It seemed as though Terry Labonte had the 1995 Goody’s 500 won, as he propelled around Bristol Motor Speedway in his No. 5 Chevrolet. The Hendrick Motorsports wheelman had led 59 of 500 laps at the historic short track and had developed a lengthy lead over the second-place car of Dale Earnhardt.
Granted, the black No. 3 is likely not the car any driver wanted to see in their review mirror in those days.
As the laps dwindled down, Earnhardt continued to shave away at Labonte’s lead, lessening the gap to 1.6 seconds with eight laps to go. But with Bristol only 0.533 miles in length, the task seemed daunting, even for the ruthless “Intimidator.”
As the white flag was waved, Labonte began to battle lapped traffic, allowing Earnhardt to reach his bumper. In the final corner, the “Intimidator” tapped Labonte’s bumper, turning the No. 5 car sideways — but still first across the finish line to take the checkered.
The front end completely destroyed and leaking fluid, Labonte drove his No. 5 Chevrolet into Victory Lane, ready to commemorate what would become one of NASCAR’s most memorable finishes.
“That was a finish, wasn’t it?” Labonte said with a grin in Victory Lane.”… (Earnhardt) gave me a little shot in the back there, I just stood in the gas and we beat him across the line.
” … Think I used up a pretty good race car, but we’ll get another one.”
In great spirits, Labonte then climbed out of his heavily damaged car, the Kellogg’s rooster on the front bent in several directions and the front end smoking.
“I think I ran all night long, didn’t put a scratch on it until the end, but that’s the way it goes.” Labonte said, smiling. “We won.”