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The best trophies in NASCAR, ranked
By Steve Luvender | Published: April 3, 2020 17
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When you go on vacation, you might pick up a little location-specific memento or souvenir to remember your trip. Things aren't that different on the NASCAR tour, where each race track facility offers their own spin on the race-winning prize. From the grandiose to the downright mystifying, these are 16 of the greatest trophies awarded to first-place finishers in NASCAR races across the country. (And, really, they're all competing for second place behind the season-long championship prize, the NASCAR Cup championship trophy)
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16. Richmond Raceway: If a driver's ever challenged to draw a map of Virginia entirely from memory, chances are someone who's won at Richmond Raceway has an edge.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
15. Auto Club Speedway: Auto Club Speedway's trophy perfectly captures the Southern California vibe. The trophy was named after Les Richter, who helped oversee the creation of the speedway. Also, let the record show that trophies featuring die-cast cars are quite cool.
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Richard Rodriguez | Getty Images
14. Texas Motor Speedway: It's a cowboy boot. They race in Texas. People wear cowboy boots in Texas. Logic checks out.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
13. Kentucky Speedway: It's good when a trophy looks heavy. The prize for winning at Kentucky Speedway certainly looks substantial, appropriately featuring a horse head with checkered flag wings atop its base.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
12. Talladega Superspeedway: Weighing in at over 100 pounds and made locally with hot-poured iron, Talladega's Vulcan Trophy is a relatively new tradition for the superspeedway -- and a very worthy one of the track's reputation.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
11. Watkins Glen International: Chase Elliott's first-career victory earned him not only a tick in the wins column, but also this sweet custom trophy that features the shape of Watkins Glen International within, made by the local Corning Museum of Glass.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
10. Charlotte Motor Speedway All-Star Race: This is definitely the Piston Cup from the Cars universe.
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Jeff Zelevansky | Getty Images
9. New Hampshire Motor Speedway: The trophy for winning at New Hampshire Speedway is an actual, live lobster. It's quite possible this one doesn't get better with age when stored in a trophy case.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
8. Bristol Motor Speedway: The Bristol night race is considered a staple on the NASCAR schedule -- and its life-size trophy is a sight to behold. Weird how one of the smallest tracks has one of the biggest prizes.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
7. Sonoma Raceway: Wine Country gets a wine trophy. It makes sense. Bonus points if the tiny barrels actually contain Pinot Noir.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
6. Daytona 500: The Harley J. Earl trophy makes the list because of its iconic status alone. Plus, the giant trophy that bears all Daytona 500 winners' names is absurdly huge, which earns cool points.
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5. Pocono Raceway: What's not to like about a soaring eagle? It makes for a fine trophy -- and, if you play your cards the right way, you can work in a sponsor plug as Kyle Busch managed in July.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
4. Darlington Raceway: The Southern 500's trophy bears the names and faces of legends. Plus, its two handles make it highly hoistable.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
3. Indianapolis Motor Speedway: The Brickyard's got the right idea. When you think trophy, you think a beautiful, shining gold structure worthy of the efforts it awards.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
2. Dover International Speedway: The Monster Mile's marvelous, mammoth, monster mascot, Miles, makes many memories magnifying medalists' mantles of mementos.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
1. Martinsville Speedway: Martinsville Speedway offers perhaps the most coveted of all trophies in NASCAR -- the legendary grandfather clock. Jimmie Johnson has nine of them, so unless you care to blast out your eardrums, stay away from the Johnson residence at the top of every hour. Maybe that's why he's out jogging all the time.