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NASCAR in 1991: Most memorable moments
By Terrin Waack | Published: August 27, 2019 14
Photo by ISC Images & Archives | Getty Images
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Photo by ISC Images & Archives | Getty Images
NASCAR's 1991 season saw Dale Earnhardt win his fifth championship, Harry Gant win four races in a row, Davey Allison win five races, Dale Jarrett win his first race and so much more. Read on to relive other memorable moments.
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Ernie Irvan won the 1991 Daytona 500 under caution after leading just 29 of the 200 laps at Daytona International Speedway. Sterling Marlin and Joe Ruttman finished second and third, respectively.
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Photo by ISC Images & Archives | Getty Images
Ken Schrader won two races in 1991 -- the Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the Budweiser 500 at Dover. It was his only season with multiple victories.
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Photo by ISC Images & Archives | Getty Images
Ricky Rudd won the 1991 TranSouth 500 at Darlington Raceway, marking his only victory that season. Allison and Michael Waltrip made up the rest of the top-three finishers.
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Roger Penske's team was absent from NASCAR's top national series from 1981-90. Wallace would bring Penske Racing (now Team Penske) back into the top series in 1991 and Victory Lane with the No. 2 Pontiac at Bristol and Pocono International Raceway (now Pocono Raceway).
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Evan Kafka | Liaison
Earnhardt pulled off career win No. 50 at Martinsville with the 1991 Hanes 500. He led more than half (251) of the 500 laps.
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Allison had his breakthrough season in 1991. It was the first time he won more than two races in a single year -- five total, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sears Point, Michigan, North Carolina Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway (now ISM Raceway) in order.
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Rudd was black-flagged at Sears Point International Raceway (now Sonoma Raceway) for spinning Allison two laps before the 1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300 finish. Allison ended up being credited with the win despite Rudd crossing in first.
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Jarrett scored his first career win with the 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan International Speedway. He beat Allison to the checkered flag, and Wallace was third.
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Buick ran its last season as a full-time manufacturer in 1991. It fielded drivers such as Hut Stricklin, Brett Bodine and Rick Wilson.
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Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group | Getty Images
Gant won the 1991 Heinz Southern 500 at Darlington, the circuit's second visit to the South Carolina track. Irvan and Schrader followed him across the finish line.
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Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images
Speaking of Gant, the driver of the No. 33 Oldsmobile won four consecutive races and became known as "Mr. September" because of it. The streak included Darlington, Richmond International Raceway, Dover Downs International Speedway and Martinsville Speedway and went from Sept. 1-22.
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Bill Elliott reclaimed the Most Popular Driver honor and would win it a record total of 16 times. Darrell Waltrip had taken it from him for the 1989-90 seasons, after Elliott had it from 1984-88.
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Dozier Mobley | Getty Images
Earnhardt won his fifth championship. He'd eventually go on to win two more in 1993-94 and remains tied for the most titles to this day with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson.