NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race memories: 1998, Martin gets a gift

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

Until the final lap of the 1998 race, 1997 winner Jeff Gordon appeared all but certain to extend his domination of the all-star race, but Mark Martin was the beneficiary of some unexpected good fortune at Gordon’s expense. Gordon had the lead when the field took the green flag for the final 10-lap segment, but NASCAR ruled Gordon jumped the restart, and the field circled the 1.5-mile track under caution while the running order was reset.

NASCAR’s decision on the restart proved costly to Gordon, who was leading on the final lap of the segment but suddenly slowed as he approached the first corner. Gordon’s Chevrolet had run out of fuel because of the extra laps at the start of the segment, and Martin shot past him for the win.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘He’s going to let me catch up so we can put on a show,’ ” Martin said at the time. “That would never happen, but what other logical thing could shoot through your mind? When he never started going again, I couldn’t believe it.”

Martin beat Bobby Labonte to the checkered flag by .424 seconds, as Gordon coasted across the finish line in 12th place, the last car on the lead lap. The victory was Martin’s first in the all-star race, and it was part of a banner year for him. Martin won a career-high seven Cup points races that season, but the win in the non-points event remains one of his favorite memories from 1998.

“It’s always fun to not know it’s coming and get that kind of surprise,” Martin said.