Harry Gant competed against the likes of Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, and the ‘Intimidator’ Dale Earnhardt for the Rookie of the Year honors when he first came to NASCAR. His NASCAR races were always marked by high-caliber rivals. Harry Gant lost to Terry Labonte in 1984 for the Cup Series championship. But, it’s a given fact that in a sport like NASCAR, it is hard not to ruffle a few feathers. Not for Mr. September, though.
As far as Gant goes, he never had any ‘enemies’ in the sport. No matter the circumstances, his competitors always held him in high regard. NASCAR legend Ricky Rudd has revealed the reason behind the same. The way Ricky Rudd explained his respect was both interesting and hard to believe. So what made Harry Gant so special?
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Harry Gant was a “class act” who avoided collisions
In NASCAR, there is a term–bump drafting. It means drivers bump into another car while trying to gain the slipstream and go faster to overtake. In these scenarios, the car sometimes collides with the front driver, sending the two into a massive crash. This isn’t a rare occurrence. Almost every race has one such incident. Additionally, NASCAR drivers are incredibly aggressive. They do not care about the end result. If anyone annoys them on track, they make the driver pay by sending them into the wall or spinning them out.
So, in a sport full of emotions running high on track, how was it possible not make anyone angry about your driving style? Here’s how Harry Gant managed to do it.
“Harry was a class act guy and tough competitor on the race track. But he raced you hard, and he would race clean. You never heard anybody complain about ‘Harry gave him a fender or a cheek shot.’ He was that way; he would do what he had to do to win, but he was fair,” Ricky Rudd explained.
Ricky Rudd’s comments reinforce Harry Gant’s reputation as one of NASCAR’s cleanest and most respected competitors, even in a sport known for aggressive racing. That respect showed up in 1991 at the Winston 500, when Gant was running low on fuel late in the race, and rival Rick Mast pushed him in the closing laps to help him reach the finish and secure the win.
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Gant’s controlled, disciplined style also helped him protect his equipment and avoid DNFs’. In 1984, his best points finish in the Cup Series, he had very few race-ending failures, which stood out for the era.
Rudd also shared additional thoughts on “Mr. September” and his Cup Series career.
Ricky Rudd’s story about “low-profile” Harry Gant
When asked about Harry Gant’s years in NASCAR, Ricky Rudd was silent for a few moments. He was unable to recall any stories about the gentleman driver.
However, he did comment on Gant’s Cup Series entry. By the time Gant entered the Cup Series, he was already 33 years old. In racing terms, it is equivalent to starting college when others are looking forward to retiring.
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But that didn’t stop Gant from setting records and claiming a name for himself in the series.
By the end of his career in the Cup Series, Harry Gant had 18 Cup Series victories to his name, and the record of being the oldest driver to win a NASCAR race.
He won his last race in 1992 at the age of 52. Not only that, but he also ended up finishing fourth in the championship standings, which was remarkable considering his age.
When he joined the Cup Series, he had a team that made the other drivers envious. According to Ricky Rudd, “What I probably remember best about Harry when he finally made it to the Cup level, unfortunately, he got here later than he should have been, he came with an entourage. I mean, who else can start a race and you’ve got Burt Reynolds in your garage stall, and Hal Needham, a movie director, and the Skoal Bandit? It was kind of an interesting time.”
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His longtime sponsorship with Skoal Bandit earned him the nickname of ‘Bandit.’ His nickname was a direct contrast to his peaceful and non-controversial persona. But that’s just how things are in NASCAR. Once again, congratulations to Harry Gant on making it to the NASCAR Hall of Fame!
The post NASCAR Veteran Explains Why Harry Gant Commanded Rare Garage-Wide Respect Despite Fierce On-Track Rivalries appeared first on EssentiallySports.
