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PrivacyIROC XXI - 1997
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The International Race of Champions was an auto racing competition, featuring identically-prepared stock cars set up by a single team of mechanics, in an effort to make the race purely a test of driver ability. It was run with a small field of invited drivers (6-12) from all the major racing series including NASCAR, SCCA, FIA and USAC. Over the years CART and the IRL drivers, among others also participated.
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IROC XXI - 1997
IROC began its third decade of competition with the traditional opener at Daytona, won for the first time by Al Unser Jr. He joined his father, Al, and uncle, Bobby, as IROC winners on stock-car racing’s most famous speedway. Mark Martin found victory lane for the second straight year, under the lights, at Charlotte. Martin came back to claim the inaugural IROC event at the California Speedway in the series’ first appearance in Southern California since 1988. Randy LaJoie made the history books as the first NASCAR Busch Grand National driver to score an IROC triumph, at Michigan, as Martin clinched the title to become IROC’s only three-time champion. (from IROC Website)
The 1997 IROC Drivers
Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Tommy Kendall, Randy LaJoie, Darrell Waltrip, Robby Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmy Vasser, Terry Labonte, Al Unser Jr, Alex Zanardi
Final Points |
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IROC 21 Champion Mark Martin  |
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Position |
Driver/Residence/Sanction |
Points |
Money Earned |
| 1 | Mark Martin/Daytona Beach, FL/NASCAR |
72 | 225,000 |
| 2 | Robby Gordon/Cornelius, NC/SCORE |
63 | 100,000 |
| 3 | Randy LaJoie/Kannapolis, NC/NASCAR |
58 | 60,000 |
| 4 | Al Unser Jr./Albuquerque, NM/CART |
57 | 50,000 |
| 5 | Terry Labonte/Thomasville, NC/NASCAR |
43 | 45,000 |
| 6 | Jeff Gordon/Davidson, NC/NASCAR |
39 | 40,000 |
| 7 | Dale Earnhardt/Mooresville, NC/NASCAR |
35 | 40,000 |
| 8 | * Dale Jarrett/Hickory, NC/NASCAR |
34 | 40,000 |
| 9 | Tom Kendall/Santa Monica, CA/SCCA |
34 | 40,000 |
| 10 | Jimmy Vasser/Las Vegas, NV/CART |
30 | 40,000 |
| 11 | Darrell Waltrip/Franklin, TN/NASCAR |
18 | 40,000 |
| 12 | Alex Zanardi/Indianapolis, IN/CART |
17 | 40,000 |
* Tie-breaker: Higher finishing position in final race |
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Race One |
| February 14, 1997 |
| Daytona International Speedway |
| Daytona Beach, Florida |
| 2.5-mile high-banked oval, 40 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 12 | Al Unser Jr. - Green |
40 | Running |
| 2 | 7 | Mark Martin - Lt Blue |
40 | Running |
| 3 | 2 | Dale Earnhardt - Gold |
40 | Running |
| 4 | 10 | Randy LaJoie - White |
40 | Running |
| 5 | 4 | Tom Kendall - Violet |
40 | Running |
| 6 | 8 | Terry Labonte - Med Blue |
40 | Running |
| 7 | 9 | Dale Jarrett - Hugger Orange |
40 | Running |
| 8 | 5 | Robby Gordon - Silver |
40 | Running |
| 9 | 3 | Jeff Gordon - Red |
40 | Running |
| 10 | 1 | Alex Zanardi - Aqua |
40 | Running |
| 11 | 6 | Darrell Waltrip - Yellow |
40 | Running |
| 12 | 11 | Jimmy Vasser - Dk Blue |
40 | Running |
| Time of Race: 33 minutes, 43 seconds |
| Average Speed: 177.602 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: .122 second |
| Caution Flags : None |
| Lead Changes: 16 among 8 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: J. Gordon, 1-2; Waltrip, 3; Martin, 4; Jarrett, 5-6; Waltrip, 7; J. Gordon, 8-10; Waltrip, 11-12; Labonte, 13; R. Gordon, 14; Unser Jr., 15-24; Waltrip, 25; J. Gordon, 26; Earnhardt, 27-28; R. Gordon, 29; J. Gordon, 30-32; Unser Jr., 33-40. |
Race Two |
| May 16, 1997 |
| Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| Concord, North Carolina |
| 1.5-mile oval, 67 laps, 100.5 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 10 | Mark Martin - Hugger Orange |
67 | Running |
| 2 | 12 | Robby Gordon - Rose |
67 | Running |
| 3 | 4 | Jeff Gordon - Purple |
67 | Running |
| 4 | 1 | Jimmy Vasser - Lt Blue |
67 | Running |
| 5 | 11 | Al Unser Jr - Red |
67 | Running |
| 6 | 6 | Terry Labonte - Yellow |
67 | Running |
| 7 | 8 | Randy LaJoie - Cream |
67 | Running |
| 8 | 9 | Dale Earnhardt - Brt Orange |
67 | Running |
| 9 | 7 | Tom Kendall - Lime |
67 | Running |
| 10 | 5 | Dale Jarrett - Green |
67 | Running |
| 11 | 2 | Darrell Waltrip - Silver |
67 | Running |
| 12 | 3 | Alex Zanardi - Med Blue |
50 | Suspension |
** Robby Gordon missed the mandatory IROC drivers’ meeting and was moved from 5th to 12th starting position. |
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| Time of Race: 36 minutes, 56 seconds |
| Average Speed: 163.267 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: .22 second |
| Caution Flags: None |
| Lead Changes: 1 among 2 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: Vasser, 1-58; Martin 59-67. |
Race Three |
| June 21, 1997 |
| California Speedway |
| Fontana, California |
| 2-mile oval, 50 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 12 | Mark Martin - Dk Blue |
50 | Running |
| 2 | 10 | * Bobby Labonte - Silver |
50 | Running |
| 3 | 5 | Terry Labonte - Brt Orange |
50 | Running |
| 4 | 6 | Randy LaJoie - Lime |
50 | Running |
| 5 | 9 | Jeff Gordon - Green |
50 | Running |
| 6 | 11 | Al Unser Jr - White |
50 | Running |
| 7 | 4 | Tom Kendall - Lt Blue |
50 | Running |
| 8 | 3 | Dale Jarrett - Cream |
50 | Running |
| 9 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt - Yellow |
50 | Running |
| 10 | 7 | Jimmy Vasser - Red |
50 | Running |
| 11 | 2 | Darrell Waltrip - Rose |
49 | Running |
| 12 | 1 | ** Alex Zanardi - Hugger Orange |
4 | Accident |
* Bobby Labonte drove in place of the injured Robby Gordon. The points he earned were credited to Robby Gordon’s total for the series. |
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** Alex Zanardi moved to rear of field in backup car after accident before start. |
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| Time of Race: 36 minutes, 30 seconds |
| Average Speed: 164.384 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: .129 second |
| Caution Flags: 1 (Zanardi accident before start; Zanardi accident after Lap 4.) |
| Lead Changes: 5 among 4 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: Jarrett, 1; Terry Labonte, 2-6; Martin, 7-22; Bobby Labonte, 23-47; Martin, 48-50. |
Race Four |
| July 27, 1997 |
| Michigan International Speedway |
| Brooklyn, Michigan |
| Two-mile superspeedway, 50 laps, 100 miles. |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 7 | Randy LaJoie - Violet |
50 | Running |
| 2 | 11 | Robby Gordon - Red |
50 | Running |
| 3 | 3 | Dale Jarrett - Brt Orange |
50 | Running |
| 4 | 10 | Al Unser Jr - Green |
50 | Running |
| 5 | 4 | Tom Kendall - White |
50 | Running |
| 6 | 9 | Terry Labonte - Dk Blue |
50 | Running |
| 7 | 6 | Dale Earnhardt - Lime |
50 | Running |
| 8 | 12 | Mark Martin - Yellow |
50 | Running |
| 9 | 8 | Jeff Gordon - Gold |
50 | Running |
| 10 | 5 | Jimmy Vasser - Cream |
26 | Retired |
| 11 | 2 | Darrell Waltrip - Lt Blue |
14 | Retired |
| 12 | 1 | Alex Zanardi - Rose |
12 | Retired |
| Time of Race: 36 minutes, 22 seconds |
| Average Speed: 164.271 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: . 387 second |
| Caution Flags: None |
| Lead Changes: 1 among 2 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: Zanardi, 1-2; LaJoie, 3-50. |