MILLION-DOLLAR TRIUMPH

LOOKING TO BECOME ONLY THE SECOND DRIVER TO CLAIM A $1 MILLION bonus from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and its Winston brand that was serving as the Cup Series’ title sponsor, Jeff Gordon needed to win the Southern 500 to cash in on his potentially huge payday, for which he alone was eligible by virtue of winning the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 – two of three “crownjewel” events that had taken place earlier in the 1997 season.

Seeking his third consecutive Southern 500 win, Gordon not surprisingly showed up at the track “Too Tough to Tame” with an extremely fast race car. The only problem? Jeff Burton’s No. 99 Roush Racing Ford was just as fast – maybe even a tick faster – so when Gordon came out of Turn 4 to take the white flag, he had a review mirror full of Burton, who pulled to Gordon’s inside and made an aggressive attempt to pass.

But before Burton could get completely up alongside Gordon’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, the 1995 Cup Series champion threw an aggressive block on Burton, pinching him down and forcing Burton to momentarily back out of the throttle before the two entered Turn 1. Gordon then held Burton at bay over the remainder of the final lap to join 1985 Southern 500 winner Bill Elliott as a recipient of the coveted “Winston Million.”