Classic Full Race Replay: Bill Elliott's first win | 1983 Winston Western 500 | Riverside

the question today is will Waltrip do it again and you'll know the answer on superstation WTBS with our live flag-to-flag coverage consider this cale yarborough it sounds so easy allison has to finish 13th or better and he's won the championship as we watched Darrell Waltrip the pole sitter rolling out he only has to finish 13th or better and the last three times Bobby Allison has been at the Riverside International Raceway he has finished 22nd 16th and 27 well it's not easy to finish 13th on a place like Riverside Ken this is a tough racetrack to run not only are can you get in trouble yourself but other cars can have problems and spin out in front of you and all just all kind of different things can happen here so Bobby has really got to drive a smart race today if he's going to win this championship today live flag-to-flag coverage on superstation WTBS the shootout to decide the Winston Cup for 1983 and there you see the front row car number 11 Waltrip the defending champion trails by 64 points going into this race there's only one thing he can do today Cale and that's go for it that's the only thing he can do Ken he has nothing to lose he's got to lead every lap he can possibly lead to get those five points he's got to win the race if he can possibly win it and hope something happens to Bobby I've been here again I've been in both spots I know there's pressure on Darrell there's pressure on Bobby and it's both of them have got their work cut out for him today Darrell Waltrip is attempting to do what only one other man in history has ever done when the Winston Cup three successive years that man Cale Yarborough and it is a lot of pressure and it brought you to the point Cale were you elected not to run as many races hence you're not here today on the track well that sure did Ken you know we ran for the championship for year after year after year and I won three in a row and the pressure of this championship I know what each one of these guys are going through there's you can say there's not much pressure but the pressure has been on of all year long the windows championship so it so it's not very easy I know what both of them are going through NASCAR and track people here have done a remarkable job of getting this track back in condition for this race today and we have the report now from NASCAR within a couple of laps they will know if they're going to turn them loose the track has dried out well here you see the starting front row Ricky Rudd who won here in June in the Budweiser race starts on the outside of the front row Waltrip of course is on the pole and he must make up 64 points as we look at the rest of the starting grid Terry Labonte who crashed here so savagely a year ago in this race there's Allyson and remember at the start Bobby Allison is well back not that far back but six and nobody has ever come from further back than eight to win this event as we continue down through Herschel McGriff who won the Grand American race yesterday on this track in the Warner Hoxton 300 there's Bill Schmidt twice Western Champion and Tommy Gale is back today we thought he was going to retire in Atlanta he came back for one more time out here on this road course there now in turn nine one of the most critical turns anywhere in American motorsport and here they are coming right by our vantage point where Cale Yarborough and yours truly Ken Squier located at the start/finish line and you can still see the water marks on the Speedway as number 55 Benny Parsons is pulling on pit road now these are caution laps than being run out there you see the second row Joe Ruttman who plays second here a couple of years back in Terry Labonte who had just an awful crash in turn nine one year ago slammed head-on into the wall broke his leg thought a bit about retirement but he says not that much and came back incidentally news story here cale yarborough who you'll recall at atlanta drove hurt as we saw on superstation WTBS and did that incredible job in the Hardee's car we understand you're headed for the hospital that leg has not come around kale like for two so you know in the very near future i'ma have to have something done about it if it doesn't doesn't start healing up very shortly but it still give me a lot of trouble well I'm sure all your supporters across the country be sending some mail to Timmonsville if you decide to go back in the crash house for a while car number 11 Waltrip the pressure really on today now he's led the last two years coming in here but he's a fighter and he is up on the point he established a new record in qualifying and 116 point seven eight two miles per hour a new record for this two point six mile course again here's Dave Despain the Winston Cup championship is decided on the only Road race course these cars contest they are stock cars they are oval track racers 28 times a year twice a year they come to Riverside and do battle on a two point six mile twisting course that is an absolute torture test for Car and Driver let's take a look at how it works start/finish line here that's where they'll take the green flag we don't know at this moment when they will take the green flag they move from there down into this difficult area called the esses this is alien territory for stock cars it's a succession of left and right-hand turns and they just don't turn that way anywhere but here at Riverside you're going to see a lot of people try to make a straight line out of this you'll see a lot of people running in the mud on this part of the racetrack they are trying to get successfully to the entrance to turn six again a right-hand turn a hard tight right and it's another difficult stock car maneuver moreover this is a dangerous place it was the last corner in the life of the great Joel Weatherly who was killed here in 1964 from turn six a short sprint up this straightaway to turn eight again very difficult in fact the toughest turn on the track this is a courage corner it is the wrong direction that means that the car is thrown out of kilter a hundred and nineteen times every lap around turn eight the guy who can hammer the throttle right here gets the momentum for the long run down this backstretch that's a hundred and seventy mile an hour stretch and if you've got a car length advantage here you can stretch that because you've got that momentum to eight perhaps 10 car lengths as you come down to here turn nine the hardest braking point on the racetrack from 170 miles an hour down to about a hundred miles an hour to negotiate this area the car groans and shudders and complains and if you miss the mark by just a little bit you're going to go hard into the retaining wall it was here last year that Terry Labonte suffered the worst crash of his career just one year ago today around turn nine to start finish our STP pit communication center is located right here on this side of the track high of a Riverside International Raceway anchor booth and our post today for our Ken Squier and Cale Yarborough the word is that in two laps they will turn them loose that in two laps the Winston Western 500 will see a green flag and we will be underway in the deciding race in this $10,000,000 tour there you see Ricky Rudd pull up alongside out of turn six headed down toward turn eight two of the cars in this race have onboard live cameras to give you the grip in the field and you're riding with a man who is going to start well back and what a ride he's going to give you this is Tim Richmond's car number 26 Richmond starting out back he'll have to fight his way up through the field Richmond had qualified second fastest but he blew his engine on the first day had problems with the car and so now Richmond is relegated because he did not make the first state qualifying to the 26 starting position and what a charge he's going to be making the other camera live on board will be with karna 33 the Skoll abandoned Harry Gant will be at the controls of that car Harry Gant has qualified well he is in that seventh starting position in the skull bandit for today's race now they're on that long back straightaway it's C ageless and endless as you're running but when you're under full speed that thing goes by in just a matter of seconds and then you're into turn number and I will be back for the start of the Winston Western 500 in a moment ladies and gentlemen this is it the race to decide the championship for 1983 live on superstation WTBS 42 starters all lined up $275,000 at stake as prestigious race to win and the national title here as well Ricky Rudd in the number three the Piedmont Airlines currently inside and there is Darrell Waltrip sitting on the pole has to win must-win situation for the defending champion of NASCAR here they are into that sweeper a savage nasty turn was here just a few months back the Rolf's Tolman and lost his life in a Porsche of car here they are out of turn number nine coming down for the green fly Carol kinder has it an end and now Jerry lon RJ Reynolds drops the green flag and we are underway on the break Ruttman into third Rutland loves this track you must stay on the asphalt if you get off it will trap you like quicksand today field is away number 11 Waltrip in front rut from the outside in second position and here with Tim Richmond as he comes out of 25th position snarling grinding fighting his way he's just gone by Morgan Shepherd he's up to 24th he's going after Donnie Allison in the number 88 you're live in Tim Richmond's car as he hurdles up into turn six meanwhile the leaders are approaching turn eight Waltrip in front in the second position right behind him comes Ricky Rudd and now in third is rentman and in fourth is Labonte now they go in the back straightaway coming to full speed wall tripped in the lead up to 170 175 miles per hour and then into that turn where you just don't want to let go do you just have to just ease that car and now you're back once again with our live onboard camera going down beneath the bridge this camera should take a hit right about here here with Tim Richmond as he goes by still another car approaching turn nine and pulls himself up into the 23rd position here he is around turn nine this is what it looks like correction you're in the school abandoned car you're running in sixth place right now that's Harry Gant at number 33 the skull band and car of Burt Reynolds and hal needham right up there in the front of the hunt they've got some oil pickup problems on that car but there you see Harry Gant fighting his way through this field looking around out of the side of the car out of the back of his machine as we go back to the leader and Ricky Rudd relentless in his last ride in car number three a lot of driver changes at the end of the year and here they come another time down into turn eight wild trip on the point he's won here twice there's Joe Ruttman still there Labonte still lying fourth front four all together lead automobiles all together back straightaway second left as they wheel down for 118 laps it is car number 11 Waltrip in the position he must be in and remember Allison can win the championship if he finishes 13th but the story here is the last three times he has finished no better than 16 20 seconds 16 and 27 coming out of turn nine right to the wall at over 100 miles per hour the wrong way around a half mile track Cale well it sure is kid but you know Bobby Allison is running a harder race and I thought he's going to run he had dried in behind Darrell Waltrip in those first few cars in bet and stay in there he's not banking off any so there he is right there right coffees go make a run for it I guess so Allison has pulled up now you're back inside I believe Gant's car another time the skull bandit there's the leader car number 11 the racetrack looks like it's in real good condition a kin and stride off but the problems gonna be when somebody has passed trouble and has to get off the racetrack it's mighty wet out there car number 11 Waltrip he is won six races this year Allison has won six races this year when he won the championship the last two years Waltrip was able to sustain a drive that saw him win 12 events back straightaway another time a waiting game as Waltrip really rushes the field staying out in front now he's collected five points for leading a lap remember that back in fifth place is Bobby Allison if he can stay and sustain there he will win the championship after trying for 20 years five times Allison as has two runner-up in the championship this year after a bad time at Daytona Beach he came back in one regimen Virginia at the Richmond Fairgrounds and that famous half mile track and now he is still holding on there's Stevie Waltrip checking the board taking a careful look at how her husband Darrell Waltrip is doing and checking those positions back and the positions right now show Labonte fourth Alison fifth can't sickness Dale Earnhardt is up to seventh Richard Petty is an eighth then at night does Bill Elliott and tenth his West Coast driver Jim bound driving for his dad Jim Bao the brother of Chuck bound the former Winston Western champion and now Ron one of the runners on the Stroh's tour in the northeastern part of United States that found is the first West Coast driver and there is a Western series and it is a combination of those two series that give us this great race three laps complete Waltrip is in front as you see here on the leaderboard but Winston Western 500 is Ricky Rudd in second Joe Ruttman third Labonte fourth and then Allison there is Waltrip in the fourth lap and everyone is playing a pretty pat hand kale well this year everybody is pretty well got them a spot holding right now Ken i think this is uh maybe because the racetrack is still a little bit damp and they weren't taking any chances until they run a little while and make sure that they can make a move on the racetrack and still be safe Jim Bao the 10th place car is just pitted and come back out Darrell Waltrip is in front Kenny stay there continuing live coverage of the western 500 brought to you in part by old Milwaukee beer and Old Milwaukee light two of America's great tasting beers it doesn't get any better than this there you see Darrell Waltrip in front battling for the Winston Cup worth some half-million dollars to a driver if he takes that championship light behind him is Ricky Rudd trying to make it two in a row at Riverside he won here back in June in the Budweiser 400 kilometer race and there you are in turn number nine Waltrip just so smooth and easy through there so there really is Ken but Ricky Rudd is putting a move on bill right now he allowed before he got right up by going through through number one and Ricky is sticking right with him seeing anxious jr. Johnson looking on their jr. Johnson who's brought this car out brought Waltrip to the title to the last two years and had little to do with Cale Yarborough winning a few championships - now you're back with Tim Richmond in the old milwaukee car Richmond is fighting with Roy Smith as he charges through and he's taken Smith out he is on a charge he's just gone by Buddy Baker and he's up to ninth position what a run by Richmond from 26th starting spot going through the esses Tim Richmond back for the leaders another time lead car number 11 in the Winston Western 500 we now have completed six of the 118 laps that marked the distance and since the beginning Waltrip one in front now just past the start/finish line a lap ago while we're in commercial Ricky Rudd a shot to go by at a place where you don't usually pass but it looks like he's got some extra horses in that Richard Childress car well he he started by it tried to get by him going in turn number one had to back off what girl was trying to do is not let anybody pass he needs to lead the most laps in this race and be assured of that five points believe most lens so Waltrip is going to stay out there and try to stay in front as long as he can we asked Darrell Waltrip earlier what about rain changing the track conditions here at Riverside this is what he said all the rubbers been washed off of it there's been a lot of water to run across the racetrack and it'll be a little more treacherous than it was for a while the big factor now is you cannot go off the course and expect to get back on the Factor now will be if you miss a turn up here somewhere and you get out in that mud you're gonna be there for a while it'd be almost impossible for a tow truck to get you out of there so now you've really got to be careful not to go off the course wild trip in the lead winter here in 1979 and 1980 it's all on the line for him today and Allison must feel every vibration and every quake augmented about tenfold from the usual race worries one would have because if anything begins to shake rattle a roll on that number 22 car he's got big problems in the championship well I'm sure he's feeling everything just happening I can but you know Bob is running harder than I thought he's gonna run in this race he's really poor Nikola maker now you see Tim Richmond going to that long back straightaway shifting into high here he comes down for the bridge up to 100/70 money he went into third now into high here he comes down this little hill about a five percent grade headed for the bridge he's headed for turn nine he's looking for somebody to race with I believe the man directly in front of him now is Bill Elliott and Elliott hasn't covered by about three seconds very cops into turn nine described that feeling for scale well that's a tough term can you come down you know it faces you at about 170 miles an hour and you know you gotta back off and get through that car you're back with a skull band and Perry Gant the he'll need a Burt Reynolds car the number 33 of Gant is currently in sixth position Bobby Allison is in vent and right behind him comes Terry Gannon you can be sure that Harry wants to win today they've had just an awful season [Music] certainly they just had a lot of bad luck but Paragon is good and has a good road to so you keep you you keep you out on and today Travis Carter crew here's a report from the STP Pit Center here's Dave Despain from the STP pit Communication Center let's bring you up to date on a couple of stories Benny Parsons scheduled to start fifth problem with the engine started dead last he's come through the field and is now running 18th tires are a big story Jim bound has had a flat Kyle Petty has had a flat tires cost Bobby Adelson the championship here last year Allison stripped a lug nut on a pit stop couldn't get the tire off had to go out and run that tire until it blew and that cost him the title now as we work on lap 10 of this race we have a report of a unscheduled pit stop coming the leader is coming to the pits the leader is coming to the pits let's try to get a further report on that and it's not the leader of course it is alison has come in from Dave Despain vantage point he couldn't see him pulling out of pit road number 22 Allison the fifth place car is in and they're changing rubber and sending him back out and he's falling back in the field they changed the right side and evidently that's a lot of debris on the racetrack that probably the water has washed onto the racetrack and that's a pretty tough break for Bobby that's running through a lot of stones a lot of rocks that get washed up and pulled up through maybe something went wrong with a tire but Allison is falling back now we're going to check his position for you and tell you where he is in the race Waltrip continues his driving first with Ricky Rudd second Joe Ruttman third Terry Labonte fourth and Alison has fallen to 19th place Alison Bobby Allison is back in the 19th position at this time now that would put him out of it let's go to Jim roller we have an audio we have an audio problem he is talking of course to Gary Nelson the crew chief will try to get back with Jim roller in just a moment to get that report from Jim from Jim roller as to what exactly happened on Alison's car we know it was a tire change as to what the circumstances were we'll try to update you in a moment car number 98 now coming in is Joe Ruttman that was the car that had been running in the third position and the leaders are all beginning to have problems with tires because of the strange track condition kale well they are Ken but Joe Ruttman got his hood up so he's got more than tyre problem oh what a bad break for Joe Ruttman finished second here still looking for his first grand national win one of the nice people came off the USAC circuit hooked up on to the NASCAR Winston Cup tour bad break for him and there are the leaders I wonder if those early stops by Rutman and by Alison are harbingers of things to come for all of them out here today well it could be kin but Ricky Rudd is hanging right in there with wall group and wall up is still on the lead everything possible laughs that he can Labonte now goes to third Gant moves to fourth up to fifth moves Earnhardt into 6 goes petty into 7th Elliott and from 26 has come Tim Richmond and he is dramatically closing Richmond trying to close it up on Bill Elliott the interval stays about three seconds between them there are the leaders and there is Richmond and you can see up in front of it there's a lap car in between Phil Elliott who he's focusing on in the Ford Thunderbird and here's Harry Gann and Harry Gant is right up behind the carb Terry Labonte that's Labonte running directly in front of the skull bandit Richard Petty is in another of the leaders having tire problems here the sixth place car the 1969 and 72 winner of the event Richard Petty seven-time national champion in for an unscheduled stop and he's back on the track Cale what do you think it's got to be debris on the racetrack in you know there are a lot of valleys in this racetrack and when it rains here and the water just flows over the racetrack a lot of places and evidently there's rocks and just in it all kind of Dupree on the racetrack Bobby Allison is in another time he will fall further back in this incredible development as you watch it live on superstation WTBS from Riverside California the grand finale to the ten million dollar store here comes Allison out let's go to Dave Despain just two laps into this 119 mile battle Bobby Alice just 12 laps in Bobby Allison has been in twice let's find out what's going on on the car that started in sixth place Jerry Garrett you've been in the Allison pit well Dave Jerry Nelson Alice his crew chief said to the first pit stop was for a slow leak in the right rear tire since then he's coming again he's got a vibration problem they're trying to track down Jerry says that the track is very green and they're picking up all kinds of strange debris out there Jerry Garrett is our roving reporter in the pits he'll be with us all day the story right now for the second year in a row as Allison tries to win the championship at Riverside he is plagued with tire problems back to you Ken so Bobby Allison is falling further back he was in 17th he is now out of the top 20 Joe Ruttman is back on the track but running with a sour engine very slowly by us this time leader coming by as we have completed 12 laps 107 remaining the leader remains car number 11 is Waltrip going to do it is he going to win his third championship remember he must win and in one of the circumstances Allison has to be 13th or worse in the field so far nothing to miss on that car that continues to lead Darryl Waltrip twice a winner trying to win it for the third time and the most important time in his career go Winston western 500 will continue on superstation WTBS at Riverside International Raceway just the most remarkable circumstances Bobby Allison has had to pit twice in the early going there you're watching the battle further back for third spot 44 Labonte is in third Harry Gant is in fourth and directly behind him as they have returned eighth is the car number 15 the but more car there you see it up to turn eight there's the 40 for the 33 and the 15 and they are fighting for three four and five on the field there's the third place car Terry Labonte right behind him comes the Skoll abandoned with hair again and then comes that but for ford thunderbird which is gone to victory twice this season Terry Labonte carrying those red and white colors for the final time goes down under the bridge and into turn dying in there a lot of history is gonna be made here today Richard Petty is running his last time for petty enterprises and Terry Labonte will be changes bosses a lot a lot of different things going to be happy second-place car comes on pit road car number three Ricky Rudd running in second place has just pulled in and here's Harry Gant chasing car number 44 down across the line and they go back to into turn number one you're with abandoned Harry Gant and you see that red car in front of him as they go into the esses whoa off on the right side coming back into the left side of the track here is car number three gotta be another tire problem another tire problem that is the second place car but the leader thus far has nary been plagued by anything he just stays up there and continues to keep running now there is car number three just pitted and has come back out we have two cars out Jimmy in slow has retired from the race in two time Western Champion bill Schmidt who saw him running very slowly in his car number 73 both green and white collar's have been retired there's the number 11 ere your leader that is Darrell Waltrip who stays up in front Waltrip with the lead in that second spot now Terry Labonte and in third is Harry Gant Ricky Rudd falling back having pitted Ricky Rudd has fallen back Terry Labonte goes up into second Harry Gant goes to third Dale Earnhardt is in fourth Bill Elliott is in fifth and Tim Richmond is in sixth with Roy Smith in the seventh position Benny Parsons in eighth than Buddy Baker at night can Vinnie Paulson has moved up through to feel real good to he started absolutely last in that copenhagen car and he's really coming on strong Bobby Allison has his work cut out the latest report was that he was running in the 27th position he's got a lot of running to do he needs a 13th or better of course the attrition will help him some that'll continue to build it up here Waltrip has already collected five points for leading leading a lap and there's another bonus of five points if he leads the most line those are the only bonuses given number 55 Benny Parsons he is just pitted Benny Parsons another factor here in this race and pitted early and he is in a second time lapse while we're showing 16 laps complete here today in the Winston Western 500 coming to you from Riverside California live on superstation WTBS watching car number 11 Waltrip continue to reel off lap after lap with seemingly no problem on the clock number 11 there is Waltrip out of turn 9 moving in on some back markers as he comes to the stripe he's about to lap JD McDuffie he moves up on bill bound as well at the 93 as the skirmish continues to decide who will win the Winston Cup this year it'll be given at the Waldorf Astoria in New York a couple of weeks away and has been Darrell Waltrip the last two years the recipient Bobby Allison fighting again to put it back together Joe Ruttman number 98 has gone behind the wall work on Rutman scar will go on behind the wall or maybe terminal in the event in which case he would be the third car to retire now there's Tim Richmond's car you're inside of the Old Milwaukee number 27 the blue backs he's up on a lap car trying to move through to have a regimen and it returns six up through the assets dramatic pictures from Richmond's car car number 11 still in front Walter when he needs it it looks like the luck goes with him will it stay there of course he had just terrible misfortune as you saw on wtbs with our live coverage in Atlanta that was not his day the car didn't work all day Cale well it sure didn't akin but this race is it's real young yet anything can happen Bob is maybe having his problems early over might have his late you never can tell now here's Waltrip in the 11 skirting turn number nine having completed 18 laps 101 to go and as matters stand he would come from behind in the last race of the year and take the title there's the leaderboard as it currently stands and there has been one change Ricky ruts car has brought back Ricky rod pitted and is no longer the second position car on the field that is moved in the second the Terry Labonte car Gant is it third Earnhardt is and fourth Richmond is currently in the fifth place here's your leader out of turn six that short straightaway about 110 miles an hour through there Cale at 110 and then you have to slow way down to get through that turn eight and back down that long fast backstretch well he has nothing to lose all he has to do is stand on it today he's going for broke let's go to Dave Despain we have 19 laps in and 100 laps to go let's review what's happened to a couple of our frontrunners here Joe Ruttman the hometown favorite started fourth has just dropped out of this race he was having carburetor problems that's a whole new team they thought it might gel in the last race of the year it didn't happen Benny Parsons is still very much on the charge but one of the stories we really need to follow today is down here at the other end of the board as we look at one of our wildcard picks and that is Tim Richmond the reason he started in 26th spot is that he blew an engine in first day qualifying that car which carries our onboard camera is the second fastest car in the field but because Richmond say he had to start in 26th position he has picked off 20 drivers in the early running the report on Bill Schmidt is that the engine has blown in that car bill Schmidt is involved in the battle for the Winston West championship upon the West Coast stock to our drivers he was very much in the thick of that point battle he has blown an engine and bill Schmidt has just walked into our STP pit communications center bill we'd like to meet under different circumstances what happened well our motored is finally let go and we've been having a problem all weekend since we've been here and we were really kind of looking forward to this race because we had a crack at this championship out of here but it kind of knocked us out of that now but I guess all you can say is well we'll try her again next time better luck next time any chance at all to pulling out that title do you think I think Jim roms pretty long under cinch that now Jim Robinson is going to be the benefactor bill Schmidt suffering a blown engine here in the western 500 Ken and he was talking about the Winston West standings there there is a series on the west coast of which there is one race after this that is in Phoenix Arizona and Schmidt has been right up in the hide along with Robinson through most of the season well the field now there you see an anxious jr. Johnson you drove for him for a long time what's he like to drive for when the pressure is on like it is today well he's just stays just about like you see him there Nike and he's easygoing calm and let everything fall where it will he's not a man to put a lot of pressure on you he gives you the equipment to do it with and let you go out and do your job now if you're just joining us the race was delayed approximately one hour and it start with our live flag-to-flag coverage and he'll Schmidt we were just talking about a moment ago he is forth and those Winston West standings were being told Jim Robinson first Jim pound second Herschel McRib third the delay because of rain has caused problems for a lot of cars here there's been a lot of pickup on these tires that have no tread and it is bringing some rocks and stones onto them and they've cutting tires down as they say there's your leader Darrell Waltrip in command of the race here he is moving down through another time pass some lap bars Tim Richmond has passed Bill Elliott and he just motored by him and he took over in fifth place Richmond is up to fifth and he's closing on Dale har Earnhardt in the fourth place Ford Thunderbird Gant third Terry Labonte second and Darrell Waltrip here he is back at turn nine another time commanding the Winston western 500 and looking just terrific right behind him one of the West Coast drivers bound at number 93 ken Waltrip stay there for the day we'll know shortly stay with us for our live coverage on wtbs well there you see the standings in the Winston Western 500 taking place here at Riverside California Waltrip is in front Terry Labonte at second thus far no cautions in the race they're running at a record speed on what they call a green track would be is the two-time winner of this event the three-time national champion the great Cale Yarborough your thoughts about Waltrip out here in what used to be your ride well a lot of laps around here in that number 11 car Ken but Darrell is doing a good job you know what really has surprised me that nobody has been off of this racetrack as of yet and the race track was still wet when they pray started but everybody is really doing a fine job and Darrell's holding on there Bobby looks like he's picked up the pace just a little bit but Tim Richmond looks like he's running everybody down Richmond is just flying at one of our onboard cameras of course is with him Allison is back to 20th position now for Bobby Allison to beat Darrell Waltrip for Allison to win the title for the first time in his regard career regardless of what Waltrip does in today's race he must finish in the top 13 Allison leads Waltrip by 64 points coming into today's race and the lucky number four allison is 13 like finishing 13th or better here today Allison walks up that much pursued most lucrative title Allison can improve his chances even more by running up front now should he be able to lead the race for even one lap he'll pick up love live boy bonus and he can clinch the title then with a 15th place finish now there is an additional bonus for leading the most laps in today's event and right now the man who's working on it and hard at it is Darrell Waltrip but should Allison should circumstances change her be able to accomplish that pick up the five bonus points for leading the most laps than he would only have to finish 17th he can't do that he's back to 20th just fighting to get back up in the top 13 at this point Waltrip continues to stay in front now for this man Darrell Waltrip the only chance he has of overtaking Allison in that season-long battle for the Winston Cup he needs to lead the most laps today and win the event doing so Waltrip would come up with a hundred 85 points Allison would have to finish 14th or worse without even leading a lap and he hasn't led a lap now should such a 14th place finish happened for Allison he would earn 121 points to tie Waltrip and in case of a tie you go back to the number of wins they're both tied in six wins so then you go back to second place where you go from there to go to this complicated second place kale and Waltrip would win it because he has eight second places and Bobby only has five I don't feel like it's gonna be determine that way today anyway I feel like that something has got to happen in this race to the barrels go win it Obama's go win it on 24 laps are completed with the point that Cale Yarborough made don't you about the fact that everybody has run well we've had in solo bill Schmidt Joe Ruttman is now reported as out of the race and Johnny crêpes is out the story here is that everyone is being very careful very conservative although they're running just as fast as they dare well this your kin nobody to my knowledge has even been off of the racetrack and you know it's it's hard to believe that we've run this minute left with allison is closing up on car number two Morgan Shepherd he is pulling up on Shepherd Shepherd has been in for a while here's Tim Richmond now that you're riding right now and Tim rich from the fifth place car and he's had honey he's looking for Dale Earnhardt for an arch won two races this year and Earnhardt is up there lurking about four seconds in front of Tim Richmond he is caught in the Old Milwaukee car of 26 spot look at him going through that corner he is a wild man a lot of people say that he is the next Cale Yarborough that he is the kind of driver what you in your early years nothing would stop you could go through anything to take a race well he's doing a good job you know Tim gets around this racetrack fair well there are a lot of good road races out here and Tim is doing a fantastic job today he's coming up strong and he's going to be a contender before the days over Donnie Allison is about to be lapped in the 88 car by Darrell Waltrip there you seen the Jim Bob car the 93 car that ran the back straightaway here's Waltrip Domini inside hustling hurtling 3,700 pounds of metal full song down into turned I pulled up behind Donnie Allison who's made a comeback driving for clip Stewart in the last two races of the year thank you our rookie the eighth and there's Waltrip shooting down beneath them as he goes into turn number nine he really wants to leave the most laps done well he sure does that could mean the championship and he's he's in a position to lead most of if nothing happens to him now so he's not backing off any he's he's going all out that most laps wins now you're with Harry Gant you're in the Skjold Adam that car is running in third place at the present time Waltrip first about a second dirt with Harry Gant and there he is there you see Terry Labonte just in front of him in the red car that's the battle for second position here they are by the start/finish line by our location going to turn number one Harrigan settles in heads for the esses pulls up on Terry Labonte incredible pictures and they rock it through and you're watching it live today here on superstation WTBS back inside of the old milwaukee car with Tim Richmond and remember that Richmond is running in the fifth position looking for Earnhardt meanwhile plate report from scoring Bobby Allison up to 16 the 1975 and 81 winner of this event there were two races do you on the boat allison is up to sixteen there's the leader Waltrip having no problems floating cruising when you look good is that old country song line when you're hot you're hot and right now that number eleven could be running better right now he's red hot nobody's even around him he's got the racetrack almost to himself and he just got it hung out there and just staying there now there's Bobby Allison you're looking at car number 22 the whitest red car running in the 16th position in front of it is virtual a grip as he tries to close in through there Allison is moving up he's trying to get back into it you see Benny Parsons just in front of him I believe that Benny mintages passed him by his claw Paul Dale for it you've got a fight there and Benny Parsons who was just behind Allison has just closed and taken the spot that puts Allison back to 17th moves Benny Parsons into 16 verse Allah Griff 15th on the field they're fighting out back in this race Waltrip Labonte Gannon of the front three there's Bobby Allison and Benny Parsons the 1973 national champion Benny Parsons 1975 Daytona 500 mile winner winner of 19 grand national races here he is the back straightaway these very difficult turns and all this shifting we asked Bobby Allison what part of the track that he liked most out here to run that car number 22 through 12 probably the answers are quite different from anything else that we have that I guess the the shifting to what you do all the way around the racetrack is different from what we normally do so it kind of has my interest number 22 Bobby Allison continuing to try to run this field back down Allison floating around this track looking for car number 55 Benny Parsons just barely in front of him here they are headed up through the esses into turn six bouncing off those curves it wouldn't look like those curves would just tear those cars apart well it gets pretty rough on Ken they're really little cement barriers and you're uncross them and that British shakes too cause apart and sometimes you do have remember very clear set hair against gold banded in the pitch now that's the car that is running in the third position the skull Bandit is in might be job on the windshield there making a four-tire change third place company this could be a regular pit stop indeed if that far up we are now showing 28 laps complete 28 laps down that gets us 118 miles and so that's when they should be pinning and we ought to see Waltrip come in right on well that's got to be coming in shortly 118 miles that's a long ways on fuel stop anyway now there's Allison he's been getting better range out of that car all season long in that number 22 than anyone else on the tour we believe let's see what he'll do with that the leaders should be getting ready to pit and that would mean that Waltrip and Lamoni will be coming in Benny Parsons in that Copenhagen car is really stretching Bobby out now so Ben is running real well Jackson brothers preparation Johnny Hayes car and there's your leader number 11 Waltrip can you believe it that kind of story that's gone on and on for three years looks like it's going to be somewhat similar this year here is Allison now being shown out of it as they begin to make pit stops as some of the leaders begin to make pit stops here's Earnhardt coming in this crowds the filled up it moves into 13th Parsons into 14,000 so he's still a spot out now you're watching Dale Earnhardt Dale's making his last ride in that bud Moore Wrangler number 15 - Ken he'll be moving on next year to another car and still the leader there you see him darrell waltrip a remarkable success story but this year a terrible rash in Daytona Beach slamming that inside barrier coming out of turn number four and then the car being spun back into traffic right in front of Harry Gant that day and Cale Yarborough you were pretty close to him I was too close they gave the replay out of your in-car camera it looked like you cleared that spinning tire of Darrell Waltrip by just about 6 inches I'm sure was close kin that's mighty coast at the speeds that we run into well here's Waltrip today hoping that he has no misfortune and of course the Allison fans saying we don't want any to happen to him personally but if something should malfunction on that car I'd be just fine with us I was sitting with a year ago at this race with jr. Johnson's wife flossing when it got down to the end and should recall Allison's car broke in the latter moments and I will never forget Flossie Johnson in tears absolutely shaken she said we wanted to beat Bobby but we wanted to beat him on the track we didn't want it to finish like this grand lady jr. Johnson didn't feel that way you thinking anywhere you get it I did oh there's the leader Waltrip up into turn number six he has already picked up five points credit him with five points for leading a lap now he is working on leading the most laps in the event and he is doing a Methodist job of it at the present time the Winston western 500 will continue live on superstation WTBS so stay with us [Music] continuing live coverage to the western 500 is brought to you in part by Noxzema medicated shave cream share the softness noxeema [Music] a new leader beginning of regular pitstops here in the Winston Western 500 and there's 27 down the inside Tim Richmond going for the lead Tim Richmond passing Richard Petty in a battle for first place Richmond he just saw him sneak down the inside he's come all the way from 26 to go out in front for that old milwaukee car and he searches across the line you're riding with Tim Richmond right now as he trotted something to the esses another time Richmond has just passed Richard Petty and the reason is that the regular pit stops have begun Waltrip has pitted he has come back on the track he has shown in third behind those two leaders who have yet to pit you can hear that engine just soaring in car number 27 how many rpms is that 27 turn out there Cale he's probably turning that throw and he's into the wall Tim Richmond is in into the wall and sliding trying to pick it up petty is retaking the lead there it goes Waltrip into second Richmond Falls to third he got in that turn six just a little too hard and he got away from him he's getting ready in the tires and tubes are doing find that the air is showing through as the old Hank Williams song goes he oughta be in the new rubber shortly but he didn't do any damage you could see the old lifts off his car and he didn't hit the wall so he'll be okay Richard Petty is leading number 43 there you see Richmond in the maroon car back to third spot Richard Petty shown in first Waltrip in the second Richmond in third caution is on the track yellow is coming out for the first time not sure of the rationale for it but there's the the NASCAR officials believe they need a caution well I'll tell you today's race you really want to be on your toes and you see those lights go on up and turn six and going down into turn nine you sure can now let's go put Bobby Allison in good she had a petty petty fits 11 and 27 stay out there's Richard Petty's crew what a story here kale would you believe it last time see Richard Petty racing for petty engineering well he'll still be in the same car in the same color in the same number at all but it won't be the same that Petty Enterprises they've been around for a long time Ken and I'm sure the distance I say a day for Richard pity I'm sure it is now you see just taking off his goggles as we're under caution we are under yellow is Tim Richmond in the 27 car we are under caution now when they restart they do not restart and there's Harry Gant charging back out along with Richard Petty pretty good race there in the pit row on pit road they will restart the field coming out of turn eight on the back straightaway that stretch gives them a chance to kind of get established and and racing rather than this very tight first turn well this is the only place that the race starts on the backstretch there's Raymond beetle the blue max himself twice world NHRA drag racing champion who came in this year with a grand national team selected Richmond as his driver and Raymond beetle sure knows a lot about motors and a lot about cars he said the other days I think I've spent about six hundred thousand dollars as a loss this year but I think I know how to do it next year well I'm sure you had a good listen this year it takes time to get established in this sport but they've done a good job ken that Tim Richmond and that 27 car Tim brew and all the guys have really done a good job their first year out and they going to win some races next year well there you see them lined up and as they're deployed Waltrip is first and you see Richmond now in second petty having made his pit stop ricky rudd unofficially and they have some debris on the track the report is and it's appeared through the first turn area and I believe they're going to pick a car up that's off at a precarious position just through the first turn past our start/finish line area now you see the field coming down out of turn number nine under caution counting laps of course and I think we're going to see the leaders pit indeed that's the case Waltrip in and here comes the Tim Richmond crew in everybody ready on pit road Tim Richmond comes to a halt and number 22 Allison is staying on the track Bobby Allison remember he had a couple of unscheduled stops he's trying to get back into it we'll leave this lamp in of giving five points all the leaders are on pit road and that means that if Alison is indeed the leader he will pick up enough points oh all he needs is 15 throw better in the pitstop period Bill Elliott just before the caution came out he over ran the range of his Thunderbird he came in an empty tank and fill back several spots now here was Richmond again he said he was going to make a race of it the last time he told me that we were together uh Pocono Pennsylvania he went out won the darn thing that was a wild slide up in six they have restructure they talk about how serious turn six is and indeed it is it's a critical turn it has taken the lives of some drivers but they've rebuilt that turn Cale and right there going into turn six is not the dangerous turn that it used to be when you first came out here well it's really not it's a little bit better than I can but later on in the race that turn tends to get slicker and slicker and uh the racetrack tears up just a little bit and you get marbles up there so they're gonna have a problem with turn six all day now you see them coming out of turn eight and down that back straightaway now you drive down that back straightaway and it takes old seems like a minute well you guys go down it seems like fifteen or about five seconds and you're there here's the report from the STP pit center Dave Despain all is well with the leader Darrell Waltrip he came here he won the pole he knew he had to win the race Waltrip at this moment is doing everything that he has to do they did make a four-tire pit stop under green prior to this yellow flag they have since been back in let's look at what's happening with some of the other cars Ricky Rudd has an oil pump problem troubled him all week a former winner here in Riverside is falling back into the field big story on Bobby Allison he made his - early pit stops at lap 10 and 12 elected not to come in on this lap under yellow he is the leader of the race that gets him a 5-point bonus he will have to make pit stop probably within the next ten to 15 laps unless he can get in under this yellow having gotten his bonus make his service and in fact we understand that Bobby Allison is coming on pit road back to you Ken indeed he is here's Allison out did he lead the lap that he finished the lap in the lead Allyson came to the line and we believe he picked up those five bonus points and we're checking now with Robert lat Burt as the status and we and it is correct that he did lead a lap and got the five points which would get him back to 15th he took the lap now he's in right-side tires and we're getting ready to resume this race now he's falling back behind everyone again they'll go put him behind again Ken let's go - lets go - Jim roller with a report come in Jim roller Raymond Raymond beetle at Tim Richmond was running so well had a slight problem did he give you any indication as to what happened the wall down everybody we were fortunate when we come in earlier we only changed two tires so at least we got to take advantage of the yellow and change all four so I think we're real good shape now all right Tim Richmond little problem but they feel it didn't hurt him too bad back to you Ken getting ready for a restart here here back inside Tim Richmond scar number 21 Buddy Baker no low gear in the box right now here we are getting ready to go back under in another time as Richmond works that car over and on the break there's Richard Petty and the rest of the field darting down the back straightaway you see the pace car coming in this very unusual start and as they wheel down into the corner to Lee Richard Petty number 43 in the lead Richard Petty now remember he's working on 199 so close to that incredible 200 mark there's Harry Gant Oh number 33 right with him in the second spot leaders all bunched up it is the Terry Labonte car running in third that caution came out on lap 33 we're back inside of the school band and Harry Gant in second place berry Gann hanging onto Richard Petty as they race up into the SS kale they look into her again is looking right at Richard Petty but don't you know Richard Petty would like to win this final race in his petty enterprises car indeed he would there is such pressure on these leaders let's check for you a Buddy Baker is way off the pace he's almost half a lap down we mentioned he has a problem in the gearbox there's Betty at first put me down coming over to turn eight that looks like Roy Smith from number 74 the Canadian driver just in front of him twice Western Champion petty first there's camp right there in second dad get on the low C it comes Labonte running in third and Benny Parsons and fourth and Roy Smith is slowing down to the inside and waving him off can't if Buddy Baker in that Valvoline Ford's got gear problems this early he's got a long day ahead oh my this this will be like a 24-hour marathon for him here they are back to turn nine look at Ned it stretches him out into turn nine Richard Petty first Gant in second Parsons in third in your back inside arrogant scar right behind Gant hanging on his rear bumper is that car number 44 of Terry Labonte here they are back to the start/finish line completing 37 this time by and three laps under caution petit first Gant second parsons third Labonte fourth fifth is earn our six is Waltrip 6 is Waltrip seventh is that number 27 car well back in this hunt car number 11 the darrell waltrip machine it's Richard Petty in the lead position Harry Gant in second the Winston Western 500 to decide it all and it is still petty after the caution period leading boys while the stories continue to develop Richard Petty has popped out in front and while we were away Benny Parsons has just scooted into second place relegating Perry Gantt into the third position sad news for the chameleon sunglasses car number 90 prepared by juni Don levy his sport number 90 Richard Brooks just expired in turn number 9 blew the engine big he is on six trying to retire your would air again running in third place as he muscles that car around those corners there you see him approaching turn six up over the hill there's Petty in first there's your second place car number 55 now Benny Parsons who has never won this event petty of course won it twice 1969 to 1972 Richard Petty 198 wind stays out in front Benny Parsons in that Copenhagen car has really come on strong he's getting petty up a battle there for the lead and he you know you remember he started last in this race so he's really doing a good job can we also understand that Darrell Walter may be having some shifting problems ha the all-time perfect day begins to have a gray cloud over it much like those that were over this track this morning that delayed the stock by over one hour if you're just joining us the Winston Western 500 and inclement weather that nearly scratched the event they were talking about going to next weekend to run the event but then the Sun came out and the skies changed we had a good stiff wind ride the track out here's petit in the lead right behind in Benny Parsons and the third place car Harry Gant the fourth police car is now tearing the body fifth is Earnhardt up to six has moved again Tim Richmond and in seventh dropping back to seventh is Darrell Waltrip Waltrip now in seventh is Tim Richmond has passed it as for Bobby Allison he lies 13th and the championship is again within his crash here's tame to Spain here in the STP pit Communication Center let's review a couple of significant items Darrell Waltrip did not have to make any chassis adjustments on his pit stop that he made under the yellow flag contrast that with two weeks ago here on TBS when you saw Waltrip flounder all day long with a car that simply wouldn't handle a big story in Benny Parsons he started this race dead last he qualified very well he was up in fifth spot but a rather limiter problem on the starting grid forced him back to 45th starting position he has moved up into second place and has locked in a battle with Richard Petty and I'll tell you what that is quite a story and quite a charge Petty himself as a story he's won this race twice but Richard said that he wasn't having very much luck here this weekend he was not at all pleased with the way he was getting around the racetrack but now suddenly Betty is your leader not very much good news here today for Buddy Baker but he is stuck in fourth gear on a rope race course where you need all four gears keep in mind that the Wood Brothers crew won this race that's what baker's crew won this race five of the first six times back to you Ken and you saw the red light out on the Conn the Rutman car what a bad break for Joe Ruttman who originally came from up with California and has so many fans out here on the west coast the west coast is where they decided the championship for 1983 and here you see of Richard Petty deployed in first Benny Parsons is in second place the number 55 there you see Benny and what a run he's making for one of the nicest people in motorsport Cal well he sure has been is a super fine fella and Benny as a good Road race driver too you can see now that he's putting the pressure on Richard Petty and I believe if he could ever get by him that Benny Parsons would be hard to a hard man to handle here but the county backstretch down to turn nine now this is about a hundred seventy-five there's a little kinky dogleg here and you have to keep your foot all the way on the floorboard through there Cale you sure do you came back off you got to drive that car down to about the number two marker if you go get around this for his track angry and you're going the wrong way I mean that corner is the wrong way you're right up against the wall if you slide here it's hello walls in a Parsons car smoking some looks like he may be pushing a little bit number nine but there's no smoke after gets out so I guess it's just handling situations 15 cars in the lead lap Cale 15 still up in it we've only had one there's that smoke again you were talking to us Richard Petty stays first Benny Parsons in second get a bit of an upset here a real surprise the third place car is can that he's right there there's number two Morgan Shepherd now that car should have been a real contender today that's music whoa that's the car that Joe Ruttman drove to second place and it's the car the Tim Richmond won this race with twice a year ago Jim Stacy car and here he comes on to pit row that's where he's going Tim Richmond started his winning career it was in that car Morgan Shepherd on but he has a deal for next year to drive that car there are your fun three petty isn't first Benny Parsons is at second and Harry Gant lies third with Terry Labonte and fourth Dale Earnhardt in fifth and the big story continues to be where lies Darrell Waltrip e7 and Bobby Allison is in 12th in the race to decide it all though Winston Western 5-under we have a three-car battle up front it is Richard Petty carrying hills colors for that team for the final time right behind him Benny Parsons in second Harry Gant sustains in third let's go to Dave Despain is reporting a difficulty a reported problem with Darrell Waltrip Scott the difficulty if in fact that exists is in the transmission the car is sixth on the racetrack we have reporters on the way to check out that story one of the big stories of this race is Tim Richmond his car owner drag racing star Raymond beetle is with me now are you surprised at the way Richmond came through this field Raymond no not really our car was consistently quicker all week we were just unfortunate during qualifying we broke a rod boat so we had to start yesterday our car was was a quick edge car yesterday and I think the second quickest overall with our race setup so today we've been the quickest car so far so hopefully we will finish for Richmond to charger isn't he yeah this is one of the tracks where he really seems to shine he we won both races here last year as Dicey's car so maybe he can repeat Richmond had problems in qualifying and blew a motor but he's gone to the front drag racer Raymond beetle the car owner back to you Ken some spunk just came out of car 44 lolani as he went out in turn nine kale well he did but he came in and made a pit stop and went right back out so evidently Monta hellotara roving us up we have 45 laps now complete 189 miles have been covered there are other 189 kilometers in this 500 kilometer event and out in front it remains Richard Petty's race and there you see that second-place car hanging right in there Benny Parsons and he is now gone into the lead Parsons has whipped around Richard Petty and he has taken first place at issue is petty it have you come around yet at issue is Richard Petty number 43 he has not come around there is number 55 it is the new leader in the race and petty is coming very slowly under the bridge there the leader petty is limping down toward turn nine there you see him really off the pace Bill Elliott sweeping by and Tommy Gale in the 64 car there's buddy baker going by him Richard Petty who was the leader we have a new leader the new leader is car number 55 parsons is first and Harry Gant is at second Dale Earnhardt goes to third Tim Richmond is in fourth penny has a flat tire looks like a right front tire but it changed the Left saw though Diddley he only has a flat tire now let's hope he gets it all back together here what a run his name this smokes Darrell Waltrip in the fifth Bobby Allison now seven Allison back to seventh Gail father's moving up he knows he's got his work cut out for him but Bob it looks like he's running on a smooth race and I think he knows that race is still young and he's still got a good chance of winning this championship indeed he does it is still a young race and as Gail points out is the oldest cliche in the world anything can happen but it's certainly been proven out here over the first 45 laps 46 laps now of competition there's the new leader Benny Parsons in car number 55 who has never won out here at this race that used to be held in January to be the initial race of the year and then they would go to Daytona now of course it's reversed and they end the year here at Riverside in those days Ontario California was the last race of the year I have a crying shame to drive by these days and see Ontario with nothing there Bobby Allison is running very slowly in turn I here's the 55 car there's the skull Bend and here with Harry Gant right in front of him is Tim Richmond and look at those two go at it there's the 55 year leader that turned six closing up on buddy Arrington put in 11 kids Allison is pitting the 22 car is in again what's the story here it's right-side tires what do you think Cal absolutely flat tire they aren't looking under the hood they're just checking the tire so he's had another flat tire maybe he's getting rid of all his bad luck early never comes easy for mommy Allison doesn't since 1966 we took that little car he built himself that number to that little Chevrolet went up to me there's 43 petty in Allison is back out and five times Alison has run to the runner-up spot for the championship it is the goal he wants meanwhile Tim Richmond is just blasting through traffic he's trying to close up on Dale Earnhardt they are fighting for second position as we watch penny coming out remember Parsons is your leader and we have a battle going on for the second position car number 15 and car number 27 are having a dandy scramble and there you are trying to look out the back of the car because right behind him directly behind him is hair again leader again there's the 55 and now you are with car number 33 that is the skull bandit and he is right on the tail of the man who is currently running third overall Tim Richmond back with the leader 55 Parsons staying out in front Benny Parsons having a dandy day in first spot the menopause has just put a lap on Richard Petty Ken and that puts him one lap down Parsons in first Earnhardt in second Richmond third Gantt fourth Waltrip fifth after Bobby Allison's pit stop he is 12 and Allison is going to pit again number 22 Allison has just taken another circuit of the track and he is back on pit road as we watching Benny Parsons now you see Allison you're back in the Bobby Allison pits another time live on superstation WTBS he's won this race three times but more than ever he needs to win it now Kayla Bobby well evidently they changed it wrong tars on the car he had a flat tire I guess and they whoa whoa roll coming out but Bob is going back out now maybe he's got this - fried tires on this time and there they go up through that very difficult very tricky very son Larry have turned one into the SS now story here is that the Ford has come to second place Dale Earnhardt in the 15 as be entered up into the second spot Richmond his third Gant is fourth Waltrip is fit Bill Elliott went trouble earlier is in six and the seventh place car is tearing the body there's 55 showing some smoke that time as he went into turn eight there's the second place car that is the 15th that is Dale Earnhardt sustaining second [Music] right behind him comes Richmond and Richmond's just throwing that car over the racetrack killed well he sure is he's sticking right with Earnhardt there and he's really driving that car hard he thought he wants to move on up and try to get a shot at that first place ideas Tim Richmond line third Harry Gant lies fourth back they go for turn nine there's the second place car Richmond in the 15 [Music] fifteen I'm correction 15 Earnhardt's Richmond in the 27 here they come and what a fight that kid Richmond and 27 is making with Earnhardt they have now completed 50 laps 50 laps are complete you're watching second place 55 is up in front this is the struggle for second and 15 is earned in 27 is Richmond in that confrontation then back and forth is Harry Gant fifth is Waltrip waiting on a report on Bobby Allison's position after that second pit stop Bobby Allison's position try to pick that up and the leader continues to show some smoke in there Kail believe that smokes coming from somewhere else and I can I don't believe this tire smoke much like covered underneath the car you can see the smoke coming out underneath the call so many Parsons will be there lone March Air Force Base which is next door here Riverside International Raceway is saying there is the potential for another shower today we've had everything 55 there's Benny Parsons trying to hold on the lead the smoke gets worse and worse the second place car a little further back car number 15 some cars is Dale Earnhardt and Richmond lies with him and Harry Gannon the hal needham car is having a heck of a day look at the smoke bellowing out from beneath car number 55 Parsons in the lead using up a lot of racetrack as he went by Bobby Allison is a lap down Allison showing one lap down at the present time and scoring is giving us an update on positions we'll give them to you in depth in a moment just throwing that car up through the SS goes Parsons Ken that's going to make a pretty interesting situation now Bobby Allison being a lap down he's going to have to run harder now and try to make that lap up because he can't afford to be a lap down if he can hit indeed he can't remember the Waltrip darrell waltrip on our latest report is in fifth position allison is in 14th one lap down he and richard petty petty is in 13th allison is in fourteen this coming with 51 laps complete parsons first Earnhardt second Richmond third Gant his fourth Waltrip fifth Elliott six Terry Labonte is seventh Ron Bouchard eighth Scott Miller West Coast driver he's running to the ninth position Herschel McGriff his 10th Neil Bonnett is eleventh and Jim Robinson maintaining 12th that's what 51 of the laps complete in the event distance to be covered today 119 laps will make it Parsons still smouldering but still leading out here 20 wins for betting and here's Harry Gann still truckin for hal needham who was here today watching the event and the skull bandit is running in the fourth position up in front of him is Richmond and third Earnhardt in second and there's the leader puffs of smoke coming out from car number 55 in the lead Richard Petty is a lap down and we'll be back with more of the winston western 500 as Benny Parsons commandeered the event with 54 the 119 laps complete Benny Parsons in the Johnny Hayes car is leading in the Winston Western 500 you can see the smoke just billowing out from beneath the car as he comes back to the start/finish line another time Parsons in the first position Earnhardt second Richmond third and fourth Darrell Waltrip is in fifth and we may be able to get an updated report on Darrell Waltrip let's go down to the pit area standing by at the STP pit center here's Dave Despain the big story here the lap board 54 laps that's the lap they're working 60 laps will comprise an official race here in this scheduled 119 lapper and that's important because large black clouds are moving toward this speedway if it rains they have to complete 60 laps for it to be a race now the story is this Bobby Allison working to get his lap back is running in position right now to clinch the championship if the race has stopped at 60 or shortly thereafter and his adversary Darrell Waltrip may have a problem he was the pole sitter he was the early leader Jerry Jarrett has been in the Waltrip pit and found out the story on that transmission Jerry very little comment from jr. Johnson on doesn't matter Dave but it appears that the transmission is making some ominous noises they're just trying to baby the car they're not going to push it like they did before see if they can save it so in other words Waltrip is not charging he's content to stay where he is trying to save the car Allison has a very close eye on some dark clouds that are approaching this racetrack Ken the wind has picked up and it is raining around us there is rain around us at the present time there's the 55 and his kale and I were speaking a moment ago it looks to us like the rear end on that car may be getting warmer than II might want on Benny Parsons machine well I would I would think it would be an oil leak somewhere Ken he's been running that way for quite a while now and maybe just got a hit gasket leaking or something and my valve cover gasket leaking and just calls in smoke it's not hurting is running any way any at all but Bobby Allison is really on the move now he's pulled up behind pity he's gonna try to get around pity and then if you can get background Benny Parsons that'll put him back in the same level as you watch those three cars remember Allison is 14th and at 50 laps Allison had led one lap running in 14th position that's worth 126 points Waltrip misled 33 laps is in fifth worth 160 points if the race were to end now it would be Allison winning the championship by 34 points let's go to Jim roller looks of concern on the faces of the crew of Benny Parsons Copenhagen car number 55 Leo Jackson a little bit of smoke coming out of that car what's concerned about that the braid lab we had to come in bring it out we got all concerned about [Music] right well everybody's doing a rain dance down in the pit for car number 55 after you Ken so they're cooking the rear-end on car number 55 and it's just about well done from the look on Leo Jackson's face if it's if it's really a transmission can with that much smoke coming out it can't last much longer parson stays in front now remember 60 laps will make up the halfway distance and at that position it is a official race if it should start to rain again now here's your leader Parsons then comes the lap car behind if a Richard Petty and the key car 20 to Allison in that trio Allison trying to get his lap back get back on the lead lap remember he's running in 14th position at this time he's running right behind those two frontrunners Earnhardt his second Richmond his third Gant is fourth Darrell Waltrip is fit Bill Elliott six Labonte seventh Bouchard eighth Scott Miller from the West Coast his ninth and Herschel McGriff his tenth while there's Benny back once again knocking on the door of turn number nine came out of the ARCA ranks where he was the champion back in 1968 and 69 moved on to the grand national tour was the division champion became the sixth driver to earn a million dollars when he won the National 500 back in 1977 he's now earned over two and a half million dollars and this is an excellent run you know the skull team that us to back row team which that car is part of is a big medical program and they're really working with the drivers they've taken a lot of weight off Benny he's been doing some new exercises isometric programs to build himself up and that may be part of it I'm sure that the physicians would like to say so well he's sure other like he's awful light right now can he is really opened to gap between himself and Richard Peddie and by the Allison these dregs were pulling away from him it's hard for me to believe that a rear end or transmission would be smoking that much and he could still run that strong I believe that all of that smoke is coming from an oil leak somewhere well they say the coolers were not turned on on car number 55 and he may have got a little as they say head up out there all right parson stays in front now some 57 laps are in the record book here as the Winston western 500 continues to unfurl at Riverside California we're live at Riverside International Raceway seen in the western 500 for news on Darrell Waltrip who is trying to salvage the grand national championship here today the car has transmission trouble it is coming out of high gear he's having to hold it in gear and they're hoping the crew from junior Johnson hoping for a long yellow so that they can try to help Waltrip but they don't know what help they can give him at this point with us and the STP pit Communication Center is Jerry long he's the president and chief operating officer of the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company you've got a lot of money Jerry riding on this championship whoever wins it what's it worth the Waltrip and Allison well the difference between first place and second place is $50,000 the winner will get a hundred and fifty thousand dollars so if Bobby wins today he will make 150 thousand dollar first prize now Darrell only got 75 thousand dollars for first last year so it's a double win so the difference is fifty thousand dollars and to win the second place car will get a hundred thousand dollars and this is the primary position in the race between first and second but we also have a terrific battle today between fourth and fifth because Richard Petty is presently in fourth 45 points ahead of Terry Labonte and that's a difference right now of about $25,000 so it's very meaningful for those drivers for most of the other drivers in the top ten their positions are pretty well put in place right now Dave it's all part of a half dollar payoff $500,000 that will be paid off at the Waldorf Astoria in New York in a couple of weeks win lose or draw they'll all be there to celebrate that the story right now Darrell Waltrip with transmission problems the rain has moved out for the moment but there are still black clouds threatening this racetrack let's go topside now to our anchor position Ken Squier with Cale Yarborough's all right two or three major developments Allison has passed petty he is behind the leader but now we've seen problems on another of the lead cars well there's some some uh some smoke coming out of look like Harry Gant skal a little bit when I saw him come by the last time so evidently Harris got some problems too and we have a report there has been rained and turned six we're checking with Tom Curley his spotter loop around the track the latest word we had Tom was rain and turn six and is that still hold and there still is a drizzle and turn six a very critical term which would go down that is up on the east end of the Speedway we have gone half way half of the race is in half of the race is in caution is coming on the track we see a pace car moving out here's the leader number 55 pitting 55 is coming in Bobby Allison is making up his lap Pat and Richard Petty is making up his lap now here comes number 15 and we have a car in big trouble here that's JD mcDuffie's number 70 off the course Sanford North Carolina campaigner JD McDuffie I it's too bad and he had a bit of a fire you can see him with a bottle worked on something under the hood 55 Parsons on pit road we had a sprinkle up in six caution is out it did not come out for the rain it didn't come out for JD McDuffie in car number 70 there are all of the Syndicates now - they look like they may be trying to fix that transmission and you saw as 55 came out Earnhardt is in now 22 Allyson just got his lap back she saw 55 pit at 43 also retrenched his forces here and he has his lap back and there is Waltrip anxious crew background attack I don't really know of anything they could do through that transmission Ken you know there's there's no way to get inside and work on a transmission Harry Gant is limping down from beneath the bridge the number 33 car very slowly the skull band and the hal needham car and this port there you are inside of him and that's the one picture he did not want just barely moving you can hear the sound and there's almost no sound from inside the car is in idles in one of the havoc for that morale of that tough look that that's gold Bandit crew has had all year Ken they have really had this year of the bad luck this year well he's just Crowley now there's a consultation flag out of the 47 car here's Richard Petty in the pits for Travis Carter and that crew who have worked so hard and there is no one more cooperative no one more willing to give up himself for that crew and for that team the Travis Carter this has to be a heartbreaker Harry camp out of the race Dale Earnhardt stays has been up in front now he has pulled package on into the pits let's go to dick Berggren who is standing by it editor stock car racing magazine see if we can get a report from him [Music] [Music] they're ready if they have to change they can last year the problem simply went away this year who knows dick Berggren down on pit road will try to get an update on that report for you shortly attrition let me build that attrition board for you and it's a sad one right now Jimmy and Salome ill Schmidt Joe Ruttman Rick McRae he saw Brooke Shepherd Smith Jim Bao Ricky Rudd JT McGuffey now hair again have fallen by the wayside in the last race of 1983 we'll be back with more in a moment continuing live coverage of the western 500 brought to you in part by old milwaukee beer and old milwaukee like two of America's great tasting beers it doesn't get any better than this well it's getting a little grim down here as the junior Johnson crew stands by anxiously awaiting the fate of car number 11 there's the pace car bringing the field around number 47 Bouchard Ron Moo shot of the Fitchburg Massachusetts a lap back as we have the standings now we're waiting for a report on 55 Benny Parsons in first Tim Richmond from 26th spot has raced himself back to second and kale the word is race with Richmond that in third spot is Earnhardt fourth is Waltrip and in fifth is Terry Labonte six is Elliott seventh is Allison eighth is Miller ninth is McGriff tenth is Neil Bonnett and they are all shown in the lead lap back to the STP pit center and center here sprinkles of rain falling and we're not going to put you on the spot fritz Duda the owner of Riverside Raceway and ask you to predict the weather here I do want to ask you about a predominant rumor that this is the last race at this facility is there any truth in that rumor I know there isn't Dave as a matter of fact we're going to have a full schedule for 1984 Riverside has become a major testing center out here and it's a major Motorsports complex and we're looking forward to a full year of racing a 1984 here at Riverside can you tell me long-range what's happening with the track long range Dave Southern California deserves a first-class permanent facility with all due respect to the street races and these other one-time events we really don't believe that the future of Motorsports in Southern California lies in a parking lot on Las Vegas or annual block party on downtown Long Beach we deserve something more than that we do a lot of testing here it's a big economic impact for the community of Riverside for this Inland Empire area all the Southern California and before we do anything long-range in terms of relocation of this facility we intend to have a first-class facility to move into so we don't anticipate any interruption and the racing schedule here at Riverside International Raceway that's for its due to the track owners Scott Ching the rumors that this is the last of the Western five hundreds here Ken Fritz Duda may be a bit of an enigma to a lot of folks but he has been in racing for over 20 years when the motor racing Network first went on the air he was a turn announcer he was an attorney down in Texas but he knows a lot about the game and knows a lot about real estate and when he says that they're gonna keep it going out here Cale that's of interest he owns it he can do what he wants to with it and now that Ontario was closed and there is an e for a super speedway in the Far West no question about that well there's no question about it the room was that we'd heard at this weekend was the Riverside will stay in operation but very shortly there will be an oval track built very nearby that will go to you know if any Parsons is leading this race I thought maybe when Benny pitted on that caution did he made a mistake but Benny did the right thing he went in early and everybody else made their stops and just put Benny right back in the lead of this race so if rain did come being a partisan would be right there he started in last I say he was a tough dog to keep hurting to fortune we are we're under the second caution I believe of the day and Cale Yarborough interviewed Darrell Waltrip a little earlier former national champ was another champion on winning and pressure out here got a piece on luck for you truck the light at the end of the tunnel this question is how are you gonna run this race well I think there's there's no other way than to be conservative and try to go for the points this time I don't know how I'm gonna address that problem I've never been faced with that exact problem before and as you well know I enjoy the race and I love to race I love to go after it but the big prize does look like it's within our reach this time but we certainly have to do the right things to be able to get it so I hope I can keep myself under control and I know the guys have worked really hard trying to make the car as strong as possible so I think that's that's pretty much the best answer I can give well you know I've been in both spots and I know how you feel I know that even though it would seem that the pressure is on Darrell but I'm sure there's a pressure on you to bother well it really is you can thank all the little things that can go wrong even right down to a mistake that I might make I'm on par after you win this championship if you do what are you well I have won a lot of major races and that's a great feeling but I think that the championship certainly would have to be a step above that and I've even won some short ones that were great thrills but I think that if we indeed are able to pull this thing off Sunday you feeling one step above what I felt and I'll figure out something to holler well I'm sure you will and I can tell you from experience it's a great feeling cale yarborough with bobby allison about the pressure and about winning this championship we are just back under green we have a few spatters of rain on the window here at the start/finish line Jamie Dave mcDuffie's car has been picked up after the second caution of the day only two thus far and Benny Parsons make the white pit stop and he stays in the front-running position in the second spot now his Tim Richmond and in third is Dale Earnhardt that is the late report that is the man we're all watching Benny Parsons in car 55 let's go to the STP pit center update from Dave Despain well Harry Gant in the skull bandit gave us a pretty good show for a while and particularly a good television show Harry the pictures were marvelous but the engine wasn't up to it is that the story yeah agent let go there about you know a few laps ago so they had a little vibration to my thought it would maybe like the race Audi and run you know pretty good but they broke coming across the bridge it must have broke a rod or something you handled yourself pretty well as a road racer out there are two more familiar with those left-hand ovals yeah we're starting to get used to this you know I think maybe one more time out here with some luck I'll even come here and win this thing if we can ever stay together Harry Gant got to the front actually led the race then blew the motor let's go now to dr. dick Berggren on pit road success at automobile racing certainly takes a good car it takes a good crew it takes a good driver and it takes a lot of luck to several weeks ago Terry Labonte wound up in victory circle at the Rockingham Speedway his first win since 1980 the day of the race the team found this horseshoe sitting in the infield at Rockingham Speedway they taped it to the toolbox hoping it would bring them luck they won the race they brought it back out here to Riverside hoping it's going to bring them good fortune here too are you superstitious kale things like that well if I had done that I would assure baubau I would sure give it one more try kids at 65 laps of this race Bobby Allison pitted just in that caution period toward the end of it Allison has led one lap he is currently shown in seventh position that's worth 151 points Waltrip has led 33 laps he is in fourth position worth a hundred sixty-five points the difference there about 15 points and with a 64 point interval going in remember that Allison led by 64 points going into today's race then Allison if it stays as it is would win by 50 points but everybody's had problems here today just look at the attrition listen to this Jim bound is out Ricky Rudd is out JD McDuffie is out Harry Gant is said bye-bye Roy Smith Morgan Shepherd Richard Brooks Ron Esau Rick McRae Joe Ruttman Bill Smith and Jimmy insula have all fallen by the wayside Tim Richmond has just gotten by Richard Petty and he's in shot of Benny Parsons now but Benny Parsons has really got that car to control he is flying and looks like the smokes going back in so I don't know what happened on that pit stop but evidently they did something they saw Tim Richmond fight that wheel inside man shaking and quaking around turn number nine as he closes comes across the start/finish line goes down looking out the back for just a moment see where Dale Earnhardt is he has some distance on Earnhardt the man he has to be concerned about is this man number 55 Benny Parsons in front and whatever the cooler problem was blown engine on car number 91 going away is the coca-cola car of Johnny crêpes out of Rocklin California Krebbs number 91 says good night and preps becomes the 13th retiree from the event that would look like it was terminal they're standing around but she smoked like that they're working on him that may not be an edge and it could be he was getting some tire wear up against the up against the fender well on car number 91 John Krebs in an Oldsmobile Johnny preps October 91 back out another time Rocklin California leave he's a fireman up that way Gogi leader uh Ken but Tim Richmond is running him down he's coming on strong we have another car pulling in Scott Miller and number 51 who did his early racing in motocross and started out there he's just pulled on pit road he had qualified as the leading west coast driver from the Winston West series he's pulled in he's having some problems now you can see Tim Richmond coming up in insight now and the 55 Copenhagen Club Benny Parsons 49 laps to go 70 complete and there's Tim Richmond in that second spot you can't baby this place can if you're gonna run run hard here you've got to be mean to this race try to get around there's Tim Richmond getting ugly in car number 27 he has such a baby face here he is out of turn number 8 Rookie of the Year in Indianapolis back in 1980 struggling to win this one has had to come from well back of the field 26 at the start of what it charge he gave us any early going leader continues to be Parsons interval stands about half a second three-quarters of a second now between this man number 27 and the leader Benny Parsons here they are swooping into turn number nine so pretty to watch so dangerous to drive and you're back with Tim Richmond fighting that wheel right on the very edge a little bit of a glitch there as they come under the grandstand that comes Tim Richmond at number 27 there's the leader Parsons like bosses Matta gained on him a little bit that way hard to say look at Richmond just down to the dirt he's turned that car every which way but loose here this afternoon do that for two or three hours and certainly builds up the forearms that sure does this is not easier a strike [Music] a cool day and it's not near as bad on you but you can run this racetrack in hot weather that's one of the toughest we shuffled you're out of that seat you look like you're just about Ironbound of that racecar but that's not the case at all still Parsons in first on the 55 in second Dale Earnhardt is third Waltrip is fourth Bobby Allison is in the 10th position here's the report for dr. dick Berggren I'm with Raymond beetle who is the car owner for Tim Richmond your guy is really flying out there isn't he so far we've moved up real well if the rain will just hold off now we had a real good pit stop a minute ago so now with a little bit of luck we'll be all right have you got a special strategy for the rain Raymond as long as we cannot make any unscheduled stops but so far we've been real looking good in a situation like this where it's threatening weather it's very intelligent to get to the lead and stay in the lead you never know when is going to start to rain pause the caution possibly even the end of the race so there's a very hard competition going on on the racetrack right now Bobby Allison is running the ninth position Darrell Waltrip is running in fourth in their battle for the championship the overall winner her leader rather his car number 55 there's a long way to win it yet here in the Winston Western 500 coming to you live on wtbs from Riverside California 72 laps about to be completed and 47 remaining in the Winston Western 500 and the rain is a bit more intense here at the start/finish line spattering on the window here you're inside of Tim Richmond's car as he throttles through turn number nine Allison Bobby Allison has led one lap he is currently in ninth that's worth 143 points Darrell Waltrip has led 33 laps he is in 4th place worth 165 points difference 22 points remember that Waltrip was 64 points behind Allison going into today's race and so the race were to end at this moment it would be Allison winning the national title by 42 points Tim Richmond is reeling in the 55 car now and he's running hard because he know it's ray knows it's raining now it's raining pretty hard down the front stretch and in turns turns nine so Tina's going to try to hold him off Tim's gonna try to get in the lead so if this thing is right now they'll be the winner Jim Robinson just blew an engine in car number 78 he's coming on pit road smouldering here number 78 he is the current Winston West leader he's won five races this year but he's in big trouble right now and out of it back to the race for the lead there is Parsons in first Tim Richmond in second now they going to turn number nine it is raining a much harder now here they are in turn number 90 in this turn nine areas are getting a fair amount of weather and as you come out of nine you picture right to the wall here there's the second-place car here they come sliding out of the corner your winner Richmond as he fights the wheel out of turn number nine he's big ball before he's left he is now to within 10 car lengths and it could end within a lap or two here today now Needham has just come by the booth his car course just went out here back with Richmond you saw him bounce off that curb that time yeah Tillman's really he's really putting all he's got into into the effort to get around Benny Parsons he knows if it rains he's got to be in the lead win this race area Erin Boley on him that's a tough place to pass in that turn six stained muscle each other and Richmond is taking the lead he threw it to the inside in turn six and Tim Richmond has gone in front of any Parsons boy he doesn't worry about the sheet metal out there he sure did and that was a tough place to make a pass you there's so many pass there somebody better tell him you can't pass their kill here is Richmond now out in front Tim Richmond in car number 27 sporting a brand new beard and a brand new position in this race he is now leading after starting at 26 Parsons is there I think Parsons would like to take it back and might have some other thoughts about this year in turn nine down from 170 miles per hour they are working at lap 73 Richmond now first Parsons second Waltrip is up to third nine cars are in the lead lap in the ninth place car is Bobby Allison he will win the championship if he can stay there [Music] Tim Richmond out in front still continuing to rain actually I think it has went up a little here in the past three or four minutes Tim Richmond out in front now by 10 car lengths Tim Richmond won both races here a year ago he's a favorite to win again he discussed whether or not he felt he had an advantage you know equipment is an edge and crews are an edge here and talent is an edge and everybody thinks that I've come from a road racing background which really I have it i mighta run five or six Road Road the road you know races and road courses prior to coming to run with the Winston Cup to her and you know I'm mainly an oval guy so I think we've just taken a liking to this race track and being a little aggressive here doesn't hurt either if if you can stand it being a little aggressive a little aggressive did you see that move in turn six now that's the last time you're going to see that Pontiac LeMans body on the 27 change a sheetmetal coming up in 1984 now there's the new leader board timber Richmond now commands the Winston Western 500 and we could get a flag to bring this one down at any moment because of the weather conditions stand by as you look at the leaderboard in the Winston Western 500 from Riverside California live here on WTBS the superstation the final race in the 10 million-dollar series you're also watching number 22 Bobby Allison who is currently in 9th position and after 20 years of effort Allison in this race he's led one lap he is now in ninth with 143 points Waltrip has led 33 laps he is in third position worth 170 points the difference 27 points between them in this event Waltrip was 64 points behind Allison going into this race so the old subtraction is 37 points in favor of Allison to win the championship right now take 27 points away from 64 Allison will win it by 37 if he can stay there big if big if on this racetrack green track we started an hour late because of rain Allison make to Huntsville stops early was able to get back in and here he is still trying the determined Bobby Allison the leader of the Alabama gang trying for that championship with five times he's come so close and five times he has seen someone else take the Winston Cup this year in New York City at the waldorf-astoria just two weeks away will it be the Big Apple for Bobby Allison or will Darrell Waltrip duplicate the feet of Cale Yarborough your co-host today and win it for third time now there is your leader Tim Richmond who has done just an incredible job the old Milwaukee team has come together here at the end of the year and running this sheet metal for the last time at Pontiac car they are commanding the race with Benny Parsons in second as we mentioned to you Waltrip is third Dale Earnhardt is fourth Bill Elliott fifth Neil Bonnett six Terry Labonte is 7 Herschel McGriff is the leading West Coast driver in 8th Allison is ninth Richard Petty is one lap down in 10th mcgriff one here yesterday in a tremendous race that they had to the grand American cars Vince geo fromage geo finishing in second position and a brand new name Rick we're 20 years old from California place third and only his second fro race did a dandy job while here as the laps began to unravel we have 41 laps to go underneath doesn't let off anywhere he just went by Sterling Marlin relentless is this guy right look at him square that car away and shoot it from the outside he just aims it like an arrow and fires it home stay up there - can the raindrops are falling again and I'm sure that when he sees those raindrops on his windshield he knows he needs to stay there because Benny Parsons is still right there and be able to win this race if it rains so there is Parsons right there as they come through turn eight and they left buddy Arrington rain again around the racetrack Parsons almost in trouble now he's out of it there into the back straightaway a quick report at the STP pit center here's Dave Despain we are at lap 80 here in the STP pit Communication Center the last restart came on lap 67 none of these cars will be able to make it to the finish without another stop for fuel and probably four tires we are at lap 80 it's crucial for Bobby Allison he is running in ninth spot it's continuing to sprinkle he's in good shape to win the championship because Darrell Waltrip is continuing to have transmission troubles he's having to hold the car in gear he cannot charge to the front and he really needs to win this race to win the title the Benny Parsons story what a saga that's been today he qualified in fifth spot he started 45th because the car failed the rev limiter broke on the grid and he had to start at the back of the field then lots of mysterious smoke and Jerry Garrett tells us that that mystery is a mystery to everybody isn't it Jerry well the crew chief says that the car started to smoke I didn't know why I stopped smoking they didn't know why I did that either they thought it would blow it didn't blow Benny Parsons says it's running just fine now over the radio so they're just going to wait to see what happens so everybody's waiting to see if it's going to rain Benny Parsons is waiting for an opportunity to reel into Richmond and try to win the western 500 Ken two more retirees sad to tell you that Ronny Thomas former Rookie of the Year fella from christiansburg Virginia's just had trouble and he's got out thirteenth retiree and Jim Robinson you saw his engine blow as he came on pit road in front is Richmond holding on right a win his fourth Grand National race and what a Thunderer here he is here he leads by almost a second Cale Tim really got that car dialed in and seems like every time Vinny gets close to him to Tim just pushes the button little hard and walks on the way I think Tim knows that his cars working well and all he needs to do is stay up front now he's not punishing the car quite as much the last few laps it doesn't look like he's he had been in the in the previous laps but Benny still got him in sight so we knew thinking him Benny's car if you can say it on a road course looks a little loose at this point the back end is slapping out of here time after time in some of these more difficult corners it is a little bit loose but the smoke is has stopped I still believe many portions had an oil leak somewhere and maybe a valve cover gasket something it is discarded caution is coming on the track yellow is coming out there is a caution on the track you can actually see some water coming up from underneath the car number 27 Tim Richmond automobile [Music] the pictures just remarkable from Richmond's car and with this inclement weather be next to the Air Force Base here our helicopter which picks those pictures up and brings them back to you today has had some monumental problems but what we've had them we've really seen what these drivers have to go through on a road course for the first time live on television a blown engine a carnival 35 as he came across the strike under caution Pat mint a of sokka's California his engine just said good night cry number 22 Allison pity number 22 Allison is taking this opportunity under caution as rain is pelting the track now it's coming down a gusher here at the start/finish line area Ken I'm sure the caution is for the rain and I don't really understand why Bobby made that pit stop if this thing would have to be rained out he would lose some positions by stopping that early now you're watching you the rain of that track is slippery correcting dancing his car around number 27 and he is still as he came by to complete that lap to make sure he held on to what he was wide open through turn nine there wasn't Ben tomatoes last effort days to get random coming off nine and almost lost it so we have caution on the track and you can see the water pick up off the slicks on car number 27 and 55 in our live coverage on wtbs today we will be back with you in a moment with a story on the weather and the story on the race of the story of the national championship Tim Richmond leading Benny Parsons in second we are at caution we're the two-time winner of the Winston Western 500 Cale Yarborough I'm Ken Squier topside we are under caution it is only the third caution of the day it comes out of the 82nd lap because of inclement weather there is Bobby Allison number 22 who sustains the 9th position after you saw I made that pit stop Allison stays out now Cale Yarborough the situation here is this track does not there's Bobby Allison's crew standing by and Gary Nelson with the headset on talking to Bobby it looks like they may be bring him in bringing him in for more rubber coming down he does not pit this time by this track does not dry out easily they were blessed this morning with a good stiff breeze there's the old milwaukee car out in front you're looking through the front through the rain car number 27 of Tim Richmond this track does not dry out easily kale and I would presume if the shower stays this well could be the end of it well it could be Ken the esses and up to turn six look like they're awful wet and it'll take quite some time to dry this racetrack out if it stopped raining you can see the water there coming up from Bobby Allison's card it'll take a long time that much water to dry off for this racetrack with no sunshine Walt Carter and company were just blessed here you are in a back straightaway following the pace car you're in the Old Milwaukee car now of Tim Richmond when you have watched today come from 26 up into the lead in this battle he leads Parsons Waltrip third Earnhardt fourth Elliott fifth Neil Bonnett six what a hot syns car back to six then is Terry Labonte in seventh Herschel McGriff the first driver of the Winston West series in eighth and Bobby Allison in ninth the 10th position is number 43 Richard Petty one lap down 11th is Marcos 12th is Bouchard 13th Kyle Petty 14th Donnie Allison 15th Becker in 16th is Doug wheeler another West coaster 14 cars have now retired the latest being Pat mint a around turn nine come your leaders we have again nine cars running in the lead lap that's a lot of cars for this late to race in honor the race has been quite competitive and you know it's just still amazing to me that nobody has really gotten off this racetrack you got in that but I guess everybody knows this here so they're staying away from well this track could trap you down here in turn nine this is where AJ Foyt had one of his worst wrecks when he got trapped in that sand and it flipped him over broke his back years ago here and when it is a wet condition out here on the edge of the Mojave Desert and stuff will just suck you in and just tear a car to pieces and so the drivers have really treated it with respect today and thus far there have been no serious incidents in this event waiting for word from NASCAR as to what they will do with this and of course you know what Richmond wants them to do and there you see the twice world champion the famous man of the blue max himself and there's the 11 car I'm sure Tim Richmond wouldn't mind if it rained it out right now and I've bit by V Allison would be naughty indeed but that's the one thing that Darrell Waltrip does not want it to do Raymond beetle standing there with a big smile on his face a static feeling that this one will probably be terminated and he will be in great shape we must thank the people of the Riverside International Raceway for the great cooperation and the job they've done they were they were blessed with a good stiff wind to help them get the track dried out but they and the NASCAR officials did a marvelous job of getting this race just less than an hour from the original starting time under way today and got us through the halfway point of it Darrell Waltrip are you going to go out here looking for Bobby Allison today how about it no there's really nothing that you know watching him wouldn't do us any good we've got to hopefully we'll be ahead of him all day and and if he finishes if I come across the line on the white flag and I'm leading the race by a country mile he's in the top 13 he won the championship I won the race so it's that kind of situation there's no there's no really secrets to what's going on if he finishes the race he's probably going to win the championship [Music] the thoughts of darrell waltrip from a day ago darrell waltrip the defending national champion in his crown rests very unsteadily here as we get down to the end of this event the rain continues to spatter down although it has now abated at the start/finish line and we're waiting for spotter reports from around this 2.6 mile nine turn facility where the national championship is being decided and you're watching it live on superstation WTBS today with Dave Despain if the STP pit Center Jim roller dr. dick Berggren along pit road Gary Gary Garrett working with us today Cale Yarborough I'm Ken Squier and it has been a hard day on our camera crews they've done a remarkable job here is number 27 coming by and Allison is pitting again Bobby Allison is in changing Robert can't evidently Bobby thinks this racetrack is going to dry out I don't think he would have made that pit stop had he thought that the race was going to finish urn the rainy conditions so while he's on it he thinks it's gonna try he's on the tail end of a lead laughs there's nothing for him to lose here he's running in ninth and he can make it back up and feels he has a pretty good chance of getting back there without losing a lap so he's doing everything he can to get himself a little insurance here's Dave Despain here in the STP pit Communication Center Ken there is more to that Bobby Allison story his first stop under the yellow flag was because the engine had begun to skip they think that it's not picking up fuel but they're also speculating that they might have some water in the in the fuel system they really don't know what's wrong with the car they made the second stop in order to get new tires but there is an apparent problem for Bobby Allison obviously he's got to finish this race to clinch that championship the rain has stopped kale speculation that they may well run this race some more or that at least Bobby Allison thinks that is probably very true the rain has stopped here the key may be an engine problem for Bobby Allison back to the top we're going to be checking on that story we have reporters on the scene now with Gary Nelson and we can get a verified report we'll pass it along to you Bobby Allison running ninth off the tail and the lead lap the track continues to dry and they're going to try to get it in there are 35 laps complete and we're we may be getting another flag here we may see a red flag come out that is his need exactly what's going to happen they're going to bring the race down Errol kinder is putting a red flag on the field as they come around and they will be completing as they come by checking our laps they will have completed I believe 84 and here is your leader you're with the leader as he comes down Tim Richmond what a magnificent performance out of Richmond today he's been rough when he had to be he's been smooth when he needed to be he's taking this car right to the very edge under the worst of conditions this rain this morning was just incredible we never thought they were going to race today did we care we came out here this morning a downpour we sure didn't Ken I wouldn't have given 5 cent for this race this morning it was raining everywhere all the way from town out here and it's just unbelievable that it's cleared off and we've gotten this much evident 85 laps are now complete here today we had a gully washer out here this morning but they were able to get it under way and they have now run themselves far enough in so it is an official race if it ended at this moment Tim Richmond would win for the second year in a row the Winston Western 500 issue ride with him up through turn number six and Bobby Allison would be the national champion if it ended now if it could both of those questions are still adopted I can't remember her season ended quite like this the weather everything seems to build and work against Alice and when he gets right down to it Dustin of course he had a great Atlanta and Darrell didn't he's had some problems throughout the year and he's had some good luck and some bad luck but bob has had a good year floors Darryl's had a good year too and either one of these guys if they win the championship it really earned it because they both ran hard all year even with some good luck and bad luck on both sides we have some Sun out there and turn number eight don't mess with mother nature here is Benny Parsons pulling up to have a word with Tim Richmond I'd like to converse with you for just a moment Timothy about the way you go through turn six I'm sure that's what they're talking about at this point at 85 laps of the race Allyson having led one lap in 9th position worth 143 points Waltrip has led 33 lapses in third place worth 175 points and the difference on this race 32 points again remember Waltrip was 64 points behind Allison going into the 30th and last race if the race is stopped now Bobby Allison will win the national championship for the first time in his 20-year quest by 32 points after 30 races here is Jim roller let's go let's see we trying to get a word at Jim roller and Gary Nelson we were the last car in the lead laps and when it started raining and they put out the caution it was in our best interest to stop fill up with fuel get four new tires then if the race restarts later all the other cars are gonna have to pit and that'll make us inherit the lead so you know we've been trying to get up front all day without pushing the car maybe this will be an opportunity for us to to run up front we feel our cars strong enough and you know we're still looking for that Winston Cup so we're not going to take any chances and we're gonna play it safe how hard will they push to move to the front oh no as long as the 11 cars still in the race we're not gonna push hard but if we find ourselves in the front like if the race restarts and all the other guys pit then we're gonna run our comfortable pace and we'll fall into a spot and you know maybe second third first wherever it is and we'll feel a lot better when that happens Bobby Allison and crew playing a thinking man's game can back to you Gary Nelson the crew chief originally from the West Coast and he was holding on to his hopes for Bobby Allison to win it today all the field has been brought to a halt just at the entrance of turn number nine we'll be back with more of the story of the Winston Western 500 live on superstation WTBS animo one of the new breed of young lions on the Winston Cup tour 28 year old Ohio native Tim Richmond commands the Winston Western 500 and for the first time today the sounds of the motors has disappeared all the cars resting on the back straightaway there is still a shower although the wind is blowing mightily and we may be able to get back to a race condition here we're waiting for a late word from the NASCAR officials as to whether or not they will try to get further into this race the laps completed in the event now stand at 85 and there are 34 more laps remaining in this 500 kilometer Winston Western 500 today Richmond is first Benny Parsons is second as we are under red after three cautions this is the fourth time there's been a flag thrown in the race Darrell Waltrip is third Darrell Waltrip is in fourth running in the fifth position is Bill Elliott six is Neil Bonnett seventh Labonte eighth is McGriff and ninth is Bobby Allison one lap a brother in the lead lap there's Darrell Waltrip out of his car Bobby Allison what will the rain do to your driving strategy here today here's what Bobby said you've had your problems throughout this year but we've come down to the final race of the season and you were really not where you'd like to be but how do you plan to run this final race I know you got your work cut out for you because I've been in both situations and but just tell us what what are you plans well I really don't have any choice I've got to go out there and try to win the race I figure if I win the race I can't really go home to dissatisfied I will have had the most wins I've won the pole the most times I've led the most laps so I would give me a pretty decent year I don't really feel like I've got a lot to lose I'm gonna finish second no matter what happens on the other hand Bobby's got a lot to lose he could he's first and he could finish second so I'd say the pressure is on then we're just gonna go race real hard and hope it everything hangs together well I'm sure you do but I'm sure there must be some pressure on you to you being this close you know you still not out of the championship you could still win this championship and they'd really be nice to go through Christmas with the Winston Cup sitting on your mantel at home yeah I would and of course there's the other thing that you know you wanted three times in a row nobody else has had that opportunity until now you don't get those kind of opportunities very often so I'd like to win it third time in a row at least I'd make two of us it I've done it in the same car which is kind of appropriate but and there's no denying the fact that the most important thing to me out here this week is to win the championship the race is feasibly is feasible to win for all of us but the championship is only two of us that can win it I'd like to be able to go home a three-time champion like you said Christmas when I got that other trophy up there and all those things that go with it sure be nice to put under the Christmas tree well there he is and that sure was not the rain strategy of Robert Allison that was Caleb Yarborough with Darrell Waltrip on winning this championship and what it all would mean and Darrell is now talking with some members of the crew they cannot work on the car at this juncture as we are under a red condition and waiting for word from the NASCAR officials as to the outcome of this running of the Winston Western 500 Bobby Allison in ninth position now with car number 22 three-time winner of this event and there you see him sitting in his car taking a deep breath and let's go to Jim roller with him try to get a word if we can with Bobby Allison and yet you still got to wait to see how's your car running they told us in the pitch you were having some minor problems that they gotten that straightened out for you well the cars running really good we have a we have a malfunction here with our microwave you and it from the back straight away and let's go quickly to Dave to Spain no malfunctions down here can wear with a former winner of this race a two-time Grand National race winner here and he's the only Winston West driver ever to accomplish that Ray Eldar the racing farmer from Carothers California have you got a favorite here today you're not really you know I costantly be pulling for a Bobby a little bit because he's had so many second places and you know he's run hard for so many years I kind of like see him win the championship you must also watch the Winston West race within a race very closely here today and there have been problems for the two frontrunners bill Schmidt and Robinson have both had problems here right yeah I see that they'll come in real early and you know it makes it tough which is one race to go because I know they both want to win it as a Californian any predictions about the weather here are we going to get the rest of this race in I kind of think we're gonna get it in I you know it looks like it's breaking it's not heavy rain we just got some showers you know I think I think we're gonna see the finish of it ray Eldar the sixth time Winston West champion thinks we will get this race finished a further note Kent on that Bobby Allison story Robert Yates the engine builder says yes the engine was skipping they think the reason might be because they were loafing along at very low speed under yellow and that was an additional reason why Allison was the only driver to pit at the outset of this weather induced yellow flag they wanted to get all the way to the back of the field to give Allison an opportunity if the green came back out to run the car wide open and see if they couldn't clean it out and get him back up into contention Bobby Allison at this point in good shape to win the championship back to you Ken Jim roller is still trying to get a message from him and there's the some of the fans from over North Carolina who've come all the way out here and has some very serious and deep feelings about car number 11 at his turn six area let's go to Jim roller right now Bobby Allison that seems like somebody up there is torturing you just keep dangling that carrot in front of you we're at the halfway point how you feeling about your chances well we're still trying real hard we've had a world of problems already we've had to change tires four times due to me running over something on a track or something I don't know what's going wrong but I think I'm running where everybody else is but we've had four flats already and that's really hurt us but we got down a lot we were able to make that back up and now we're riding back here where we well we feel safe where our original game plan said we ought to do and I'm trying not to run the car too hard it's really performing great and on other under other circumstances I feel I could be leading the race but you know I'm about punchy over you know over all the problems what's the strategy for the rest of the race barring any more problems do you just hang tight here you're gonna try and move up a little bit more maybe to secure an even tighter position in case you do have more problems well we don't have to move up any but we need to avoid the problems from here on to the end you know we just somehow got a got to survive that and I'm just hoping that maybe they're behind us now well Bobby the Winston Cup is close and it's just a few more laps to go and we'll find out if Bobby Allison can do it Ken oh that's got to be an anxious time for Robert Vance Allison from Hughie town Alabama in car number 22 owner of 79 grand national races again to update you he has led one lap he's in ninth position with 143 points Waltrip led 33 laps I don't think he's led the most laps today he's in third place worth 175 points the difference 32 I remember that Waltrip needed 64 points he was 64 points behind Allison going into the race so if they stopped the race right now it is a difference of 32 points and Bobby Allison is the national champion and they sit there waiting now there's another battle the champion sparkplug Rookie of the Year battle has been going on all season long and currently that one is really heated up the Sterling Marlin team Roger hamby's car at start of the season and looked like they were just going to go for it and blow everybody off he's currently 18 three laps down and the car number 48 of Trevor boys is from Calgary Alberta Canada driving right now in the James Hilton car he is running 26 and Enola is a lot of fans around the country interested in that champion spark plug rookie battle that's the story there in the race 18th currently in this event belongs to car number 17 which is Sterling Marlin from Columbia Tennessee son of the old alfalfa farmer and racer cuckoo Marlin and back there is Trevor voice a fine young racer from the Dominion of Canada attrition fourteen cars out in slow Schmitt Joe Ruttman Rick McRae Ron I saw dick Brooks Morgan Shepherd Roy Smith Jim bound Ricky Rudd Harry Gant John Krebbs Ronnie Thomas and Pat mente have found this race not to their liking at all again let's go to Jim roller who is over there with the crews on that entrance to turn number nine Darrell you ran so strong in the beginning you're still up there with the leaders fairly well can you can you move up to the front and take the lead in this race when the time comes we're still a hole i run well for a while we had a little bit of gearbox problem I can't downshift going into turn nine here I'm having to go in in high gear and then shift up off the corner but nothing that's really a hindrance right now I just don't want to fool around here and knock myself out of the race so I'm holding back just a little bit until we see what's going to happen now what about this delay I mean you you're running in the race and your concentration level is is it a certain peak and then all of a sudden you you have to stop and just sit for 20 minutes what's that going to do two things give the cars a chance to take a rest I guess and it gives everybody a chance to think about what they're gonna do the next 30 laps we'll be able to come in and top the cars off with with gasoline putting the entire zone and should be able to go the distance so from that standpoint of view I guess it'll be good well know what we're gonna finish anyway pretty close to it Darrell Waltrip still thinks he's got a good chance to win this race Ken and by being on a diet soda as he gets ready to go once again the Sun is out another time here at the start/finish line I think we're going to get it going Waltrip has led 33 laps the man who led the second most laps benny parsons 229 richard petty at ten bobby allison has led one has his ricky rudd back with more in a moment hi from Riverside California the Winston Western 500 and if there is a villain here he lurks in those clouds he's been bespattered this track through five hours this morning and now he's come back and we have a hold condition on the race we've been down approximately 15 minutes all the cars are lined up on the back straightaway the wind is continuing to dry out the track here but the question is can they get much more racing in before they have darkness well they can't indeed but it will be a question with Bill Gaz away there's bill France down there as to how much further they can go we've run races into darkness out here on the coast you see Bill France jr. taking a look on the outside of turn six as to what the conditions are boy they did a great job of getting this track straightened out in less than an hour this morning there are the standings Tim Richmond is leading Benny Parsons and second Darrell Waltrip is in third Earnhardt is fourth Elliott is fifth and backing that up and six is Neil Bonnett if there is a hero at the moment it's the man up in front and it is Tim Richmond and Jim roller is there now I'm late Tim Richmond has owned Riverside International Raceway you know you won two last year and you've charged up from the back of the pack here you've got to be pleased with your position right now well I don't think we can improve it anymore any better unless we take it to Victory Lane but it don't look like we're going to get to this soon the rains quit and he looks like we're going to go back to racing which is okay but I'd rather go to Victory Lane now what about this delay is it any kind of a bother for you well it is in a way if we could have kept going under under green and maybe stretch the distance between myself and Benny we could maybe he made it a little bit easier pit stop just got some fuel in it and went to rest of the distance but now it's closed everybody back up and it's gonna be a little tough now you've had to push the car pretty hard and move up through the field how is it how's it holding up well it's holding up pretty good only thing it's not holding up as this right hand where I've been shifting it's it's raw and under this girl right now I think we can make it though I'm not sure we all have a special appreciation for what you're doing for us at TBS sports carrying our onboard camera I was it feel to be a race driver and a cameraman and everything else all in one day well feels pretty good I don't know if I'm gonna get operator pay or not for moving the camera around but now I've enjoyed it I just hope I just hope we get to have the shot with the camera pulling into Victory Lane that's that's the only thing I'm hoping for right now and while we're here I want to say hi to everybody all my friends back in Ashland Ohio and mom and dad I don't know I got this yet but I'm sure they know now and all my friends down North Carolina in Florida and you name it I just want to say hi and hope I do it for y'all now you do want to go to Victory Lane and it's going to take some work yet you said they've closed up the field what's the strategy what's the plan for the rest of the race well I'm not sure we've turned our radios off to say the batteries on them but the last thing I heard from Tim brewer our crew chief was that we have to we can't go the rest of the way with our feel that we have right now we're gonna have to make a fuel stop now whether whether we change tires or not is up to Tim I'm not sure what we'll do in that situation but we probably are gonna have to stop put some fuel in it and go back to racing and just hopefully we'll have the same car we had when we went back out or better and everybody else's will stay the same or or get worse - you're trying to make it easy or easier or whatever it hadn't been easy up till now it's been a it's been a battle that's for sure you've you've done so well here at Riverside in the last few races is there some special advantage you might have is there some is there something that you you like the special about Riverside just being crazy I guess the crazy are the fest you can go here I imagine well the crazy man's out front right now Jim Richmond back to you Ken now they're saying let's go so they're buckling up Tim Richmond let's take a look at how he took the lead and how he took took it was one of the most remarkable moves we've ever seen in turn six here it is and Cale Yarborough as they moved up there coming into turn six and here he is down to the inside in a place where you usually don't pass and he just thunders through thank you I'll take a little piece of the door small piece of the front fender and Tim Richmond was on his way and one more yes just for good luck talk about a sport that his body contact he certainly changed the body put a few rumple's in the wrinkles in car number 55 as Tim Richmond took the lead from Benny Parsons who is now in second we're getting set for a start there's brightness here at the start/finish line let's go to the STP pit center in Dave Despain well it's been an up-and-down day weather-wise right now it is very up the sun is shining brightly and the drivers have been ordered back to their cars let's recap a little bit where we stand first of all we'll start with Darrell Waltrip who came here needing to win the race set the track record sat on the pole but has since had problems jr. Johnson his famed crew chief is standing fast by his policy he won't talk to reporters during the race except for our Jerry Garrett who did get a word with junior what did junior have to say about Darrell's chances Jerry well Junior says he's racking his brain trying to figure out some way that he can help Darrell fix this problem with the shifter jumping out of high gear he's he hasn't figured anything out he told Darrell over the radio I think you're just going to live with it Darrell nonetheless Waltrip is of the opinion that he can go to the front or at least that's what he told our Jim roller he is currently in third place let us go back now we are looking for a restart of this race very soon let's go back to Ken Squier wouldn't a dead battery make for an interesting situation here the field is getting ready for a start another time Bill Francis jr. has been up in turn number six you saw him up there they've had a squadron of safety cars on the track to try and dry it out and now they are saying they're getting ready for a go there is a lot of water right here at the start/finish line on the on the outside of the track and car number 11 Waltrip being pushed trying to get it to work Darrell Waltrip number 11 firing and getting away let me review a little further back in the field for you now as we get ready for a go 10th is petty 11th is Wisconsin's Dave Marcus 12th is Massachusetts Ron Bouchard 13th is Kyle Petty 14th is Donnie Allison 15th is the West Coast driver Randy Becker in the 16th position now two laps down is Doug Wheeler 17th to Sterling Marlin 18th is Buddy Baker running 19th is Alabama's Jimmie means is the Chrysler product with buddy Arrington 21st to Sumner McKnight 22nd on Waterman 23rd Scott Miller 24th Jim Robinson 25th Flynn Francis 26 Trevor boys 27th JD McDuffie who was able to get his car back together and run followed by Ronnie Thomas that's the story at this moment you can see number 11 way up on the pit road area that's right at the entrance back onto the track just across the start/finish line and that's a four-tire change Gale but they're pulling down that car as we take a look at the leader for a moment now back they've done the left side they're doing the right side on car number 11 fuel can they should be able to go to distance now and everybody seems to think this will be the last stop so they're doing everything they can John Cooper the president of actus was just here a moment ago and he was the one that said what a moment for a battery not to not to work and have one of those cars just lighter you ever had that happened Cale well sometimes yeah you know these things happen but I saw him pushing wall roots car off I think maybe the car just sitting there cooling down probably just wouldn't crank I don't think the banner was dead talk about dramatic moments in racing well we're certainly having them here today a great performance from Benny Parsons the favorite of so many racing enthusiasts throughout America the former Detroit driver from Elba North Carolina doing a magnificent job of the Johnny Hayes car and Tim Richmond just charging for the 26th position giving you those great action pictures as he thundered through the field Waltrip sustaining third spot you heard what he said to Jim roller he's out there now just settling down waiting this race out getting ready to make the drive he has some problems in the car has some problems shifting going into turn nine Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt those two four drivers Earnhardt fourth Elliott fifth they stay very much in the hunt they're in the lead lap and this race is far from over Neil Bonnett you can never discount bonnet he is running six and for my money he's as good as there is in the business today Cale well Neal's been doing a good job he hadn't run up front like he usually does here deal gets around this racetrack awful well but he's still in the hunt as you saying anything happen now we were talking to Darryl a little little while ago now he doesn't seem to be real concerned about that transmission problem because he seems to think when time comes to go he can go did we just have to wait see he played it very low-key in that interview he just seemed almost to overdo being relaxed hard moment for Darryl Waltrip so much there they say that champion is worth some $500,000 disregard the $150,000 which you certainly came from think the Winston people but beyond that in the ancillary right that one gains are winning such a race it's really important to a driver now we're watching 55 Parsons the leader or second place pit he is in field coming around Benny Parsons has been up here in the thick of the hunt nine is in Bill Elliott Neil Bonnett is pitting pretty much a regular assemblage of the rest of the field is getting in here for service they know they're going to have to go for it here kale Suns come out the wind's blowing it's going to draw this racetrack off and we gonna finish this race turn the green at issue County laughs these are County laps under you under yellow once again right these lamps are counted and as soon as they get everything done everybody makes a pit stop so I feel like the racetrack could be dry again and we'll be back under green Southland car number seven for Kyle Petty and they had a small snarl on the back of that car now their way they got cotton let's go to Dave Despain down there at the at the pit center let's recap where we stand here as we prepare for the restart of this race Darrell Waltrip is currently in third spot in the race he having started on the pole but encountered in check that transmission problems the car continues to jump out of gear Ricky Rudd winner of the spring race here started second blew the engine Terry Labonte is in seventh place he started third after a horrendous crash had turned nine here a year ago he has come back marvelously his problem today is with the brakes on the car which are so critical on this nine turn course they're having brake trouble that's dropped him back to seventh spot the hometown boy Joe Ruttman out blown engine Benny Parsons perhaps the story of this race we told you earlier was qualified v he started 45th because of a problem on the grid the rules specify he had to move back he came all the way through to lead the race then that mystery smoke that showed up for about 10 laps and just as mysteriously went away Benny Parsons now your second place man here's the man everybody's watching that's Bobby Allison Allison is currently ninth in the running order the key story here is that Allison stopped and got four tires and fuel at the yellow flag which preceded the red flag he was the only man who came in all of the leaders anticipating that the race might not get restarted stayed on the track to hold their positions Allison came in he got tires and fuel and can now run the distance in this race as everybody else makes their pit stops he's going to move up in the running order Bobby Allison in good shape to win the championship Harry Gant blown engine Richard Petty struggling a little bit he's back in 10th spot Dale Earnhardt has made a good charge up to fourth we're looking at lap 89 as we get ready to restart this Western 500 the weather right now couldn't complain if it looks like Southern California bright sunshine little breeze blowing it's nice and warm it is nothing like what we saw earlier here today when the rains were pouring down we're in good shape with a dry racetrack and very soon we should be back to green flag racing conditions and the exciting conclusion of this dramatic 1983 Winston Cup championship Stock Car season Ken the song says it doesn't rain in Southern California you can't prove it by these folks here is a field moving into turn number 9 and those are back marker cars those are some of the cars that are down a lap or two as we get ready for resumption of the last race of the year the Winston Western 500 we mentioned that John Cooper the president of Icarus is standing by motor week Illustrated 5:35 to 6:05 each Saturday over superstation WTBS and in the upcoming weeks and interview with John Cooper as to what's going to happen to American Racing for the man who presides over and prestigious position of the five sanctioning bodies with a vote in international motor sports politics that's with Dave Despain motorWeek illustrated in the upcoming weeks we have a new leader after the pit stops we have two cars coming by that are lap cars one of them is buddy Arrington the second is Scott Miller and then comes the leader and the leader lo and behold is number 15 Dale Earnhardt the bud Moore Ford Thunderbird is now the leader in the event they swapped them around and it will be 15 in front Tim Richmond is relegated to second after the pit stops following the red flag period this race was held for 22 minutes eight seconds and then the cars were released these caution laps are counting laps the third position on the field is being shown as Darrell Waltrip and hold the phone in fourth position number 22 Bobby Allison laps complete we have it as 88 and 31 remaining now in the event let's talk about the grand national schedule of course this is the last race of the year then it's on to Daytona in February for the great Daytona 500 which Cale Yarborough won last year in that great dramatic charge and then live on superstation WTBS will bring you one of the most rugged races there is Richmond 400 at the Richmond fairgrounds Kayla you and I were there to see Bobby win last year and they really like to work on each other that's old-fashioned racing then comes the Carolina 500 in March at Rockingham North Carolina a race that was instrumental in building us this great finish this year Rockingham an exceedingly fine track mr. LG to wit those are three of the events to kick off the 1984 campaign for some 10 million dollars and the prestigious Winston Cup so as matters stand it's Earnhardt for first and we have a Ford product up in front and we have Tim Richmond in a Pontiac running in second the last time we'll see that particular model Pontiac LeMans in competition Waltrip now in third Allyson right behind him in his Allison sits if all well the national championship after coming second five times in trying for 20 years will be his so on the point battle now it would be Alison's easily if he can stay right where he is he has darrell waltrip just in front of him there you see the point system that Awards 175 points for first and then there are five point intervals dropping back over the front six positions after that it tightens up a bit and they award four point intervals further back in the field then it goes to three points and there are bonuses if you lead a lap if you lead a lap you get five points if you lead the most laps in the race there is an additional five point bonus Kayla how do you feel about that point system well it's a little bit complicated can you know it's I think the port's should be distributed maybe by morning Wow right I always thought that a man who won the most most money had the best year and he should be the champion speaking on behalf of the PGA this is Cale Yarborough with us today folks Dale Earnhardt is in command of this race how much money have you earned this year posted awards I'm speaking I don't know I haven't seen the final rundown I wouldn't I wouldn't have won the championship either way I'll call your wife and talk to the bank she could tell right there you see the but more crews standing by but more a veteran of so many years Purple Heart winner back in World War two and the German front and a great car builder has had so many great drivers over the years field coming by he now has Earnhardt in front this is the last time we're going to see Dale Earnhardt in this car he moves on to a new team in 1984 when they go to Daytona in February he sure does Dale Earnhardt will be driving the car Richard Childress next year and I think they'll make a good team of course Darrell and buds had a good relationship they've won a lot of races and but they'll wants to make a move and he's gonna be with richard childress next year weather has raised havoc with this race it rained just gutters full this morning we were able to get the race started about an hour late we've now had a goal 43 for Richard Petty fans all over the country no matter how controversial his 198th win will be I think he stands taller with his fans today than ever Cale well he you know Richard has come out of this thing on top I guess you still see the signs you still hear everybody holler for Richard Petty's like well there's the story the laps remaining most of the safety equipment has been brought in and we're getting race ready here at Riverside California to conclude 1983 Dale Earnhardt in front then a lap car followed by Tim Richmond in second Waltrip and Allison running nose to tail now with Parsons in fifth bonnet in six and it will be a sprint with nine cars in the lead lap to decide it all let's go to the STP pit center and Dave Despain nine cars on the lead lap and 29 cars in the race attrition has taken its toll here today 16 retirees the 29 cars include Tommie Gayle and Ronnie Thomas they took advantage of the red flag to put their cars back together again and put them back into the race one guy who's been out there campaigning valiantly all day as mr. Bill Elliott we're showing him in six spot right now a victory in this race would be worth 250 thousand dollars to Bill Elliott let me explain to you why there's something called the winner's circle program in NASCAR racing and everybody who wins a race and Lutz gets into the winner's circle program picks up a hundred and fifty thousand dollars to help them get through the following season there is also a union oil point fund for which Bill Elliott is eligible only if he can win the race that's another fifty thousand dollars at the race prize money and it could be a quarter million dollar payday for the kid from Dalton Georgia who's racing team is a family affair his brother is the crew chief his other brother works on the crew they picked up some sponsorship this year but it's essentially one of the lowest dollar teams out there the interesting thing is that bill Elliott's pit crew last year won the pit crew competition total composite time on pit road all season long didn't go to one of the fame teams the Johnsons the Wood Brothers those organizations it went to this little country organization from up in Dawsonville Georgia bill Elliott's crew won that competition a year ago they're back here trying to win it again this year but more importantly they sure like to win the western 500 they've never won a Grand National race back upstairs Ken they would like to win anything David they've come second on eight occasions and they keep just getting that close and then it slips away from them Dahlonega Ford it's called and that they are owned by a Ford agency now everybody thinks that's a big deal until you find out that his dad is the chief and only salesman and is also the gentleman in charge of the support for the getting cars repaired and his mother is the bookkeeper and sometimes works as a salesman on Saturday afternoon keeper told but they have built this car and the two brothers are the pit crew on that number 9 of Bill Elliott all right the Wrangler car is getting ready to come in car number 15 is going to make a quick pit stop he's in he'll fall to the tail end of that lead lap and puts Richmond back in front and I must tell you that there is another frog swallower of a storm developing behind us coming in from the West and when this one hits it's gonna look like the Johnstown Flood around here the Grand National Stock Car series now known as the Winston Cup Series came out here way back when 1958 the first time they ran and Kyle Petty was a rather relief head he was in it two more laps and they're going to be racing third generation driver out here Kyle Petty is grandfather was here his dad is up against it today for the past 14 years the awarding the Winston Cup to NASCAR's grand national champion has symbolized the most important of richest Motorsports title in the nation and we're going to see it decided here on superstation WTBS live today and there is the weather if that doesn't look like 2001 I hope they get this track dried out soon Kenan let's get this thing back on the way because it really looks bad those are really dark clouds back there and I've guaranteed us some water in there well that has really raised havoc with the race our cameras have had a few problems today but they've come through and great shape and giving you great pictures of of this race to decide at all here's Richmond in front and there is now Darrell Waltrip into second place Bobby Allison I believe will like third in your pictures they've wheel down through there there's a lap Kearney inside and that's Sterling Marlin and there's Bobby Allison's car pulling up Bobby Allison pulled up on the outside and see what it looked like on that particular groove was probably wanting to know just where he wants to run and they dropped that flag you look like you might have been seeing something today I don't know let's surround him maybe if we surround and we can put him in a cage at Tim Richmond boy he is something he just flew through the traffic at the start he had everybody up he has been uncatchable you can't when he's on as he was earlier this year at poker bowl at Pocono he's just about an unstoppable here he is coming down leading this race the old milwaukee car and they are indicating one to go barrel kinder Blackmon now for several years with the Winston Cup tour out and forth Benny Parsons at fit spot Neal Bannen Neal picked up some sagebrush on the front of his car looked like he was taking home a Christmas tree early for a while on the going got that cleaned up Bill Elliott lie six can anybody deal with Richmond or does he have them covered remember that number eleven Waltrip set a record and qualifying Richmond is in front getting ready for a start let's go quickly to Dave Despain as we work lap 93 here looking for a 119 lap race my prediction is we won't run very long Ken we've been watching a huge black cloud developed behind this racetrack it was blowing across the track the wind has shifted it's coming head on our way it's gonna rain again before this one is over that could decide the grand national championship Jerry Jarrett has been in the Bobby Allison pit where that fuel-system story continues to be very interesting what's going on there Jerry well Dave they've got the entire fuel system every part you could need from the fuel tank all the way up to the carburetor lay it out there on the ground ready to change if they have to if this fuel problem recurs they think that full throttle it'll go away that's what they're hoping but they don't know they're prepared that engine has been missing during the yellow flags they're concerned there may be a problem they've got all the replacement parts there I think the key story down here ken is the weather I don't think we're going to go 119 laps we're ready for a restart and we have it and Waltrip in the 11 goes down through the speedy dry and he's taking the lead Darrell Waltrip is thrusting car number 11 back in front here comes Richmond Allison has the championship one if he can keep running what if anything should go wrong on car it could be Waltrip to win the title and right now the race itself Darrell Waltrip he may be having trouble keeping that car in high gear at turn nine but he shortened at that time he's out in front by four car lengths second place car his Tim Richmond third is Bobby Allison and Allison has the championship handled if he can stay there any person has moved into third and he's gaining on Richmond some man Benny Parsons moving around Allison picking up a spot here they comment here it comes Parsons front three all together let's see if Richmond will make another move at six takes a look at the inside and pulls back there's the fourth place car Allison as they slide out of turn six in head fraternity and here comes Richmond back on the inside as they go into turn number eight Tim Richmond goes back in front Bobby Allison is in the fourth position Darrell Waltrip now back to second and in third number 55 Benny Parsons the front four down that long back straightaway another time here comes the horsepower of the junior Johnson number 11 being matched by the number 27 the Tim brewer crude car stays in front here they are Waltrip moving in looking like he may go for a pass a turn nine down they Thunder into turn number nine with Richmond in front and Waltrip in second there you see in third Benny Parsons right behind them it is Bobby Allison jr. Johnson looking stoic Leon as the field moves down a complete still another lap 25 laps 25 laps Waltrip has to go for he has to win and hope that something happens to Allison that keeps him out of the front 15 there's Bobby Allison seeking that national championship Jim Bob was just sitting back there riding and looking I don't think he has any intentions of getting up in there and fighting with those guys but he's got him right in his sights while he runs in fourth back in fifth is Neil Bonnett and in six it's still maintained by Bill Elliott with McGriff seventh lumati eighth and Earnhardt is driving up through Earnhardt is on the move he may be picking up a couple will check them this time by you could just see Earnhardt at the top of your frame and he came out attacking laps running down there is Richmond in front he's stretching it up live on WTBS down to the finale you can see Neil Bonnett back there Neil Bonnett running that fifth position it's still Richmond in front of now you see how close he is to Darrell Waltrip in the number 11 car remember as you look at Raymond beetle looking on that Richmond won both races at Riverside a year ago he won the June race as well as this event what three cars stay within a half second of each other now Bill Elliott at number nine has moved around Neil Bonnett Bill Elliott moves into fifth that pushes bonded back to six Labonte lie seven fact they go through the esses into turn six this is where Richmond has shown tremendous strength today Bobby Allen a Bobby Allison with 25 laps left just stays there and fourth he's hanging right in there and looks like Feeny may be closing up a little bit on Darrell now so I look for being important to be a strong contender and when he gets everything worked out here and because he ran real strong a few laps ago and now he looks like he may be gonna make a move on Darrell Waltrip here shortly front four with Allison in fourth currently commanding the championship battle for the Winston Cup behind Allison Bill Elliott is now fifth and Elliott is closing on Allison Bill Elliott in the 9 car is closing up on Bill Elliott here are your leaders through lap traffic Richmond relentless charging all day he hasn't got out of it yet except for 22 minutes and 8 seconds we took a long breather and a nice talk with Jim roller [Music] you would think going up over that ripple strip would just rip all that car at least beat up those a-frames but they're built to take it 3700 pounds of race car at Pontiac stayin in front through six Waltrip Parsons Allison front four we got to remember Ken when you make those when you run across those ripples you hit them with the inside of the car and it's not much weight on the inside the car at that particular time so it doesn't do as much damage as you would think it would do fifth spot Elliott six spot bonnet seventh Labonte Earnhardt has picked up one he's past McGriff Earnhardt came in for a late pit stop he had been leading and as they are ready to go he decided to go back to ninth and try to fight his way through again last ride for Dale Earnhardt in the but more car the advantage is just about six car lengths for Tim Richmond to the number 27 the Old Milwaukee car over number 11 in second here he is right up to the wall again this'll also be the last ride for Neil Bonnett in at number 75 car two he next year becomes a teammate to Daryl Walton number nine Elliott is closing on Allison number nine and number 15 is closing on 44 15 Dale Earnhardt is moving in for seventh place Earnhardt has really pulled up on the Terry Labonte car as he tries to pick up one more spot meanwhile Richmond seems to be drawing away now there are 21 laps to go now there is Bobby Allison and right behind him right behind him comes Bill Elliott back for the leaders Richmond Waltrip Parsons then the fight for fourth there is Bobby Allison and here comes the Huckleberry Finn of American motor racing car number nine Bill Elliott of Dawsonville Georgia [Music] threatening clouds continuing to build up right behind the race track here's Elliott making a move and Elliott is going through Allison willing to let him go I don't believe he tried to stop him at all Ken I think Bobby's probably give up that one spot twenty years he's worked for it it's within his grasp all it has to do is stay together and Bobby Allison is the national champion his wife is here is dad and mother one of his good friends now there's the crew and you can see on the headset one of his brothers were Bill Elliott monitoring the performance of karna Verdi back to the leaders Richmond [Music] he may be a nice guy but he's heartless on a racetrack his knee but that's what it takes takes place of a place like this you've got to attack this racetrack if you don't beat it there's Waltrip in second Waltrip needs that lead and look at Richmond he nearly collected the wall earlier in the race he's got it on the ragged edge every lap and I think the reason for that right now is all these dark clouds you see he knows he needs to be there right now remember the stories about Andretti at Daytona 1967 when you look for all the world like it any moment he was going to throw the race away and throw the car away and he came home the winner well that's what Richmond gives you about every time out these days let's go to chip roller one person who's rooting for rain here at Riverside his pops Allison Bobby's closer than he's ever been before to that grand national title how do you feel right about now right now I got butterflies butterflies in your stomach of it I bet you're rooting for some rain aren't you come on all right if he wins today if he wins this title [Music] Pop's Alison everybody down here is anxious right now they're closed they're closing it on the Winston Cup title pops Alison who is the leader of what they call the peach fuzz gang down in Alabama he has taken over his grandsons racing efforts sort of runs the team let's go to dick Berggren hope it doesn't rain is Bill Elliott screw they say the car is running extremely well their strategy from here stand on it run that car absolutely as hard as it can possibly run recall a quarter of a million dollars rests at stake for this team 100 laps complete there are 19 actually less than that left in the event and there is Bobby Allison so close to that goal he has tried to attain so many times five times has been there but out of the top just one point down one spot back now he has a chance of winning at all he has Waltrip within his sights he just has to run out the race and pray that nothing goes of it's that fourth place car is now Elliott and indeed he is charging to try to catch Benny Parsons he'll take out all comers at this point meanwhile up in front slithering and sliding out of turn number nine this is number 27 Richmond still at it they learn hard disk got Terry Labonte going in turn nine so that puts Dale Earnhardt into the seventh position relegates Labonte to eighth it has been an unusual day it has been a weather day and we have seen some leaders that we did not expect out here today Benny Parsons for the Jackson brothers Johnny Hayes car came just an outstanding performance and Cale Yarborough moments ago there's Bill Elliott at number nine your fourth place car trying to close up he is trying to close on Parsons right now at Johnny Hayes team came alive today and came to the West Coast fully prepared to try to take this one home work sheet over the curbing comes number 27 rich went in front wild trip in second Parsons in third there you see them on that thirty five hundred foot back straightaway Allison II and fourth brother Elliott in fourth and fifth here is Allison and right behind him comes Neil Bonnett the man that Bobby Allison coached and brought along Allison gave him a car and widened rewarded Allison by winning something like sixty three races here is Bobby Allison at number 22 approaching the ninth turn laps running away now to about 17 to go there's the leader across the line and Neil Bonnett is indeed closing up on Bobby Allison he'll try to put him back to fifth that's okay with Adelson he doesn't want to get into a rumble with anyone at this point of the race Richmond on the other hand he continues to run this race scattering those turns just sliding through them from side to side there he is out of six coming up on a back marker around him well you would think this was the races to end all races for Tim Richmond the way he's going here he's still seeing those dark clouds can I'm sure and he knows that he needs to be right where he is and they are continuing to build and develop right behind us thus far nothing on the track Richard Petty line 10 Bouchard 11 markers 12 they are all one lap down for the leaders nine cars remain in the lead lap there's your leader Tim Richmond Ashland Ohio 28 years old and here's Benny Parsons number 55 the third place car betty has had just an outstanding day led a lot of this race has been has had 59 laps in the lead in this battle there's a little smoke out of the back of his car here's Richmond in the 38 the car in front of the 38 car he's trying to put him a lap down Lee that's the 35 minutes at Mynt a car he's about to put a lap down Richmond in front 16 laps to go [Music] anything can happen two point six miles around this nine turn course live on superstation WTBS you are watching Richmond try to make it two and a roll in the Winston Western 500 trying to take it home and you are also seen Bobby Allison so close right on the edge car just has to keep running but if it should fail here Waltrip has a mathematical shot at the national title one more time three times in a row for him the only other man to do it three times successively is Cale Yarborough alongside and now Neil Bonnett has moved around car number 22 bonnet 22 has just moved around and taken 5th brother taken number 75 bonnet has moved around to take fifth and 22 is back to 6 Allison here is in sixth position Bobby Allison in the sixth spot and there he is there is number 75 Neil Bonnett and right behind him is Allison fifth and sixth place battlers en I don't think Bobby wants to race with anybody when anybody gets close to him he lets him go which is a fair smart race he he knows that he can't he can't taking a chances he can't run side by side with with anybody around this racetrack could anything because anything could happen and he's playing a very smart [Music] there's the 27 car up in front [Music] card number 27 in attorney another time still in front Richmond still second [Music] Darrell Waltrip and Alison very much willing to let those leaders go away down the back straightaway another time Waltrip trying to close there's the third place car Benny Parsons there is a new feature coming out for helmets next year and dick Berggren with Benny Parsons took a look at helmet that a significant number of the competitors will be using in today's Grand National race it's an excellent crash helmet but the design in terms of its being able to cool a driver off at least is about 30 years old cockpit temperatures on a hot day in the Grand National race will often reach as much as 140 degrees mighty hot on the head well Bell helmets has come up with something new and this is what it is in the back of the car they'll mount this unit which contains some heat exchanger chips those chips will provide cool air through this tubing into the helmet itself there's special ventilating foam inside that even will soak up perspiration from the driver thus cooling him off considerably as the race runs on we've got Benny Parsons here is going to try one of these on for us what's it feel like Vic I don't have a lot of hair so it really feels good because as a matter of fact during a hot race on the in this middle of summer time that's probably the hardest thing we have to do it because your head gets so hot at it and the helmet seems to shrink your head seems to swell and it feels like it's cutting the top of your head off and this just might be the answer well Benny Parsons has power steering in his car and now apparently he's going to have air conditioning too maybe they'll add another five or possibly ten years to his driving career I'll look at something new in the world of Motorsports prototype there well here's a prototype right up front not too many others like this one number 27 Tim Richmond is leading laps running down latest lap count shows there are 13 laps to go to decide the Winston Western 500 and the national driving title for 1983 back to the line has Richmond on 12 car lengths advantage over second place Darrell Waltrip and then it is about two and a half seconds back to third place as Benny Parsons has fallen back just a little and there you see the fourth place car moving up that's number nine Bill Elliott Elliott's snarling along up through and as they told you earlier we have 22 Allyson in the pits Bobby Allison has come into the pits with car 22 they're checking it over there rolling it back out they topped the tank why for kale they didn't do anything else I didn't see I didn't see them change charge me anything I don't know what what happened try to get a report as to what that unscheduled stop was on number 22 Alison as we wind down to the finish of this still fifth is bonnet 6 is earnhardt 7 fly body 8 for grip Alison back tonight close running Tim Richmond down he's gaining on him a little bit and you know if he could win something happens 1000 here and here comes here comes an ALICE rather Waltrip will be back on this number 27 27 is your leader and right behind him comes the number 11 car and let's go to Dave Despain to see if we can get a word here David a couple of points to make Ken the Alison Pitts report that that was just insurance they think they have a continuing fuel problem they're not sure what it is they stopped put some more fuel in the car just to be sure that they could go the distance and wouldn't get caught out on the racetrack out of fuel they think they're in good shape they think they'll go the whole distance with 108 laps now going up on the board there is enough time in this race at his present pace for Phil Elliott in car number 9 to catch the leaders let's go now to Jim roller for a further report okay Gary Nelson conferring with some of the crew Bobby Allison was just in a moment ago just a precautionary topping off yeah we're losing fuel pressure it looks like after about 12 or so laps it starts losing pressure and we're worried did we run down I've been to turn six or up the dances area it'd be stopped and have to get pushed in so we're gonna it's gonna be close but we're gonna make it Gary Nelson feels it Bobby Allison could make it all the way now they're closing in even closer ain't over till it's over Kim and fuel pressure problems those are those things are lethal to a race car they can leave you sitting out there and watching the parade go by well a special place like this you can you can have problems coming by the start/finish line here and no way in the world ever make it back no way on a big bank track you can coast all the way around it back to the pits you have trouble here it's all over Allison holding on he's back at night can he stay there and win the championship we'll know in a moment in the Western Western 500 as we are down toward the finish number 27 has drawn away just a bit here he is Tim Richmond from Darrell Waltrip he now leads by about 15 car lengths the problems for Bobby Allison continue fuel pressure pick up bothering him it could leave him stranded and a hitchhiker here for the national championship just at the last moments of the race Richmond still thundering through and getting through lap traffic and now closing up on him in turn six comes from flora Waltrip there's 10 left to go our kin and a little bit of rainfall there is indeed rain against pattering down here at the start/finish line area we could have a flag before it's over there trying to get it in rain has been building up for the third time today rain heavily this morning came down a gusher there is the leader Tim Richmond right behind him comes Waltrip the man involved in the duel for the championship with Bobby Allison they are coming back to turn nine here they are from 175 miles per hour to heartbreaking jr. Johnson still standing by still looking on he only has one instruction for his drivers as I recall kale and that was go to the front absolutely that's where jr. likes his cause to run win lose or draw he wants him out front watching his car come by the start/finish line in second place and here goes Waltrip up into turn number one trying to close on the leader Tim Richmond situation remaining Parsons third Elliott fourth bonnet fifth Earnhardt six Labonte seventh McGriff eighth and Allison with a fuel pressure pickup problem remains in 9th position they took on fuel for sure it's whoa a little trouble as he tried to go around Jimmy means well he had he was cross-armed on that one Cale yes he was Darrell's gonna give him a run for his money though Tim had a pretty good lead on bear a while ago and now Darryl's moved up right on his bumper and he's going to be hard to beat the weather is of such a nature now that they have had to bring down the helicopter that's get gets us our pictures from that car number 27 they have brought it down tremendous buildup behind us and they expect some serious problems Ronnie Thomas is number 41 which has been in and out of the garage area on occasion today being lapped here comes Waltrip Waltrip closing up going back for the lead another time he is not giving up out here Darrell 27 stays in front 11 and second they close it up in turn nine here comes Waltrip inching his way along through nine what a battle between these two Richmond in front Waltrip in second laps are running away we're down to about eight to go as they cross the stripe that time here's Waltrip looking at first place Richmond boxes vu over in the dirt little agricultural racing here by Tim Richmond up in front Waltrip coming back last moments of the last race in the 10 million dollar series for 1983 coming to you live on superstation WTBS Ohio's Richmond and Darrell Waltrip of Franklin Tennessee locked in a war for first place at Riverside California County the portions out either Ken he's coming if these two get together Benny Parsons is home absolutely Benny is really running him down he's coming on strong Bobby Allison in that ninth position he's won the championship if he can stay there Gary Nelson looking a little perplexed as he smiled and said while we have a little problem here we think we can get through it well he he knows that that that all he has to do is finish where he is now so I think they played it smart we bought us all that fuel pressure fluctuating a little bit he came straight in got fuel and now he had wallop in the lead Darrell Waltrip and I only invited caution is coming out their wheel the wheel they're racing back to the line this could decide it there is green on the front Waltrip was told to go for it here comes 27 back they're racing out of the corner they're sideways no slow trip is sideways many horses coming down number 55 Betty Parsons is across the line to win it if it stops here if it stops here they've just gone under caution Waltrip and Richmond have taken each other round coming out of turn number 9 it's raining hard I don't think they're going to get another lap in Danny Parsons has come across as those two cars spun he was about 20 car lengths back and as those two looked at here's Waltrip across the line they are still running we want to take a look at that one again car number 22 and Allyson here is 55 Parsons waving as he comes by you can see the rain on the camera let's look at it again Cale here they came out of nine down 11 had just taken at Richmond wants it back Richmond got underneath Darrell and it was raining hard out there so I don't think either one of them had that much control I just got into each other and both spun out and that's the mood I was telling you about earlier in the show there they are they have both Reed fired both 11 and 27 have come back on the track now checking the lap situation we're down to seven laps to go the sprinkles are more than that it's a pretty serious shower and as they came out of the turn you see Raymond beetle there and the crew from the old Milwaukee team standing on pit road what a dramatic turnaround this race has been and Parsons just as kale called it it was right back there again if the front two should come together hello and Parsons is looking at Victory Lane right now with a smile on his face it is Neil Bonnett in fourth Earnhardt's in fifth Bobby Allison holding on let's see if they're going to run them down under caution to finish him well talk about a race of strange circumstances we've had it here today mr. Yarborough let's it's been a real strange race all day a lot of tire problems a lot of punctured tires on the racetrack and you know it's I would hate to see it in like this order to earn Rane condition but the championship is extinct and I'm sure that Peter would like seeing in right now but but Bobby I'm sure wouldn't mind seeing it but I believe you could almost put out the fire call the dogs I've lead his hunts about over second is Bill Elliott second now is Bill Elliott in the race I think we have another angle to watch that from and I'm you're absolutely right okay let weather the rain up there you can see 27 just sliding out and both of them look like figure skaters as they slide through turn number 9 pirouette here by these 30 700-pound monsters you could see Benny Parsons flashing by he came to the line with a number 55 and he now under caution is in the lead and we may finish the race in that condition in second spot is Bill Elliott that'll be his ninth second place in the last couple of years he has a brand new sponsor the Coors brewery is going to take over for that car and we understand there's they really have big plans for him and he will still go into 84 looking for his first win if it ends the way it sits now Richmond is in third bonnet is in fourth fifth is Earnhardt it took Waltrip a little time to start he's in six Labonte is in seventh do you think it's time to get the boxing gloves out Gail maybe there's there he is Bobby Allison and it looks like he's the champ you don't want a column do you see a checkered flag but Allison must be happier at this point in the year in a race then he's been in 20 years wow this is this would be the biggest day of Bobby Allison's life he truck he's tried for so long to win this Winston Cup championship and now he's done it and you know even if it started back Nike and Bobby Allison still has a race and has the championship one there's no way Harley he could lose it now Bobby Allison of Hueytown Alabama declared the 1983 Winston Cup champion the pace car has the field in tow is not much of a chance they can get this race back under green there he goes the Dai Guard racing team for which he races the Gardiner brothers have to be a static about the performance at 113 laps of the race uh-oh trouble and buddy Arrington's car he's dropped a wheel on car number 67 the Chrysler car that looks to me like buddy Arrington's it is buddy errant it's car left front tire all torn up on the car what a bad break for Arrington likeable guy from Martinsville Virginia they say they're going back racing that they're going to take a lap and go back one lap and they're going to race to the green next time out of turn number six and then they will race to the checkers which are now five laps away well that's still motor weekend there's no telling there's your leader Benny Parsons five to go and Bill Elliott was gaining on the whole pack before the caution came out and he just may pick up his first ring absolutely I'm surprised that they're getting it back under way but it says the like to see it come down this way they had rain on the track they're going to go back one more time to green there's Elliott and second he may win that first race it may happen yet you'll see it live on WTBS if Elliott and number nine wins for the first time pace car bringing the field up through six Bobby Allison has won some four million $200,000 in his racing career but there's a lot more that money at stake as Cale Yarborough will tell you I always had the feeling kill that you'd be out racing there wasn't enough tickets ole wasn't a person to grandstand cuz you really get a kick out of this well there's no doubt about it you know Racing racing is still a lot of fun if it the fun wasn't there I would quit all together but I've even though I've cut back on my schedule and all I run about half to this circuit uh the group the green is out now and here we're gonna see some kind of dash to the end I guess we are they are back under way this is it the final laps of the Winston Western 500 down into turn number nine Parsons is in front there's Elliott in second there you see Tim Richmond in third Neil Bonnett up to fourth battle for the lead as they go down into the if the inside isn't Elliot on the outside is Parsons who's going to give Larson's going back bill and Elliot is in front can he stay there can he win the first race of his career the Ford is in front wall a hard smack as Benny Parsons ran into the side of 27 here they are still fighting as they come out of that turn number one area Parsons back to second Tim Richmond is in third Neil Bonnett is in fourth what a slugfest what a way to end it bill Elliot drawing away now he is really running a good race now I knew wrong before the caution came out the build was real strong he was gaining on everybody and running him down now he's showing his power now you see that yellow and blue car sliding just skittering up toward the wall that's the 15 of Dale Earnhardt he is in fifth back in six is Darrell Waltrip and the rains come in hard again Ken rain is coming hard again will there be a flag that's the report there is rain around the track here they are the back straightaway Bill Elliott in front trying to hold on to it Parsons is in second Elliott pulling away now here comes that second place on tirage of five automobiles going down into turn number nine no sign of a fly again 55 Danny Carson stay second here comes Richmond closing up on him there's the leader number nine bill and Elliot turned on is with the center number nine is wet very slippery turn number nine here they come off the corner Richmond right to the wall one car in trouble Neal Bannen tagging came away there's product coming by and the rest of the field there's Waltrip back in six caution is coming out caution is coming out what a turnaround Elliott in front yellow was on the racetrack but they can race all the way back to the flag that is correct they will come all the way back around 2.6 miles left and one more time through turn number nine Bill Elliott stays in front and with no tread on those tires those slick tires it is treacherous mean going here Bobby Allison has let them go race he has the championship his quest is over for Elliott who has never won a race it can happen here you may be seen it live today on superstation WTBS long back straightaway he's being cautious it is raining it's coming down pretty strong now here he is down that backstretch Bill Elliott in number 9 headed for turn number nine which is very day he'll try to pull it through there this could be here the second place car and third Tim Richmond and fourth Neil Bonnett trying to get it in there leaders coming around he's a half-mile away from 250 $250,000 may live with carnivore nine Bill Elliott Bill Elliott coming down out of the corner here he is down off the turn bill Elliott's number nine and here's the battle as we watched those cars out back slithering out of the corner Elliott's wanted Parsons is coming across in second and in third it will be Neil Bonnett fourth is going to be Earnhardt event will be Richmond at the line as Richmond lost it in turn nine we were sure there was going to be trouble we were watching that turn number nine area to see if they were going to get through it there under caution this race still has two laps to go under caution Bill Elliott in front waiting on the checkers to decide it it's all over I can the rain is really coming to them well he's going to run out two laps and Elliot has won $250,000 and it looked to us as if those cars back in second place were on a collision course with turn nine in the final moments Elliot had it secured and now has pulled off the first win of his career Phil Elliott of Dawsonville Georgia in car number nine has amazingly put a Ford in first place at Riverside California how many times has he ever race to you not many has I don't believe more than two or three he's done a tremendous job here today he ran a good race all day long today and as I said before I saw him coming up through that pack and he was really gaining on everybody so it was just a matter of time for Billy Elliot before we won his first race and I'm sure he's happy as Bobby is for winning the championship well is last time he was here was back in June and I think you know he won previous performance here so it's 2-2 races here in now he's won he started 12th finished in 25th in 82 came back here in June this is his third time here Bill Elliott Bill Elliott and car number nine coming around behind the pace car it is raining savage rain is pelting the windows here at the start/finish line at the present time Elliott will win it Cale Yarborough your opinion of this guy for the next several years many say that he's another absolute unquestioned well there's no doubt about it Bill Elliott is a good race driver he's a heady race driver and with good equipment he's going to be a winner I'm surprised that it took him this long to become a winner the Huckleberry Finn of racing white flag one to go we asked Bill Elliott if he thought it was a disadvantage to run his car this number nine Ford on a road course no I don't think so I ran well here in June I ended up I feel like probably in a way it's an advantage because you've got Ireland Bobby running for the points and I really need a win and we're gonna go all out to get a win here going all out to get a win here that's what he did he ran down the field Bill Elliott and car number 9 is on the last lap of a truck that has taken him through three years trying to win his first race close so many times and now here he comes around for the final moments as we look at the leaderboard Bobby Allison is in ninth when he comes across the national championship will belong to Allison and he'll be interviewed under an umbrella hi Dave Despain at the STP pit center where we're finishing up under the rain the last few miles and amazingly enough Ken there has been eleven thousand eight hundred and seventy one point eight miles one and that last smile for Elliott is heaven here he comes number nine Bill Elliott and again Elliott driving a Ford Thunderbird with new sponsorship next year the car owned by Harry Melling from up in the Michigan area they have to be a static here's number nine Elliott there you see the mailing name on the back Benny Parsons car is in second spot Neil Bonnett is in third yellow and checkers are about to be thrown Dale Earnhardt is in fourth Tim Richmond is in fifth Waltrip is in six Labonte seventh McGriff eighth Bobby Allison ninth a dramatic finish to the 1983 season and there is a very happy crew for Bobby Allison they have finally done what they have tried to do for Bobby Allison before and come up one position short at the end of the year not the case this year there's the number nine and here is Neil bond enough to congratulate him Neil Bonnett another one of the truly nice people in this game and one of the hard runners the hard Chargers but this guy who looks like he would be far more at home playing pro K he's a gentle little guy gets out here and just tears the Dickens out of a race car and today is 1/8 second places and now car number 9 Bill Elliott is headed for his first victory he fought for it he wanted under strange circumstances today the Bill Elliott crew coming down onto the track his two brothers brother Ernie is standing almost directly across from me now what a quest this has been for this team a family effort they all they rent one car they come to the track and that's it they keep the whole crew in it you'll see as many as eight gosh I hope the officers didn't hear about that getting back and forth to the track usually it's an economy car there's the crew and there's the checkered flag coming out for Bill Elliott who has just won his first race in his Winston Cup grand national career Betty Parsons comes home second Neil Bonnett third and there's Jim Gardner you can see him in the dark jacket he is estatic they've done it they have won the national championship what a great moment for that team died guard racing originally out of Connecticut now from North Carolina has won the national championship so close so many times and here is Bill Elliott the winner of the Winston Western 500 for 1983 here's the situation the rain is coming down we have ourselves in East Texas hog drowner out here at Riverside California just pouring down in turn number nine but today has never been brighter nor lighter for two people Bill Elliott in this Ford car number nine which is just won the Winston Western 500 or for Bobby Allison who is victorious with car number 22 for the national driving championship let's go to Dave Despain right now it's been an unusual day Ken it came to a rather shocking finish here as the rains have moved in and washed out the last couple of laps of this race let's not forget some of the other people who played such a role here the incredible incident involving Richmond and Waltrip that took them out as they came pacing down to an earlier yellow flag under a wet race track but nothing takes the glory away from the two men who are champions here today the champion of the race Bill Elliott the champion of the season is Bobby Allison Allison is now pulling back toward his pit it rain is just pouring down here he is there with his crew some well-wishers standing by him Jim roller trying to get a word let's go to Jim roller waited waited Nygaard never we're taking some real hits here as the weather continues to get worse let's go to Victory Lane and I'm in victory lane with Bill Elliott just coming out of his car bill you've got to be awfully happy right now I can't believe it I just can't believe it sir everything you did all year that went so wrong everything went so right today I just can't believe it tell us about the past the past for the win well I knew I had one chance to do it I drove it down into our me and beanie got together but I knew that was the only chance I had to do it and when Tim Richmond come up I want him and they got together I knew I had a good child shot at it and I've got a little distance on a man and then the rains came and I was praying for that now the very last lap they threw the caution just after you passed the flag stand you had so long to go under the yellow flag what were your thoughts what's going through your mind as you were headed back for the flag stand I just felt like I could make it and I just kept on digging you're pretty happy fella you better believe it is the money more important doors getting here to Victory Lane more important to you I think getting to Victory Lane a very happy Bill Elliott in his car in victory lane in the pouring rain let's go to Dave Despain for just a moment Dave Despain standing by at the STP pit center there is Bobby Allison out of his car that's his mother with him his wife Judy the family all here a very happy mom Allison standing by and it is Bobby Allison and there's the headline that he's won the race such a long quest and such a marvellous finish and off to the waldorf-astoria and there is Bill Elliott out a quarter of a million dollars richer that young man with the performance as you see Ned Jarrett a two-time Grand National Champion talking with him and they're pouring a bit of the old brew over the top of Robert Vance Allison the 1983 Winston Cup champion that's the story here today rain delayed but it's over in favor of karna benign Bill Elliott and number 22 that I guard racing team and Bobby Allison for Cale Yarborough Jim roller Dave Despain dr. dick Berggren working with us today Jerry Garrett the three-time champion Cale Yarborough thank you for being here sir I'm Ken Squier as the rain continues to pour down of the happiest man there is today in the United States Bobby Allison the national champion

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 63,073

Rating: 4.9549041 out of 5

Keywords: NASCAR, motorsports, racing, stock car, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, chase elliott, fantasy sports, fantasy fastlane, glass case of emotion, ryan blaney, crash, wreck, pileup, pit road, penalty, race track, super speedway, highlight

Id: _m8NlERsNDo

Length: 198min 17sec (11897 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 27 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/BurtonBlaney3121]

Watching. Harry Gant isn’t even wearing gloves LMAO

[u/ckyriazis2006]

Fun fact back then some of the smaller teams would rent garages or storage lockers and leave a car and parts/tools behind since it was cheaper then having to drive across country with a hauler. Smaller teams could do this because of the three-year rule so they could use the same car for three straight years of the same model year.

[u/CNpics]

And then Chase gets his first win at another historic road course. Beautiful coincidence.

[u/JagEngland]

I love NASCAR for uploading these races!

[u/BurtonBlaney3121]

48:34, what the fuck, Petty used a pitting car as a pick I can’t believe more people didn’t die back then

[u/Innawoods18]

The best part is late in the race, Big Bill France standing on the track puffing a Winston while the cars passed by.

[u/BrotherFlounder]

Excellent! Love seeing NASCAR posting high(est possible) quality versions of these old races.

[u/bangkshot]

Quite possibly the ugliest of all the cars Elliott drove. Made up for it with those Coors cars.

[u/thebigtymer]

I'm always amazed the way they would do restarts at Riverside - instead of at S/F, the pace car would pull off to the side going onto the long back straight, and the passenger would wave a green flag out the side window. I'm shocked the pace car never got hit.