Charlotte Motor Speedway plays host to NASCAR for the next two weekends, with the running of the Monster Energy All-Star Race on Saturday night (coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on FS1) and NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 on May 28.
Charlotte is one of NASCAR’s older tracks having opened way back in 1960. Since that time, eight different drivers scored their first race victory in what today is known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the 1.5-mile North Carolina track.
Here are all eight drivers who won for the first time at Charlotte.
8
David Pearson, 1961
In the early days, the Coca-Cola 600 was known as the World 600 and Pearson won it in his second season, finishing 2 laps ahead of Fireball Roberts and three in front of Rex White and Ned Jarrett. The South Carolina racer would go on to win 104 more Cup races, including three more at Charlotte. Pearson is now a NASCAR Hall of Fame member.
7
Buddy Baker, 1967
Known as both “The Gentle Giant” and “Leadfoot,” Elzie Wylie Baker Jr. a/k/a Buddy Baker won his first race in the fall of 1967 at Charlotte. Driving a Ray Fox-prepared Dodge, Baker lapped the field to win the National 500 over Bobby Isaac and Dick Hutcherson. It was a huge first win for the Charlotte native.
RacingOne ISC Archives via Getty Images
6
Jeff Gordon, 1994
In his rookie season of 1993, Gordon showed tremendous potential. But it was not until the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 that he first found Victory Lane. Gordon’s crew chief, Ray Evernham, made a bold call for two tires late in the race, which was enough to give Gordon the victory over Rusty Wallace and Geoff Bodine. It was an emotional victory for Gordon, who would go on to win a total of 93 Cup races.
RacingOne ISC Archives via Getty Images
5
Bobby Labonte, 1995
It took from Buddy Baker in 1967 all the way to Jeff Gordon in 1994 for a new driver to score his first Cup win at CMS. But after Gordon broke through in the ’94 Coca-Cola 600, Bobby Labonte became a first time winner at Charlotte just one year later in 1995. And he did it by besting his own brother, Terry Labonte, and Michael Waltrip.
Getty Images Scott Halleran
4
Matt Kenseth, 2000
It’s easy to forget sometimes, but Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were both rookies in 2000 and both won in their rookie seasons. Kenseth won the 2000 Coca-Cola 600 over 1995 winner Bobby Labonte, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
RacingOne ISC Archives via Getty Images
3
Jamie McMurray, 2002
This was a true upset. After Sterling Marlin broke a neck bone in a crash at Kansas, car owner Chip Ganassi tabbed rookie McMurray to fill in for his injured driver. And a whale of a fill-in job that it was, as McMurray shocked the world by winning the 2002 Bank of America 500 in just his second career Cup start.
RacingOne ISC Archives via Getty Images
2
Casey Mears, 2007
The 2007 Coca-Cola 600 was a strange affair with fuel mileage playing a key role in Mears winning his only Cup race in a career that eventually featured 498 starts. And you won’t see many odder top fives: Mears won over J.J. Yeley, Kyle Petty, Reed Sorenson and Brian Vickers.
Getty Images Getty Images for NASCAR
1
David Reutimann, 2009
Rain called a halt to the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 after just 227 of 400 laps were run, but it was enough to guarantee Reutimann and his Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota a victory over Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon. When the final caution for rain came out, the leaders pitted but Reutimann stayed out and inherited first the lead and then the race victory.
Getty Images for NASCAR Rusty Jarrett
FOX Fantasy Auto Form a Racing Team, Compete for Prizes
Play Now!
Recent Comments