In NASCAR, there are certain races that carry a bit more weight than others.
The Daytona 500. The Southern 500. The Coke 600.
All of these are dubbed as Crown Jewels by fans and members of the sport alike. However, there is much needed discussion to be had on the rest of that coronation set, and a key piece of that conversation is whether or not the Bristol Motor Speedway night race even belongs in it.
The term “Crown Jewels” truthfully comes from several different sources, but back in the mid-’80’s, then-Cup Series sponsor Winston began a sponsorship deal for whoever could win three out of four specific races in a season.
The prize? One million dollars (yes, you read that in the correct voice).
The Daytona 500, Winston 500 (Talladega Superspeedway), Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500 all got thrown into the mix and were referred to as the Grand Slam. From 1985-1997, only two drivers were able to complete the grand slam and win three out of the four – Bill Elliott in 1985 and Jeff Gordon in 1997.
Elliott’s nickname, Million Dollar Bill, stemmed from the win.
Thus, NASCAR’s crown jewels were born, excavated, discovered or whatever any fan wants to call it. That doesn’t mean that changes haven’t taken place, though. Many consider Talladega to be out of the crown jewel conversation now, and the Brickyard 400 has been viewed as a crown jewel by many, especially with the race making its return to the schedule this year.
That leaves the Bristol night race – one that has seen so much chaos that it’s almost unbelievable. But does chaos make a jewel? There lies the debate. Sure, Bristol has had its fun moments, but it’s also had some let downs.
Firstly, there’s the surface. The concrete that was redone in 2007 is just bad. There’s no way around it. And that’s not just some media member saying so – just ask Dale Earnhardt Jr., the most popular driver in NASCAR.
With that being said, the great moments at Bristol are aplenty….
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