Racing Replay: 1988 Pepsi Firecracker 400

The 1988 Pepsi Firecracker 400 at Daytona Int'l Speedway had Bill Elliott starting all the way back in 38th place. But on the last lap he held off a hard charge from Rick Wilson to take the win by just a couple of feet as Phil Parsons, Dale Earnhardt and pole-winner Darrell Waltrip battled for third place.

This video is from the live satellite feed. ABC was scheduled to broadcast the race on a tape delay. After the race finish there is an interim period where Paul Page and his fellow commentator (sorry, don't know who it is) attempt to record the replay coverage. That is followed by post-race interviews with Elliott and Wilson. Elliott earned $63,500 for the win.

The 1988 running was the first time that the Firecracker 400 was not run on July 4. Beginning this year it was moved to the first Saturday in July -- July 2 in this case. Since then, the race has only run on July 4 one other time -- in 1992. It was scheduled to run on July 4 in 1998 (the first night race), but that event was postponed to October due to wildfires. The race will be run this year on July 4, the first time since 1992.

Incidentally, 1988 was the last time the "Firecracker" name appeared in the race title. Beginning in 1989 the race became known as the Pepsi 400.