With NASCAR on a temporary hiatus, news is going to be slow in the coming weeks. To help fill the NASCAR void, we plan on taking you on a daily trip down memory lane spanning the years since the Jayski’s site inception. Using our news archives pages, here’s a look back at what’s happened on this date through the last 23 years in NASCAR:
This day in NASCAR history: March 21
Years we have pulled today’s main items from: 2015, 2012, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1197
Top see everything from this date over previous years: 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997
Note: Many links on older stories don’t work. There’s not a lot of the same websites around anymore.
To see previous articles covering “Today in History”, click here.
2015:
Sprint Cup purses down as NASCAR shifts money to XFINITY, Trucks: Sprint Cup Series teams appear to be racing for just a little bit less money in 2015 as NASCAR has quietly increased the purses for its two national developmental series while Sprint Cup purses have dropped by a tick this year. NASCAR Chairman Brian France said last year that NASCAR would consider giving Xfinity (formerly Nationwide) Series and Camping World Truck Series teams a bigger portion of the new television deal that went into effect this year. That is what NASCAR has done, although it won’t say by how much. It never announced the change, but it did confirm to ESPN.com that that was the case when asked about the change in the purses after the first four races.
In comparing the purses for the first four tracks to what the purses for those tracks’ races were last year, the only Sprint Cup race to have an increase in purse was the Daytona 500. It certainly wasn’t much of an increase at $24,408, virtually nothing (up 0.1 percent) when considering the purse was $19.8 million. The rest have gone down, none by more than $98,000 — the purses for the three races since Daytona have been between $5 million and $6.5 million — for an overall season drop of 0.2 percent for the first four races. Xfinity races, though, are up 9.1 percent with increases of $60,000 to $155,000 per race; Xfinity purses this year generally are $1.1 million-$1.5 million (the opener was $2.66 million). The truck race at Daytona was up 16.4 percent to $806,373, and that was for a 32-truck field instead of a 36-truck field. There was no Atlanta truck race last year with which to compare the earlier purse.(ESPN.com)(3-21-2015)
2012:
Bruton Smith considering changes to Bristol Motor Speedway UPDATE: Bristol Motor Speedwayowner Bruton Smith is considering about $1 million worth of changes to return his Tennessee track to the way it was before a 2007 reconfiguration. “We are going to take a very hard look at it this week,” Smith told The Associated Press on Monday. “We have everything in our computers that shows us what the track used to be and what it is now, and we started working on that last night. I’ll have an answer for you next week on if we’ll alter the track.” But Smith insisted it was the rain, not fan apathy over the current style of racing at Bristol, that contributed to Sunday’s poor crowd. “We certainly thought it was going to be better, but the rain got us,” Smith said. Bristol once was one of the toughest tickets in all of professional sports, but attendance has waned the past several years and its spring race has particularly suffered. The speedway says it seats 160,000, and although the grandstands appeared half empty Sunday, NASCAR’s listed attendance was 102,000. Smith said 8,120 sold tickets went unused. But he remained adamant the attendance decline has nothing to do with the new racing at Bristol. At the same time, though, Smith said he began talking to his Speedway Motorsports Inc. officials on Sunday evening about changes to the track. Smith said SMI will study fan commentsthis week. “I want to be sure that the fans like what they see,” he said. “If the fans like three abreast through the turns, we do nothing. If they don’t, then we’ll alter the track. The fans vote is the most important thing.” If changes are made, they’ll be done in time for NASCAR’s Aug. 25 return to Bristol.(more at the Associated Press / Bristol Herald Courier ans SHARE your input HERE)(3-20-2012)
UPDATE: Speedway Motorsports, Inc., CEO Bruton Smith said yesterday that he is moving ahead with plans to return Bristol Motor Speedway to its previous configuration. Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s The Late Shift with Buddy Baker and Jim Noble, Smith said feedback from fans has been overwhelmingly in favor of changing the legendary speedway’s layout. “I’d say it’s about 75% from the race fans that they’d like to see us put it back the way it was five years ago,” he said. Smith said he has already consulted with engineers about making the necessary changes. “It will absolutely still be concrete,” he said, “but we will (redo) the profiling. We have on paper exactly the way the track was before we came in and redid it. We’re going to have all the elevations, the ingress and egress as it was before we completely redid it. We will here again offer race fans (the track) the way it was. It’s not a major change that we did,” insisted Smith. “We took up all the old concrete that was breaking up and causing a lot of problems. We completely redid the speedway, and fans got the idea that it’s not the same. I guess it’s not the same, since they told us that, and the race fan is always right. When the race fans speak, you listen. And that’s what we’re doing now.” The SMI owner said the changes will be made before the Aug. 25 Sprint Cup Series night race. “You have a good contractor, your plans, your blueprints and a million dollars, and you just go ahead and do it. I’ve got engineers working on this as we speak. I have not taken this up with NASCAR yet, but that’s what we will do,” Smith said. “Once we’re ready, we’ll do it. There will be a press announcement of exactly what we’re doing. I want it to be exactly correct — the way these fans perceive it — and I want to see 165,000 fans scrambling for tickets the way they have in the past.”(Godfather Motorsports)(3-21-2012)
2010:
Johnson wins first race at Bristol: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Food City 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway for his 3rd win of 2010, 50th of his career and 1st at Bristol. #14-Stewart finished 2nd followed by #2-Busch, #16-Biffle. #17-Kenseth, #99-Edwards, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #1-McMurray, #18-Busch and #31-Burton. Pole sitter #20-Logano finished 27th down 5 laps. Points leader, #29-Kevin Harvick finished 11th and holds on to the points lead by 1 point over #17-Kenseth. 21 cars finished on the lead lap. There were 10 caution periods for 103 yellow flag laps. There were 29 lead changes among 8 drivers.
The race is scheduled to be re-aired, Wednesday, March 24 at 12:00pm/et on SPEED.
See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski’s Bristol Race Results/Awards page.(3-21-2010)
2009:
Bristol could be last race for #28: Sources at Yates Racing confirmed that Sunday’s Food City 500 will be the last race in the foreseeable future for the #28 Ford driven by Travis Kvapil. Last year, the team was able to piecemeal enough sponsorship together to last the entire season for the #28, but despite some support from Golden Corral for the first five races of 2009, it wasn’t enough to keep the car going beyond this week.(SPEEDtv)(3-21-2009)
See this and other Cup schemes from 2009 season on the 2009 schemes page.
NASCAR’s missing video history: Dale Earnhardt’s 1979 Bristol victory: It’s the 30th anniversary of that first NASCAR tour breakthrough victory by the late Dale Earnhardt, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., just four years old at the time, has never seen that video footage….if it even exists. That 1979 Winston Cup tour win was the first of Earnhardt’s 76 victories, but it came two years before NASCAR’s full Cup tour events were routinely telecast in their entirety. But the third generation Earnhardt did watch his father here, while growing up. The elder Earnhardt made a lot of Bristol history. “The ‘Earnhardt Moment’ for me here was when he ran like 450 laps and won the race and had no power steering,” Earnhardt Jr. says. “I think that was in ’87 or ’86, or something like that. I have run like 20 laps at California with no power steering, and it was difficult — it was hard to drive the car where you wanted it to go. The whole handle of the car, the whole feel of the car changed. I just can’t imagine running like that here. I was having a hard time running (at California) any kind of competitive time on new tires; on old tires I was okay without the power steering, but on new tires it was just really hard to run as fast as everybody else was running. For him to have been able to do that here — a place like this, on the blacktop — for basically the entire race and win, that was pretty cool. I was here for that and I was pretty proud of him for that kind of effort.”(mikemulhern.net)(3-21-2009)
2007:
Rudd to run Pedigree scheme at Bristol: This weekend the Nextel Cup Series travels to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500 and it will mark a series of firsts for the #88 team. NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow will make its racing debut providing a true test as to how the newly redesigned body styles will handle the pressures of race day. Sunday will also mark the first time the #88 team has run a special paint scheme for the 2007 season. Instead of the normal Snickers Racing scheme, the team will be running a bright yellow Pedigree Brand Food for Dogs Ford Fusion.(elevationgrp/Snickers Racing PR), no images of the scheme..yet.(3-21-2007)
See this and other Cup schemes from 2007 season on the 2007 schemes page.
Shooting suspect arrested; accused of firing into crowd at NASCAR event: A man suspected of opening fire on a crowd at California Speedway during NASCAR [Busch Series] races last month was arrested Monday by sheriff’s deputies. Ramon Luis Caraballos, 30, of San Bernardino was booked into Central Detention Center on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies from the Fontana station responded to a reported shooting at 8:17pm/pt, Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Speedway, 9300 Cherry Ave. The shooting occurred after a fight between Caraballos and another man. Deputies said Caraballos had been drinking and punched the man in the face. He then pulled out a knife and later got a gun from his car. He fired twice at the man and a crowd behind him, but no one was struck, deputies said. Investigators identified Caraballos as the suspect Monday and arrested him in San Bernardino. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller did not have any further information on the incident Tuesday evening. He was being held on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to the sheriff’s online log. A call to California Speedway on Tuesday was not returned.(San Bernardino County Sun)(3-21-2007)
2005:
Edwards Drives Home too: After Carl Edwards drove 500 miles to victory he left Atlanta with his motor coach driver and spent all night behind the wheel 680 miles to his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. His sponsor Scotts had a private jet waiting for him where he then flew to New York City to help ring Monday’s closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. A long drive following a race win is nothing new to Edwards. After his first-ever dirt track victory in Godfrey, Illinois Carl drove home and was so happy that night he didn’t change out of uniform. He also drove back to Missouri from the Kentucky Speedway after his first Craftsman Truck Series win. Edwards said “To get behind the wheel of that motor home and drove home (from Atlanta) just made it feel right.”(PRN’s Garage Pass Radio Show)(3-21-2005)
First time Cup and Busch wins same weekend? haven’t seen this anyplace, but during Speed Channel’s Speed News, it was mentioned that Carl Edward’s first time Busch Series and Nextel Cup Series wins, was the first time a drive had gotten his first career win in both series on the same weekend at the same track.(3-21-2005)
Engine of the Future: NASCAR’s proposed “engine of the future” for 2007 would be sized down to 325 c.i., about 100 horsepower smaller than the current 358 c.i. design, which has been stock-car racing’s staple since 1975. NASCAR’s goal is an engine that produces 700 horsepower at the flywheel (about 680 horsepower at the rear wheels). NASCAR has had three major meetings with Detroit car makers over specs for the new engine, which is being stalled by Ford Motor Company. In part of the engine discussions, NASCAR officials are looking for ways to create a secondary in-sport market for old engines. Currently there is no such hand-me-down market for slightly used, or last year’s NASCAR equipment.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-21-2005)
2004:
Three Networks instead of Two? 40 races still being talked about: ….NASCAR might be looking at a new three-network TV package, with ABC joining Fox and NBC, and with ESPN back in the mix, too. That could lead NASCAR to create a “three-season” tour – spring, summer and fall, 13 or so races each, with the tour finale a “Super Bowl” of sorts rotating from network to network each season, perhaps at Las Vegas one season, perhaps at Daytona the next.(Winston Salem Journal for more to this story)(3-21-2004)
Sauter fined $10G and 25 points for cursing UPDATE 2 to appeal: In a pre-race drivers meeting several weeks ago, drivers were warned by NASCAR President Mike Helton, to watch their language and to maintain a suitable level of decorum during live television (and radio) interviews in the wake of Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl halftime show. Helton said. “We have a policy about profanity, and that is under more of a microscope today than it ever has been.” Following 
the Sam’s Town 300 Busch Series race at LVMS, Johnny Sauter, driver of the #27 Kleenex Pontiac, had a bone to pick with Michael Waltrip and let loose a string of expletivities during a post-race radio interview. NASCAR may come down hard on him, to make an example of what shouldn’t be done. If penalties are in order, they will probably be announced by next Tuesday.(Insider Racing News)(3-9-2004)
UPDATE: NASCAR has fined Johnny Sauter $10,000, deducted 25 NASCAR Busch Series championship driver points and placed him on probation through Dec. 31 for using inappropriate language following the NASCAR Busch Series race on March 6 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Sauter, driver of the #27 Pontiac in the NASCAR Busch Series, was penalized under Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book (Actions detrimental to stock car racing: Use of improper language.) for his comments during a post-race broadcast interview. The loss of 25 driver points dropped him from second to fourth in the NASCAR Busch Series championship standings, with an adjusted total of 425 points. The use of inappropriate language and NASCAR’s lack of tolerance for such behavior was brought to the attention of all drivers by NASCAR President Mike Helton during the drivers’ meeting held for the NASCAR Busch Series on Feb. 21 and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series on Feb. 22 during the race weekend at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, N.C.(NASCAR PR)(3-10-2004)
UPDATE 2: Brewco Motorsports and driver Johnny Sauter have decided to appeal part of his penalty for using profanity in a post-race radio interview following the NASCAR Busch Series race at Las Vegas. Sauter was fined $10,000, placed on probation through the end of the year and docked 25 Busch Series driver points after a live radio interview with Performance Racing Network. Sauter and the team will appeal the points reduction and their appeal is scheduled to be heard Tuesday before a three-member panel of the National Stock Car Racing Commission in Daytona Beach, Fla. During the race weekend at Rockingham, N.C., NASCAR President Mike Helton warned participants the sanctioning body would be strictly enforcing its restrictions on the use of profanity in radio and TV broadcasts. Helton cited the Federal Communication Commission’s recent crackdown on such language for its toughened stance.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-21-2004)
See other NXS schemes from 2004 on the 2004 NXS schemes page.
2002:
Hooters signs with Brett Bodine for rest of 2002 and gets a teammate: Brett Bodine got some good news on Thursday. The Hooters Restaurants chain has decided to sponsor #11 Ford Bodine’s team for the remainder of the 2002 season. The company had been one-race sponsor for Bodine in the past two races [Atlanta and Darlington]. “This is a great opportunity for our race team to be involved with Hooters Restaurants for the remainder of the 2002 NASCAR 
Winston Cup season,” said Bodine. “This sponsorship will put stability back into our race team so we can focus on making our team more competitive. The sponsorship agreement will give Hooters primary sponsorship of a Winston Cup series car for the first time since 1996. The company won the 1992 Winston Cup championship as sponsor of the #7 Ford driven by the late Alan Kulwicki.(ThatsRacin.com)
and….Bodine gets a teammate: Kirk Shelmerdine, a regular in the ARCA series, will run a limited schedule this season in Winston Cup as a second team with Brett Bodine Racing. Shelmerdine, once a crew chief for Dale Earnhardt, has picked up sponsorship for his schedule by Eastern Foods Inc. The team plans to enter as many as five races this season. “This is a great opportunity for me,” Shelmerdine said. “We look forward to this new partnership.”(ThatsRacin.com)
AND more: Hooters of America chairman Bob Brooks will sponsor Brett Bodine’s #11 Ford for no less than 26 of the remaining 31 races on the schedule and will also back a second car out of the BBR shops in five races for Kirk Shelmerdine using the Naturally Fresh brand of his Eastern Foods company. Bodine’s team has the option of selling the remaining five races to another primary sponsor, but a team spokesperson said Hooters might opt to be on the car for those events as well. Bodine’s associate sponsorship programs with Wells Fargo Financial, Timberland Pro, TEC Graphics and Express Services Inc. all will continue. Doug Richert, who joined Bodine at the season’s second race, at North Carolina Speedway, working in the crew chief’s role as a “consultant,” will continue in that position at Bristol as Bodine weighs his options.(NASCAR.com)(3-21-2002)
See this and other Cup schemes from the 2002 season on the 2002 schemes page.
2001:
Martinsville Hotel Fire UPDATE 2: A massive fire gutted a portion of the Dutch Inn hotel in Collinsville, VA (near Martinsville) late Monday. Flames engulfed the portion of the building adjacent to an automotive parts store and the Dutch Inn Plaza shopping center. Thick smoke rose into the sky from flames that shot from the top of the structure. Firefighters were still battling hot spots in the hotel’s windmill tower early this morning. A portion of the building’s roof caved in about 12:20 a.m. as firefighters extinguished the blaze. A firefighter atop a ladder truck sprayed water onto the fire from high above it(Martinsville Bulletin). So with the Martinsville races coming up in a little over two weeks, folks who were planning on staying there may wish to check out the situation in a few days when things calm down at the hotel(3-20-2001)
UPDATE: Except for the two suites in the tower, none of the guest rooms was damaged, so the hotel will be able to accommodate almost everyone booked there for the April 8 race at the Martinsville Speedway. Electricity and cable television were restored Tuesday. The hotel should reopen next week(Roanoke Times)
UPDATE 2: The good news is all of the rooms are inhabitable and will be ready for the Virginia 500 weekend. The bad news is all of the paperwork concerning room reservations for the Virginia 500 were burned. Martinsville Speedway is trying to help the management of the Dutch Inn get in contact with anyone who might have had reservations for that weekend so the paperwook can be recreated. If you have made reservations with the Dutch Inn for the Virginia 500, and have not already spoken with Amanda at the Dutch Inn, please fax her a copy of your contract or any other paper work. Her fax number is (540) 647-4119. The folks at the Dutch Inn have assured Martinsville Speedway they will honor all reservations for race week(Martinsville Speedway PR)(3-21-2001)
1997:
Sad News: John Nemechek who was critically hurt in 3-16-97’s NASCAR Truck race, passed away today in Miami, FL. His brother, Winston Cup regular, Joe left Darlington and did not race there and Phil Parsons subbed for him in the #42 SABCO Chevy, my condolences and sympathies go out to his family(3-21-97)
Click a link below for a full listing of news from each year:
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