In the earliest days of NASCAR, the No. 7 was a lucky number. Bob Flock, a member of one of the sport’s pioneering families, won the third race of the inaugural NASCAR Strictly Stock season behind the wheel of the No. 7 Oldsmobile at Occoneechee (N.C.) Speedway in 1949.
Flock also won the year’s final race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, making him one of only two drivers to win twice that season.
Two years later, Flock was one of three drivers to win races in the No. 7 Olds. The first was Bob’s brother, Fonty Flock at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway on Aug. 25; Frank Mundy then won at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 14; and finally Bob won again at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Oct. 21.
All told, the No. 7 has won a total of 23 NASCAR Premier Series races.
Arguably the most famous No. 7 belonged to the late Alan Kulwicki, who prevailed in an incredible battle with Bill Elliott and Davey Allison to capture the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series title in the year’s final race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Elliott won the race, but Kulwicki took the championship because he got five bonus points for leading a race-high 103 laps to Elliott’s 102.
And that race, of course, was famous for another reason: It was Richard Petty’s last NASCAR Cup race and Jeff Gordon’s first.
Kulwicki was the owner/driver of a small, low-budget team. And on the front bumper of his Ford Thunderbird, he famously blocked out the “Th,” so the name showed up as “underbird,” a fitting tribute to the scrappy driver and his team.
But in recent years, the once-lucky number has fallen upon hard times. Robby Gordon was winless in 226 starts behind the wheel of the No. 7. That’s the most races of any of the 101 drivers who have competed in the No. 7 in a NASCAR Premier Series race.
Gordon is not the only driver to struggle in the No. 7. Michael Waltrip went 0-for-68 with that number, and Kyle Petty won just once in 117 starts in the No. 7.
Which brings us to today’s bar bet question: When was the last time the No. 7 won a NASCAR Premier Series race and who was the driver?
The correct answer is Geoff Bodine, who won on the Watkins Glen International road course on Aug. 11, 1996.
Here’s a look at the No. 7:
Starts: 1,449
Wins: 23
Wins by driver: Jim Reed, 7; Alan Kulwicki, 5; Geoff Bodine, 4; Bob Flock, 4; Kyle Petty, 1; Frank Mundy, 1; Fonty Flock, 1.
Top fives: 140
Top 10s: 286
Poles: 41
Average start: 21.90
Average finish: 22.15
Drivers: 101
Note: All statistics from driveraverages.com.
