Sunday 2nd August 1981

On the final lap of the Talladega 500, held at the Talladega Speedway, Alabama, US, Waltrip led Terry Labonte coming out of turn 4. As the cars went into the tri-oval, Labonte attempted a slingshot pass around the outside of Waltrip, but Waltrip was just able to hold him off. Suddenly, Ron Bouchard darted below both of them, and edged a shocked Waltrip by inches in a three-wide photo finish. It was Bouchard’s only career victory. After the race, Waltrip, who had thought Bouchard was a lap down, asked, “Where the hell did he come from?”