By Steve Waid
Because of several unfavorable circumstances in early 1986, Steve Hmiel and Billy Hagan’s NASCAR Winston Cup team faced a dilemma: They did not have the means to prepare a new Oldsmobile for Terry Labonte in the Rockingham race in March.
Hmiel’s solution? “Let’s race the show car.” No, really.
The response among most team members ranged from anger to frustrated disbelief.
But the show car was converted and in it, Labonte turned in a jaw-dropping performance..
He won the pole, led the most laps, including the final 57, and easily won the race.
As one young and brilliant writer wrote that day, “Having to do little more than shift into fourth gear and steer, Terry Labonte cooly won today’s Goodwrench 500.”
For more than 32 years, Grand National/Winston Cup/NASCAR Scene writers and photographers were there to record NASCAR history as it was being made. Join hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid each week on The Scene Vault Podcast Presented by Q Ware as they take a look back at the extraordinary people, places and events woven into the rich tapestry that is our sport.
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