The Internet is currently awash in AI-generated nostalgia bait. The reason for this is that AI companies desperately need AI products to be everywhere so they’re flooding the zone, and the reason for the nostalgia bait part is because Americans long for a time when there was a burgeoning middle class, robust government services, attainable upward mobility and a conspicuous lack of a little brick in your pocket that shows you things designed to make you mad.
Fortunately, the government is hard at work saving the country by making all these problems much worse.
You know what was absolutely better 30 years ago? NASCAR! I am not following the championship battle because NASCAR’s championship is now decided in an arbitrary format that guarantees it will come down to the last race, even if that means the 17th-best team all year wins the title. 30 years ago it was a season-long points battle. The better you finish, the more points you get. No end-of-season tournament; there’s 30+ races to decide this thing, everyone races on the same track for all those races and the driver that scores the most points is the champion.
In America, we can’t have sports championships decided like that anymore. Besides LITERALLY EVERY RACING CHAMPIONSHIP EVER (non-drag-racing division, which includes IndyCar), the highest-profile championship decided by earning it over the course of the regular season is the Big Ten Basketball Championship. Isn’t that interesting?
Anyway, I digress. We had 12 voters this week.
Feel free to look up how everyone’s ‘95 season ended up going!
1. Ohio State Buckeyes: Dale Earnhardt
10 First Place Votes | High: 1 | Low: 2 | Last week: 1 (No Change)
DAYTONA BEACH, UNITED STATES: This 09 February 2001 photo shows NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt as he prepares for the season-opening Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. Earnhardt, 49, one of the greatest stars in auto racing history, died 18 February 2001 from injuries in a crash on the final lap at the Daytona 500. AFP PHOTO/BRIAN CLEARY (Photo credit should read BRIAN CLEARY/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
The Intimidator. Ironhead. The Man in Black. You hate to see him coming up behind you. You know he’s gonna pass you; best not to be dumb about it and get wrecked.
Coming into 1995, Earnhardt had won his record-tying 7th championship, which was his fourth in five years. He’d had a down year in ‘92 and been challenged at various points, but down the stretch he answered the burning question as to whether or not he’d fallen off with a resounding “absolutely not.” The face of the sport with a mustache that just doesn’t quit, with the industrial might of General Motors behind him and the talent to drive the wheels off of anything, Earnhardt is simply the presumptive champion every year at this point.
Ohio State regained that status last year and reinforced it by beating then-#1 Texas. They haven’t been as flashy as in years past, but you hate to see that team on your schedule because you know it’s gonna be the ultimate test of what you’ve got.
2. Oregon Ducks: Mark Martin
High: 2 | Low: 3 | Last Week: 2 (No Change)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEB 20, 1994: Mark Martin poses with his car, Daytona 500, NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, February 1994. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) Getty Images
Noted gentleman racer Mark Martin had been among NASCAR’s best since 1989, and in 1994 he finished second to Dale Earnhardt in the championship battle for the second time. Even when it’s seemed like he had Earnhardt beaten, he just can’t quite get there. He’s quickly developing a reputation as a respectable guy and also the greatest driver to never win a championship. (By the end of his career, he’ll have three more 2nd place points finishes, and ironically he is now considered the second best driver to never win a championship as Denny Hamlin has taken his place as the bridesmaid supreme).
Oregon gets plenty of wins and has the team to get it done just about anywhere…and has developed a recent history of getting in position to win a title but not quite doing it. Better luck…this year? Coming into ‘95, he’s seen as one of the top usurpers to Earnhardt’s throne. Along with…
3. Indiana Hoosiers: Jeff Gordon
2 First Place Votes | High: 1 | Low: 4 | Last Week: 3 (No Change)
SPEEDWAY, IN – AUGUST 6: Driver Jeff Gordon celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Brickyard 400 race on August 6, 1994 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. (Photo by Dozier Mobley/Getty Images) Getty Images
Recently, Jeff Gordon came out of nowhere to become a contender, winning immediately in his rookie season following a meteoric rise where he won at every level. He didn’t win the title in ‘94 but won the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Born in California, he moved to Indiana with his family as he started winning more at the grassroots levels and eventually got called all the way up to Winston Cup. Just a few years ago, nobody was thinking about this guy and all of a sudden you can’t ignore him! Traditional media types insist he’s not yet on the level of Dale Earnhardt, but he’ll get plenty of races to prove it.
Curt Cignetti’s arrival at Indiana immediately catapulted them to contender status in a way we’ve never seen before nor will again. It was never “this is pretty good for how early it is,” it was always “this is a very good football team!” The Indiana upstart looks to challenge the established powers even at this early stage of program development.
4. Illinois Fighting Illini: Rusty Wallace
High: 4 | Low: 12 | Last Week: 5 (+1)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEB 20, 1994: Rusty Wallace poses with his car, Daytona 500, NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, February 1994. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) Getty Images
Yes, that 12th is me. I had them lower and was going to use Ricky Rudd, but events have forced me into this odd dilemma where Illinois is Rusty Wallace, Extremely Legit Nascar Guy.
One time, a whole bunch of things went right and Rusty managed to win the 1989 Winston Cup title. That’s the difference between him and Mark Martin. Coming into ‘95, he’s established as a high-floor driver that will not usually prevail against the very best but is always right there if they screw up, and he does his share of making them screw up. A bunch of wins in the last few years, but also quite a few DNF’s (Did Not Finish). Wildly inconsistent but can usually win!
The big similarity here though is that in the mid-90’s, no matter what else Rusty does, he’s known primarily for this:
While Wallace was able to recover from this and later that season had a stretch of 8 races finishing in the top 4, this wreck was so spectacular that you can’t bring up Rusty Wallace without mentioning that crash.
5. Michigan Wolverines: Bill Elliott
High: 4 | Low: 10 | Last Week: 6 (+1)
UNKNOWN — Late-1990s: Bill Elliott ran his own NASCAR Cup race team with sponsorship from McDonald’s from 1995 through 2000. Elliott ran in 185 Cup events during that time frame and scored 44 top 10 finishes. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
One of NASCAR’s most popular drivers, Bill Elliott had an incredible run with Melling Racing that culminated in the 1988 championship. But since that partnership ended, he’s struggled to recapture the magic. Now, he’s on his own as an owner-driver and looking to prove that he can get it done without flagrant cheating the team that put him on top. Still a household name though!
Look, in 1985 Bill Elliott went 2 laps down at Talladega and made them up under green, then passed the field for a third time to take the lead. I don’t care that he rarely got caught, there were extraordinary shenanigans going on. It looks like in the post-Melling era, Elliott can’t cheat as well anymore.
6. Washington Huskies: Terry Labonte
High: 5 | Low: 9 | Last Week: 7 (+1)
4 Aug 1995: Terry Labonte looks on during practice for the NASCAR Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. Mandatory Credit: J.D. Cuban /Allsport Getty Images
Texas Terry had some elite years in the 80’s before a transitional period saw him run part-time for a hot second, but now he’s back in the saddle with Hendrick Motorsports and proved last year the partnership was legit. What he has yet to prove is that he can again be elite like he was for that brief moment!
The Jedd Fisch era had an inauspicious start, but Washington looks like a competitive football team here in Year 2. They’re clearly not “beat Ohio State” good, but just how good are they?
7. USC Trojans: Sterling Marlin
High: 5 | Low: 13 | Last Week: 8 (+1)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 19, 1995: Colorful winner Sterling Marlin enjoys taking consecutive Daytona 500 winning trophies after his victory in the 1995 race. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)
In 1994, Sterling Marlin had a big win at the beginning of the season that put him on the map, but then he struggled to find his footing as the Morgan-McClure team just wasn’t as good anywhere else as they were at the huge superspeedways. As a result, he was an afterthought in the title race.
In 1995, he won the Daytona 500 at the beginning of the season for a second straight year, putting up blistering fast times in qualifying and leading most of the race. So what’s going to happen when he has to deal with different types of tracks?
USC had their signature win against LSU last year before stumbling against Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This year, they put up huge numbers early, especially at home, before losing at Illinois. Doesn’t look like a very versatile or adaptable team. Is USC a one-trick pony? If they want to be taken seriously, they’ll have to play defense at some point.
8. Iowa Hawkeyes: Ricky Rudd
High: 5 | Low: 13 | Last Week: 9 (+1)
21 Jul 1995: Ricky Rudd looks on during the qualifying heats for the NASCAR Diehard 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport Getty Images
Ricky Rudd started his first cup series race back in 1975. He’s been at this for 20 odd years. And in all that ime, he’s had his ups and he’s had his downs, but while he’s rarely been in title contention, he does have one thing going on.
Entering the ‘95 season, he has an active streak of 12 years where he has won no fewer than one but no more than two races.
(He will push that streak out until ‘99, by the way)
You can always count on the Hawkeyes to win a number of games that falls between 8 and 10, even if you don’t expect much else.
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers: Darrell Waltrip
High: 6 | Low: 14 | Last Week: 11 (+2)
1990s: Darrell Waltrip went back to owning his own NASCAR Cup cars in 1991. He ran with Western Auto sponsorship from 1991 through 1995. During that period, Waltrip won five Cup races. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
There was a time when Darrell Waltrip won three titles within a five-year span and was indisputably the best in the sport.
But that was ever so long ago. 1994 was the second winless season in a row for the veteran, although he did improve from 13th to 9th in the points versus 1993. However, things are just not the same as they were before. The cars are all different, the competition is younger and it’s just not the same landscape under which ol’ Jaws once thrived.
How many Power Poll entries for Nebraska are this exact same story?
10. Maryland Terrapins: Ted Musgrave
High: 8 | Low: 13 | Last Week: 10 (No Change)
23 Jul 1995: Ted Musgrave looks on before the NASCAR Diehard 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport Getty Images
The main thing I remember about Ted Musgrave is that he sure was there.
Maryland appears to have settled in as a comfortable field filler. They proved September Maryland correct in dramatic fashion and now face a schedule that may see them lose out.
11. Penn State Nittany Lions: Ernie Irvan
3 Last Place Votes | High: 4 | Low: 18 | Last Week: 4 (-7)
UNKNOWN — 1995: Ernie Irvan made his comeback from injuries suffered the year before in a NASCAR Cup practice crash by entering three races on the new NASCAR Truck Series circuit in his own NAPA-sponsored Ford F-150. After a 30th place finish in his debut at the North Wilkesboro (NC) Speedway, Irvan finished third in the race at Mesa Marin Speedway in Bakersfield, CA, and second in the event held at the Phoenix (AZ) International Raceway. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
From 1990 to 1994, Ernie Irvan was one of the hottest up-and-coming drivers in NASCAR. He finished fifth in the points in 1991 after winning the Daytona 500 and was winning races right and left, earning a perception as a probable future champion and perennial contender. In 1994, he was trailing Dale Earnhardt by just 27 points heading into the August race at Michigan.
In practice, his right front tire failed as he was headed into Turn 2 at around 180mph and he hit the wall head-on. Irvan suffered a basilar skull fracture and two collapsed lungs among other injuries, barely surviving after being airlifted to the hospital.
Penn State was a playoff contender until they hit a brick wall at 180mph in the form of the UCLA Bruins. They went from a top 10 ranking to all the way off the radar. It’s not because they don’t have the talent, it’s because something horrible happened and they’re still trying to recover.
(In 1997, Irvan won the Winston Cup race at Michigan, the very track that tried to kill him)
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Morgan Shepherd
High: 8 | Low: 17 | Last Week: 13 (+1)
LEBANON, TN – JUNE 07: Morgan Shepherd, driver of the #89 Victory in Jesus Racing Dodge, roller skates down the front stretch before the start of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300 presented by Dollar General at Nashville Superspeedway on June 7, 2008 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) Getty Images
OOOOOO look at me and my roller skates I’m soooooooo quirky and wholesome!
But seriously I love Morgan Shepherd. He floated around NASCAR for a while, getting two wins as mostly a part-timer/ringer before finally finding a stable ride in 1989. He’d have stable rides until 1997, and during this time he was a top 10 caliber driver, finishing 6th in points in 1994. There’s an obvious ceiling on this quirky guy though.
How far are we really from Glen Mason hours in Minnesota?
13. Michigan State Spartans: Bobby Labonte
High: 10 | Low: 15 | Last Week: 12 (-1)
USA -August 1: Bobby Labonte poses for a photo on August 1, 1995 in the United States. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) Sporting News via Getty Images
‘95 would be Bobby Labonte’s third season in Cup after spending two years with Bill Davis Racing hovering around 20th. Back then, expectations for rookies and young drivers were fairly low. He got picked up by Joe Gibbs Racing after Dale Jarrett, who I neglected to include in this poll, moved to Robert Yates Racing. You gotta remember, I’m doing this as we go into ‘95, and at this time Labonte is a developing prospect.
He also wears green and is a little brother!
Labonte would break out and win three races in 1995, becoming a fixture over the next 5 years on his way to the 2000 Winston Cup championship. Can Jonathan Smith do the same for Michigan State? He had a forgettable Year 1 and Year 2 is looking unspectacular. How about next year?
14. UCLA Bruins: Kyle Petty
1 Last Place Vote | High: 3 | Low: 18 | Last Week: 18 (+4)
1995-96: Kyle Petty ran for the Felix Sabates team. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)
Never mind, I’m being wildly inconsistent with the timeline here, because I’m using Kyle Petty’s 1995 results. The progeny of legends Lee and Richard Petty, Kyle had…decidedly less success. Coming into the 95 season he had 7 career wins across 13 full seasons and a best points finish of 5th…and he was definitely on the decline, going winless in ‘94 en route to 15th place in the points.
He started ‘95 with seven of his first 11 finishes being 28th or worse.
Then he won the pole at Dover. Then he won the race.
He would resume his previous pace and keep it up for the rest of the season, even failing to qualify at Bristol. This would net him a 30th place points finish.
UCLA got a huge win out of nowhere in circumstances that would suggest that they shouldn’t have done it. Also, it’s likely to be their only one. You know how this works with the interim head coach bump and emotional roller coaster. Even if they win again, Penn State was the high point. But they did it!
15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Geoff Bodine
Last Place Votes: 1 | High: 9 | Low: 18 | Last Week: 14 (-1)
Mid 1990s: Geoff Bodine drove for his self-owned team with Exide Batteries sponsorship in 1994 and 1995 on the NASCAR Cup circuit scoring three victories, all during the 1994 season. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
This is the first time I’ve done an 18 team power poll. This sucks! I’m at 2400 words already! This is taking forever!
Geoff Bodine is from upstate New York, so he brings in that lucrative NYC media market. He also has kind of a silly name, or at least I thought “Geoff” was silly the first time I saw it.
This one’s not actually a very good match outside of that Northeast connection, because Geoff won a fair number of races over the years and in fact had 3 wins in the ‘94 season.
16. Northwestern Wildcats: Greg Sacks
1 Last Place Vote | High: 13 | Low: 18 | Last Week: 17 (+1)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – JULY 4, 1985: Greg Sacks enjoys what would be his only career NASCAR Cup victory following the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
A while ago, an inconceivable amount of things broke Greg Sacks’ way at Daytona and he randomly won a Cup Series race. We’re past that era now, and Sacks is a journeyman heading into ‘95 after finishing 31st in points with a stable ride. He did have a top 20 finish at Richmond in ‘95 though.
Northwestern appears to have lost the ability to make their opponents do the stupidest possible thing at all times.
17. Purdue Boilermakers: Derrike Cope
1 Last Place Vote | High: 13 | Low: 18 | Last Week: 15 (-2)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEB 20, 1994: Derrike Cope poses with his car, Daytona 500, NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, February 1994. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) Getty Images
A few years back, Derrike Cope infamously beat Dale Earnhardt at the 1990 Daytona 500 when the Intimidator cut down a tire while leading in turn 4 on the last lap.
Now, just a few years later, that’s all we can remember about Derrike Cope. Will he do something like that again? Probably not, but who knows?! Many people forget he also managed a second win at Dover later that season.
Nevertheless, that’s in the past and he’s starting over with Bobby Allison Motorsports after a 1994 that saw him bounce between three teams.
Does Purdue still have that harbor in them? Either way, the highlights are fun to watch.
18. Wisconsin Badgers: Dick Trickle
5 Last Place Votes | High: 15 | Low: 18 | Last Week: 16 (-2)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEB 20, 1994: Dick Trickle poses with his car, Daytona 500, NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, February 1994. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) Getty Images
At one time, Dick Trickle dominated the short tracks of Wisconsin, racking up an inconceivable number of wins over the decades. He made so much winning every race imaginable at that level that he didn’t need the money NASCAR was offering…until one day, at age 48, he decided he did.
Now I absolutely love me some Dick Trickle. But during his days as a full-time NASCAR driver, he was simply playing a different sport than the one he’d dominated. Could he have succeeded in an earlier era of NASCAR? I guess we’ll never know, but in 1995 he’s just a field filler.
What happened to you, Wisconsin? You picked a horrible time for your program to collapse.