The number 1 has never won a NASCAR Cup championship, although Jamie McMurray captured Daytona 500 (2010) and Brickyard 400 (July 2010) Cup victories driving the 1. The car number has captured just 20 Cup victories, including four each by McMurray, Donnie Allison and Billy Wade.
Other notable drivers who raced the 1 included Buddy Baker, Kurt Busch (one win in the 1), Steve Park (two wins), Paul Lewis (one win), Rick Mast and Martin Truex Jr. (one win in the 1.) All-time great David Pearson started 10 races in the 1 and posted one win. Eddie Gray also won once in the 1.
Other well-known drivers who started races in the 1 included A.J. Foyt, Geoff Bodine and Davey Allison.
Bit of trivia: Lloyd Dane gave the 1 its first Cup win on Sept. 23, 1956 at Portland (Ore.) Speedway.
My favorite memory of the 1 came in early May of 1991 when Mast gave Harry Gant a not-so-legal double bump to victory in the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Harry was running on fumes.
I later asked Rick about it, and he asked why he would help Harry? "The cars were owned by the Jackson brothers (Leo and Richard), both cars were Oldsmobiles and both cars were sponsored by U.S. Tobacco."
Even Mast had to admit those were all good reasons. But he wouldn't admit anything.
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