Pocono Raceway hosts a pair of Nextel Cup races each season. Credit: Autostock

Enduring Performance: 1987 Miller High Life 500

Richmond battles car problems, illness to take emotional victory

Given little chance of ever driving in NASCAR again, Tim Richmond completed his amazing comeback from illness by winning the 1987 Miller High Life 500 at Pocono Raceway.

Richmond, who missed the first 11 races of the season with what doctors referred to at the time as "double pneumonia," overcame transmission troubles during a pit stop, which put him down a lap.

Results 1987 Miller High Life 400 Pos. Driver Make 1. T. Richmond Chevrolet 2. B. Elliott Ford 3. K. Petty Ford 4. C. Yarborough Oldmobile 5. D. Earnhardt Chevrolet • Complete results, click here

Still, Richmond, an Ashland, Ohio, native was up to the task, winning for the third consecutive time at the 2.5-mile oval.

The victory was so emotional for Richmond that he took an extra victory lap in an attempt to compose himself.

"I still haven't seen a checkered flag this year," Richmond said. "My eyes were so full of tears, I couldn't see the flag. So I said, let's take one more lap ... maybe things will clear up by the time I get back."

Richmond, Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt exchanged the lead until Lap 93, when Richmond's routine pit stop went awry. Unable to get the car's transmission to cooperate -- it stuck in second gear -- he lost a lap to the leaders, putting him 15th.

However, Benny Parsons wrecked 26 laps later, allowing Richmond to get his lap back. Car builder Harry Hyde and the crew were then able to repair the damage to the No. 25 Chevrolet's transmission, allowing Richmond to chase down Earnhardt from that point on, taking the lead for good on Lap 153.

Richmond's comeback wouldn't be complete without a few more dicey moments. Twice he survived green flag restarts, the final one coming with five laps remaining. Earnhardt fell back with a cut tire and Elliott was unable to chase down Richmond, finishing 1.53 seconds behind in front of an estimated 80,000 fans.

"It's almost too great for words, what he did," Hyde said of Richmond's comeback. "I've been in racing a mighty long time -- 41 years if I make it to September -- but I've never seen anything like this ... a sentimental moment to equal this. I'm not a crying man, but I cried on the inside."

During his recuperation, Richmond wondered if he'd ever climb into the cockpit again, let alone win a race.

"I used to think about driving a race car," Richmond said. "Then I got sicker, and didn't think about anything but trying to live.

"But I didn't know if I'd ever race again, especially after my doctors told me I couldn't."

Richmond would go on to win the next week at Riverside, but sometimes fairy tales don't have happy endings. He would made six more Cup starts before his health once again failed him.

Richmond would die from acquired immune deficiency syndrome two years later.