Looking at The History of The Alabama 200

Every race has a unique history. Then there is the Alabama 200. From the get-go, the event has seen so many storylines, affiliations, and historical moments that make it one of the most interesting races to even be contested.

On September 18th, 1960 Crash Bond won a 100-lap independent race that was considered the first Alabama 200. Just a year later a future Alabama hero Red Farmer would win the 100-lap race under the NASCAR Modified banner in September. The tag of Modified special event would be held until 1965. There is no info on whether the event was contested in 1966.

SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH THE ALABAMA 200 ON RACINGAMERICA.TV

In 1967, Richard Petty won the 200-lap affair that was a NASCAR Grand National event. A strange footnote to this event is that it was the second race of the 1968 season.

By 1969, the race was flying under the NASCAR Sportsman banner as Red Farmer took the victory in what was a 300-lap contest. Farmer would win for the third time the following season as the race went back to 200 laps.

In 1985, the NASCAR Touring series returned with the NASCAR All American Challenge division. The race was won by Mike Alexander. The future of the race seemed bright, but it would not be run again until 1991.

Clay Brown took the honors as winner of the Alabama 200 in 1991 and Mike Harmon captured the race in 1992. In 1993 Bobby Gill won the race under the Southern All Stars banner. The alliance of the event with Southern All Stars would last for several seasons. From 1993 to 1996 the race flew under that banner.

RELATED: Stout Field Headed to Montgomery for 60th Alabama 200

The event went on hiatus before Gary Jones won a track event show in 1999. Gary Helton won the race in 2000 before the event would take some more time off.

Hunter Robbins won the 2004 version which was a 100-lap show. 2005 was a pair of races that went to Jason Hogan and Ted Musgrave Jr. Casey Smith won a version of the race in 2007, but that was at South Alabama Speedway while the Montgomery track was closed.

It was not until 2009 that the race would be run again at Montgomery with Augie Grill winning the first of three in a row at Montgomery. This was a switch to Pro Late Models for the first time.

The birth of the Southern Super Series in 2013 brought a home for the Alabama 200 as it returned to a Super Late Model event. Georgia drivers Chase Elliott, and Anderson Bowen kept the Peach State magic going as they rattled off four wins before Donnie Wilson won in 2016.

The current model of the Alabama 200 under the track’s Show Me the Money banner started in 2017 and has been running strong ever since. In recent years we have seen that leading the most laps might not be the way to victory lane. The last four winners of the race have led a combined 25 laps.

RELATED: Seth Christensen Takes Surprise Alabama 200 Win

-Story by: Elgin Traylor

Alabama 200 Winners

2023 Seth Christiansen
2022 Hunter Robbins
2021 Christopher Tullis
2020 Jake Garcia
2019 Augie Grill
2018 Casey Roderick
2017 Casey Roderick
2016 Donnie Wilson
2015 Chase Elliott
2014 Anderson Bowen
2013 Chase Elliott
2012 Mason Massey
2011 Augie Grill
2010 Augie Grill
2009 Augie Grill
2008 Augie Grill
2007 Casey Smith
2006 Not run
2005 Jason Hogan, Ted Musgrave Jr.
2004 Hunter Robbins
2000 Gary Helton
1999 Gary Jones
1996 Dave Mader III
1995 Junior Niedecken
1994 Eddie Mercer
1993 Bobby Gill
1992 Mike Harmon
1991 Clay Brown
1985 Mike Alexander
1984 Wayne Newton
1983 Mike Oliver
1982 Donnie Allison
1979 Ronnie Sanders
1978 Jody Ridley
1976 Ronnie Sanders
1975 Buck Simmons
1974 Jody Ridley
1973 Neil Bonnett
1972 Ed Howe
1971 Alton Jones
1970 Red Farmer