Beyond the Flag
Fansided

5 NASCAR documentaries that should be made

By Jacob LeBlanc

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 22: 2019 Jeff Gordon (L) smiles while chatting with Richard Petty during the NASCAR 2020 Hall of Fame announcement ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 22, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jason Miczek/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 22: 2019 Jeff Gordon (L) smiles while chatting with Richard Petty during the NASCAR 2020 Hall of Fame announcement ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 22, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jason Miczek/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jamey Price/Getty Images for NASCAR)
(Photo by Jamey Price/Getty Images for NASCAR) /

5. Darrell Waltrip – 1981

As we have seen over the years, Darrell Waltrip has never been shy in front of the camera, and I believe he would jump at any opportunity to be featured in a documentary about one of his seasons. The 1981 season would be the best one to choose. He was an unstoppable force that season and he went on to win the championship.

How successful was he that year? Well, he won over a third of the races that season, winning 12 times in 31 starts. He also recorded 21 top five finishes and had a stretch of four consecutive wins at one point.

In addition, he earned back-to-back wins two other times throughout the year. He also led 2,517 laps, nearly twice the amount of the second place driver in that category. So the statistics confirm how good he was throughout the year.

But what happened during the ensuing offseason would have to be featured in any story about the 1981 season, as it played a huge role in turning NASCAR into what it is today. Waltrip received his championship honor in New York City at Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan.

This led to him getting some extreme media exposure in New York, which ultimately led to some major companies wanting to get involved in NASCAR. Without that trip to New York City and the media exposure that came with it, NASCAR could look very different than it does today.

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