Gant Ends NASCAR Spell With Victory at Darlington

Harry Gant’s dry spell ended with a powerful performance in Sunday’s TranSouth 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Gant ended a 90-race, four-year winless streak by dominating the last half of the 367-lap, 500-mile race.

“I had more power than I really needed, so I just sat there and tried to take it easy,” Gant said.

“I started out real slow and just raced the track for a while. I just eased up to the front and tried to run smooth laps so that we wouldn’t wear the tires out.”

Gant, who started 10th, did not take the lead for the first time until lap 178. However, from that point to the end, the Taylorsville, N.C., driver led all but 11 laps.

Gant, 49, earned the 28th victory of his Winston Cup career, driving his Oldsmobile across the finish line 1.31 seconds ahead of the Ford of Davey Allison.

It was the first victory for Gant in NASCAR’s premier stock car series since the Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro, N.C., in the fall of 1985.

Two late caution flags kept Gant from running away at the end, and he had to fend off a challenge from Geoff Bodine and Allison in a three-lap sprint after the final caution period.

Bodine’s Chevrolet was right behind Gant’s car as the green flag fell on lap 365. Gant immediately moved away from Bodine, and Allison took second place two laps from the end. But Gant’s lead was never in jeopardy.

“I’m happy for Harry,” Bodine said. “Boy, I’m glad to see him win. It’s been a long time since he’s visited Victory Lane.”

Gant said he never doubted he would win again.

“I know I’m not too old and I knew with a good car and on the right day we’d win.

“I knew that unless there was a wreck that I was gonna win the race from the first time I took the lead. I was never pushing the car.

“We got down to the last caution and I knew I could drive away from them.”

Gant earned $65,035 from the total purse of $499,547 as he led a total of 179 laps, including the last 20.

Sterling Marlin finished fourth and defending Winston Cup champion Bill Elliott was fifth. They were the only other drivers on the lead lap at the end.