Andretti wins first Cup race in one-lap shootout at DIS

The first official use of the green-white-checkered finish in what's now known as the Sprint Cup didn't come until 2004, but the 1997 Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway was certainly a precursor to what was to follow.

The race featured a wild, one-lap sprint to the checkered flag -- and a multi-car accident just before John Andretti got to the finish line to record his first Cup victory.

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Andretti had dominated most of the race, but Mark Martin gambled with a two-tire stop and grabbed the lead following pit stops under caution after Ken Schrader's spin on Lap 109.

Earlier in the season, Andretti had a similar situation at Talladega. But when he pulled out to make a move for the lead, no one went with him. It was a hard lesson learned.

This time, with the laps winding down, Andretti was told about a gentleman's agreement between spotters. Bill Elliott, running right with the leaders but one lap down, would give Andretti the drafting help he needed -- if Andretti would agree to let Elliott get his lap back under caution.

And on Lap 137, with Elliott in tow, Andretti made his move on Martin in Turn 1.

"The biggest difference was Bill Elliott," Andretti said. "If he would have chosen Mark instead of me, that would have been the end of my race. I think he figured I had the faster car."

But even so, Andretti wasn't sure Elliott would hold up his end of the bargain.

"For us, it's so hard to trust anybody," Andretti said. "So many people end up working against you. It's hard to figure out whether somebody is actually going to help you."

With four laps remaining, a Turn 1 accident collected the cars of Ricky Rudd, Michael Waltrip, Hut Stricklin and Morgan Shepherd. Andretti appeared to be able to coast home under caution.

However, safety crews hurriedly cleared the track, allowing NASCAR officials to throw the green with one lap remaining. And Andretti knew that not only was Martin looming in his rear-view mirror, but Dale Earnhardt -- a two-time winner of the 400-miler -- plus Dale Jarrett and Terry Labonte.

1997 Pepsi 400

Official Results

Pos.	Driver	Make
1.	John Andretti	Ford
2.	Terry Labonte	Chevrolet
3.	Sterling Marlin	Chevrolet
4.	Dale Earnhardt	Chevrolet
5.	Dale Jarrett	Ford
6.	Rusty Wallace	Ford
7.	Kyle Petty	Pontiac
8.	Jeff Burton	Ford
9.	Ernie Irvan	Ford
10.	Bobby Labonte	Pontiac

• Complete Results click here

"The black No. 3 came up," said Andretti about planning his strategy for the final lap. "There's a lot of things to worry about."

But when the race restarted, the fight turned out to be further back in the pack.

"Dale Jarrett started racing Dale Earnhardt and I said, 'Man, this is ours,'" Andretti said. "And then Terry Labonte came up. I'm glad this race is over with because I think he'd have gotten me in the next lap."

But Earnhardt disagreed with Andretti's assessment.

"We did all we could do," he said. "I think he was tough to pass. Everybody was sort of racing for second. He was too strong by himself."

Labonte finished second, followed by Sterling Marlin -- who lost a lap earlier in the race when he cut a tire -- Earnhardt and Jarrett. Martin suffered more misfortune when he, Ward Burton and Dick Trickle tangled in Turn 4, setting off a melee that also wiped out the cars of Derrike Cope, Lake Speed and Jerry Nadeau. Burton sustained a concussion and Martin injured his leg.

Several drivers weren't complimentary of NASCAR's decision to try and restart the race with one lap to go.

"That wasn't a shootout," Earnhardt said. "That was a slugfest, a wreckfest. They know better than to do that."

"There's no sense in putting guys in danger like that for a one-lap sprint," Jarrett added.

Kyle Petty managed to get through the smoke and wound up seventh.

"What they just had is a recipe for somebody getting hurt real bad," Petty said. "NASCAR got what they wanted, the fans didn't get anything because they saw some of their favorites get taken out on the last lap. And the same guy that was leading the race before the restart still won.

"Why didn't we just end it under caution?"