ) races from 1958 to 1984.
112-471: The speedway is currently an 18 degree banked paved oval. The track is 0.596 mi (0.959 km) long. Inside the larger oval is a 1 ⁄ 4 mi (0.40 km) paved oval. The track was converted to a 1 ⁄ 2 mi (0.80 km) paved oval in 1957, when it began to be a NASCAR series track. The speedway was lengthened between the 1969 and 1970 seasons. The corners were cut down from 35 degrees to their present 18 degrees in 1972. The track
224-906: A pace ). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky , spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia and New Zealand, races with jockeys riding directly on saddled trotters ( trot monté in French) are also conducted. In North America, harness races are restricted to Standardbred horses, although European racehorses may also be French Trotters or Russian Trotters , or have mixed ancestry with lineages from multiple breeds. Orlov Trotters race separately in Russia . The light cold-blooded Coldblood trotters and Finnhorses race separately in Finland , Norway and Sweden . Standardbreds are so named because in
336-553: A Grand National car, he never received credit in that series, but was credited with a Grand American Series win. NASCAR has had co-sanctioned races with various series in the past; in such cases, the win counts only in the series which that driver's car was sanctioned. The driver tied with Allison in all-time Cup wins because of the dispute is involved in this incident. An Automobile Racing Club of America/Winston West combination race in College Station, Texas on March 21, 1993,
448-511: A best finish of second at Nashville . In 1985 Allison returned to being an owner-driver after leaving DiGard Motorsports , taking his number (22) and sponsor ( Miller American ) with him to his new team. His best finish as an owner-driver in 1985 was a fourth-place finish at Dover. Following the 1985 season he brought his number and sponsor with him to the Stavola Brothers Racing team. In 1990 Allison revived his team and
560-627: A car (whose father owned Andy Racing Wheels), and Gil Hearne, who went along as Kenny's driver, to find more lucrative racing than was available in South Florida . Their search led them to Montgomery Motor Speedway in Montgomery, Alabama , where he was informed of a race that would take place that night in Midfield, Alabama , near Birmingham . Allison entered and finished 5th in that race, which paid more than finishing second in any race of
672-462: A computer system, which takes control of the vehicle and provides a printout at the end of the score up. Some harness racing clubs have been granted additional funds for the installation of the AVA computerised mobile barriers. In Australia and New Zealand, harness racing is conducted both on smaller rural tracks and at major city venues, creating the opportunity for even the hobby-trainer to make it into
784-449: A different account of the story: "If they look at the video they'll realize I was forced in the mud by Donnie. I was going to pass Donnie and win the race but he forced me in the mud and I had no control. So hell I hit him back. If I wouldn't finish the race neither would he. He and I had a civil talk after the wreck and we were fine until Bobby Allison climbed out of the car and began shouting at me. It went chaotic from there." According to
896-406: A difficult position); or to race with "cover" on the outside. On the rail behind the leader is a choice spot, known as the "pocket", and a horse in that position is said to have a "garden trip". Third on the rail is an undesirable spot, known on small tracks as the "death hole". As the race nears the three-quarter mile mark, the drivers implement their tactics for advancing their positions – going to
1008-462: A higher level in South Florida. He went to Montgomery the next night, winning the preliminary races, and finished 2nd in the feature, winning $ 400, having found his lucrative racing. The brothers returned home and Bobby convinced Red Farmer into coming back to Alabama with him. They had immediate success and began answering to the name The Alabama Gang . Allison became a well-known driver and
1120-544: A little over two months. In 1956, having returned to Miami, Allison started racing again. His parents had told Allison that he could not race and live at home, so Allison came up with a fictitious name (Bob Sunderman) which was used only once as he finished well enough to make the Sunday paper. Allison's father saw the paper and told him that if he was going to race he should do it with honor and use his own name. In 1959, Allison took his brother, Donnie , Kenny Andrews, who owned
1232-524: A member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame , he was the 1983 Winston Cup champion and won the Daytona 500 in 1978 , 1982 , and 1988 . His brother Donnie Allison was also a prominent driver, as were his two sons, Clifford and Davey Allison . Bobby and Donnie's televised fistfight with Cale Yarborough at the 1979 Daytona 500 has been credited with exposing NASCAR to a nationwide audience. Allison
SECTION 10
#17327808882811344-467: A point of argument between many industry participants. Modern Starting gates used in Australia now include Auto start. This innovation allows the starter to concentrate on the actual horse's positioning during the "score up". The modern Starting gates use only a driver for steering the vehicle and a starter in the rear to observe the race and call a false start if required. The start speed, acceleration, score up distance, and gate closing are controlled via
1456-685: A race could be Silver division against Class II. In such a case the Silver Division horses must run 60 m behind the less experienced Class II horses. Some races use the mobile starting gate as seen in the United States. Other races (for up to 16 horses) use a circular starting system. Horses with post positions 1 to 5 are in the first wave, 6-12 or 15 are in the second wave. In volt start good starting numbers (which automatically turn in to certain positions) are 1, 3 and 5 (slightly better than 2 and 4). But numbers 6 and 7 (who start in
1568-662: A race, with the Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen Southern Modified Tour . On October 23, 2024, NASCAR officials awarded Bobby Allison this win, bringing his win total to 85 wins, surpassing Darrell Waltrip. The 1973 National 500 was held October 7, 1973 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina . The first three cars to cross the finish line after the scheduled 334 laps (501 miles) were driven by Cale Yarborough , Richard Petty , and Bobby Allison, in that order. Again, these facts are not disputed. What
1680-596: A rehab program. After regaining most of his memory and re-learning everyday activities, Allison prepared to attempt a comeback in the early 1990s. However, a series of tragedies led Allison to abort his comeback attempt, thus retiring from driving in NASCAR. In 1992 his younger son, Clifford Allison, was fatally injured in a practice crash for the NASCAR Busch Series race (now Xfinity Series ) at Michigan International Speedway . Later in 1993, his son Davey
1792-432: A specific pattern to hit the starting line as a group. This enables handicaps to be placed on horses (according to class) with several tapes, usually with 10 or 20 meters between tapes. Many European – and some Australian and New Zealand – races use a standing start, although this increases the chance of a 'false start' where one or a number of horses commence 'off-stride' and gallop. The race must then be brought back to
1904-515: A top star in short-track racing, earning back-to-back Modified Special titles in 1962–63, then two consecutive NASCAR National Modified championships in 1964–65. Allison moved full-time to the Grand National circuit in 1965 and got his first victory at Oxford Plains Speedway on July 12, 1966. During the course of his career, Bobby Allison accumulated 85 credited victories and 1 uncredited victories, making him fourth all-time. He also won
2016-511: Is 1000 meters (inner track) with two long sides and two curves. Horses run counterclockwise. The horses are classified by how much prize money they have gained through the entire career of the horse. The classifications are from the lowest and upwards: Stallions (and castrated geldings) are considered a little better in general. In pure mare horse races, horses from higher classification get 20, 40 or up to 60 meter extra to run. Distance addition occurs also in races between classes. An example of such
2128-567: Is a combined thoroughbred and standardbred track, while another is only used once every year. So the only "pure" thoroughbred track in Sweden is Bro Park . At Solvalla in the suburbs of Stockholm the premier Standardbred mile race is held in late May every year, Elitloppet ( the Elite race ). Other important annual races are Svenskt travkriterium , a race restricted to three-year-olds, also hosted at Solvalla and Swedish Trotting Derby (open for
2240-553: Is an Australasian champion Standardbred notable for being a three-time Australian Harness Horse of the Year and three-time winner of the Inter Dominion (2011 - 2013). I'm Themightyquinn won over AUD 4.5 million in its career. Races can be conducted in two differing gaits: trotting and pacing. The difference is that a trotter moves its legs forward in diagonal pairs (right front and left hind, then left front and right hind striking
2352-539: Is disputed, is the legality of the first two cars' engines, recounted in Jim McLaurin's book ”NASCAR'S Most Wanted", in the chapter “Fudgin’ With the Rules”: Following his victory at Daytona, Allison's car was inspected and was found to have lost its rear bumper, which appeared to have fallen off in a slight bump between two cars at the beginning of the race, causing a multi-car accident. Tests were performed on
SECTION 20
#17327808882812464-421: Is important, while the longer stretch run of a mile track favors horses with late speed for come-from-behind wins. Usually, several drivers will contend for the lead away from the gate. They then try to avoid getting "boxed in" as the horses form into two lines – one on the rail and the other outside – in the second quarter-mile. They may decide to go to the front; to race on the front on the outside ("first over",
2576-502: Is in talks with Nashville council about bringing NASCAR sanctioned events back to the facility, as well as renovating the track. In December 2021, Speedway Motorsports reached an agreement in principle with Mayor John Cooper on a plan to revitalize and bring the NASCAR Cup Series back to the speedway. The track held at least one Cup race each year from 1958 to 1984. A capacity crowd of 13,998 watched Joe Weatherly win
2688-432: Is not universal.). An additional lane is available to the inside of where the rail would have been. If the race leader is positioned on the rail at the top of the homestretch, that leader is required by rule to maintain that line (or move further out), while horses behind the leader can move into the open lane with room to pass the leader if possible. This solves a common problem, in which trailing horses are "boxed in" (behind
2800-795: Is part of the Pacing Triple Crown . Important Canadian races include the North America Cup , the Canadian Pacing Derby , the Maple Leaf Trot , the Gold Cup and Saucer, and the Mohawk Million. The harness racing industry conducts an annual Grand Circuit , which includes many of the most prestigious races for both pacers and trotters. Founded in 1871 and first conducted in 1873 at four tracks,
2912-414: Is that they often wear hobbles (straps connecting the legs on each of the horse's sides). The pace is an unnatural gait for horses, and hobbles are used to maintain the gait at top speed; trotting hobbles (which employ a different design, due to the difference in the gait) are becoming increasingly popular for the same reason. Most harness races start from behind a motorized starting gate , also known as
3024-476: Is the number one game to bet on. The winner of seven (pre-decided) races (with 12 or 15 horses) is to be picked. One single "row" is very cheap to play, but people usually play large systems, picking the winner in one or two of the races and several horses in the other races. The price for a system grows rapidly if many horses are picked in a race. Price for one "row" is 1/2 SEK (approximately 0,05 euro) but if, for instance, betting on 2, 5, 1, 7, 7, 1 and 4 horses in
3136-423: Is the richest Standardbred horse in the world. Foiled Again retired on January 1, 2019, but the then 15-year-old gelding left an indelible mark in harness racing annals. He compiled a 331/109–70–46 record and earned an all-time record US$ 7,635,588 in purse money. In one of his last races at Rosecroft Raceway, he beat the then 10 year old career winner of over $ 600,000, Real Flight. I'm Themightyquinn (foaled 2004)
3248-425: Is their fastest winning time at that distance. Harness races involve a good deal of strategy. Though the vast majority of races are one mile, races are contested on several different size tracks. The most common are 1/2 mile, 5/8 mile, and 1-mile tracks. Certain horses are better on the smaller tracks and others are better on the 1-mile tracks because there are fewer turns. Also, on the shorter tracks, early speed
3360-478: The 1988 season , Allison crashed on lap 1 of the Miller High Life 500 . Initially he survived a head-on hit into the outside barrier but then suddenly Jocko Maggiacomo t-boned Allison in the driver's side of the car, nearly killing Allison. When he reached a local hospital he was initially declared dead, but subsequent medical assistance saved his life. Beginning from a vegetative state, Allison entered
3472-837: The Australian Pacing Championship . The most prestigious events for three-year-olds including the Victoria Derby , the New South Wales Derby and the Australian Derby . For the younger horses there are series that stem from yearling sales including the Australian Pacing Gold and an Australasian Breeders Crown . In New Zealand the major races include the New Zealand Cup and Auckland Cup as well as
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-610: The Chevrolet Camaro , Ford Mustang , and AMC Javelin , were competing against the larger Grand National Series cars, featuring the Chevrolet Chevelle , Ford Torino Talladega , Dodge Charger Daytona , and Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird . The 1971 Myers Brothers 250 was held August 6, 1971, at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The first car to cross the finish line after 250 laps
3696-498: The Daytona 500 in 1978, 1982 and 1988, finishing one-two with his son, Davey Allison . In 1972 he was voted national Driver of the Year after winning ten races and taking 11 poles, including a record five straight. He was NASCAR Winston Cup Champion in 1983, winning the Driver of the Year award again while driving for DiGard Racing. The 1982 Daytona 500 was fraught with controversy that became known as " Bumpergate ". He also won
3808-480: The Netherlands , Malta , Russia , United Kingdom and Estonia . In Italy "trotto" is as popular as "galoppo". Almost all North American races are at a distance of one mile (1,609 m). Most races are run on tracks constructed solely for harness racing (some with banked turns), but a few tracks conduct both harness and Thoroughbred flat racing. North American harness horses earn a "mark" (a record), which
3920-1006: The New Zealand Free For All , Noel J Taylor Memorial Mile and the New Zealand Messenger Championship . There are also the New Zealand Derby and the Great Northern Derby for three-year-olds, and the Dominion Handicap and Rowe Cup for trotters. The Harness Jewels raceday (the end-of-year championships for two-, three- and four-year-olds) takes place in late May/early June The major open races in Australia and New Zealand are brought together in an Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit . The leading harness racing nations in Europe are France, Italy and Sweden, and
4032-885: The " Harness Horse of the Year ." The marquee event of Australasian racing is the Inter Dominion Series, which includes a pacing series and a trotting series. The series is held yearly and rotated around the Australian State Controlling Bodies and once every four years the Inter Dominion Championships are held in New Zealand. The major events for open age pacers in Australia are the Miracle Mile Pace , A.G. Hunter Cup , Victoria Cup and
4144-576: The "Big Three" automobile companies in Detroit , some Winston Cup teams chose not to enter some of the smaller prize-money races of the large 48-event season (only 14 cars entered the 1971 Space City 300 ), leading NASCAR to allow its "minor league" Grand American Series drivers (itself suffering from a massive decrease in events versus its 1970 season) to enter six of the Winston Cup races. For these races, Grand American Series " pony cars ", such as
4256-424: The "Legion Bowl"), and the local racers competed at the track for the 1954 through 1957 State Fairs. In 1958 car racers decided to build a paved racetrack. The racers ended opposition from horse racers by building a horse track. The racers got a 10-year lease from the state fair board in order to build a paved 1 ⁄ 2 mile track which shared the frontstretch with a 1 ⁄ 4 mile track. On July 19, 1958,
4368-420: The "running tracks" the horse must be "a fast starter". The start of the races and the starting position (which equals a certain number as explained previously) are indeed important, independent of the start method. A very good horse in a race with weak opponents but with a bad start number (like 12 or higher) may not become the prime favorite due to the bad starting position, especially at short distance. After
4480-425: The 1992 track championship. Chad Chaffin won the 1993 and 1995 track championships. Andy Kirby won the 1994, 1996, and 1997 track championships. Joe Buford won the 1998 and 1999 track championships. The ARCA Racing Series held a 200-lap race in 1992. In 1995, the track returned to the NASCAR circuit, hosting a yearly Busch Series race and, later, a yearly Craftsman Truck Series race. Those races would move to
4592-638: The 1995 Tyson Holly Farms 400 finished the race. The original cars (since 1948) were 1930s model cars called "Modified Specials". By 1964 the parts for cars were too hard to find, so the track changed to newer 1950s model cars called "Late Model Modifieds". Some of the early stars of the track decided to retire. The 1960s also frequently brought drivers from outside Nashville, most notably the Alabama Gang . The Alabama Gang (from Hueytown, Alabama) included future NASCAR legends Bobby Allison , Donnie Allison , and Nashville native Red Farmer . Coo Coo Marlin
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-461: The DiGard crew to move the bumper on its mounting points. The team simply tack-welded the bumper back on at an acceptable position, but "forgot" to properly secure it. Allison drove his own cars for portions of the early 1970s, including the full 1973 season. Allison won six races as an owner-driver from 1970 to 1974. Allison also ran for his own team in 1977 after splitting with Roger Penske , with
4816-772: The Fairgrounds since 1981. However, some editions were shortened to 300 laps (180 miles), and others 200 laps, with the remainder being split for Pro Late Model classes since Super Late Models became the premier class. Originally it was co-sanctioned between the All Pro Super Series (later the NASCAR Southeast Series ) and the American Speed Association . In 1991, the NASCAR Southeast Series took over
4928-547: The Firecracker 400 in 1982, making Allison the fourth driver to sweep both Sprint Cup point races at Daytona in the same year. After Allison accomplished this, no driver repeated such a feat until Jimmie Johnson did it in 2013. Allison ran in the Indianapolis 500 twice, with a best finish of 25th in 1975. He also made two starts in the 1972 Trans-Am Series , driving a Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) Datsun 510 in
5040-834: The Grand Circuit now visits 20 tracks as of the most recent 2021 season. The most notable harness tracks in North America are the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey , Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York , The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky , and Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ontario . Since 1947, the "United States Harness Writers" Association annually votes for
5152-956: The NASCAR Hall of Fame in May 2011, along with Lee Petty, Bud Moore, David Pearson, and Ned Jarrett. Allison is one of ten drivers to have won what was then considered a career Grand Slam (an unofficial term) by winning the sport's four majors: the Daytona 500 , the Winston 500 , the Coca-Cola 600 , and the Southern 500 . Only nine other drivers have accomplished this feat: Richard Petty , David Pearson , Darrell Waltrip , Dale Earnhardt , Jeff Gordon , Jimmie Johnson , Buddy Baker , Kevin Harvick & Denny Hamlin . Officially, Allison has won 85 Cup Series races, placing him in fourth place on
5264-683: The Stavola Brothers No. 8 team. For 1994 season, the team partnered with Ron Zook , for Cup and Busch Series. For 1995 and 1996, the team was sponsored by Mane 'n Tail with Derrike Cope at the wheel. Allison was forced to close down the team due to financial problems after the 1996 season. Allison actively promoted rail safety for the CSX "Keep on Living" campaign with appearances at Talladega and Daytona. On March 6, 2008, his mother, Kittie Allison, died in Charlotte, North Carolina , at
5376-471: The Under 2.5 liter class; he finished third on debut at Laguna Seca . His NASCAR team owners included DiGard, Junior Johnson & Associates, and Roger Penske, for whom Allison scored four of the five NASCAR wins for American Motors ' Matador. The other AMC victory was accomplished by Mark Donohue also racing for Penske in 1973 at Riverside. He raced in NASCAR as a driver/owner of an AMC Matador . Allison
5488-497: The all-time qualifying record at 212 mph (341 km/h). NASCAR then mandated smaller carburetors for the remaining 1987 events at Talladega and Daytona. The following year, NASCAR mandated restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega to keep speeds under 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). Allison won the first Daytona 500 run with restrictor plates in February 1988 by a car length over his son Davey Allison , rendering him
5600-405: The all-time wins list, just one ahead of Darrell Waltrip . Unofficially, Allison may be credited with 86 wins. The controversy lies in two races: the 1971 Myers Brothers 250 held at Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston-Salem, North Carolina; win was reawarded in 2024), and the 1973 National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway . (Charlotte, North Carolina.) Due to reduced sponsorship money being given out by
5712-702: The best four-year-old horses) hosted in September at Jägersro in Malmö . The latter race track also hosts the Hugo Åbergs Memorial , which is an international race open for all horses. Other important harness racing arenas in Scandinavia are Åby outside Gothenburg , Mantorp , Axevalla , Bergsåker , Boden (almost at the polar circle ) and Charlottenlund in Danish capital Copenhagen . A betting game called V75
SECTION 50
#17327808882815824-755: The big track. A fire burned the grandstands at the 1965 State Fair. Weekly Tuesday night races were added, and fans were awed by the crazy Figure-8 drivers barely missing each other as they crossed each other's paths. New grandstands were built and the track was lengthened (and banked to 35 degrees) in 1969. The bankings in the corners proved to be too fast, so the banking was reduced to 18 degrees. The new ownership decided to hold not weekly races in 1979. The 1970s also featured talented drivers that would progress to NASCAR's highest division. Second generation drivers Sterling Marlin (son of Coo Coo) and Steve Spencer (NASCAR) Mike Alexander (NASCAR) (son of car owner R.C.) were all track champions. Alabama Gang member Jimmy Means took
5936-404: The big-time if they have an exceptional horse. The major tracks include Gloucester Park (Perth), Globe Derby Park (Adelaide) Albion Park (Brisbane), Menangle Park Paceway (Sydney), Melton Entertainment Park (Melbourne), Alexandra Park (Auckland) and Addington Raceway (Christchurch). The breeding and racing of standardbred horses is both a dedicated pastime and profession for participants in
6048-658: The biggest races. Trot racing as a sport is often considered dull, but when combined with betting it can rapidly get interesting. The huge popularity of trot betting in Sweden "spills over" to the neighboring Norway (11 racing tracks), Finland (43) and Denmark (9). In Ireland, sulky racing is today associated with the Traveller community , and some with criminal associations, whereby illegal racing takes place on public roads. Trotting sport and betting also exist in Austria , Belgium , Germany , Hungary , Serbia , Italy ,
6160-549: The boat division for 10 months, then was transferred to the racing division. During the two months he worked in the racing division for Kiekhaefer, he went to 19 races, mostly Grand National (Known as the NASCAR Cup Series as of 2020), and a few Convertible races. Every one of those races was won by a Carl Kiekhaefer car from the shop in which he worked. Kiekhaefer was a hard person to work for and several people got fired, so Allison decided to go back to Miami only after
6272-590: The breed. The founding sire of today's Standardbred horse was Messenger , a gray Thoroughbred brought to America in 1788 and purchased by Henry Astor, brother of John Jacob Astor . Astor had the horse for two years on Long Island and then sold him to C.W. Van Rantz. From Messenger came a great-grandson, Hambletonian 10 (1849–1876), a horse who gained a wide following for his racing prowess and successful offspring. The lineage of virtually all North American Standardbred race horses can be traced from four of Hambletonian 10's sons. As of January 1, 2019, Foiled Again
6384-528: The car without its rear bumper and it was discovered that the car was faster and handled better without the bumper (better underside aerodynamics and over 70lbs. lighter). It has been claimed that Allison and his crew modified the bumper so that it would fall off easily at the beginning of the race. NASCAR never fined him and the victory stands. Allison and his crew denied the allegations. In the Allison biography Miracle, Allison explained that NASCAR inspectors told
6496-418: The clear majority of harness racing in Australia and New Zealand are also now for pacers, even though the sport is colloquially still known as 'the trots.' Pacing horses are faster and (most important to the bettor) less likely to break stride (a horse that starts to gallop must be slowed down and taken to the outside until it resumes trotting or pacing). One of the reasons pacers are less likely to break stride
6608-446: The crash site asking me if I wanted a ride. Somehow I don't remember...but seconds later fists were thrown between Cale and Bobby. I tried to get into the fight and got scratched in the cheek by Cale. I later kicked him when Bobby mopped him into the mud. All of us were fined $ 6,000 but between Daytona 500 and this fight, today it's worth every penny to be involved in a fight that got NASCAR on the map." Cale Yarborough unsurprisingly has
6720-462: The early years of the Standardbred stud book , only horses who could trot or pace a mile in a standard time (or whose progeny could do so) of no more than 2 minutes, 30 seconds were admitted to the book. The horses have proportionally shorter legs than Thoroughbreds , and longer bodies. Standardbreds generally have a more placid disposition, due to the admixture of non-Thoroughbred blood in
6832-544: The entrants came directly to Nashville from the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri . Racing pioneer Barney Oldfield was one of the entrants. People marveled at cars driving over 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). The track began holding annual events in September 1915 to coincide with the state fair. Many of the same drivers from the Indianapolis 500 brought their cars down to Nashville. Local tracks sprang up and began running weekly Saturday night shows (collectively called
SECTION 60
#17327808882816944-454: The fact that it brought NASCAR onto the map makes it all worth every penny." To this day, Allison maintains that Yarborough was "beating his face on my fist". Donnie had a similar story to Bobby: "Cale said I forced him in the mud. I did not. He wrecked himself and I was the unfortunate bystander to be in it. He and I have talked. We're fine. We both view it as lost opportunities. After he and I talked it out and agreed to disagree, Bobby came to
7056-523: The field gets the bell at signal their final lap. New Zealand racing is quite similar to that of Australia. Many horses are able to easily "cross the Tasman " and compete as well on either side of the sea that separates Australia and New Zealand. In both New Zealand and Australia the same system of an 'open lane' operates, although in Australia it is called a 'sprint lane' and in New Zealand a 'passing lane'. These lanes do not operate on all tracks and have been
7168-470: The first NASCAR race on August 10, 1958. Geoff Bodine beat Darrell Waltrip for his second career win in the last Cup Series event at the track, the second win for the upstart All Star Racing , now known as Hendrick Motorsports. NASCAR left the track because of a dispute over who would manage the track took place prior to the start of the 1985 season. Of the 42 Cup races, nine were won by Richard Petty and eight by Darrell Waltrip . Waltrip won five of
7280-476: The first driver to have won the Daytona 500 both with and without restrictor plates. He is the oldest driver (50 years) ever to win the Daytona 500. Bobby and Davey Allison are the first one-two father/son finish in the Daytona 500. As a result of permanent injuries in a crash at Pocono (see below), Bobby had no memory of the final win of his career or of celebrating together with his son in victory lane. Allison
7392-418: The first race was held at the new speedway. Races were held only on the 1 ⁄ 4 mile track (except for special events). A 1959 NASCAR Grand National race of 200 laps in 1959 was unique; it was the first time an entire starting field (12 of 12 cars) finished the race, one of four instances it has happened in Cup Series history. That would not happen again until 36 years later, when the entire field at
7504-413: The first race. The division finally caught on in 1987. NASCAR stars that raced in 1987 or 1988 included Bobby Allison , Sterling Marlin , Mike Alexander , Darrell Waltrip , Bill Elliott , and Dale Earnhardt . Third generation driver Bobby Hamilton won track championships in 1987 and 1988. The 1990 season was dominated by Jeff Green . Mike Reynolds won the 1991 track championship. Mike Alexander won
7616-423: The first turn. After the initial fight for a good running position, the horses usually form two rows or tracks. Good running positions are the leading position of the inner track or the second (or third) place in the outer track. This is explained by the fact that the outer track is close to 15 meters longer per lap, front running is always heavier compared with just follow behind (just like in cycling). Positions in
7728-420: The ground simultaneously), whereas a pacer moves its legs laterally (right front and right hind together, then left front and left hind). In continental Europe, races are conducted exclusively among trotters, whereas in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States races are also held for pacers. Pacing races constitute 80% to 90% of the harness races conducted in North America - while
7840-416: The industry. The premier events can now have prizemoney exceeding AUD 1 million and recent upgrades to some venues has created world-class facilities for harness racing. Betting revenues have come under pressure from both thoroughbred racing and from expanding opportunities in greyhound racing - however 'the trots' still has a dedicated following and a rich history to enjoy. Friday night is generally regarded as
7952-429: The inner track behind the leader may appear the best. But as described before, overtaking is not an easy manoeuver. And horses in the inner track may very well be trapped all the way to the finish, due to the horses and sulkies in the outer track. On the other hand, if an opening in the outer track appears close to the finish line, such a horse has had "an easy ride" with much strength left to give. The leading position of
8064-402: The last seven races held at the track between 1981 and 1984. Waltrip's victory in the 1988 Busch Series event gave him nine total NASCAR wins at the track. Counting NASCAR, USAC , ASA , and local track races, Waltrip holds the all-time track record for wins with 67. The track held nine Busch Series races in 1984, 1988, 1989, and from 1995 to 2000. The track was replaced on the schedule by
8176-414: The lead early; circling the field; moving up an open rail; advancing behind a horse expected to tire and so on. Harness horses accelerate during the final quarter-mile of a race. The finish of a harness race is exciting, and often extremely close. The judges have a photo-finish camera to help them determine the order of finish if needed. Until the 1990s harness tracks featured a rail on the inside, much like
8288-463: The lead to any horse that challenges, often leaving a horse parked outside the leader in the " death seat " or simply "the death" (known as "facing the breeze" in New Zealand), as this horse covers more ground than the leader. Australian racing generally has more horses in each race; a field of 12 or 13 is not uncommon. This generally means that with the smaller tracks a "three-wide train" starts as
8400-477: The leader, with another horse outside). It makes races more wide-open, with potentially higher payoffs — and more attractive to bettors. Australian racing differs from North American racing in that metric distances are used, generally above the equivalent of one mile and horses are classed by how many wins they have. Another large difference is that in Australian racing the leader does not have to hand up
8512-451: The mobile barrier. The horses commence pacing or trotting and line up behind a hinged gate mounted on a moving motor vehicle, which then leads them to the starting line. At the line, the wings of the gate are folded up and the vehicle accelerates away from the horses. Another kind of start is a standing start, where there are tapes or imaginary lines across the track behind which the horses either stand stationary or trot in circles in pairs in
8624-485: The new Nashville Superspeedway in 2001. The track was renamed "Music City Motorplex" for 2003 by new promoter Joe Mattioli III, whose family owns Pocono Raceway and South Boston Speedway . The 2007 schedule featured races in NASCAR's two regional series, the Busch East Series and Whelen Southern Modified Tour . In 2009, Music City Motorplex was to host an ARCA RE/MAX Series event on June 20, but it
8736-603: The newly opened Nashville Superspeedway for 2001. The track held five Craftsman Truck Series events between 1996 and 2000, known as the Federated Auto Parts 250 . It was held in August from 1996 to 1998 and in 2000 and in July in 1999. The track was replaced on the schedule by the newly opened Nashville Superspeedway for 2001. The All American 400 is a 400-lap, 240-mile super late model stock car race held at
8848-542: The one at Thoroughbred tracks. This "hub rail" was replaced with a row of short pylons (usually of a flexible material), which mark the inside boundary of the course. This change was mainly for safety reasons; it allows a driver to pull off to the inside of the course if necessary, such as when their horse breaks stride but they cannot move to the outside due to being boxed in, thus avoiding injury to himself, his horse, and other competitors. This change allowed another innovation, "open-stretch racing". (As of 2011 open-lane racing
8960-448: The outer track, also known as the position of "death", is a very hard position to run and only very strong horses can win from this position. If a horse completes the race from the "death" position, commentators often point that out when announcing the KM pace of the horse. On short distances (1640 meters), the horse that gets the leading position of the inner track has a very good chance to be
9072-664: The premier trotting night although key events will enjoy broader weekend billing. Important annual races include the Hambletonian for 3-year-old trotters, the Little Brown Jug for 3-year-old pacers, and the Breeders Crown series of twelve races covering each of the traditional categories of age, gait and sex. The Hambletonian is part of the Trotting Triple Crown and the Little Brown Jug
9184-497: The quarter-mile track covered in dirt. In December 2018, then-track operator Tony Formosa Jr. reached an agreement with Speedway Motorsports and its main Tennessee track Bristol Motor Speedway to co-operate the facility and make the necessary upgrades for the track to host NASCAR Cup Series , NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races again and continue to host weekly racing events. Speedway Motorsports
9296-540: The race in 2016 was 1 million euros, with approximately half of that to the winner. The horses are entered in the race based on lifetime earnings, unless they have qualified by performing well in the preceding six qualifying races. Sweden is "the locomotive" of harness racing in Scandinavia. It is a professional all-year event, even at very high latitudes during the winter. In Sweden there are 33 racing tracks, and in Finland 43. For comparison, there are only three thoroughbred racetracks in Sweden. One of them ( Jägersro )
9408-540: The race until the 2000 edition. The race returned in 2003 as part of the ARCA/CRA Super Series , and has been promoted by variants of Track Enterprises since. The ARCA Menards Series first visited the Fairgrounds in 1992, then had an annual race from 2015 to 2019. The ARCA Menards Series East took over the date in 2021. The venue hosted a round of the American Speed Association from 1998 to 1999 and then in 2003. The Hooters Pro Cup Series raced at
9520-542: The second volt together with number 8 and higher) may get up a better speed after the turn-around but before the starting whistle sounds. Horses may have different initial speed, but must not exceed the starting line before the start signal sounds. Horses number 6 and 7 can both get a better speed at the starting line, and there are no horses in front of them. Due to this number 6 and number 7 are known as "running tracks" at volt starting. Horses 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, 14, 15 have all horses in front of them. But to get advantage of
9632-466: The seven races the price multiplies as 0.5 × 2 × 5 × 1 × 7 × 7 × 1 × 4 = 980 SEK (approximately 92 euro). The bettors win money if they get all seven, six or five horses right within the system. But the difference between picking all 7 winners and just five is huge, in terms of money to win. V75 races are of distances 1640 m ("short"), 2140 m ("normal"), 2640 m ("long") and rarely 3140 m ("extra long"). The race track's length most usually
9744-672: The sport is fairly popular in most northern European countries. Practically all races in Europe are trotting races. The Prix d'Amérique at Vincennes hippodrome near Paris is widely considered to be the most prestigious event of the European racing year. Other notable races include the Elitloppet one-mile race in Solvalla track near Stockholm, Sweden and Gran Premio Lotteria di Agnano in Naples , Italy. A yearly Grand Circuit tour for
9856-402: The start the drivers fight to get a good running position . How well this succeeds depends on the horse, the starting position and how the opponents drive their horses. Due to the sulky width and the oval race track overtaking is a far more difficult manoeuver to achieve, in comparison with gallop racing. The "running position fight" during the start and the beginning of the race usually ends in
9968-436: The starting line for a restart which can cause delays in programming and disrupts betting. The sulky (informally known as a "bike", and also known as a spider) is a light, two-wheeled cart equipped with bicycle wheels. The driver (not a "jockey", as in thoroughbred racing) carries a light whip chiefly used to signal the horse by tapping and to make noise by striking the sulky shaft. There are strict rules as to how and how much
10080-402: The three during an interview in 2012 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, NASCAR later refunded the fines as a reward to them for bringing NASCAR into national spotlights. Allison however complains to this day that because he only made $ 4,000 in the race, he had his wife Judy help pay the fine (by contributing $ 2,000) and he was only refunded with $ 4,000 by officials. On June 19, 1988, at the midpoint of
10192-646: The top trotters includes a number of prestigious European races. All notable racing nations also host their own highly regarded premier events for young horses. Monté (races to saddle) have recently been introduced in larger scale in Sweden and Norway , to increase interest and recruitment to the sport. Saddled events are also commonplace in France and though less frequent, they are not considered exceptional in other European trotting nations. Bobby Allison Robert Arthur Allison (December 3, 1937 – November 9, 2024)
10304-597: The track in 2003 and 2004. Its successor the CARS Super Late Model Tour has an annual race since 2018. Superstar Racing Experience announced that their final race of the 2021 season would be hosted by the track. Guest drivers for the event would be NASCAR driver Hailie Deegan and defending Cup Series champion Chase Elliott . The track was used in the Grand National Expansion Pack for Sierra's NASCAR Racing 2 game and
10416-428: The track title home to Alabama in 1974 before he moved on to NASCAR's Winston Cup. The track returned to hosting weekly races in 1980. In 1984, the top NASCAR series fielded its final race at the facility after disputes with city government and track management. The new headline division featured smaller Camaro -type bodies called "Late Model Stock Cars". The new division caught on slowly, and only 13 drivers competed in
10528-471: The track was passed and the track continued to operate. The All American 400 was resurrected for 2012. It was cancelled in 2018, but returned in 2019. The CRA Super Series and Southern Super Series also race at the track. The ARCA Menards Series has visited the venue since 2015 with a 200-lap race titled the Music City 200 . The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series had a doubleheader race in 2019, with
10640-470: The whip may be used; in some jurisdictions (like Norway), whips are forbidden. For exercising or training, the drivers use what is known as a "jog cart", which is a sulky that is heavier and bulkier than a racing unit. The Prix d'Amérique is considered to be the number-one trotting race in the world. It is held annually at the gigantic Vincennes hippodrome in eastern Paris late in January. The purse for
10752-527: The winner. At longer races (with rather even competitors) running positions like second or third in the outer track have good chances, especially if the inner track horses get trapped behind a weakening front horse. Though all kind of trot betting in terms of money, is the most popular type of betting in Sweden, attendances at the races do not correspond to this. Even when "the V75 circuit comes to town" attendance rarely exceeds 5000 people. Larger crowds only gather at
10864-411: The wrong person. And I've said before, I think I questioned his ancestry. He hit me in the face with his helmet and I saw blood dripping onto my shirt. I thought 'If I don't stop this I'll be running from Cale for the rest of my life.' I climbed out and throttled him. He ran his nose into my fist several times. My story and I'm sticking to it forever. He never challenged me again. The fine surprised me, but
10976-473: Was a car owner for numerous drivers, most notably Mike Alexander, Hut Stricklin , Jimmy Spencer , and Derrike Cope . Stricklin was Donnie Allison's son-in-law. The car number raced was No. 12 and sponsors included Raybestos Brakes from 1990 to 1992 and, in 1993, Meineke . Stricklin moved to the Junior Johnson & Associates team halfway through 1992 and Raybestos left at the end of the year to
11088-572: Was an American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang , a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama , where there were abundant short tracks with high purses. Allison raced competitively in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1961 to 1988, while regularly competing in short track events throughout his career. He also raced in IndyCar , Trans-Am , and Can-Am . Named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers and
11200-542: Was announced on February 20, 2009, that the race would be moved to Mansfield Motorsports Park in Mansfield, Ohio . In 2009, the track's prestigious All American 400 was canceled and not rescheduled because of severe rain and political issues with Nashville mayor Karl Dean , who wanted the track and the Tennessee State Fairgrounds closed in order to redevelop the site. A ballot measure protecting
11312-455: Was driven by Allison. Knowing that the pony car would handle better on the flat track of that race, and the race following at West Virginia International Speedway, Allison had chosen to race his Grand American 1970 Ford Mustang, No. 49, sponsored by Rollins Leasing, and owned by Melvin Joseph. (Joseph was the head of Dover International Speedway until his death in 2005.) As he was not racing in
11424-541: Was elected to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993. He was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. Early in the 1979 Daytona 500 , Bobby, his brother Donnie and rival Cale Yarborough tangled early in the race. Donnie led the second half of the race while Yarborough made up his lost laps through caution periods. By the time there were eight laps to go, Yarborough reached second place and set his eyes on passing Donnie. Bobby
11536-463: Was for only one race. After he graduated from high school in 1955, Allison's mother thought she would derail his racing interest by sending him to Wisconsin to work for Mercury Outboard Motors , where her brother-in-law, Jimmy Hallett, was the national sales manager. Unbeknownst to her, the owner of Mercury was Carl Kiekhaefer , who also owned race cars. Allison began working as a mechanic and an engine tester. While employed at Mercury, Allison worked in
11648-434: Was involved in an accident at Talladega in May 1987, that saw his car cut down a tire, turn sideways and go airborne into the protective catch fence that separates the speedway from the grandstands. The impact, at over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h), tore out over 100 yards of fencing. Parts and pieces of the car went flying into the grandstand injuring several spectators. This was the same race where Bill Elliott had set
11760-469: Was killed in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway . Three years after these tragedies, he and his wife Judy divorced. Four years after their divorce, while attending their daughter-in-law's wedding, they reconnected. They were remarried in July 2000 and remained together until her death in 2015. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992, and inducted into
11872-544: Was later converted for use in NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition, NASCAR4, NASCAR 2002 and NASCAR 2003. In October 2019, iRacing scanned the facility to be added into their service for their 2020 Season 4 release in September 2020. The track is also featured in SRX: The Game, released in 2021. Harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or
11984-401: Was repaved between the 1995 and 1996 seasons. The track first featured "horseless carriages" and motorcycles on June 11, 1904, on a 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 mi (1.8 km) dirt oval. Races were canceled after a motorcycle ran into the back of a car that was lining up. Harness horse racing events were also held at the track. In September 1904 another series of races was organized. Most of
12096-425: Was the first back-to-back champion in 1965/1966. 1968 champion P.B. Crowell decided to retire, and hired the talented young Darrell Waltrip to drive his car. Country music legend Marty Robbins raced often at the track in his signature purple and yellow race cars. Several changes happened at the track in the 1960s. Lights were added to the 1 ⁄ 2 mile track in 1965, and races in the main division moved to
12208-425: Was two laps down and was 1/4 mile ahead of the two rivals as Yarborough and Donnie crashed on the final lap. Richard Petty went by and won the race. Bobby passed the wreckage, finished the race, and on his way back around stopped to check on his brother and make sure he wasn't hurt. He pulled over to the wreck site to offer Donnie a ride to the garage area. Yarborough ran up to Bobby and, according to Bobby, Yarborough
12320-510: Was unusual for competing successfully with his own, low-budget team for much of his career. Allison was born December 3, 1937, in Miami , Florida . He entered his first race as a senior at Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School in Miami. Since he was only 17, he had to have his parents' permission to compete. When his mother approved, Allison assumed it was permanent, but his mother believed it
12432-541: Was won by Darrell Waltrip , driving an ARCA entry. That win was credited as an ARCA win only, and not counted in the NASCAR K&;N Pro Series West (as it is currently known) win list. Likewise, when a Winston Cup driver won a Winston Cup/Winston West combination race, the win counts in Cup, not West. The Busch Series and Busch North Series also raced combination races in the past. Currently, Bristol Motor Speedway has such
12544-411: Was yelling that Bobby was at fault and hit him in the face with his helmet—cutting his nose and his lip. Bobby climbed out and a fist-fight broke out. This fight led to a $ 6,000 fine each for Yarborough and the Allison brothers. In 2000 when asked about the fist-fight Bobby said "I stopped to offer Donnie a ride to the garages and Cale comes running up saying I caused the wreck. I tried to tell him he had
#280719