Is this a joke? 10 of the most surprising stories in NASCAR history

Yesterday was April 1, a day when people might tweet or send out a news release on something that isn’t real.

It got me thinking of some NASCAR news that you didn’t think was real until confirmed. So in no particular order, here’s 10 startling items in NASCAR history (fyi, no crashes included) that if you just saw the headline before the news broke of it happening (or being considered), you would think it’s a joke.

Carl Edwards to retire

Wait, what? Carl Edwards retiring? He had a shot to win the championship less than two months earlier and then on Jan. 11, 2017, Edwards announced he was quitting the sport. Edwards said that he had his health and “I don’t like how it feels to take the hits that we take. I’m a sharp guy, and I want to be a sharp guy in 30 years.” He denied several theories, including that he was mad at NASCAR’s calls on late cautions in the Homestead race or that he was paid off to make room for Daniel Suarez.

Richard Petty leaves Petty Enterprises

Yes, that’s right. Richard Petty, with 198 career Cup wins at the time, decided to leave for a team owned by music executive Mike Curb after the 1983 season, a move that allowed Petty Enterprises to focus on one driver (Kyle Petty). He spent two seasons (including the 1984 season where he would record the last two wins of his career) away but it was a frustrating experience. He then returned to revive Petty Enterprises in 1986, after a season where the organization had run in just a handful of races.

Justin Haley and Spire win at Daytona

A first-year team that had failed to finish on the lead lap in its first 17 starts wins a race? It happened. And it happened with a driver in his third Cup race, as Justin Haley won the July 2019 race at Daytona as he stayed out while everyone else in front of him pitted. Well, nearly everyone else initially. Kurt Busch didn’t pit but then opted to when it appeared the race was going to go back to green, but then rain fell and the race never restarted.

77 days until Daytona.

If @Justin_Haley_ wins again… it probably won’t come in nearly as bizarre fashion as this year’s race in July in the No. 77 car! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/83Dx4nI0vD

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) December 1, 2019

NASCAR abandons season-long points system

In 2004, NASCAR introduced the Chase for the Nextel Cup, where a 10-race playoff points system would determine the champion. Virtually every racing series had a season-long points system, and this was a radical – and still debated – change.

Bruton Smith’s hair catches fire at a Charlotte lights event

First, Charlotte Motor Speedway announced it would add lights for 1992, which was a bit of a shocker considering no oval 1.5 miles in length had lights. And then when it came time to turn them on for the first practice, another starting moment occurred. Track owner Bruton Smith flipped a ceremonial switch – and what was supposed to be a firework from the switch landed on his head, catching his hair on fire.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Yes, there had been rumors about it, but it just didn’t seem real that Earnhardt would leave the team that carried the name of his father. But he wanted an ownership stake in the company, and his stepmother, Teresa, wouldn’t give it to him. So in 2007, he decided that season would be his last at DEI and he eventually landed at Hendrick Motorsports, a place where team owner Rick Hendrick had originally said “there’s no room at the inn” for Earnhardt.

Smokey Yunick drives car without gas tank

Back in the day, NASCAR officials tore down Smokey Yunick’s car because of the fuel mileage he had gotten, and as part of the tear down, officials took out his gas tank. Did they find what they were looking for? Apparently not. Yunick drove the car away from the inspection area sans tank (he had a lengthy, extra wide fuel line that handled much more fuel) to the amazement of NASCAR officials.

Mark Martin gives up win by accidentally coming down pit road

At Bristol in 1994, Mark Martin was leading the Xfinity Series (then Busch Series) race under caution. They had taken the white flag and other drivers started pulling beside him to congratulate him, and Martin, thinking he had taken the checkered flag, came down pit road. David Green won the race.

On this date in 1994:
David Green won the Goody’s 250 at Bristol after race-leader Mark Martin pulled in the pits under caution on the final lap. pic.twitter.com/04IAVIdkbQ

— NASCAR Memories (@NASCARMemories) April 9, 2019

NASCAR Busch Series races in Mexico City

NASCAR had gone to Japan for an exhibition event but a points race in Mexico? Yup. The first NASCAR national series points event south of the border came in 2005 with the Busch Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. The series raced there for four consecutive years.

Bill Elliott to return to the Xfinity Series six years after retirement

Bill Elliott returned to the Xfinity Series six years after his previous last NASCAR national series race, as he drove for GMS Racing in 2018 at Road America at age 62.

Awesome. Bill. Is. BACK!

Bill Elliott will drive the No. 23 NASCAR Xfinity machine for GMS at Road America. pic.twitter.com/NarBh43rDN

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) August 5, 2018