NASCAR’s annual Monster Energy All-Star Race is always an event to remember.

Each May, drivers make the trip to Charlotte Motor Speedway with the mentality of “checkers or wreckers.” With no championship points on the line, the incentive is nothing more than bragging rights and a payday of $1 million. As we head into the 32nd edition on Saturday night, here are five memorable All-Star races from years past.

5) 2007: Oh, Brother

Rivalries in NASCAR always make for a good story. Family rivalries in NASCAR make an even better one. And when $1 million is on the line, the feud goes to the next level.

The final segment of the 2007 All-Star Race had some of the sport’s biggest names fighting for the prize, including the Busch brothers. With 18 laps to go, Kyle Busch dove to the inside of his big brother, Kurt, going down the frontstretch and the two made just the slightest of contact. It became big contact in Turn 1 as Kyle lost control and spun, collecting Kurt.

“I was waiting for the day when we got together, and we did, and we were racing for a million bucks,” Kurt Busch said. He later revealed the two remained at odds over the wreck until Thanksgiving, when Grandma Busch had to step in.

4) 1987: Pass in the grass

Actually, it wasn’t a pass, but it sure does sound good. Of course, whenever Dale Earnhardt was involved, that was likely to happen.

In 1987, Earnhardt and Bill Elliott were in the midst of a championship battle that carried over into Charlotte. Elliott dominated the race and had the faster car, but it was Earnhardt who held the top spot. The two waged a furious nose-to-tail battle over the final 10 laps with Earnhardt making the infamous move by hanging onto his car as it got sideways in the frontstretch grass.

But the contact didn’t end when the race was over. Elliott drove into the side of Earnhardt’s car after the checkered flag and later said it was the maddest he’s ever been.

3) 1997: T-Rex chomps down

Its official name is Chassis No. 2429, although it will live forever as the T-Rex car for its “Jurassic Park” paint scheme. Jeff Gordon drove it in the 1997 race and dominated, but it’s happened afterward that made it famous.

Gordon led 49 of 70 laps on his way to his second victory in The Winston and the car did pass inspection. However, its performance and design were enough of an eyebrow raiser NASCAR asked the team to never bring it to the track again.
Said engineer Rex Stump, “It was just a car ahead of its time.”

2) 1989: Choke on it
There was a reason Darrell Waltrip was nicknamed “Jaws,” because Waltrip never met a microphone he didn’t like. Because of that, he produced one of the best soundbites for an angry driver after a race.

Waltrip and Rusty Wallace started up front in the 1989 running of The Winston, setting up a classic case of bad guy (Waltrip) versus good guy (Wallace). But with the money on the line, Wallace put the bumper to Waltrip coming off Turn 4 to the white flag. Waltrip spun wildly through the grass as Wallace went on to win.

Suddenly, the good guy was the bad guy as Wallace was booed heavily. The two driver’s crews pushed and shoved on pit road while Wallace denied doing anything intentional, saying the two just got together in a racing incident.

“I hope he (Wallace) chokes on that $200,000,” was Waltrip’s response.

1) 1992 One Hot Night

NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1992 All-Star Race with this year’s edition. Why? Because the ’92 race might just be the most famous All-Star Race in history. One that has its own nickname, “One Hot Night.”

To start, it was the first All-Star Race run under the lights, at the time a feat in engineering when it came to larger tracks. It ended up paving the way for NASCAR to illuminate more tracks on its schedule through the years.

The race wasn’t half-bad, either.

On the final lap, it looked to be Dale Earnhardt’s win. But he lost control in Turn 3 trying to fend off Kyle Petty. From there, Petty went door-to-door with Davey Allison (ABOVE). Allison crossed the finish line first, but contact between he and Petty at that moment sent the No. 28 for a spin and Allison hit the outside wall driver’s side first.

While the winning driver was airlifted to the hospital, his team took subdued pictures in Victory Lane.

And just as a side note, does any remember when Bruton Smith’s hair nearly caught fire when he flipped the switches for the lights for fans to see during a test session? It’s worth looking up.