Race of the week- 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta

What better way to end the season than featuring perhaps the most significant race in NASCAR history.  Every NASCAR fan is aware of the magnitude of the 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta.  Richard Petty strapped into the No. 43 Petty Blue Pontiac for the final time after two hundred victories and seven championships. 

While Petty’s legendary career ended, a future legend was inaudibly circling the Atlanta Motor Speedway in the rainbow-adorned No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet.  We had no idea that the 22-year old Jeff Gordon would embark upon an incredible journey that would encompass four championships and 82 wins to date.  Dale Earnhardt was still in his prime, though he was involuntary taking a break from the championship spotlight.  He was far from finished, as he had two more championships in him in 1993 and 1994. 

However, the headline of the weekend involved the tight championship battle.  Davey Allison held a 30-point advantage over car owner/driver Alan Kulwicki.  The 1988 champion Bill Elliott was 40 points behind Allison.  Allison was the obvious favorite when the Winston Cup stars arrived in Hampton, Georgia, but everyone knew not to discount Bill Elliott and his Junior Johnson-owned team.  Kulwicki was the underdog, driving what became recognized as the Underbird.  Harry Gant, Kyle Petty, and Mark Martin still had an outside shot at the title.

Allison’s championship hopes diminished when he hit the Chevrolet of Ernie Irvan on lap 254 after Irvan cut a tire.  Allison was running in the sixth position, which is where he needed to finish in order to clinch the title.  His premature parting left Elliott and Kulwicki as the last men standing.  Kulwicki finished second while Elliott won the race; however, Kulwicki led 103 laps, one more than Elliott, giving him five bonus points for most laps led, which ultimately became the deciding factor in the championship battle. 

Kulwicki defeated Elliott by a mere ten points for the 1992 title. It was the closest finish in the championship standings under the previous format.  In 2004, Kurt Busch won the title by eight points over Jimmie Johnson in the first year of the Chase for the Championship format. 

Fans long for a championship battle such as the Kulwicki, Elliott, and Allison classic seventeen years ago. 

Elliott still races a partial schedule for the Wood Brothers.  Allison and Kulwicki tragically passed away less than a year after the thrilling weekend in Georgia. 

Enjoy the clip.  I could not think of a better way to end the 2009 Race of the Week series.

Bonus includes post-race reactions.

Previously featured races:

• 1998 Daytona 500
• 1983 Carolina 500 at Rockingham
• 1986 Miller High Life 400 at Richmond
• 2001 Cracker Barrel 500 at Atlanta
• 1989 Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro
• 1990 Valleydale Meats 500 at Bristol
• 1999 Goody's 500 at Martinsville
• 2004 Samsung Radio Shack 500 at Texas
• 1963 Motor Trend 500 at Riverside
• 2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix
• 1977 Winston 500 at Talladega
• 1998 Exide Batteries 400 at Richmond
• 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington
• 1987 The Winston at Charlotte
• 2005 Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte
• 1985 Delaware 500 at Dover
• 2000 Pocono 500 at Pocono
• 1982 Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan
• 1991 Banquet 300 at Sonoma
• 1994 Slick 50 300 at New Hampshire
• 1984 Firecracker 400 at Daytona
• 2006 USG Sheetrock  400 at Chicagoland
• 1994 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis
• 2000 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono
• 1988 Bud at the Glen at Watkins Glen
• 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan
  1999 Goody's 500 at Bristol
• 1985 Southern 500 at Darlington
• 1986 Wrangler Indigo 400 at Richmond
• 2008 Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire
• 1997 Miller 500 at Dover
• 2004 Banquet 400 at Kansas
• 1971 Miller High Life 500 at Ontario, CA
• 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 at Charlotte
• 1987 Goody's 500 at Martinsville
• 1993 Die Hard 500 at Talladega
• 2007 Dickies 500 at Texas
• 2003 Checker 500 at Phoenix