April 17, 2016 – Carl Edwards led 276 laps from the pole to win the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. It marked Edwards’ 26th (of 28) career win and fourth at Bristol and it came in what turned out to be his final season in the NASCAR Cup Series. Edwards’ teammate Matt Kenseth led 142 laps, but had a right-front tire issue and finished 36th.
April 17, 2011 – Jimmie Johnson got a last lap push from teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. to edge Clint Bowyer at the finish line to tie the closest finish in NASCAR history in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Johnson and Earnhardt rocketed past the leaders on the final lap of the race with Johnson nipping Bowyer by .002-seconds at the finish line to tie the mark set by Ricky Craven in his Darlington victory over Kurt Busch in 2003. The two finishes ranks as the closest since NASCAR introduced electronic scoring in 1993.
April 17, 2009 – Greg Biffle won the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 to give Roush Fenway Racing its 100th NASCAR Xfinity (Nationwide) Series win. Biffle’s teammate Carl Edwards came into the race as the series point leader and looked like he was in control of the race early. Edwards led 79 of the first 97 laps until engine woes sidelined his hopes of winning and sent him to the garage. That opened the door for Biffle, who charged to the front and used some late strategy to stay on track rather than pitting for tires to score the win.
April 17, 2005 – Greg Biffle was forced to start from the rear of the field in a backup car after a practice crash, but he worked his way back to the front and went on to win the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Biffle started the race from the 41st position and once in front, dominated the day leading 219 of the 334 laps. He passed Casey Mears with 23 laps to go after a final round of pit stops and then went on to become the ninth different driver to win in the nine NASCAR Cup races held at Texas.
April 17, 2004 – Rick Crawford held off Dennis Setzer in a green-white checkered finish to pick up his first short-track victory in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Crawford bounced back from an accident in Atlanta, which he suffered a fracture to his left foot, to pick up his third career NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors (Craftsman) Truck Series victory.
April 17, 1999 – Jimmy Hensley passed Stacy Compton with 37 laps to go and went on to win the NAPA 250 at his home track Martinsville Speedway. It marked the second career NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors (Craftsman) Truck Series win for the Ridgeway, Va. native and driver of the No. 43 Dodge for Richard Petty. Mike Wallace led 122 laps, but finished 26th after his truck had an issue with the rear axle.
April 17, 1994 – Terry Labonte returned to Victory Lane for the first time since 1989 when he won the First Union 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Labonte got by Rusty Wallace in Turn 3 with 29 laps to go and went on to take the checkered flag. It was his 11th (of 22) career win and first with Hendrick Motorsports. Ernie Irvan led 320 laps, but finished third after a slow pit stop with 73 laps to go.
April 17, 1988 – Terry Labonte scored his second straight win at North Wilkesboro Speedway in the First Union 400. Labonte led 112 laps in the No. 11 Chevrolet and passed Dale Earnhardt with 12 to go. Earnhardt had a tire going down and fell to third at the finish behind Ricky Rudd.
April 17, 1983 – Darrell Waltrip led 245 laps to win the Northwestern Bank 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was the first of six wins for Waltrip that season. He led the final 106 laps en route to a commanding victory over Bobby Allison.
Other winners on this date: 1977 – Cale Yarborough (Bristol); 1966 – Jim Paschal (North Wilkesboro Speedway); 1965 – Dick Hutcherson (Greenville-Pickens Speedway); 1960 – Joe Weatherly (Wilson Speedway); 1955 – Tim Flock (Montgomery Speedway)
