Ageless Harry Gant Made History With 1991 Martinsville Victory

Ageless Harry Gant Made History With 1991 Martinsville Victory


This is the second in a series of stories by veteran motorsports writers sharing their favorite story from many years of covering races at Martinsville Speedway as we head into the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 weekend March 26-28.)

By STEVE WAID

Before there was Mark Martin there was Harry Gant.
We’re talking about a couple of “old” drivers here – guys that competed, or are competing, at an age when they should be sitting on rocking chairs and telling tall tales.
Martin, age 51, is still going strong and is regarded as a driver to win any race he enters, if not, at long last, a championship. He will certainly be a contender in Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
Many years ago Gant fulfilled the same role. But in 1991, at the age of 51, he accomplished something Martin has not.
Gant won four consecutive races. Think of it – at an age when most professional athletes have retired, Gant not only was successful with five victories and a fourth-place in the final points standings - he put together a string of wins that astounded the stock car racing world.
His fourth and last consecutive victory came at Martinsville Speedway in the Goody’s 500 on Sept. 22, 1991. It remains one of the most improbable finishes in the track’s history.
It sure wowed the fans and media.
No one – again, no one - thought Gant would achieve it. As events unfolded on the track, he should have been in the garage area bemoaning his unfortunate fate.
Gant, from Taylorsville, N.C., became one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers after a long tenure with team owner Hal Needham and sponsor Skoal.
Gant became known as “The Skoal Bandit,” a nickname that stuck after he, and Skoal, moved on to Leo Jackson’s team.
It was with Jackson in 1991 that Gant began his rise to NASCAR notoriety.
He won the Southern 500 at Darlington on Sept. 1. Then, on Sept. 7, he won at Richmond in the first race the track held under the lights.
OK, folks thought, ol’ Gant lucked out.
Really?
Two weeks later Gant lapped the field at Dover for his third consecutive win. Luck? Hardly.
The media and fans took notice - which might be an understatement. Gant was the hottest topic in NASCAR.
Everyone delighted in the fact that an old NASCAR driver was doing something totally unexpected of him – or for anyone else, for that matter.
The media wondered just what the heck was going on.
Was there something “special” about Gant’s car? Was ol’ Leo fooling the inspectors? Heck, had Gant been drinking some kind of youth potion?
When fans and media gathered at Martinsville for the September race thoughts centered on Gant. Could this guy win for a fourth time in a row? Or would he fail?
It wasn’t long into the race that everyone thought – make that knew – he would fail.
Gant took the lead on lap 196 of 500 and led 177 of the next 179.
By golly, everyone thought, he’s on his way to win No. 4.
But suddenly, Gant was spun by Rusty Wallace as Wallace attempted to take the lead. Gant hit the wall, slid off and was clipped by two other cars.
Everyone thought it was all over.
“Harry’s done,” the press box wags said. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.”
Understand, Gant had never experienced this type of misfortune in his previous three wins. No one thought he could recover at Martinsville. That simply didn’t happen.
After the incident Gant, who had managed to stay on the lead lap, restarted in 12th place. He steadily plowed through the field.
Astonishingly, he retook the lead on lap 454 and led the rest of the way.
Everyone was wide-eyed and had the same thought: How did he do that?
Gant should have been, at best, an also-ran.
His win streak should have come to an end.
But, in one of the most amazing comebacks in Martinsville Speedway’s history, it didn’t.

Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 on Sunday, March 28, the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday, March 27 and the Duracell Battery Kroger Pole Day on Friday, March 26 are on sale and can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.

Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 begin at just $25.

(Steve Waid has covered NASCAR since the early 1970s and remains one of the sport’s most highly-regarded writers. He has also penned several books on the sport.)