American 500 (1965–1981) Walter W. Hodgdon American 500 (1982–1984) Nationwise 500 (1985–1986) AC Delco 500 (1987–1994) AC Delco 400 (1995–1998) Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 (1999–2003)
This race, typically run as the penultimate race of the NASCAR season, was dropped from the schedule after the 2003 season. The Pop Secret sponsorship was moved over to thenewly acquired Labor Day date atAuto Club Speedway, while the late season date was originally taken over by theSouthern 500 atDarlington and later thefall race atTexas, which was moved to Spring in 2024 after the track dropped its original spring race in 2021.
1973: Pearson posted his eleventh win of the 1973 season whileBenny Parsons won the season championship despite severe damage in an early crash.
1976:Richard Petty defeatedLennie Pond for the win, despite several green-flag pitstops — Petty won despite 125 total seconds in the pits to Pond's 54 seconds.
1977:Donnie Allison outclassed the field for his second win of the season.
1979:Darrell Waltrip, entering the race with the Winston Cup point lead, finished a distant sixth as Petty grabbed the win and the point lead.
1980: Multiple crashes thinned the field asCale Yarborough took the win in a close points race with sophomoreDale Earnhardt. The race lead changed 35 times.
1981:Darrell Waltrip andBobby Allison, locked in a bitter point battle, finished 1–2; the lead changed 33 times in total and five times over the final 32 laps between Waltrip and Allison.
1982: Allison spun out of the pits on his final pitstop and Waltrip seized the win.
1984:Bill Elliott edgedHarry Gant in a photo finish after Gant seized the lead with two to go.
1992: In the final raceRichard Petty would compete in at the Petty's nativeNorth Carolina; sonKyle, in the hunt for the 1992 championship, dominated the race, leading all but 8 laps en route to the younger Petty collecting his 2nd victory of the season; which was the only time Kyle Petty won more than one race in a season.
1994: In addition to winning the race,Dale Earnhardt clinched his 7th title at the Rock.
